Transform any room into a starry night sky with a unique plush planetarium, Twilight Turtle Constellation Night Light.  This educational and entertaining toy soothes any child to sleep.  Featuring 5 endangered sea animal images on shell, each of which are displayed one at a time on a child’s bedroom walls and ceiling with an automatic battery saving time-out after 45 minutes. 

For $32.99 your child can learn about endangered sea animals, constellations AND a portion of the proceeds from Twilight Sea Turtle will be donated to an international conservation organization.

It’s never too early to get ready for golf season!  Rehabilitystores is offering  Kool Tee Golf Tool at a lowered price of $69.99.  Its multiple uses go beyond the recreational sport golf.  The retractable stainless steel spade picks up tees, stakes, ball marks, divots and anything else you can think of.  This golf accessory can be especially helpful for seniors with lower back problems when positioning the golf ball correctly to your stance requirements. 

Any questions and/or comments please go to: www.rehabilitystores.com or call toll free: 1-888-873-4224

It can be difficult to buy useful and thoughtful gifts for inactive or less active senior citizens. Often grandparents and other elderly family and friends have few needs, few wants, and very little storage space. Here are some good gift ideas for less able loved ones.

Actually sold as a children’s toy, a Cozy Cookie makes a lovely gift for the elderly. These adorable, warm and cuddly plush gingerbread cookie dolls feel and smell wonderful. Just pop them in the microwave for two minutes and the warmth and the wonderful aroma of gingerbread will delight any senior.

Book Butler Book Stand: The Book Butler is a book stand that makes it easier for older people with hand pain or weakness to view books and turn pages. This book stand will accommodate almost any paperback or hard cover, including very large books, all at a comfortable angle.

Long Playing Card Holder: Active seniors who enjoy playing card games with others, but who have limited hand usage, will enjoy this thoughtful gift. This long rack displays cards so they may be easily seen, added, or removed much more easily than trying to hold multiple cards. Pencils fit on the front of the holder and it can also hold recipes or memos.

Wanting to eat healthier? Maybe lose some weight or keep the pounds off? Ever wonder just how big a portion size is? You won’t have to think long with the Meal Measure, a simple and easy portion control tool for those who want to regain control of their diet and their lives. Set the plastic tool on the plate and measure away.

Meal Measure helps you manage your weight, one portion at a time. It is easy to use and measures your food right on your plate. Meal Measure fits most dinner plates. The cavities of the Meal Measure are labeled vegetable or fruit, starch, and protein. Each Meal Measure cavity is one cup at the top with a one-half cup line inside. The protein portion is equal to the size of a deck of cards. Meal Measure follows the USDA My Pyramid serving sizes and is top-rack dishwasher safe.

Some other ways to help you eat healthy:

• Have a light healthy meal or snack to take the edge off your hunger before you go to a party
• Don’t leave bowls of chocolate, candy and nuts around where it’s all too easy to keep helping yourself.
• Serve nuts in the shell, rather than ready shelled. It takes time and patience to crack them, which makes consumption lower.
• Cut cakes, desserts and savory tarts and quiches into portions before placing on a buffet table
• Buy dark chocolate, with a high cocoa content. You’ll get a useful dose of minerals, and its sumptuous richness means you’ll be satisfied with less.

Training will prepare military recreation managers to assist service members returning to active duty

In addition to advances in medical care, recreation programming is playing a crucial role in reintegrating wounded military personnel into family, community, and military life. Since 2001, more than 65,000 military personnel have been wounded by hostile, as well as nonhostile acts, in Iraq and Afghanistan. To help these wounded warriors, Penn State has developed a first-of-its-kind training program for military recreation managers worldwide. The Department of Defense (DoD) has agreed to fund the program through 2011, and the first program is planned for Jan. 11-15 at University Park campus.

“The Inclusive Recreation for Wounded Warriors program provides the knowledge, tools and resources recreation managers need to integrate active-duty wounded warriors into their existing recreation programs,” said Ruth Ann Jackson, executive director of the Penn State Hospitality Leadership Institute and co-principal investigator for the project. Inclusive recreation refers to modifying activities and using adaptive rehabilitation equipment to enable individuals with physical, behavioral or emotional limitations to participate in recreation.

Rehability is happy to be presenting products at this event and offering solutions to their different needs. Some of the products being featured are for specific sports such as golf, fishing and bowling. The Kool Tee golf tool addresses the problem of pain involved in bending over while playing golf, which is a common condition that affects golfers of all ages. The Strong Arm fishing rod holder helps people with limited grip and hand use to maintain total rod control, and helps stabilize the wrist and relieves fatigue.

Rehability will also be presenting products to help aid daily living such as the Slip on Typing Aid. This device enables those with hand conditions to type on a computer or typewriter. It attaches comfortably to the hand and provides 5 inches of an extended reach to touch the keyboard. For those with vision problems the page magnifier helps see small print more clearly. Also, for those who like to play cards, an automatic card shuffler and card holders that help people with limited hand use enjoy the game!

Ease your stress and pain with these tools from Rehability that are now on sale, just in time for the holidays!

The Backnobber II responds to everyone’s desire to live happily and free of pain. When used as intended, The Backnobber II can relieve the muscular pain that comes from physical and occupational stress, injuries, and chronic conditions such as arthritis and bursitis. This deep-muscle massage tool allows people to manage chronic muscular pain both on their own and in conjunction with professional medical treatment and therapy. The Backnobber II is made of a highly durable, polymer composite, molded in the shape of an “S”. The Backnobber II device is designed to be hooked over the shoulder or under the arm so that one of the two ends can be pressed into any of the muscles of the upper or lower back or neck. The Backnobber II’s natural shape and dimension allow the user to apply as much pain releasing pressure for as long as required to achieve its remarkable effects. Also available for purchase is the original Backnobber.

After trying dozens of similar massagers, if you can only have one massage and reflexology massager, it should be the Fantastick Fingers Quad. It’s made to target all areas, measuring approx 9″ x 5″ with each ball about 2″ in diameter. There are no weak points in the design of this massager, but the best parts are the spiky points on the balls, which have just the right resistants and just the right depth to hit all those stress spots.

The Homedics Atom Massager is another amazing product. It makes a wonderful holiday gift. It’s great as a back and foot massager and is small enough to fit perfectly in palm of your hand . It is an inexpensive gift that will help someone relax after the long, stressful holiday planning or at any time. Its small design lets you carry it anywhere you want to go.

Make sure you visit our new Sale Section at RehabilityStores.com. You can get up to 30% off plus an additional 20% off and FREE Shipping all before the holidays. This offer is only for a limited time, so make sure you get your gifts now!

Good Shepherd is holding a Health Fair at the Bethlehem Senior Center.  Come and enjoy the day with our Health Fair Offerings:

• Stroke Screening: blood pressure check, carotid bruit testing, review of risk factors

• Balance screening with tips for fall prevention

• Lee Silverman Big and Loud Screens for those with Parkinson’s Disease

Learn more about:

• Non-surgical options for spine and joint pain

• Advance Directives

• Aging in place for seniors, including home modification

• Care for dizziness and neurological diseases

• Inpatient and Outpatient rehabilitation

• Senior products to make your life easier from Rehability

FREE refreshments -Raffle Prizes and giveaways!
For more info call 610.778.9220
goodshepherdrehab.org

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network
Health Fair at Bethlehem Senior Center
November 19, 2008
9:30 am to 1:30 PM
Bethlehem Senior Center
720 Old York Road Bethlehem, PA

Start your Christmas shopping early at your online store for rehability equipment, and save 10% off your entire order…for a limited time only!

A great holiday gift is our talking pendant with chain!

This Talking Gold Pendant with Chain is not only eye-catching, but offers a jewelry-quality design.  This lovely talking pendant watch hangs on its 27 inch gold-tone chain. It has all of the useful functions of a talking watch: a choice of three alarm sounds, an hourly announcement option, and voice prompts for setting the watch. The 1.38 inch gold-tone face has large black numbers and thick black hands for easy visibility. Wear it as a pocket watch or as a pendant - it will be beautiful either way.

Get 20% off your entire order when you spend $75.00! (expires 11/7/08)

Enter coupon code “halloween1″ when checking out.

With the holidays approaching it is important to start making your lists.  Don’t know what to get Grandma and Grandpa?  How about large playing cards or regular size cards with big numbers!  They are great for low vision and easy to hold. They are even great for younger children. We also have a great selection of playing card holders for those with arthritis, have recently had a stroke or just limited hand use.

For Kids the Twilight Turtle is the perfect gift for children 4-10. It illuminates their bedrooms with constellations. Not only does it look cool but kids can learn where the stars are in the night sky!

For the bowler with Arthritis the Handle Grip Bowling Ball is a great gift! It has a handle that is easy to grip and makes bowling easy. It weighs 8 lbs but can be special ordered in other sizes. The Bowling Ramp makes bowling fun for those who are in a wheelchair or has limited use of their hands or legs. It comes apart in three pieces and is steel plated chrome.

Each year, thousands of older Americans fall at home, causing serious injury, permanent disability, and death. With proper home setup and attention to hazardous objects, it is possible to prevent such incidents. Consider a home evaluation by a Certified Aging in Place Specialist to help you properly design your home to avoid hazards.  The following checklist is designed to help senior citizens find and fix these hazards in each room of the home.

Kitchen
Problem: Kitchen items are on high, hard-to-reach shelves.
Solution: Move kitchen items into cabinets. Keep things you use often on lower shelves.  Consider a Reacher to grab hard to reach items.

Problem: Your step stool is unsteady.
Solution: Get a new step stool with a bar to hold on to. Never use a chair as a step stool.

Bedroom
Problem: Path from your bed to the bathroom is dark.
Solution: Use a nightlight to see where you’re walking. Some nightlights go on by themselves after dark.

Problem: Difficulty getting out of bed
Solution: Use a bed assist rail to help in getting in and out of bed.

Bathroom
Problem: Tub or shower floor is slippery.
Solution: Try shower slippers or put a non-slip rubber mat or self-stick strips on the floor of the tub or shower.  Use a tub transfer bench to easily get into the tub without having to step in.

Problem: Extra support is needed when getting in and out of the tub or up from the toilet.
Solution: Have a handyman install grab bars inside the tub and next to the toilet.  Also, consider a raised  toilet seat with arms in your bathroom.

Floors
Problem: When you walk through a room, you have to walk around furniture.
Solution: Have someone rearrange the room so a path is always clear.  Keep objects off of floor. Utilize closets, bookshelves, and tables for such items.

Problem: Throw rugs on the floor.
Solution: Remove the rugs or use double-sided tape or non-slip backing to prevent the rugs from sliding.

Stairs & Steps
Problem: Steps are broken or uneven.  Handrails are loose or broken.
Solution: Get steps repaired immediately.  Have a handyman fix any loose handrails or install new ones

Problem: Stairway is poorly lit.
Solution: Have a handyman or electrician install and overhead light at the top and/or bottom of the stairs.

Other Ways to Prevent Falls

- Exercise regularly. Exercise makes you stronger and improves balance and coordination.

- Have your doctor or pharmacist look at all the medication you take (even over-the-counter   medicines).     Some medications can make you sleepy or dizzy.

- Have your vision checked at least once a year by an eye doctor. Poor vision can increase your risk of falling.  Consider a low vision product.

- Get up slowly after you sit or lie down.

- Wear sturdy shoes with thin, non-slip soles. Avoid slippers and running shoes with thick soles.

- Improve the lighting in your home. Use brighter bulbs (at least 60 watts). Use lampshades or frosted bulbs to reduce glare.

- Use reflecting tape at the top and bottom of the stairs so you can see them better.

- Paint doorsills a different color to prevent tripping.