Archive for the ‘Recreation’ Category

Get Your Green Thumbs Dirty!

Posted on: April 22nd, 2014 by Medi-RentsBlogger

Lawn-and-Garden-Month

Get Your Green Thumbs Dirty!

Another nasty winter finally comes to an end, and spring has finally sprung bringing with it beautiful blossoming flowers and trees. It seems only fitting that April celebrates national Lawn and Garden Month.

Take a stroll and enjoy the beauty of the flowering trees, blooming tulips, daffodils, and magnolias. Medi-Rents encourages people to observe the bloom-filled Lawn and Garden Month by adopting a new project in their home or community.

Gardening acts as a therapeutic activity for people who have recently suffered a stroke or other serious medical emergency. Container gardening or raised garden beds are great for people who are in wheelchairs, as it makes it easy to water and give attention to plants at waist level. Working with the soil, mulch, plants, and watering the seedlings is also an active therapy for working on eye-hand coordination.

In addition to the benefit of beautifying spaces, gardening is also an enjoyable way to sneak in exercise. Pulling grass, trimming bushes, and carrying away piles of debris are quick ways to burn a few extra calories. Spending time in the sunshine, soaking up vitamin D is another health benefit to working outside.

10 Ways to Celebrate Lawn and Garden Month:

  1. Plant a plot for the hungry.
  2. Organize a plant swap: think garage sale for plants.
  3. Create a community cleanup day.
  4. Initiate a garden club.
  5. Visit a farmers market.
  6. Start a compost pile.
  7. Plant a bird-bee-butterfly friendly garden
  8. Plant a raised garden bed.
  9. Repurpose household items into garden décor.
  10. Plant container gardens.

No matter what your skill level or ability, there is a type of garden that will fit your need. If you need assistance, you can look to local gardening clubs for advice, or visit your local library for resources.

Medi-Rents hopes to grow community spirit by inspiring organizations and individuals to celebrate Lawn and Garden month and make American a greener, cleaner place.

National Therapeutic Week Part 2

Posted on: July 16th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

We have been talking about National Therapeutic Recreation Week and how it benefits people with all kinds of disabilities and promote more physical; activities and healthier lifestyles.

These disabilities can be related to accidents, age and a host of other conditions. Therapeutic recreation uses treatment, education, and recreation services to help people with illnesses, disabilities, and other conditions to develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health, functional abilities, independence, and quality of life. What lessons can you get from therapeutic recreation for your own life and health? Here are some ideas from Medi-Rents and Sales to get you thinking.

Stay healthy and be active! Keep your body moving!

Stay healthy and be active! Keep your body moving!

Do a baseline-

What is your current health status? What are your current risks to your health? Write these things down. Write down your blood pressure, weight, cholesterol and other health numbers. What would you like those numbers to be in one year? What about in five years? What types of illnesses and diseases run in your family?

Make a plan-

Make a plan, but make it realistic. Don’t say that you are going to exercise 2 hours every day seven days a week if you never have or probably never really want too. Don’t say that you will never have a sweet again if you like sweets. Start slow and start small. State your plan clearly like “by next year at this date I will have lost 20 pounds and have lowered my cholesterol by 10 points.” Then write the plan. “I will walk 30 minutes per day at least 3 times per week.” I will only eat sweets 1 time per day and never after 3pm.” Those things are manageable and realistic.

Get started-

If the only exercise you get from this is writing your list, you are not doing it right. Don’t wait from some big date on the calendar like New Years- start today!

Medi-Rent and Sales carries products that can help people who are at any stage of health. From canes and oxygen to enteral nutrition, see us today.

National Therapeutic Recreation Week: 5 Ways to Get Involved

Posted on: July 9th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

National Therapeutic Recreation; what is it and how do you help spread the message about it? Medi-Rents and Sales is glad you asked.  The National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS) sets aside one week every year in July to raise awareness of therapeutic recreation programs and services for individuals with all kinds of disabilities. Therapeutic Recreation works with clients in Geriatric, Pediatric, Physical Therapy fields, and more.

Talk with your local adult daycare provider, assisted living or nursing home facility, or special needs provider about “therapeutic rec” and what they offer. You may consider volunteering with them or leading a project of your own.  Contact your local college. Many of them have therapeutic rec programs and people who would make great speakers at a meeting or group.

Have someone aid you with exercising. They'll be able to help!

Have someone aid you with exercising. They’ll be able to help!

What can you do to promote the cause of Therapeutic Recreation this month and all year long? Here are some ideas:

  • Address your city council about accessible recreation needs. It’s a great thing for a city to promote and really benefits the whole community.
  • Call your local paper and ask them cover a story about Therapeutic Recreation.  Better yet, help plan a community disability awareness event and invite the press.
  • Hold an “Olympics Day.” Invite seniors, people with physical challenges or intellectual disabilities. Events can include speed walking (or rolling), shuffleboard, a softball throw, a golf putt, Frisbee toss, basketball shoot-out and many other activities.
  • Talk to local coaches about recreational inclusion in sports for youth with disabilities.
  • If you’re tech savvy, use Facebook or Twitter to start a discussion about therapeutic recreation in your area. Use these avenues to put together an event for a panel discussion in which people who have benefited from therapeutic recreation may share their success stories.

One person can do more than you think and our efforts may be the start of something great. Medi-Rents and Sales carries a wide assortment of manual wheelchairs and power wheelchairs and accessories to keep wheelchairs more active and involved. See us today.