Appliances Galore!

Thinking about purchasing a new appliance sometime soon? Check out the following pictures for appliances that will make your life easier now and further down the road (and they look great too!)

The secret of induction is simple: make the cookware the heat source. Whether the burners are turned off or on, the surface remains cool until a pot or pan is placed on it. This eliminates the danger of burns, as does locating the controls at the front of the stove. This safety measure prevents someone from reaching over the burners to access the controls.

Under-counter refrigerator drawers can be more efficient than one large refrigerator because they can be placed where they are needed most—where you wash vegetables or where you bake. Raised, front-loading washers and dryers are convenient and you don't have to bend over as far to load them. An ironing board stored in a drawer reduces clutter and prevents a potential trip hazard.

While reviewing new products on the market, our designer found this new gizmo. It is a fitting that can go on any 1 ¼” vertical grab bar, and be used for any hand held shower. Usually the slide bar for a hand held is not strong enough to hold someone up and we don't recommend using it as a grab bar. This way it can serve double duty. The company is Alsons, visit their website when you get a chance to check out their other innovative product offerings.

Announcement!

We'd like to congratulate two of our employees on becoming Certified Aging in Place Specialists (CAPS)! The following is from a previous post, explaining the CAPS designation and why you should use a CAPS person for your project:

NAHB and CAPS
No one is more in tune with growing trends in the building and remodeling industry than the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Seeing the growing need for experts in aging-in-place remodeling, the NAHB created a special licensure program that trains participants to become Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists (CAPS). In the beginning, the program was mostly taken advantage of by those in the remodeling industry. However, with the aging-in-place movement growing, and only looking to get bigger, more and more general contractors, home builders, architects, designers, and care providers have entered the program and left with the knowledge needed to help aging homeowners transform their homes into residences they can grow old in comfortably.

What's so special about an AIP Specialist?
Understanding aging-in-place isn't just about learning a few remodeling tricks. It's about understanding the needs of the aging population and developing flexible solutions to the many challenges common homes provide. That being the case, CAPS are not only trained in aging friendly solutions to common remodeling projects, they are trained to understand the entire aging process and its unique demands. By understanding the nature of aging, a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist is the best contractor possible when it comes to assessing your home, developing designs to make it more universally livable, and to follow through on those designs by performing the remodeling work.

Whether you are currently in need of aging-in-place home improvements and remodels, or are considering a major remodel and want to incorporate aging-in-place into the design to wisely prepare for the future, a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist is the first person you should call.

Bathrooms are the most dangerous room in a senior’s home. Water, soap and a slippery floor can be a fatal mixture. More falls occur in the bathroom than any other room. One of the ways to assist seniors in maintaining their independence and still be safe is to replace their standard toilet with a higher commode. A raised toilet seat with arms can assist seniors by offering arms to hold on to while sitting down on the seat, or standing up and is an inexpensive addition to the bathroom. Another option is an automatic uplift commode, which can lift and support up to 80% body weight to gently raise or lower the user to a seated position.

We strongly suggest adding safety bars and hand rails around the toilet area and the bathtub area. Safety bars not only give stability and strength to seniors as they stand or sit, but it also gives them peace of mind. Walk-in tubs eliminate the hazardous step over the side of a traditional tub. These allow seniors to safely walk into and out of their tub as opposed to climbing in and out of one.

Safety in the Home

When we think of home safety, there are many obvious precautions that come to mind: smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and strategically placed hand rails, just to name a few. However, there are many more eminent dangers that the elderly face everyday, dangers that can be easily remedied or removed from their home all together. Falls are the number one cause of injury to seniors in their homes. Most falls are preventable and with a few safety precautions you can decrease the chances of being injured.

• Remove all phone cords that stretch or drape across a room, floor or walkway. If necessary, purchase a cordless phone.
• Do not store anything on a staircase, in the stairwell or on the stair treads.
  Never drape items over a stair banister that would prevent it being used as a safety bar or hand rail.
• Keep hallways and staircases well-lit. See the above picture for an example of low voltage lighting at the stairs to help with safety.
• Avoid rugs and runners. If these are desired, at least make sure all rugs have a non-slip backing and are flush to the floor.
• Keep a clearly marked emergency phone chart near the phone
• Do not store heavy objects high in the closet or above waist level - handling a heavy object over head is sure way to lose balance

Innovative Product: Temperature Controlled Shower LED Light

This LED Shower Light safely let's you know when your shower water is ready. Turn the water on and a blue LED light shines through the water stream. When it reaches 89 degrees F, the LED light changes to red, letting you know the water temperature is ready for bathing. This product is not only safe but also environmentally-friendly. It requires no batteries and the unique design includes an internal turbine to run energy efficient LEDs. In addition, it includes a flow regulator that helps to limit water use. Easily installed on standard shower pipes, this product is an affordable way to keep you safe in your home.

Making it Easy: Appliances for AIP

The kitchen is the gathering place in every home. It's the center of activity and a genuinely friendly room. However, when one begins to have difficulty with strength, balance, sight, hearing, and generally getting around, the kitchen can become a challenging and even dangerous place. Choosing kitchen appliances designed for aging in place homeowners is essential. This can include the following:

• Double dishwasher drawers: Rather than running the dishwasher and putting away the dishes, having two dishwasher drawers eliminates the difficulties that come with reaching into cabinets. You can fill one drawer and run it, keeping the clean dishes in the drawer while filling the second with dirty dishes.


• Stovetop with controls on the front: Avoids the need to reach across hot burner to access the controls. This can make cooking not only safer, but also more accessible for someone confined to wheelchair or who otherwise has trouble reaching across the top.


• Side by side 24" deep refrigerator: Allows for a narrower door, making it easier for those in a wheelchair to access.


• Oven with doors that swing to the side: Instead of a typical oven with a door that swings down, we recommend this alternative, allowing for safer and easier access for those in wheelchairs or with similar disabilities.