Tag Archives: Age

How a Stairlift Benefits Your Health

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There are a number of reasons someone may need help with mobility. Stairlifts are seats that help people who struggle with mobility easily climb up and down staircases. Age isn’t the only factor when it comes to losing mobility. People at any age can struggle with arthritis or other bone or joint disease that decreases the general range of motion. An unexpected accident or other situation can leave you needing help when it comes to freely moving around and doing things you formerly had no trouble doing. Stairlifts are able to improve the way you get around your home and allow you to keep your independence.

Stairlifts Can Prevent Falls

Doctors who treat the elderly or patients with bone and joint disorders will tell you that one of the most common causes of injuries for their patients is falls. Whether a person realizes it or not, when mobility is challenged it increases the risk of falls. Stairs are a dangerous place to fall because a fall down the stairs often results in multiple injuries. Sometimes you can even trip going up the stairs and injure your face or neck if you fall upwards. A lift can help you avoid falls by providing a safe alternative to climbing.

If your only problem is a lack of mobility, you don’t want to compound it with injuries from a fall. Stairlifts remove the risk of falling down the stairs and insure that you won’t end up at the doctor for a broken bone or other injury. A lift can even help remove any fear you may have of falling when climbing up or down the stairs. Some people don’t realize that they even have a fear of injuring themselves on the stairs until they get a lift and realize that it helps build their confidence when climbing.

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How To Determine the Age of Antiques

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To determine the age of an item in your shop, you can either look it up in an antiques reference book or online, or you can look for the following characteristics:

Furniture. All old wooden furniture can be identified with simple examinations.

Size and shape of dovetails on drawers. Dovetails on old furniture are always larger and less symmetrical than those on modem pieces.

Wood grain. Furniture makers about one hundred years ago often con­structed tables, dressers, and such, of quarter-sawn wood. This wood was cut to produce a distinctive wavy pattern, sometimes called tiger oak. This cutting method was extremely wasteful and isn’t used today.

Saw marks. Before the advent of modem machinery, all wood was cut by hand. Whereas cabinetmakers would take great pains to sand and smooth the exterior surface of a piece of furniture, they often left concealed areas quite rough. You can frequently see obvious saw marks on the underside of tables and the backs of case pieces.

Shrinkage. All wood shrinks in time. With enough time, shrinkage becomes obvious. You’ll sometimes see enclosed panels that have split because the cabinetmaker glued the panels into the surrounding framework. The thin panels eventually shrank and the tension caused them to split. Round tables made of a softwood such as pine can become slightly oval in time as the wood shrinks across the grain.

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Stability And Mobility Through Age In Place Renovations

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As loved ones age caregivers need to start putting in place a plan against home accidents. Aging in place is becoming more common as loved ones are living longer and are more independent than in past decades. Assisted living a popular option also however many senior prefer to maintain their quality of life and independent living for as long as possible. This leads to aging in place safety procedures being instituted in homes.

One issue that often arises as loved ones ages is the loss of balance and stability. This often leads to falls that then grow into large issues such as broken hips or fractures. The best thing we can do as caregivers is to eliminate the possibilities that make our senior higher risk. It is impossible to offer them more balance on their own so establishing the aid around the house to offer this while removing obstacles is the key element in keeping seniors safe while aging in place.

The main area to begin with is the floors. This is obvious as it is where mobility happens. Observe the room. Look for obstacle as you walk through, in and around the room. Is there furniture everywhere? Is it too tight to maneuver with the use of a cane or walker? Are there rugs scattered about or loose carpets? How about magazines, papers, dog beds and extra debris that is not necessary cluttering the floor area? Also examine any cords for lamps, phones and other miscellaneous items often around the home stored on the floor. Even fan and humidifier cords are hazards in moving about one’s home in a safe manner.

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