In this video, Ability Action’s resident OT, Reese Himmer, OT-R, ATP, HAST (Certified Home Assessment and Safety Therapist), will cover the following aspects of an ADA bathroom:
-What does an ADA bathroom look like?
-What lessons for home bathrooms can we use and which can we ignore?
-Key tips on making a bathroom safe.
Have questions on this video or aging in place? Email us at info@abilityaction.com or check our website at www.abilityaction.com
The average cost to make the basic changes to improve a home so someone can age in place is around $2000. That’s not a little money but its not alot. Adaptions such as simple grab bars, non-slip treads on floors or stairs, bright lights, especially at the top and bottom of exterior steps or under cabinets in kitchens, and other simple adaptations can make a big difference for improving the livability of a home as we age.
But one thing we haven’t talked about cost nearly no money and yet might have the biggest impact of all: Strength Training!
No matter your age, strength training can have a big impact on your ability to stay strong, get along with little to no extra assistance, and be able to stay independent. It takes surprisingly little money but has a very big impact. In the following articles we’ll cover some of the “how to” of strength training. But for now let’s cover the “why.” For that, we’d like to introduce Dr. Ken D. Berry, MD, who has recorded this 8-minute video. In case you’d like to read more, the video includes references to support what he says. You can find the original video and the references on Dr. Berry’s YouTube channel.
In launching AbilityAction, we wanted to have a custom header that shows people who are active. Afterall, the AARP showed through a study that people 50 and over WANT to be active. Sometimes they don’t know where to start, which is pretty typical for all of us! So you’d think that photos and images of people 50 and older exercising or being active would be easy. But it wasn’t…
To create our customer header we spent hours trying to find photos of active men and women over 50. Did we find many? Yes, some. And enough to create our customer web site header graphic. But by and large most of the photos seemed to show a sedentary vs. an active life.
Clearly this is just our impression but still it is worth pondering. What kind of message is our society sending now and what kind of message do we want to send in the future?
“Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults—7 to 9 hours each night. But, older people tend to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier than they did when they were younger.” So sleep is needed no matter what age you are. According to the National Institute of Health; if you don’t get a good night’s sleep, the next day you may:
Learn more at the National Institute of Health here: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/good-nights-sleep#aging
Central College in Pella Iowa has the world’s most passionate and enthusiastic student, and she’s 80. Age is just a number, especially when it comes to learning!