Community Ambulation Falls Thru the Cracks

Stroke survivors have to figure out how to walk safely in the community.  Walking in PT gyms and on deserted sidewalks in my neighborhood did not prepare me for walking in community settings.  

I had to teach myself how to maneuver around carts and people in a grocery store, squeeze past closely placed chairs and tables in a restaurant, and deal with children in a shopping mall who do not look where they are going.  PTs do not know walking requires divided attention because they walk clients in wide empty spaces that provide no cognitive challenges.  Equally unfortunate, OTs who are trained to address cognitive issues do not assess community ambulation because walking is PTs domain.  So community ambulation falls through the cracks. homeafterstroke.blogspot.com

Staying in My Home is Not Easy

The independent living facility I hope to go to has a heated underground garage.  Until I move, I need 5 snow strategies because I have to park my car on the street.  When snow is forecast my 1st strategy is to go grocery shopping.  When we get a dusting of snow I use my 2nd strategy.  I use a child-size shovel to push snow onto my lawn.  I sprinkle Ice Melt on my walkway and in front of my car.  The big container is heavy so I use a funnel to pour Ice Melt into a small container sitting in my bathroom sink.  My sound hand lifts the big container.  My affected forearm under the big container controls the degree of tilt.  

New Jersey often gets above freezing after a snow storm.  When the weather forecast says this will happen I use my 3rd strategy.  I wait a few days for the sun to free my snow-covered car.  However, the street has a low spot that captures water as the sun melts the snow.  I need a 4th strategy to cross this small pond.  I place a thick rubber matt over the water so I can to get to my car safely.  

When the weather forecast says New Jersey will stay below freezing after a snow storm I use my 5th strategy.  I pay two teenage boys to clean my car, walkway, and snow that the snowplow has pushed against the side of my car.  They also shovel snow in front of and behind my car so I have a clean parking space.  Old people in my neighborhood are nasty when someone takes the parking space in front of their house.  homeafterstroke.blogspot.com

The Only Cutting Board That Works Great

I had a 2nd stroke so I got serious about a low salt diet.  Unfortunately, food does not have much flavor without salt so I started adding aromatics like onions.  The standard cutting board for one-handed people shown on the right is not that helpful.  Impaling food on 1 nail allows the food to swivel.  Two raised edges on the left back corner holds food still ONLY if you push the knife towards the corner.  Food like peanut butter gets smeared on the raised edge.

A cutting board that works much better is the Swedish cutting Board (1). The part I use the most is the adjustable vise (see red knob) that can be taken apart to be washed.  The vise makes it easy to spread food on bread and slice a thin English muffin, a soft tomato, or a whole head of lettuce.  Instead of 2 nails, I impale meat on 9 prongs.  This small section lifts out of the cutting board so I can put it in the dishwasher.  See the empty space in Figure 7.8 below.



For safety I cut food by using my palm to push down on a large chef's knife.  This lets me keep the ends of my paralyzed fingers away from the blade (see arrow in Figure 7.8). 

This cutting board is more expensive than a regular board but I think it is worth every penny. It makes food preparation safer, faster, and less frustrating.  homeafterstroke.blogspot.com


1. Dutton, R. My Last Degree: A Therapist Goes Home After a Stroke, 2nd ed. 2013; Booklocker.