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Archive for category: Original Posts

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Back to Routine, Back to Ergonomics

With the change in routine through the summer months, it is time to rethink about how we are sitting and working all day to make sure our body can adjust to the new routines that are devoid of summer vacation and summer activities.

Today we focus on proper ergonomics to support your back.

In 2010, back pain was found to be the single leading cause of disability world-wide according to the Global Burden of Disease.   It has been estimated that 186 million work days are lost each year to back pain alone which greatly impacts workplace productivity and costs. The Mayo Clinic has found that a number of factors can contribute to back pain and back injuries at work. The four most common factors include:

1.       Force:  Job demands that require lifting or moving heavy objects exerts force on our back which can lead to injury.

2.       Repetition:  Repetitive movements leads to muscle fatigue and in turn can lead to injury, particularly if these movements involve stretching our back near the limits of our range of motion or using awkward body positions.

3.       Posture:  Posture is a critical component in preventing fatigue and injury. Slouching or sitting in awkward positions alters the natural curves in our back, increasing fatigue and can lead to pain and injury.

4.       Stress:  While we often think of the negative impacts stress can have on our mental well-being, it also impacts our physical well-being. High levels of pressure at work or increased stress leads to muscle tension and tightness, which can contribute to or worsen back pain.

If back pain is something you or someone in your workplace experience, there are some strategies you can use to help minimize existing problems and even prevent issues before they arise:

·         Ensure that your feet are flat on the floor, as this helps stabilize our pelvis and lower back

·         If you have an adjustable chair, alter the settings so that your lower back has increased support

·         Get a colleague to take a photo of you sitting at your desk or workstation and examine your posture. Can this be adjusted?

·         Take regular breaks to stretch, stand up and walk around the office to complete other tasks

For more information, take a look at our FREE downloadable resource on office ergonomics and stay tuned for more Workplace Wednesday blog postings highlighting stretches and exercises to help address common work-related concerns such as back pain.

Resources

http://www.inthefaceofpain.com/content/uploads/2011/09/factsheet_Workplace.pdf

http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/ergonomics/inj_prev.html

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“Letting Go” in September

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

September is the month of many things – adjusting to new schedules, the end of summer vacations, changing weather, and for those with kids, a return to the hectic schedule of school and extracurricular programs.  As a mother of four, I always find September stressful (see my blog last year “Stress-tember”).  I also know, from having many Septembers under my belt, that it takes me two to three weeks to “adjust” to the changes this month brings.  However, this year, in an attempt to combat stress and move to acceptance of what is, I have decided to take a different approach.  This year, instead of losing sleep and being stressed, I am going to try and “let go”.  I will explain what I mean but first I want to explain what brought me to this concept in the first place.

First, in July our oldest child travelled out the country on her own as a part of an international school program.  Leading up to her trip, I was most worried about how she would do away from home for several weeks, if she would enjoy her trip, and of course hoped it would be an unforgettable learning experience.  Soon after she left, I realized this trip was huge for me too – it was one of the initial phases of me needing to “let go” of my daughter as she grows up.  While scary for a teenager to travel away from home, it is equally scary for a parent – especially when the traveler is your oldest and you have not experienced this before.  Not seeing or talking to her daily, her room staying untouched, the cat having no one to sleep with, not sitting with her for a tea in the morning – all things I became mindful of missing in her absence.

Second, I recently ran into some neighbors on my morning walk.  They have sold their house and are moving out of the country.  This is coming at the time where their youngest is now entering university.  In talking to them about this massive transition, my heart could feel for them in all the things they were experiencing – moving away from the town they raised their children in, where their family and friends are, becoming “empty nesters” for first time as they no longer have children at home, moving across the world to accommodate a work opportunity and not having easy access to their children that will remain in Canada.  It made me realize there are many dimensions and layers in the process of “letting go” and for some this period is gradual, and for others not so much.

So, back to the fall.  I have several things I need to let go of.  I need to move from feeling that I need to control everything because that is what has always kept my kids healthy and safe.  I need to help them “self-regulate” their time and behaviors around the choices they will make at school and after school.   I need to stop being “right” (“mom knows best”) about everything and let some natural consequences be their teaching tool.  I need to support them in their decisions and in those life events that will confront them this year, without solving their problems for them.  And I need to “let go” of the concept that as parents we can “do it all” and “be everything” to our children.  At work I plan on “letting go” of the thought that “if I could only clear my inbox I would feel less stressed” as the reality is that as a business owner my inbox will never be empty, and if it was, that would actually cause me more stress!  Personally, I want to “let go” of how hard I can be on myself when I don’t get it all done, or when I take time for myself amongst things that still need my attention.

I love this quote from Ajahn Chan:  There will never be a time when life is simple. There will always be time to practice accepting that. Every moment is a chance to let go and feel peaceful. 

The Tiny Buddah sites 40 strategies for “letting go”…I will share my personal favorites here:

Focus all your energy on something you can actually control instead of dwelling on things you can’t.

Remind yourself these are your only three options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it. These acts create happiness; holding onto bitterness never does.

Hang this statement somewhere you can see it. “Loving myself means letting go.”

Consider this quotation by Eckhart Tolle: “Worry pretends to be necessary but serves no useful purpose.” Questioning how your stress serves you may help you let it go.

Replace your thoughts. Notice when you begin thinking about something that stresses you so you can shift your thought process to something more pleasant, like your passion for your hobby.

Organize your desk. According to Georgia Witkin, assistant director of psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, completing a small task increases your sense of control and decreases your stress level.

Laugh it out. Research shows that laughter soothes tension, improves your immune system, and even eases pain. If you can’t relax for long, start with just ten minutes watching a funny video on YouTube.

So, Happy September.  Whether you are changing jobs, retiring, returning to a job you love (or not), are starting a new volunteer position, hobby or exercise routine, are putting your child in day care, kindergarten, into high school or university, embrace it.  In the words of Trace Adkins in his song “You’re Going to Miss This”:

you’re going to miss this

you’re going to want this back,

you’re going to wish these years hadn’t gone by so fast…

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The State of Mental Health at Work

21% of working Canadians report they currently struggle with mental health illness and issues.  This is a problem that is affecting the economy, individual businesses, and more importantly, the health of our Canadian population.

Check out the following infographic created by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety which delves deeper into the issues and suggests ways both employers and employees can work to to reduce stress and improve this growing problem.

mentalHealth

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How To Have A Stress Free Back To School Transition

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Last year, my September blog was called “Stress-tember”. For many, the September transition brings about new routines, adjustment chaos, and change that can be met with resistance, fatigue and stress. This year I wanted to take a different approach. I thought instead I would start the conversation early and give parents, teachers, and even kids some proactive strategies they can use to manage this transition as smoothly, productively, and as positively as possible.

1. Plan Ahead
The last few weeks of August will go quickly as we all try to cram in those last care-free moments of outdoor time, vacation, and a less chaotic schedule. But, don’t let September catch you off guard! It is best to look at your schedule now and find time when you will be able to fit in back-to-school related tasks. Start with a list of jobs that need to be done to get back-to-school ready. Personally, with four kids, my list includes: closet and drawer clean-out to compile a list of needed clothing items, shoe inventory, looking at our available school-supplies and backpacks to determine what needs to be replaced, and sitting down with each child to ask them about the lunch foods they will happily consume if these land in their lunchbox. With one child transitioning to an out-of-catchment high-school we need to understand her new schedule and arrange transportation including some city bus trials and carpooling. Once we know what needs to get done, we need to have structured schedule to do it. When can we shop for clothes, shoes, supplies, groceries? When the first week of school arrives, it is best to have the shopping done and even meals prepared, so that the stress, anxiety and chaos of the new routine is easier to manage.

2. Get a Family Calendar
Having a calendar placed in a common area (e.g. the kitchen or back hall) can help with organizing weekly plans. Using a different coloured marker for each family member can help you to easily identify who needs to be where and at what time. You can also encourage or assist your kids with keeping track of homework deadlines, school events like picture day, and other social outings. Once school begins, set aside a time each week for the family to go over the week ahead to ensure everyone is on board and prepared (i.e. “we need a birthday present for Tuesday, rubber boots for the trip on Thursday” etc.).

3. Establish Routines
Due to vacations, sleepovers, and the unstructured nature of no school, daily routines are often disrupted over the summer months. A consistent nightly routine for kids is critical to them getting a good sleep. Be consistent with when they are to start getting ready for bed, which nights will be for baths / showers, teeth brushing, and how they enjoy falling asleep (story time, hugs and kisses, that favorite stuffie, nightlight etc.). The importance is in the consistency of the routine as this is what cues your child that he/she is ready for sleep. Set up a routine that works for you and your family and start early. Having an established bedtime routine in place BEFORE school begins will help to make the transition go smoothly.

In addition to bedtime routines, it is important to re-establish what after-school time should also look like. We have our “after school routine” typed, laminated and posted in the back hall. This includes “shoes and back-packs away, lunch boxes emptied, dry snacks and water bottle packed for the next day, paperwork from school in the “in box”, have a healthy snack, do any homework, then play (no technology)! We review this with the kids before school starts, confirm the expectations, get their commitment, and make any changes.

4. Re-Adjust Sleep Schedules
Just as the overall bedtime routine is disrupted during the summer months, so is the timing of sleep. It is important to get back into a regular routine before school starts to avoid tired and cranky kids. A good way to ease into it is to adjust your child’s sleep/wake routine by ten minutes each night, so you can gradually get back to the regular routine by the time school begins. Having alarms in the kids’ bedrooms will help them to wake at an appropriate time so that they are not rushing, skipping breakfast or brushing their teeth in order to make a bus. And watch out for the snooze button! Letting your child delay waking will only become a bad habit harder to break as they get older. Put the alarm clock on the other side of the room if you have to – walking to turn it off will deter them from returning to bed.

5. Honour Your Child’s Anxiety
If your child is nervous or anxious about getting back to school, acknowledge this. Let them know that these feelings are normal. Ask them what you can do to make this easier. If your child is going to a new school or concerned about a new teacher, call the school and see if you are able to visit the school and/or classroom teacher before the school year begins. Or, see if there is a friend also in the same class they can meet with over the summer to ease their concerns. Often just being in the new environment, or being exposed to other kids transitioning prior to the school year beginning can ease fears and calm nerves.

6. Be Consistent
The most important aspect of making the transition back to school easier is consistency. With a familiar and consistent schedule in place, children are more prepared for what is to come which minimizes anxiety, reduces behavioural episodes, and provides kids with clear expectations and structure to their day. And when kids adjust more easily, so do parents!

7. Check your Expectations
Sometimes the worst part of any transition is not having reasonable expectations in the first place. Expect that your kids will need time adjusting, allow them to be tired, out of sorts and cranky, know that you too will need some extra time for yourself to unwind or get some extra rest. Don’t be reactive to the adjustment but rather just acknowledge this as one of the toughest times of the year and accept that in good time new routines will be established and the family will once again be in sync.

So, I hope the above tips will be helpful as you make this necessary transition back to “normal” – whatever that looks like for you. Personally, I will still find September stressful and hectic, but I expect nothing less in a household of six. Like with all things, some preparedness, patience and consistency will make it easier on all involved!

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OT Helps Employees Return To Work

In 2011, Statistics Canada reported that 5.9% of full-time employees were absent from work due to illness or disability. The costs associated with workplace injuries are vast.  Studies have shown that the duration of work disability, as well as costs, are significantly reduced when the workplace has contact with a health care provider coordinating return to work interventions. In fact, well-designed return to work programs are now recognized as the best practice to reduce costs associated with worker’s compensation.

In the following video from our OT-V series we will discuss how occupational therapists can help to support the critical transition back to the workplace following an interruption of work duties due to physical or mental health issues.

Occupational therapy is a cost-effective strategy to accelerate the client’s recovery and rate of returning to work. With an effective return to work plan coordinated by an occupational therapist, injured or ill employees can recover quicker and return to work faster, significantly reducing employer costs associated with workplace injuries.

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Backpack Safety For Kids

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Backpacks are a staple for every student. They travel back and forth between home and school, lugging books and school supplies. They are put through the unavoidable daily abuse of being thrown on the ground, trampled on, stuffed into a cubby or locker, saving a spot in line, and become over-stretched and over-used with the necessities of school. They are a necessary part of your child’s education, yet how much thought do you really put into the backpack your child wears aside from maybe price or color?  Have you considered the health implications of an improperly worn, fitted, or poorly supportive backpack?

Backpacks are meant to be worn over both shoulders so that the weight can be evenly distributed across some of the largest and strongest muscles in the body. Due to this, backpacks are preferable to shoulder bags, however they must be worn properly in order to avoid postural issues and injuries to the back, shoulder, and/or neck (1). Additionally, backpacks that are too heavy or large increase a child’s risk of injury due to falling or tripping (2). The following are some simple tips to help ensure your child’s backpack is fitted properly in order to avoid any negative health implications.

First of all, when choosing a backpack look for the following features (1,3):

1.    Make sure the backpack is made of a lightweight material. Sure, some trendy materials may look cool, but these can also add unnecessary weight.

2.    The backpack should have two wide, padded shoulder straps that are adjustable. Thin, narrow straps can cut off circulation resulting in pain, tingling, and numbness.  Straps with a clip to secure them across the chest are best.

3.    Look for a padded back to increase comfort and also to protect your child from being poked by items inside the bag.

4.    Backpacks with a waist strap help distribute the weight more evenly and can protect the neck and shoulders from carrying the weight independently.

5.    Check out backpacks that have a roller option if allowed in your child’s school. This allows freedom to switch between wearing on the back (for example on snowy days when rolling is not practical) and rolling the bag on the ground to take stress off of the neck and shoulders.

6.    Ensure the backpack has multiple compartments as this helps to distribute the weight more evenly, and keeps things organized and separated.

Once you have found the perfect backpack, ensure the backpack is worn properly by following some of these general guidelines:

1.    The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that backpack load should never exceed 10-20% of your child’s body weight. Make sure unnecessary items aren’t traveling back and forth – leave heavy items at home or school if possible.

2.    When putting on a backpack, ensure your child bends at the knees (not the waist!) and uses both hands to lift it onto their shoulders. Watch for signs of strain or difficulty when putting it on – if any are present consider reducing the load in the bag by having your child carry a few items.

3.    ALWAYS use both of the shoulder straps. No matter how “cool” your child thinks using one shoulder strap looks, it can cause muscle, spine and orthopedic injury down the road.

4.    Tighten the shoulder straps and use the strap around the waist (if available). This helps to ensure even weight distribution. The bag should sit in the center of the back, about two inches above the waist (not down near the buttocks!).

5.    When packing, ensure heavy items are near the center / back of the bag. Use all of the available compartments to help distribute the weight more evenly.

6.    Talk to your child about making frequent trips to their locker, desk or cubby to avoid carrying extra weight around all day.

7.    Consider the backpack as a possible culprit if your child starts complaining of back pain, numbness or tingling in the shoulders or arms, or discomfort in the upper body or lower back.  If so, consult with a professional about how to correct the issues, and prevent these from getting worse.  Core, back, or strengthening exercises might be needed if your child is having difficultly lugging around their school stuff – and consult a professional to have any exercises prescribed.

Then, make it fun!  Give your child a list of things to look for when picking out their backpack, and comment on the different features of the ones at the store.  Once purchased, load this up with different things so you can show them the difference when weight is distributed evenly, unevenly and gets too heavy.  Have them try the straps at different lengths so they can comment on what is most comfortable.  Encourage them to leave things at school that should stay there (like indoor shoes) and consider having a double set of school supplies at home so these don’t need to travel back and forth.  Make Friday “clean out your backpack day” for a special treat.

Remember that you get what you pay for.  A $10.00 backpack chosen on style or color may cost you a lot more in the long run.  Backpacks are not an item you should cheap out on!

For more informative articles on kids health check out our OT For Kids page.

1)      American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (2013).
2)      KidsHealth (2013)
3)      American Academy of Pediatrics (2014)

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Improve Nutrition As A Team

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

It is no secret that obesity is on the rise across North America.  In fact, a 2014 study shows that obesity now accounts for 8.6% of youth and 25% of the adult population.  (Després, Alméras, & Gauvin, 2014)   The leading causes of this “obesity epidemic” are sedentary lifestyles, lack of physical activity and poor nutritional choices.

With the stressful lives being led by our generation, taking time to prepare and bring healthy lunches and snacks to work is difficult.  Yet, without a healthy snack or lunch, the tendency is to purchase food that is not healthy, or to under-eat which, believe it or not, can also cause obesity as our body works to “hold onto” every calorie in fear of starvation.

Employers may ask “why do I care if my team is eating unhealthy”, but the answer is obvious:  a healthy workforce is a productive workforce and workplace absences for health-related problems (including obesity, heart disease, diabetes etc) are hugely disruptive.

Here are a few suggestions that can be implemented at the workplace to help improve the health of your staff and organization:

1.       Schedule Regular Healthy Pot-Luck Lunches — choose a day of the week and have each person bring in a healthy lunch item for a team-building activity.

2.       Bring A Colleague A Lunch — people are more likely to prepare healthy meals for others than for themselves, so capitalize on this and arrange for “bring a colleague a lunch week” and see the efforts people will go to in order to promote the health of a colleague.

3.       Recipe Of The Week — each week choose a member of the team to share make their favourite healthy meal or snack and bring it in to share with the team.  Have them send each member a recipe via email for them to make on their own.

4.       Education Opportunities — bring in a nutritionist, dietician or health coach to speak to the team about how to create healthy meals and snacks to help fuel their day at work.

5.       Brown Bag Week — encourage the team to have a “brown bag” week.  Eating out can lead to unhealthy choices and lack of portion control.  Bringing your own lunch can help to ensure you are getting the nutrients you need and fueling productivity the entire day.

6.       Russian Lunch Roulette — like secret Santa, have everyone bring a balanced lunch and randomly select who gets what lunch.  It always tastes better to consume something made by someone else, so people should enjoy the surprise lunch they end up with.  Of course, plan ahead for any allergies / food requests and ask people to put sauces / condiments on the side to be added only if desired.

In the end, lead by example.  Employers have the ability to create opportunities that can help their workforce to engage in healthy habits.  Use the strength of your organizational alliance to bring people together to help them achieve healthy goals.  Everyone will benefit, including the organization.

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“Stressed or Depressed” – Man Therapy

Is it me, or is there a rise in gender discussions of recent? The ongoing, and now vastly publicized, fight for work equality between men and women, gender in sport, mom-preneurs, daddy day cares.   It is no secret that women and men look, think, act, behave, communicate, and logic differently.  So how do these gender differences relate to mental health and the processing of mental health problems?  Consider the following:

Husband comes home from another long work day.  Deadlines are looming, the boss is out of town, promotional opportunities are forthcoming, and someone called in sick.  His wife expects him to do a few dishes, play with the kids, maybe get the dog out.  She asks for his help with a few things, and he explodes (or retreats, or grumbles, or will begrudgingly oblige).  “I had another long day, I just want to…(go to bed, watch the game, zone out in the basement, eat in peace..).”  She probably had a long day too – working or home, the demands and tasks don’t seem to end.  Both go to bed frustrated, sad, angry or feeling isolated and alone.  The next day the cycle repeats and onward things go…she might ask about how he is doing, and he might respond with “I am just stressed”.

Familiar? But when you look at how men and women process emotion differently, “stressed” for men, might actually mean “depressed”.

When you imagine a person who is depressed you may think of them as tired or sad, maybe they are neglecting their hygiene, have a reduced appetite or poor sleep, and these are all very valid symptoms of depression. However the American Psychological Association reports that depression signs can differ greatly between men and women, and the reason for this remains unexplained. Many professionals speculate it could be from our ‘macho-man-ideal’ society, in which men are encouraged to ‘suck it up’ and to show their ‘strength’ or self-control by not expressing emotions. This ideal is unfortunately also rubbing off on Canadian children, and boys between the ages of 13-17 are severely underrepresented in the statistics of youth that call the Kids Help Phone, and when they do call they rarely talk about mental health.

Symptoms that are often not recognized as depression, especially in men, include:

●     Being irritable, short-tempered, or inappropriately angry
●     Spending a lot of time on work (they may be trying to escape their feelings by keeping busy)
●     Reckless driving, extreme sports, or other risky behaviour
●     Excessive controlling behavior
●     Alcohol or substance abuse (men are far more likely to abuse substances)

These behaviours are untraditional of typical depressive symptoms, but mean that men who may benefit from emotional aid are often slipping under the radar for health professionals, and this can lead to disastrous consequences including poor quality of life and higher rates of suicide.

Recent studies by organizations that specialize in mental health say that they need to approach the topic of depression differently with men. Often men will not admit any possible feelings of ‘depression’, but will quickly agree to feeling ‘stressed.’

Women, on the other hand, might use the word “stress” differently.  Women may use stress to describe a point in time, a set of demands, or something that is expected to pass, while men may relate this to a state of being, a new “normal”.

Based on these revelations, men may require a different marketing strategy for addressing mental health than women. Mental health agencies including the Colorado Office of Suicide Prevention and Carson J. Spencer Foundation collaborated with Cactus to come up with a unique way to entice men to explore their mental wellness.  According to Dr. Spencer-Thomas and J. Hindman (MS):

“The goal of Man Therapy is to show working age men that talking about their problems, getting help and fixing themselves is masculine. The campaign strength is its innovative and humorous approach through a fictional “therapist” named Dr. Rich Mahogany, who is a no-nonsense man’s-man that lets men know honest talk about life’s problems is how they will start to solve them. At the center of the campaign is a web portal that allows men to interact with Dr. Mahogany, do a “head inspection” (self-assessment), and get “manly mental health tips.” When men indicate high levels of distress, Dr. Mahogany refers them to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or “the Pros.” Check out this resource for Man Therapy.

The bottom line is that depression can manifest itself differently in different people, and men are constantly under-represented in the list of people seeking help. Occupational Therapists assess and treat people with mental health problems, and some even have the additional training and experience necessary to provide Psychotherapy.  The core approach of the OT profession is to encourage successful function in all life roles regardless of the reasons why function is impaired.  OT intervention may help the men in our lives to reduce some of that “stress” (aka depression), so they can resume enjoyment in life roles.

 

Resources

CTV News, www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=454539
Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/male-depression/art-20046216

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Increasing Physical Activity At Work

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

While anti-smoking campaigns have been in effect for decades, more recent health promotion efforts are being directed at preventing obesity, heart disease and the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting, now called “sitting disease”.  As society experiences this paradigm shift away from sedentary activity, employers too need to be on board with solutions on ways to keep employees active when the job demands require continuous desk work.

If you are concerned about the effects of sitting disease and are looking for ways to increase health and wellness at work, the solution is actually simple.  Just start by getting moving!  If you are an employer and are not ready or able to invest in a comprehensive wellness program, or you are an employee and these are not offered where you work, start with some simple team-building challenges.  Consider the following:

1.       Stair climbing.   Try to challenge workplace to at 30 day “Climb It Challenge” where everyone takes the stairs.  Or if your office is too high up, no problem, take the elevator 5 floors below your level and walk the stairs from there.

2.       30 day squat challenge.  This is easy, requires no equipment and won’t leave your office team with the need to shower following.  Have those interested meet for 5-10 minutes a day and complete each day’s challenge.  This 30 day squat challenge has a daily plan you can follow.

3.       Bike or walk to work month.  This is easier to do in the warmer weather months, so try to challenge your team to walk or bike to work each day.  If you are in a remote location, or if employees commute, ask employees to park a couple of blocks away and walk or ride from there.

4.       Get your yoga on.  Each day with your team, take 10-15 minutes to run through some easy yoga poses to help boost posture and strength. Check out some of these beginner poses to try.

5.       Organize a walking lunch group.  Each day with your team take a 30 minute power walk at lunch or break time.  Walking is great for cardiovascular and bone health and will help to prevent the negative effects of sitting all day.

Working together with a team dedicated to improving health and wellness will help to keep individuals motivated and on track.  In the end, don’t forget to celebrate your success and keep the momentum going!

Check out more on staying healthy at the office on our Healthy Workplace page.

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Accessibility In The Community

In this episode of our popular OT-V series we are discussing community accessibility. The following video discusses the important things to consider when someone with a mobility impairment arrives to a home or building to realize that they may need help to enter.

The following items to consider will help to ensure a safer and easier entrance.

• Understand the type of device you are using and its abilities and limitations

• Understand your own physical abilities

• Identify and assess the help you have available

• Seek out all available entrances and entrance types to select which one best suits your mobility aid or device

• Assess the size of the door you need to enter and what you will encounter upon entry

Watch the video to learn more about accessibility and the solutions available.