SUBMITTED BY CHRISTINE DODSON

Hi! My name is Christine Dodson and I am an Independent Provider in Pierce County, Washington. My consumer, Sandie, is a female adult who has cerebral palsy and uses an electric mobility device.

The consumer Sandie’s shower with a sharp edge.

She requires an extensive assist for transfers, walking, and bathing. Her home has no tub, just a walk-in shower. She was already equipped with a shower chair and hand-held shower massage before I began working in her home in November of 2011.

But the design of the shower stall made transferring to the shower chair very difficult. Upon entering the shower, Sandie would hit her interior left knee and ankle on the metal shower-door track, regardless of how aware and careful we both tried to be.

On the transfer out, the toes of her right foot would get caught on the track as well. We both dream of walk-in tubs, but being a rental tenant puts that option right out.

Household funds are limited for my consumer, as they are for most of us these days, so we needed to find an innovative and inexpensive solution to avoid any potential injury. Since my consumer shares her home with her husband and adult daughter, the solution also needed to be removable for their convenience.

The pool noodle fix in place. No more sharp edges!

While shopping together we were awe-struck by the same epiphany as we turned down an aisle to see a huge box of “pool noodles”! They cost $2!

We brought one home, cut it to thigh height for her, slit it lengthwise down one side, and slipped it right over the shower track flashing!

No more bumps and snagged toes.

Do you have a hack, tip, or trick that you use on the job?

Tell us in the comments below or email us at insight@myseiubenefits.org. Your tip might end up in the next issue of Home Care InSight magazine!