Wheelchair Safety

A little common sense will help protect your elder

A few years ago, I had a fresh-faced batch of geriatric care management students in my program. For their first training mission they had to spend an entire day in a wheelchair and try to get around town as if it were a regular day. They had to get to my class, make a phone call from a pay phone, get in and out of an elevator, use a public restroom, drink from a water fountain, eat at a restaurant, shop in a convenience store, and so forth. Boy did that mission awaken them to the realities of a wheelchair-bound life. I suggest that if you are working with an elder in a wheelchair, you try to do the same so you have a real understanding of what your elder endures.

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Advances in Equipment Adapted for Elders

From large-handle spoons to modified SUVs

I’m thrilled by the recent advances in adapted equipment. Books, videos, Web sites, and pamphlets are out there for almost any type of elder care, handicap, or special need. They are more widely available than people think. Once you determine your elder’s need, you should be able to find adapted equipment that will improve the quality of his or her life.

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If I Wind Up in a Wheelchair, My Life Is Over

Misconception #12 of "The 12 Biggest Misconceptions of Estate Planning Clients"

I am always amazed when a client comes out with the words, "If I have to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, just shoot me." This kind of statement is the only one that causes me to have to bite my tongue, to control my impulse to preach! It's usually uttered by young or middle-aged, able-bodied clients when we are discussing medical durable power of attorney language. I understand that the flippant remark is an attempt at humor to diffuse the discomfort of contemplating their own certain (eventual) decline. Read More >>