In This Issue:

1. Protect Your Eyes
2. Talking Testers
3. Clearvoice 50A Emergency Telephone
4. Handybar
5. MedicTag

SAFE Aging's newsletter theme of the month is about cool products that can protect health or safety. We feature some really useful products to protect eyes, improve safety in the home, car, and community. We also provide other useful Internet links and resources. If you hear of a cool gadget that can make life easier or safer, please let us know.

1. Protect Your Eyes

Our eyes show us the colors of the world. Through them we distinguish the tiniest of details such as the colors on a flower. We can see magnificent vistas such as the Grand Canyon. We can drive a car, read a book, and write a letter. You get it. Our eyes are valuable. We only get one pair of eyes, and they need to last a lifetime. Most eye injuries can damage vision permanently. Why take a chance?

You can do your part to protect your eyes by

• Reducing UV light exposure (ultra violet light can permanently damage vision)

• Preventing injuries

• Reducing eye strain

Protect Eyes from Strain and Ultra Violet (UV) Sun Damage

Once vision is lost, it's lost. Ultra violet (UV) radiation from natural sunlight can cause damage to the eyes resulting in loss of vision. Bright light can excessively strain the eyes. Sunglasses reduce strain and relieve discomfort due to glare or bright light. Sunglasses can protect eyes from damaging UV light. Sunglasses also provide some protection against injuries due to airborne particles such as dirt or pollen, bugs, and some flying debris.

When choosing a sunglass, look for one with UV protection. Not all sunglasses have UV protection. Colored lenses can filter light, and in some situations improve vision contrast and depth perception.

These "Cocoons" are pretty neat. They fit over prescription glasses, have different color lenses and UV protection, but are not safety glasses! It is a cool product for anyone who spends time outside, has vision conditions, drives a vehicle, or needs to reduce eye strain due to bright lights, etc.

Protect Eyes from Injuries

It is important to wear the right kind of protective eyewear when doing any "eye" risky activity. Be sure to choose safety glasses when

1. outside

• mowing the lawn

• wood burning or cutting

• mixing chemicals

• spraying yard chemicals

• painting

• power trimming or edging

2. in the garage working with

• any liquids

• any tools

• doing car or motor work/repairs

3. at work where there is any risk of

• chemical splashes

• flying dust, debris or foreign hazardous objects

• radiation or

• any combination of these

4. involved in activities such as

• driving

• fishing

• playing any sports such as golf, tennis, baseball, racquetball, etc.

• picnicking
   

For more detailed information about Personal Eye Protection, visit the NASD by clicking here.

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2. Talking Testers

Recently, I was asked to find a few health solutions for a person who had diabetes and low vision. Here were the problems.

• Could not see blood sugar testing results

• Difficulty taking blood pressure readings

• Difficulty seeing the keypad on the telephone

For people who do have diabetes, low vision and low or high blood pressure, the Talking Combo Blood Pressure Meter &Glucose Meter is a cool product that makes doing possible!

It combines both vital health activities into one useful gadget! The speaking part eliminates the need for detailed vision. What makes this product very cool is that it is useful for anyone who needs to take blood sugar and blood pressure readings. It makes life easier! It is convenient, too.

Talking Combo Blood Pressure Meter &Glucose Meter starts each session by saying a control number and temperature. It uses beeps to communicate when sufficient blood has been absorbed for testing. It beeps when setting the test strip code number. This unit can also be set to speak in either English or Spanish!

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3. Clearvoice 50A Emergency Telephone

This emergency telephone has many cool safety features including:

• a large talking keypad that repeats numbers as they are entered

• talking call waiting caller ID with a 64 name history

• a voice guide in either English or Spanish

• an amplified handset with tone control

• a speakerphone

• a 30 name talking phone book

• and a visual ring indicator
   

• For emergency dialing, at the press of a button the speakerphone is activated and the phone calls up to 10 pre-entered emergency numbers and plays a previously recorded message.

• From the emergency mode, the called party can speak or listen to the caller.

• Has a pendant so that the user can answer the speaker phone remotely or trigger emergency calling.

This telephone is especially good for anyone with challenged vision, limited hearing, hand coordination or mobility. It is very cool because it is another product that can make life easier for a wide variety of people with differing needs.

Click here to order a catalog that includes the products listed above, and many more! 

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4.  Handybar

Handybar® is one of those gadgets that can make doing possible! It can make the difference between independence and dependence. In the most dire emergency situation, the Handybar® can be a life saver!

Handybar® was designed to slip into the U shaped striker on a vehicle door frame. When firmly wedged in the striker, Handybar® provides additional support for getting into and out of a vehicle. It is also useful as a standing balance support. The life saving part comes with the additional emergency escape safety design features built into the non- slip handle. Handybar® tip can be used as a side window breaker. There is also an emergency seat belt cutter safely built right into the hand grip itself!

Here are some uses for Handybar®:

1. Handybar® is helpful for anyone who has difficulty getting into a car or out of a car such as:

• people with arthritis, fibromyalgia or muscle pain

• people with multiple sclerosis or other physical challenges

• people with back or leg weakness

• people with standing imbalance

• people recovering from surgery or injuries

• people with vehicles low to the ground

2. Emergency escape due to car accidents
    

Refer to www.handybar.com for local retail outlets.

* Other important information: Some late 1980's and early 1990's may have door striker pins not suitable for Handybar®. For safety sake, be sure your striker frame has two screws or bolts attaching the striker to the door frame. For other information, refer to www.handybar.com.

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5.  MedicTag

We have featured the MedicTag previously, but it is such a cool gadget! There are many good reasons to have a MedicTag. MedicTag is a portable USB flash drive that allows the user to organize, record, store, and carry personal medical and emergency information anywhere, anytime. It is a tiny bit larger than a pack of gum, water resistant, and lightweight. MedicTag is a device that has a wide range of uses for people of all ages and abilities.

MedicTag Benefits
 

1. Organize and carry vital health and emergency info anywhere, all of the time.

2. Easy access to personal emergency and health information whenever needed.

3. Reduces opportunity for emergency medical mistakes due to lack of information or misinformation.

4. Easy to update.

5. Useful as a memory device and organizational tool.

6. Share information with health care professionals (doctors, pharmacists, nurses, therapists, etc.)

7. Time saver for busy people.

8. Additional space for other files such as

• home inventory

• living will or other legal documents

• pet information such as licenses, inoculations, pictures
  photographs, etc.

9. Peace of mind, security, convenience.

10. Low cost, $39.95.

How To Use MedicTag

MedicTag can be easily carried on a key ring or lanyard. It can also be kept

• in a disaster kit

• tool kit

• gym bag

• back pack

• pocketbook
   

Gift Ideas

If you are like me, you are always interested in finding unique and useful gifts for loved ones. Whether you are looking for birthday or holiday gifts, our featured cool products will make great gifts for birthdays and holidays!

Visit www.medictag911.com for more information.

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Article Submissions

We invite interested authors to submit theme based articles for the SAFE Aging newsletter. Please send submissions in either .doc or .rtf format, Ariel 10pt. font, and with a 300 word maximum. Articles should be written in an easy to read format to meet the needs of a varied readership including seniors, family members of seniors, caregivers and other senior service providers.  

Topics should in some way be related to health, safety or injury prevention. Articles may not be an advertisement for services and must be informative or helpful. Author photo and contact information may be included. 

There is no guarantee that submitted articles will be published. Generally, articles will be held until the appropriate monthly theme. All articles become the property of SAFE Aging and are subject to editing.

We now have advertising opportunities based on monthly, semi-annual or annual advertising rates. Please contact newsletter@safeaging.com for details.

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