Handicapped & Safer Mobility in the Bedroom.
If you are handicapped in any way, safer mobility in a dark bedroom is a wise goal. I'd like to share a few tips I have used, that will help you achieve that goal.
Statistics show that most falls occur during the night usually due to lack of visibility. Other reasons are clutter on the floor and rugs to trip over.
There are solutions that will greatly help to limit the possibility of these falls happening.
Adequate lighting is very Important
for safer mobility in the bedroom.
Convenient, under the bed motion lights, that turn on instantly.One of my favorite and most used items I have found, is motion lights that fit under my bed and are very reliable.
I have great difficulty turning a lamp on with arthritic hands. Even searching in the dark for a touch lamp can sometimes be difficult. These motion sensor lights have solved that problem completely.
I don't have to do anything but put my legs over the side of the bed and the sensor lights come on instantly.
The light then stays on long enough, (which there is an adjustment option for length of time), for me to get to the light switch in the bathroom and turn on the lights.
Then when returning to the bedroom, I have time to turn off the bathroom light and then as I step into the bedroom the bed lights come on again.
Since these lights have provided safer mobility in my bedroom, I bought a set for my mom as well.
My entry way is also dark, so my solution for that was motion detector lights there as well, that hang on the wall. They turn on when I need them and then turn off after I leave the room.
I really appreciate that I don't have to worry, about going and making sure lights are off, in the entry way at night.
Another nice option with the ones I purchased, is that the light part comes off. It is held on by a strong magnet and you can remove it, then use it as a flashlight if you are without lights, pretty handy.
One final perk, they are rechargable! Worth looking into.
Prevent and Avoid Falls
Preventing and avoiding falls is one of the most important things you need to do, when you are handicapped and want safer mobility in the bedroom
These motion lights are very inexpensive, and very easy to install, you just need an outlet.
Currently I've had mine for 3 years, and they still work. I've also had no problems with them whatsoever.
Not having to grope around in the dark since I've had these lights, has been a big preventative for stumbling or falls at night.
I purchased these under bed motion detector lights from Amazon. CLICK HERE to purchase your set of lights and make your bedroom safer.
Inexpensive Touch Lamps
Another option if you prefer, is to transform any lamp into a touch lamp. Arthritis often makes turning on a lamp switch difficult. Sometimes just getting older makes it difficult.
A very easy and convenient solution is a touch dimmer switch, with a touch pad control that allows 3 levels of lighting.
The Dimmer switch unit plugs into a wall plug-in and then your lamp cord plugs into an extension unit on the dimmer cord. Very simple but practical, helpful and economical, as opposed to buying a complete touch lamp.
DEWENWILS Touch Dimmer Switch, Touch Pad Control with 3 Levels of Dimming,
Getting Joints Ready to Move
For
Safer Mobility in the Bedroom
Beat Morning Stiffness
Whether you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or another form of inflammatory arthritis, here are a few tips to beat morning stiffness in your joint.
- Before you get up, Arthritis Society Canada occupational therapist Lauren Macgillivray, gives this advice.Try some gentle range of motion exercises while you're still in bed. "Gently move through what you feel is a comfortable range of movement for the affected joints. Use back and forth motion, five to 10 times in a row. This will help to loosen up the joints and get rid of some of that pain and stiffness before getting the day started.
- Heat can be one of the most effective tips to use first thing in the morning. Warm water can work wonders on stiff joints. Consider either a bath, shower or simply running stiff hands under very warm water. Heating pads or blankets, or cloth bags filled with rice or other grains that can be warmed in the microwave, may also be helpful.
- *Another Arthritis Society occupational therapist states, "I teach people how to do an oil and glove routine, which has very similar benefits to what you would use if you were doing paraffin wax baths, but it's more convenient. Apply mineral oil on the hands, then slip on oversized rubber dish gloves. Soak your hands in a basin of hot water and then do some gentle range of motion exercises."
Some mornings, with any type of arthritis, it is not uncommon to wake up very stiff and sore.
On those mornings, if you feel like I do, you don't really want to do anything. However, I purchased myself a bicycle pedal exerciser and just pedaling on it for a couple minutes will warm up my joints and they feel less stiff and sore.
Occasionally I'll do it longer, but often I'll find out that if I spend just a few minutes pedaling on it, my knees are improved.
Even on those bad days when you feel like just going back to the bed, just do what you can, maybe just a minute or whatever you feel up to.
According to several studies it has been found, that some form of movement is one of the best things you can do for yourself when you have arthritis.
I know personally how much easier that is said, than done, because I have had to deal with many a bad day. I now keep my floor pedal exerciser beside my chair, to pedal for a few minutes several times a day.
Pedaling also helps to build leg muscles, which is good for balance and leg strength.
I bought mine at Walmart or you can also order it online.
Reference: Danielle Hogg, an Arthritis Society occupational therapist.