November 2021

National Family Caregiver Month

November is National Family Caregiver Month. Assistive tools (AT) help people with disabilities complete tasks that are difficult or impossible. AT can help to reduce a caregiver’s tasks. Weighted forks, dressing aids and shower benches can increase independence with daily activities. Caregiver injuries can be reduced with AT. Hoyer lifts, transfer boards, gait belts, grab bars and other devices make moving a person from one place to another easier.

For more information on how assistive technology devices and supports can help caregivers, call WVATS at 800-841-8436, email WVATS at wvats@hsc.wvu.edu, or visit the WVATS website at wvats.cedwvu.org.

Hoyer Advance-E 340 Portable Lift

The Hoyer Advance-E 340 Portable Lift makes lifting, moving, and transferring people easier for caregivers. The lift can be used on different surfaces and heights. The base can slide under furniture to increase its reach. The lift has a weight limit of 340 pounds. Borrowed the Hoyer lift from the loan library.

There is an App for That

Insight Timer - Meditation, Sleep, Music

The Insight Timer is a self-care tool. Self-care is important for all caregivers. The app provides guided meditation, music and sounds. It can help to calm the mind, focus, sleep better and relax. The Insight Timer app is available free in Google Play and the App Store.

Upcoming Events & Training

• Wednesday, December 1 from 3pm to 4 pm: AT for Reading

  This training will look at a variety of tools that may help individuals overcome reading barriers. From devices to software programs and program extensions, attendees will learn about reading tools for all ages.

• Tuesday, December 14 from 1 pm to 2 pm: PDF Accessibility

  PDFs are sent to us sometimes not accessible and we do not have access to the original document. We will look at ways to make common issues in PDFs fixable. Being able to solve these issues can be a difference between being able to upload a document or not. This training will provide a step-by-step introduction to accessibility for PDFs.