Posts Tagged ‘safety’

Safety in your Bathroom

Posted on: January 14th, 2014 by Medi-RentsBlogger

Safety in your BathroomStatistically, the bathroom is the most dangerous place for seniors age 65 and older. The Center for Disease Control found that seniors were most likely to receive injuries like contusions and broken bones from falling in the bathroom. Since many of the customers Medi-Rents interact with are older, we thought it would be appropriate to discuss the concept of bathroom safety and how you can make your bathroom a safer place. Remember, January is National Bathroom Safety Month.

The first thing in evaluating the safety of your bathroom is to identify the problem areas, or the areas you feel most vulnerable to an accident. The most common places are in the shower, getting in or out of the shower or bath tub, or getting on or off the toilet.

For help with getting in and out of your shower there are grab bars that can be suctioned to the side of your shower or securely bolted into the wall. There are also shower chairs and benches that can put you in a safer seated position as you shower. This greatly reduces the chances of a slip and fall in the shower leading to further injury.

Grab bars can also be used if you prefer to use a bath tub. Whereas grab rails attach to the wall, tub rails attach to the side of your tub without damaging it to help you ease yourself in. For those with less mobility, a transfer bench allows you scoot towards the tub, swing your legs over the edge of the tub and slide into your tub.

The toilet can also be made safer with a raised toilet that allows you an easier on-and-off. There are also handrails made to fit around your toilet to help you ease yourself on and lift yourself off the toilet.

See the experts at Medi-Rents & Sales today with your questions about bathroom safety and equipment to help you or a loved one.

Take Care of Your Eyes This Summer

Posted on: August 8th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger

Take Care of Your EyesAugust can be a hot, sunny month here in Maryland. There are summer festivals, county fairs, golf, watching kids at the pool…the list goes on. We hear a lot about sunscreen for our skin and the dangers of skin cancer, but what about your eyes? Medi-Rents and Sales is always looking out for our customers and trying to provide the best bathroom safety equipment, enteral nutritional supplies and power wheelchairs, but we care about your eyes too!

Did you know that your eyes can suffer sunburn?  Just the thought makes you squint doesn’t it? The medical term is photokeratitis and whatever you call it, sunburn of the eyes, and more specifically the corneas and retinas, is caused by overexposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This can cause very painful eyes and temporary blindness.

You may be thinking that you were never that kid who stated at the sun or even an eclipse and that could neverhappen to you, but you may be surprised.  The level of ultraviolet radiation (UVA and UVB) is at least three times higher in the summer than during the winter. Add that to the increased hours of daylight and the greatly increased time we spend outside and the dangers start to add up.

Spending time at the beach or in the water this summer? Be careful. The reflective water makes the risk much higher and makes the rays come at you from more directions.

If you take certain medications, you may be more “photosensitive” or have greater sensitivity to light. Read the labels and ask your doctor or your pharmacist if you have questions.

What can you do to protect your eyes? Don’t use sunscreen in your eyes, but screen your eyes from the sun with a wide brimmed hat or sunglasses or better yet, both. Sunglasses are the simplest solution. The best sunglasses offer 100 percent UV absorption, look for that on the label. Darker lenses are not always the best indicator, so read carefully. Look for glasses that offer the best optical quality and are impact resistant. Make sure they fit your face and won’t slide off easily. Look for glasses that cover more area around the eye.

These simple tips should hopefully keep your eyes healthy and your last few weeks of summer great! Medi-Rents and Sales want to see you soon.

 

Don’t Ruin Your Summer by Getting Hurt this Spring!

Posted on: April 17th, 2013 by Medi-RentsBlogger No Comments

We all have a built-in need to do things in the springtime that we are able ignore the rest of the year like deep cleaning our houses and sprucing up our yards. While the end result may be great, overdoing these tasks can wind up hurting you in the long run. Here are a few preventative tips from your friends at Medi-Rents and Sales.

Easing back into action this spring is the best way to prevent nagging injury.

Easing back into action this spring is the best way to prevent nagging injury.

  • Chairs are for sitting only. Don’t stand on a chair to reach the high cupboards or to paint the wall. Use a proper step stool with a handle and even then, only if your fully able to and have someone else there to assist you.
  • Chairs are for sitting, so sit down to do low projects like cleaning out drawers, cleaning the refrigerator or dusting. It will save your back and feet and it’s easier to get out of a chair then off of a floor.
  • Have a buddy system. Is there another friend that will be doing the same kind of projects?  You help them, they help you. Separate the days you’ll work together so you don’t overdo it.
  • Go easy on chemicals. Read the directions on cleaning supplies carefully and use fans or open windows for ventilation.
  • Hire it done or ask for help.  Ask friends for recommendations on people they have used to get their projects done. Could a cleaning service get your whole house deep cleaned in a day or two? Could a person from the neighborhood get your lawn or flowerbeds ready?
  • And lastly, ask yourself if it really needs to be done.  Many of us were raised to think we need to keep a spotless home and yard.  It’s okay if your second story windows don’t sparkle and your hedge isn’t perfect. You’re health and safety is more important.

Is it time to “spring clean” your home medical equipment? If you’ve been waiting for a time to replace worn out equipment or supplies, or to have your home medical equipment inspected, spring is a great time and Medi-Rents and Sales is a great place to do it. Our online catalog and showroom has hundreds of products waiting for you.

Remember: don’t ruin your summer by getting hurt this spring!