Todays smartly designed portable oxygen concentrator (POC) offers oxygen therapy patients mobility that was unheard of just a few years ago. No more hauling around bulky oxygen tanks or worrying about refilling liquid oxygen cylinders. POC’s conveniently plug into standard electrical outlets or can be used with rechargeable batteries for further mobility. A frequently asked question is: “Can I use a portable oxygen concentrator on an airplane?”

Thanks to new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, now you can. The FAA’s decision has been hailed by the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) for giving the more than 1 million Americans requiring daily oxygen therapy the opportunity for air travel. The FAA has approved certain

models of POC’s for on-board use. Two of those approved models are the Inogen One and the SeQual Eclispe. Both of these units are top-of-the-line POC’s that offer a variety of benefits for oxygen therapy patients.

(more…)

Congress recently passed legislation that authorizes $289 million over a five-year period for states to increase the availability of respite care for families who care for chronically ill family members.

Respite care provides temporary relief for caregivers who take care of individuals with chronic illnesses and disabilities. Respite care may take place at home or out of the home. Respite care allows the caregiver time away from the responsibility of caring for someone who is sick and shut in.

(more…)

If you ask the average person on the street what long term care is, you would most likely get a lot of conflicting answers and many of them wouldn’t even be close to being correct. In my conversations with folks about the subject, I have had people tell me that they thought long term care was when you have a disability, or that it referred to an extended hospital stay, or physical therapy and rehabilitation after surgery, along with many other similar responses. Many folks also believe that long term care is covered by health insurance and/or Medicare.

(more…)

Home treadmills are very popular fitness machines that have improved dramatically over the last 20 years. They come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and price ranges, so most people can find a suitable home treadmill regardless of their budget.

The history of treadmills, though, goes back farther than you might think. Would you believe that the first treadmills appeared in 1875? It s true, and they have been evolving and changing ever since.

The Beginnings of Home Treadmills

(more…)

There are a lot of reasons why it’s becoming popular to have fitness equipment at home. There’s not only the cost of gym memberships to consider, you may not be available to exercise when the gym is open or you may just want to be able to get into shape in the seclusion of your own environment, without the hussle and bussle of other people around you. Some people even lose their concentration if they feel uncomfortable training while others are there.

Many of us are so busy these days with work and family that we don’t have enough time to prepare a good, nutritious meal, and the trip to the gym! Trying to fit everything into a busy

schedule, can be stressful in itself and exercising should be fun too. Valuable time and money can be saved by working out at home, you don’t have to worry about finding a babysitter or commuting to the gym so, alreay here you save! Besides, it can be so much easier to motivate yourself to workout when the fitness equipment is right there in your home-gym room.

(more…)