Patient Profile #2

Name: William S.

Age:73

Gender: Male

Conditions: Stroke

Safety Challenge:

William S. is a 73 year old man who suffered a stroke on his left side. He lives in a one-story suburban home with his wife of 45 years. He is able to complete his Activities of Daily Living (ADL’S) with occasional help from his wife to tie his shoes and button his shirt. He is able to walk safely with a cane.

Safe at Home was contacted because William was not able to see on his left side since the stroke. He was not able to read the newspaper from left to right, and if there was food on the left side of his plate he was not able to see it. He would sometimes walk into things if they were on his left side. His wife was fearful that he would fall.

Safe at Home Solutions:
Safe at Home was contacted by Mr. C’s son. After two visits to the retirement community, Safe at Home recommended Mr. C obtain a shower seat, grab bars for the shower and on the wall next to the toilet, and a commode to place over the toilet. Safe at Home also assisted this family in obtaining these home modifications; some of which was covered by the family’s private insurance policy.

Continued Care Recommendations:

Safe at Home rearranged much of the furniture so there was a clear path for William to walk. The kitchen was rearranged to place frequently used items on William’s right side. Many items in the refrigerator were rearranged to be more accessible for William.

Safe at Home helped William obtain divided plates to account for his left side neglect as well as adaptive silverware.

Continued Care Recommendations:

In addition to the safety installations and general recommendations above, Safe at Home also helped William obtain devices that used audio to communicate their function, such as a talking clock that would “speak” the correct time of day.

In short, Safe at Home helped to build a home environment that made William as safe as possible, especially when performing his daily activities. Through this, Safe at Home also helped reduce the concerns of William’s wife and alleviate the need for her to constantly watch over him.

Back to Case Studies

• Have you recently suffered a stroke, fall, or broken bone?
• Does a loved one have trouble getting around his/her home?
• Is your facility in need of safety recommendations by a licensed occupational therapist?
• Are you or a family member homebound?
• Do you or a family member have visual deficits that limit your ability to read, turn off the stove, or watch television?

• Fall Prevention
• Family Training
• Caregiver Training
• Safety Consultation
• Home Safety Training
• Home Modifications