StrokeSurvivorBlog

Last week we purchased a wonderful used power wheelchair for Steve. Even though he has a manual wheelchair paid for by Medicare and our Medi-gap policy, it really limited him (and me) whenever we went somewhere which required a lot of walking. Steve did qualify for an electric wheelchair right after his stroke, but we [...]

We had a nice surprise the other day when we received lift chair reimbursement in the form of two checks. One check was from Medicare for the lift mechanism, which was expected. But a check for the balance of the cost of the lift chair came from our Medi-gap policy, which was totally unexpected. So [...]

It’s been about 5 weeks since we got the new lift chair. Steve is able to fully recline in the 3-way positional chair, so he can take naps with his legs fully elevated. It’s much easier for him to get up out of the chair with the lift mechanism, so that part is working out [...]

A lighted cane has given Steve peace of mind when he has to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Sometimes he’d stay up late and have to walk upstairs unassisted. When he got to the bedroom, he didn’t want turn on the bedroom light and wake me up, so he struggled by himself in the [...]

Walkie talkies (or two-way radio) provide a way to communicate with one another while still giving you your “space”. We use them everyday around the house when I’m upstairs and Steve is down, or if I’m inside and he’s out. We take our Midland walkie talkies grocery shopping so Steve can ride a scooter and check out the store [...]

The right adaptive furniture can make living at home a little easier, and helps reduce the frustration for those who can’t use both hands to do things. For example, something as simple as reading the newspaper was very frustrating for Steve, because he couldn’t properly balance it on his lap or turn the pages without everything falling on [...]

With the difficulty Steve has breathing when he is lying down sleeping, we have decided to purchase a lift chair. I was at our local home medical supply store recently and tried out several of their models. Not only do they lift to elevate a person to a standing position, but there are models that have infinite positioning. They are controlled [...]