06-23-2018
Introduction
Hi, I’m Bonnie, and I want Fall to be your favorite season again.
It used to be my favorite season – was it ever yours? All the signature attributes of autumn – blazing red maple leaves, the crisp wine feeling of the air, the sense of a year drawing to a wonderful close – they do NOT come to mind now when I hear the word fall.
One tough syllable – fall.
For several years, falling was the unpredictable event that ruled my husband’s life. A particularly nasty fall on the stairs led to five broken bones – all now healed. Minor falls in the yard became a huge issue when they occurred when I was at work – the ambulance came and I met him in the ER, where hours of waiting around in a cervical collar caused more damage than the initial tumble itself.
Falling , like freezing of gait and a slower approach to life, seems to be part of many people’s experience of Parkinson’s Disease. This was true for us. Many conditions make falling a part of people’s lives. What made it bad for us was that not even the physical therapist who came to our house was able to get Jim up from the floor without a second person to help.
It was in a mood of “welcome to our life” that I mentioned falling and the inability to get up to a friend. Bryan Justice was dumbfounded that nothing exists simply for the purpose of getting a person off the ground – at least, nothing that is known and available to most people.
He developed a way.
The A-Riser was meant to help Jim and me, but why stop there when the unmet need exists in so many households?
Non-risers are people who fall and cannot get up alone. They live two houses down from you, one floor up, and down the road. Their families call the fire department, or wrench their backs helping a spouse or parent up. They wonder what will happen in a few years, because it is plain that the falling issue is not going away anytime soon.
Look at the A-Riser as something as simple as a ladder or umbrella, as something that should have been around from a long time back….
Just glad it is here today!
Bonnie
07-14-2018
The 700% and 300% of Caregiving
Providing support for loved ones is not just a 100% thing – it feels more like a 1,000 % endeavor!
We all want our loved ones to thrive, not just survive. Promoting their joy in life is a major goal.
We plan schedules, shopping lists, check the calendar for conflicts with therapy and doctor appointments, and wonder if there is a stone left unturned in the insurance maze of Medicare or Medicaid. Their well-being is on our minds close to 100% of the time.
The mental juggling act of caregiving, to me, is the 70%. Physical help like transferring, grooming, and meal assistance is the 30%. Your situation may be different. The physical and mental challenges stretch our muscles, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not.
That is where assistance comes in.
There is an app for that. Some people find medication reminders on their phone a big help. Others tie their supplements or exercises to a certain time of day. I have learned to prepare for the evening in the afternoon, so it is off my mind.
The services offered in your area may be a huge boon, too.
The A-Riser is something that helps with the 70% and the 30% of caregiving. It saves me from trying to lift someone I can’t, and from trying to explain to our wonderful volunteer firemen why Jim does not need to go to the ER even though he fell and could not get up.
And for the 70% of caregiving, it takes away a major worry. I know I can get Jim up by myself when I need to. Knowing you can get your loved one up from an uncomplicated fall, benefits you both physically and mentally…
Both matter. Keeping caregivers able to care – one goal of the A-Riser.
It is probably one of your goals, too.
Bonnie
03-02-2019
Aging in Place is what the A-Riser is all about
Living safely and happily in your own house is the smartest trend to come around the block in a long time.
This is true whether you are remaining in the house you have known for decades, or purchasing a multi-generational house with other family members.
The A-Riser can find a spot in either house.
If you and your spouse move to a multi-generation house with your children, they will now have a way to get either one of you from the floor if you fall.
If your own parents or in-laws are the ones needing lifting, you can offer a solution for them.
Here is a link to some exciting aging-in-place and multi-generational floor plans. They are to the right and left of the gorgeous exterior house color pics!
http://info.stantonhomes.com/picking-a-blue-exterior-paint-color
Helping couples live together, even when one member falls repeatedly, was the initial impetus for the A-Riser.
It is equally useful for multi-generation living.
Keeping families together safely and money in your pocket feels right. There is much to be gained from delaying entry to institutional living – while it can be necessary and beneficial, it is also very costly.
Bonnie
03-02-2019
We live in an apartment! Is the A-Riser right for us?
In a word: Absolutely.
All the many benefits of owning an A-Riser accrue to people who live in apartments, with a possible important bonus.
Whether condo or rental, apartments are a wonderful and sensible choice for many as we age. Typically one-floor living, they provide easy access to all rooms.
If you decide to move, there is no house to prepare for selling. Much easier!
Downtown, you may have a coffee shop in the lobby or nearby. Suburban apartments or condos offer easy access to bus lines, doctors’ offices, and so many other places we need.
A collapsed and folded A-Riser takes up very little space in an apartment. Keeping it set up and ready is also an option. The bench seat provides a very secure spot with grab bars for putting on socks and shoes – among many other uses!
Now to the important bonus for those living in apartment or condo buildings: Privacy.
The commotion of emergency personnel in the hallway will not alarm or disturb those who live in your hallway or next to you. They will not wonder if there is something occurring that could affect them.
Apartment life brings puts you wall-on-wall with others. The A-Riser gives you the choice to not call the EMTs unless medically necessary.
Bonnie