You never know when a little suggestion might come in handy. I’m always thinking, I’m sure there is an easier way to do this. It takes a while to find the right combination, but the end results are worth it.

1. A portable gooseneck floor lamp can be easily brought up to the bed or wheelchair to read.

2. An adjustable folding table is useful for reading, as it can be tilted to hold the book or magazine at a comfortable reading angle, and it moves easily on the carpet when it needs to be pushed aside. It also works well for snacking off the kitchen table.

3. Setting your daily pill doses the night before is a time saver when you don’t know how you are going to start the next morning. Split pill boxes work and can be easily taken on the go. I saved the little dosing cups from her trip to the hospital and used them to store and separate her pills for the day, nesting one inside the other, stacking them in the order they would be taken. It is also easier for the helpers, CNA, if the pills are already dispensed in the dose to be administered at specific times. You will also know if you missed a dose if the pills are still in the container that should have been emptied two hours ago.

4. Bibs save work. Get them long and wide enough to get the job done. Attach the sides of the bib to the fabric of the patient’s pant legs with clothespins to prevent it from slipping out of position. When grasping without a bib, use one hand or dish towel held in place on the patient’s shoulders with clothespins. When eating out, a bib can be embarrassing for the patient. I carry a black hand towel to use in addition to the napkins supplied in the restaurant. Black or dark colors won’t be as obvious to other diners as to their purpose.

5. A simple plastic table cover can make life much easier. Make sure to place a cloth placemat or dish towel on the table to receive the hot dishes or it will melt the plastic table cover. If you really like your fancy tablecloths, you can protect them with clear or frosted plastic sold on the patio at fabric stores like Jo-Ann Fabrics. Clean the plastic with soap and water and do a thorough cleaning with a disinfectant spray.

6. A tip on using the mechanical pneumatic patient lift – Get off the ground – You will occasionally stumble and fall due to your inability to balance. Most of the time, to lift him, we have been able to make him turn around and put his legs under him in a kneeling position and hold on to a chair or other sturdy object that can support the weight of him when getting up (with my help). .

This time he was determined to drop to the ground to examine a project he wanted to work on. He knew there was no room to maneuver. I had to use the pneumatic mechanical patient lift to lift it up again and was glad we had it stored where I could take it out and put it to use. He wasn’t happy that I couldn’t lift it, but without that lift, I probably would have spent the rest of the day there until I could get help lifting it.