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Accessories for the Bed
By: Heather Latimer / Heather’s Self-Help Tips
In earlier times a bed was merely a piece of
furniture used for sleeping. An attractive quilt,
camouflaged sheets,
blankets and an eiderdown was often added
for extra warmth.
“At nursing school, part of our training was
how to make a bed so it was neat, comfortable
and helpful for the patient’s condition,”
said Carolina Cesena PCA. “We could
not leave wrinkles in sheets and blankets or
unfluffed pillows, and the necessity of tucking
in bedding at the two lower corners at the
foot of the bed by using a precise triangular
positioning called military style was stressed
repeatedly.”
Today most patient beds in assisted living
and other non-hospital care facilities have
accessories attached to ease symptoms of
various health issues. There are hundreds of those simple add-ons and
many can be purchased for your own use if you know the name and
description.
Some examples:
Baby It’s Cold Outside
By: Pat Alexander / Art of Entertaining
When you come from
a big city and settle
in a small town, you learn
to make your own fun. Every January, after the
hoopla of greeting in the new year, we were faced
with a cold, dark month that just called for a
diversion.
The lake behind a friend’s house froze over
each winter, and one January we decided to plan
a fun day around it. We chose an ice skating party
with prizes for best and worst skaters, fastest time
over a specified course, most inventive outfit, etc.
I won a prize for being the best slider. Here’s
where I should mention that I can’t ice skate.
The only skating I’d ever done was sliding over a
frozen pond in red galoshes when I was a kid. I
think it was a pity vote!
I still remember how cold it was! In movies,
you see people at outdoor ice skating rinks
looking glamorous in little jackets and gloves
and bare heads.
No red noses, frozen hands or ungraceful falls. So not real! Decked
out in thick sweaters under heavy jackets, woolen mittens, scarves,
hats, and thick socks, we all looked like ungainly, colorful, but frozen,
January 2024
1. For climbing into a bed that is too high - Step stool with adjustable
height handle.
2. Skin on buttocks irritated and painful - An alternating pressure
pad designed to prevent ulcerated bed sores.
3. Heartburn, acid reflux - A wedge pillow
to keep the head raised.
4. To reduce fear of falling out of bed whilst
sleeping - Two cloth-covered bumpers for
adults that are laid along each side of bed.
5. To prevent falling whilst getting in and
out of bed - Bed grab rails.
6. Bed clothes wet with sweat or urine -
Washable bed under pads that are water
resistant and non-toxic.
7. To move patient from one side to the
other side - Bed repositioning pad for one
person to place under patient and pull on
pad in desired direction.
8. For sensitive toes that hurt when heavy
blankets put pressure on them - Blanket lifter bar.
Heather Latimer is a nationally recognized specialist in making
difficult subjects easy and author of 17 books. See amazon.com/
heather latimer/how to overcome.
snowmen!
So much fun, but so cold!
We were so happy to head to a warm house at the end of the day,
shedding our multitude of outer garments.
We gathered on sofas, around tables, drinks in
hand, tasting all the delicious foods, partying
and laughing at all the silliness and hi-jinks
that had gone before.
A party is my answer to so many things. I
love the mingling, the conversations, the ideas
shared and the camaraderie. It’s the best way to
bring people together.
My advice for a dank January – have a party!
And try the recipe below to make it even better.
Cheese Tarts: Defrost a box of mini phyllo
tarts. In a medium bowl, mix 4 oz. each of room
temperature goat cheese and cream cheese.
Stir in 3 tbs. minced fresh chives, 1 tbs. olive
oil, 1 grated or finely minced garlic clove, 1 tbs.
fresh minced dill, ¼ tsp. flaked sea salt and ¼
tsp. white pepper.
Taste for seasoning. Fill tarts. Garnish with a
sprig of dill. Serve.
Pat Alexander writes about all things home. She is well known for
her cooking, parties and interior design, and consults on kitchen
and bath remodels.