Your Voice Matters - Speak Up Before Competitive Bidding Hits Utah in 2013

Beneficiaries are quiet on bidding issues By Theresa Flaherty Managing Editor - 01.28.2011 BALTIMORE - While reports of problems associated with Round 1 of competitive bidding are trickling in, one group has remained quiet: beneficiaries. "We are not hearing anywhere near enough (from beneficiaries)," said Wayne Stanfield, executive director of NAIMES. "There are obviously problems, but not enough that would make Congress take notice." Reported problems so far range from delayed hospital discharges to trouble finding the right equipment or provider, but most of these problems are being reported by providers themselves. Too bad lawmakers are probably tired of hearing from HME providers, say industry stakeholders. "I think the biggest impact has to come from the end user," said Rose Schafhauser, executive director of the Midwest Association for Medical Equipment Services. "We really need them to kind of knock lawmakers over the head and say, 'This really is an issue.'" Industry stakeholders have set up toll-free complaint lines as well as websites, www.biddingfeedback.com and www.competitivebiddingconcerns.com, to make it easy to report problems. AAHomecare has received a few dozen complaints from patients and caregivers. "It's probably just the tip of the iceberg," said Michael Reinemer, vice president of communications and policy for the association. "Real problems won't necessarily emerge in the first couple of weeks." Another issue: Providers are bending over backward to make the program work, giving beneficiaries fewer reasons to complain. "We are hearing that there are many suppliers simply taking patients, whether they are getting paid or not," said Stanfield. "In many cases where a contract supplier won in one or two categories, they may take them in other categories as well." Still, it's only been a month since the program officially kicked off, and as it continues to roll along, it is likely that increasing numbers of issues will crop up. For now, it's important for providers to continue to get the word out. "We've been strategizing about how we can get the message out there," said Schafhauser. "We've got flyers that members hand out to referral sources and beneficiaries, and we are concentrating on making sure they get information out there that the calls aren't coming in yet."

AAHomecare Asks Obama to Review “Patchwork” of Ineffective HME Regulations

Thursday, January 20, 2011

AAHomecare Asks Obama to Review “Patchwork” of Ineffective HME Regulations

Yesterday, the American Association for Homecare asked President Obama to review “onerous and outdated regulations that hamper job creation and threaten access to quality home medical equipment (HME) and services under the Medicare program.” AAHomecare sent Obama a letter in response to the President’s January 18 executive order, “Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review,” which solicits examples of problematic regulations. View the executive order here.

The Association asked specifically that the President examine “policies related to competitive bidding for durable medical equipment, respiratory therapy…, power mobility devices, diabetes testing equipment and supplies, Medicare audits and anti-fraud and abuse initiatives.”

The full text of the letter follows.

The President
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

I am writing on behalf of the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) to express our keen interest in working with your Administration to review onerous and outdated regulations that hamper job creation and threaten access to quality home medical equipment (HME) and services under the Medicare program. We believe that in complying with your Executive Order, Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review, we should take a holistic approach to the Medicare HME benefit and specifically look at issues such as policies related to competitive bidding for durable medical equipment, respiratory therapy (including home oxygen and sleep devices), power mobility devices, diabetes testing equipment and supplies, Medicare audits and anti-fraud and abuse initiatives.

AAHomecare is the only national trade association representing every line of medical equipment and services within the homecare community. The Association represents health care providers and manufacturers who serve the medical needs of millions of Americans who require durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies (DMEPOS) such as home oxygen therapy, mobility assistive technologies, diabetes therapy and other supplies, sleep therapy technologies, inhalation drug therapy, home infusion, and other home medical equipment, therapies, services, and supplies in their homes. Our membership reflects a cross-section of the homecare community, including national, regional and local providers.

The Association believes that there are a number of regulations that relate to the HME sector that need close scrutiny. These regulations, created over a 25-year period, have created a patchwork of rules that could be better designed to improve the quality of care furnished by HME providers with the goal of caring for individuals in their homes rather than in more costly institutional settings like nursing homes and hospitals.

AAHomecare looks forward to working with you and your Administration to address ineffective and outdated rules and the hassle factor these regulations create on HME providers that inhibit job growth and quality of care. The Association will provide you with more detailed comments in the near future and I am available to meet with you or your staff to discuss these concerns further.

If you have questions about the Association’s concerns, please contact Jay Witter at (703) 535-1884 or jayw@aahomecare.org.

Sincerely,

Tyler J. Wilson
President

Tax Help in Caring For an Aging Parent

Tax Help in Caring For an Aging

Parent

By Kay Bell - Posted January 25, 2011 7:00 PM

Millions of adult children find themselves looking after aging parents. Tax laws offer some help, as long as you and your folks meet the criteria.

The key to Internal Revenue Service assistance in caring for an elderly relative is whether you can claim the person as a dependent. Any dependent must meet certain tests. While there is a little flexibility when dealing with children, fewer exceptions are granted when the potential dependent is older.

Despite the qualification obstacles, it doesn't hurt to explore whether you can claim your parent as a dependent. If you and your parent meet IRS requirements, you'll be able to claim an added personal exemption on your income tax return.

Then there are possible deductions and credits. If you pay medical expenses for a dependent parent, you may be able to deduct some of those costs. Hire a caregiver to help you out and a credit could cut your tax bill a bit more.

Dependency hurdles

The highest dependency hurdle is the amount of income your older parent earns. A dependent parent cannot make more than the exemption amount. The income barrier represents taxable income, notes John W. Roth, a senior federal tax analyst with CCH Inc., a national tax and business law publisher.

"Social Security normally is excludable, but if they have other income, which in many cases means interest and dividends, some is taxable," Roth says. "So you want to start with that first in determining if the parent meets the income test.

"It's amazing how that generation has invested in stocks, bonds, saving accounts and how quickly it can add up," says Roth.

Such disciplined saving habits mean that many adult children cannot claim mom or dad as a dependent. If, however, you and your parent meet the income standard, the next consideration is how much support you provide.

Paying for more than half

To be deemed a dependent for tax purposes, your parent must get more than half of his or her support from you.

"When the parent lives in your home, to reach the 50 percent-plus threshold you should take into account the fair-market room rental, food, medicine and other little support items," says Roth. "This is where Social Security does come into play. If a parent is using benefits to pay for some of these support items, it goes into the calculation of whether you cover more than half of your parent's support costs."

Read more: http://www.thirdage.com/caregiving/tax-help-caring-aging-parent?utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl_moneywork_20110126_70_33011_thirdage&utm_content=1588582&utm_campaign=thirdage#ixzz1C9fyINEX

CMS backs off patient-contact restriction--for now

CMS backs off patient-contact restriction--for now

By Theresa Flaherty Managing Editor - 01.24.2011

BALTIMORE - CMS won't enforce its ban on direct solicitation of beneficiaries for now, officials told listeners during last Wednesday's Open Door Forum. "Unanticipated issues have arisen regarding the implementation of the newly expanded portion of the provision," said John Spiegel, director of the Medicare Program Integrity Group, during the call. "CMS feels further investigation is necessary to determine the best way to apply these changes." The Office of Inspector General (OIG) created some confusion early in 2010 when it issued an alert that stated providers may not contact beneficiaries "based solely on treating physician's preliminary written or verbal orders." CMS backed off on the provision, which many in the industry argued would hamper common business practices. But, when it released the updated supplier standards, which went into effect Sept. 27, the agency attempted to clarify the rule by including a ban on "direct solicitation." The provision expanded the ban to include in-person contacts, e-mail and instant messaging, in addition to telephone contacts. It may be that the definition of "direct solicitation" is not yet clear, said Neil Caesar. "It's likely that if they are having implementation difficulties, it (might) have to do with the new things they've done and the way they worded it," said attorney Neil Caesar, president of the Health Law Center. "Or, they are figuring out a more logical and consistent way of handling the physician's oral orders." Also during last Wednesday's call: Officials reminded grandfathered providers in the competitive bidding areas to use KY modifiers when billing for purchased accessories and supplies for use with grandfathered equipment. There are 24 codes that fall into that category: CPAP supplies, hospital beds and related items, and walkers and related accessories. "Suppliers are reminded to please submit the single payment amount so that the claim will process correctly," said CMS.

Leg Health and Pregnancy

Pride Starts Speaking in QR Codes

Pride starts speaking in QR codes

'We are here to assist (providers) in applying this technology in the most cost effective way'

By Mike Moran Executive Editor - 01.19.2011

EXETER, Pa. - Pride Mobility Products added some high-tech muscle to its marketing department recently when it began imbedding quick-response (QR) codes into some of its ads. QR codes originated in Japan years ago, and their black-and-white patterns work much like bar codes. When a person uses a Smartphone or mobile phone equipped with a camera to scan a QR code, it registers the text, a URL or some other data. When a provider scans a QR code on a Pride ad, for example, a URL takes them to YouTube for a product demonstration. "In our case, we decided to reinforce the print message with a short YouTube promotional video," said Dick McLane, general manager of product marketing. "There is no cost to put it on YouTube. The big thing about these codes is having the content." At the moment, Pride appears to be the only HME manufacturer using QR codes. In addition to its own marketing, Pride will help providers use the codes, McLane said. Providers can put the codes on their products or include them in direct mail pieces or, like Pride, embed them in an advertisement. The coded information could include the URL for the company's website, a television ad, a coupon or even a short satisfaction survey, McLane said. "If someone asks, 'Where did you get that Pride scooter?' They scan the code and are at your Web site," he said. "In our industry, looking for ways to stretch marketing dollars is critical, and we are here to assist (providers) in applying this technology in the most cost effective way." When it comes to using QR codes, the sky's the limit, McLane said. "The one thing we find with this technology is that the more we discuss it, the more applications we discover," he said.

What to do when being a caregiver becomes overwhelming

Being a family caregiver can be overwhelming, even when you are suited to the job. The physical and emotional demands of caring for another, as well as the intellectual demands of coordinating payments and paperwork, are extremely taxing. It is natural to feel angry, frustrated, and drained at times.

Because stress signals the body to release adrenaline and cortisol, sending signals that may increase your heart rate, blood sugar, blood pressure, and shut down your immune system so your body can function at a “high alert” level, it is not healthy to be constantly stressed. This is why care giving takes such a toll on the body. The spirit may be willing, but the body becomes more susceptible to disease and infection.

Here are eight warning signs of caregiver stress. Perhaps the biggest warning sign, however, is denial that you have any of these problems, which are common in the care giving community.

1. Sleep is difficult even when fatigued.

2. You are irritable over little things.

3. You feel exhausted and run down or are constantly suffering from a cold or stomach upset.

4. You lash out at your impaired family member for things they can’t control.

5. You are overly critical of your skills and performance.

6. You isolate from friends whose company you used to enjoy and withdraw from other family members whose lives seem easier than yours.

7. You ignore your own responsibilities, forgetting to pay your own bills for instance

8. Depression and anxiety are not just reactions to situations but are constant.

Once you have identified warning signs of caregiver stress what do you? You have to start caretaking yourself.

Read more: http://www.thirdage.com/caregiving/how-cope-caregiver-stress#ixzz1BVA2AxLi

Here are 8 steps for reducing caregiver burnout:

1. See your doctor about sleep problems and any other physical symptoms (e.g., muscle pain from lifting or a constant cold). Many caregivers are so focused on their loved one that they don’t even have their own doctor. If you don’t, ask your loved one’s physician for advice and a referral.

2. Find a therapist who can help you develop coping skills for managing stress and determine if you need to be on an anti-depressant.

3. Be realistic about what you can and can’t accomplish, as well as about what you will and won’t do. Even a rubber band eventually breaks if stretched too far.

4. Keep up social interaction. If you can’t get away often, invite friends over for potluck suppers.

5. It is extremely important to have respite care available for help whether you are too sick to function or just want to go out for dinner and a movie or if you need a regular time out for exercise, shopping or quiet reflection. Interview and line up caregivers. Often CNAs who work at nursing home facilities also do at-home respite care.

6. Take advantage of community support services and other resources: Meals on Wheels, home delivery of groceries or medications, adult day services, volunteers from faith-based or civic groups, Alzheimer’s support groups.

7. Ask for help from other family members. Don’t wait for them to volunteer and if they offer do not turn them down. Give them a task and a time and tell them the truth – that you can’t go on without a break or some help.

8. Take every opportunity to laugh. Watch funny movies or TV shows with your loved one. Troll the Internet for funniest videos. Enjoy your time with your family member when they are lucid. Even when they’re not, there is often something funny that happens during care taking at some point in 24 hours, whether it’s a warm moment or things are so bad they are ridiculous.

Read more: http://www.thirdage.com/caregiving/how-cope-caregiver-stress?page=0,1#ixzz1BVACQEJA

Strength Training Tips for Wheelchair Users

Transcending challenges and rising above physical obstacles, wheelchair users can successfully add resistance training to their exercise plan. All it takes is thoughtful planning and ingenuity. "Everything can be adapted," said Kerry Syed, exercise physiologist with The Emory Clinic of Atlanta, Georgia. Strength training benefits improve the ability to perform daily activities, like pushing wheelchairs, carrying items and transferring.

"Many wheelchair users have an inefficient push," said Diane Backwith, Coordinator of the Seated and Wheelchair Clinics at Emory's Center for Rehabilitation Medicine. Besides lifting weights, simple equipment can be used to provide resistance and thus increase strength. Some exercises and most stretches require no equipment at all.

Strength Training with Weights

Warm up with five or ten minutes of general large muscle activity such as laps. Using proper posture to protect your back, sit up straight with shoulders relaxed, maintain a loose, comfortable grip on the weight or machine handle. Most weight training machines have rubber grips but some equipment, like free weights or dumbbells do not. Squeezing too tightly can elevate blood pressure, not holding tightly enough can cause weights to fall, causing potential injury.

To select the proper weight, start with one you can lift 15 times. When using machines, set the seat back or chest pads so you are secure. Note settings on your workout log. Breathe normally, exhale as you lift and inhale as you lower the weight for a count of three seconds, increase the weight five percent when it becomes easy to lift eight to twelve times. Train large muscle groups first, then proceed through the body in this order; legs, back, shoulders, chest, arms, neck.

Special machines can be used "even with very limited finger functioning," said Joy Burns, Sports Specialist with Shepherd Center. Velcro[R] cuffs allow wheelchair users to bench press, row and ride a stationary bicycle. "Although very expensive, some insurance companies reimburse," said Burns.

Resistance Training with Equipment

Resistance can also be created with rubber bands. "Bands are great," Syed said. "They can be attached to a pole, hook or door handle, just about anywhere." After securing the band carefully, pull away, working the muscles in a variety of ways such as pulling the band toward you, turn and pull it behind you, hold both ends and extend your arms out, etc. The Portable Strength Training Kit by Fitness Solutions ($30, 888-283-0292,http://www.simplefitness-solutions.com) contains three different strengths of bands and a door strap. It includes a detailed booklet with exercise advice and help is available by phone from the company. They will send new bands when more resistance is needed.

Stretches/Flexibility Exercises

Best performed after working out, when muscles are warm, stretching increases flexibility and eases stress and fatigue. Holding for eight counts, stretch each muscle group two times. Since many wheelchair users experience shoulder stress and posture problems, do shoulder and neck rolls, ear to shoulder stretches and chin tucks. Arm lifts and torso side stretches increase flexibility and reduce fatigue which can result from pushing the chair. Lying down, stretch arms above head to stretch back muscles.

Range of Motion

For all types of strength training, use full range of motion, lifting and lowering smoothly and slowly. If movement is too fast, momentum does the work instead of your body. Don't "lock" your joints, this puts too much stress on them. Avoid injury by training opposing muscle groups, for instance biceps that curl the arm in and triceps that extend it out.

Personal Trainers

We all need a little help sometimes. Personal trainers and exercise specialists certified to design a balanced program, provide motivation and can help with transferring from wheelchair to exercise machines. In addition to resistance training two or three days a week, they help choose aerobic movement, such as swimming or machines. The American Council on Exercise (800-825-3636, http://www.acefitness.org) maintains a database of certified personal trainers.

Both Burns and Syed agree, their clients enjoy weight training and stick with it for a long time. Perseverance pays off. Press on toward the goal to win the prize, as the Bible says, and after four to six weeks, your body will grow accustomed to this new activity and you'll be smiling as you lift and stretch up, up and away.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Cheever Publishing, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group

Great article for new CPAP users-gives an overview of how CPAP machine and good-fitting mask can help you sleep safely.

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnea

Continuous positive airway pressure therapy (CPAP) uses a machine to help a person who has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) breathe more easily during sleep. A CPAP machine increases air pressure in your throat so that your airway does not collapse when you breathe in. When you use CPAP, your bed partner may sleep better, too.

You use CPAP at home every night while you sleep. The CPAP machine will have one of the following:

Recommended Related to Sleep Apnea

Apnea,Sleep

Important It is possible that the main title of the report Apnea, Sleep is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Read the Apnea,Sleep article > >

• A mask that covers your nose and mouth.
• A mask that covers your nose only-called nasal continuous positive airway pressure, or NCPAP (this type of mask is most common).
• Prongs that fit into your nose.

You may want to try similar machines that have automatically adjustable air pressure or air pressures that are different when you breathe in than when you breathe out.

What To Expect After Treatment

It may take time for you to become comfortable with using CPAP. If you cannot get used to it, talk to your doctor. You might be able to try another type of mask or make other adjustments.

Why It Is Done

CPAP is the most effective nonsurgical treatment for obstructive sleep apnea. It is the first treatment choice and the most widely used.

• Doctors use CPAP to treat people who have moderate to severe sleep apnea.
• CPAP is the treatment of choice for people who have sleep apnea and coronary artery disease (CAD) or heart failure.¹

How Well It Works

Overall, CPAP is effective for moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea:

• Research shows that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) decreases daytime sleepiness, especially in those with moderate to severe sleep apnea.^{2, 3}But CPAP may not be as effective for people who have mild sleep apnea.³
• Studies show that in people who have moderate to severe sleep apnea, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) lowers blood pressure during both the day and the night.^{4, 5, 6}
• CPAP is better than other non-surgical methods for treating obstructive sleep apnea.⁷
• People with coronary artery disease who use CPAP for sleep apnea are less likely to have heart problems such as heart failure.⁸

Risks

Problems that may occur with CPAP include:

• Nightmares and excessive dreaming during early use.
• Dry nose and sore throat.
• Nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing.
• Irritation of the eyes and the skin on the face.
• Abdominal bloating.
• Leaks around the mask because it does not fit properly.

Nosebleeds are a rare complication of CPAP.

You can expect mild discomfort in the morning when you first start using CPAP. Talk with your doctor if you do not feel comfortable after a few days.

Relieving side effects

You may be able to limit or stop some of the side effects:

• Your doctor may be able to adjust your CPAP to reduce or eliminate problems.
• Be sure the mask or nasal prongs fit you properly. Air should not leak around the mask.
• Use a humidifier or a corticosteroid nasal spray medicine to reduce nasal irritation and drainage.
• You may want to talk to your doctor about trying a CPAP machine that will start with a low air pressure and slowly increase the air pressure as you fall asleep. This kind of machine can help reduce discomfort caused by too much constant pressure in your nose. If this does not improve your discomfort, ask your doctor about trying a bilevel positive airway pressure machine (BiPAP), which uses a different air pressure when you breathe in than when you breathe out. BiPAP may work better than standard CPAP for treating obstructive sleep apnea in people who have heart failure.⁹ BiPAP machines are more expensive than CPAP machines.
• If your nose is runny or congested, talk with your doctor about using decongestants or corticosteroid nasal spray medicines.

What To Think About

When you are using CPAP, you need to see your doctor or sleep specialist regularly. You may also need more sleep studies to adjust the CPAP machine and check whether the treatment is working.

The machines are expensive. You may be able to rent a CPAP machine before you buy it. In some cases, you may be able to rent-to-own a CPAP machine.

The most common problem with CPAP is that people do not use the machine every night. Or they take off the mask during the night because it becomes uncomfortable. Even one night of not using the machine can make you sleepy the next day.

You might not use the machine daily, or you might even stop using it because:

• You don't like wearing a mask because of nasal discomfort.
• The machine is noisy.
• It may discourage intimacy with your sleeping partner, even though you use the machine only while you are sleeping.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some brands of portable CPAP machines. You may be able to take a smaller CPAP machine on vacations or other types of trips.

Complete the special treatment information form (PDF)(What is a PDFdocument?) to help you understand this treatment.

Citations

1. Silverberg DS, et al. (2002). Treating obstructive sleep apnea improves essential hypertension and quality of life. American Family Physician, 65(2): 229–236.

2. Giles TL, et al. (2006). Continuous positive airways pressure for obstructive sleep apnoea in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (3).

3. Hensley M, Ray C (2006). Sleep apnea. Clinical Evidence (15): 1–18.

4. Pepperell JC, et al. (2002). Ambulatory blood pressure after therapeutic and subtherapeutic nasal continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnoea: A randomised study.Lancet, 359(9302): 204–210.

5. Becker HF, et al. (2003). Effect of nasal continuous positive airway pressure treatment on blood pressure in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Circulation, 107(1): 68–73.

6. Norman D, et al. (2006). Effects of continuous positive airway pressure versus supplemental oxygen on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure. Hypertension, 47(5): 840–845.

7. Lam B, et al. (2007). Randomised study of three non-surgical treatments in mild to moderate obstructive sleep apnoea.Thorax, 62(4): 354–359.

8. Milleron O, et al. (2004). Benefits of obstructive sleep apnoea treatment in coronary artery disease: A long-term follow-up study. European Heart Journal, 25(9): 728–734.

9. Khayat RN, et al. (2008). Cardiac effects of continuous and bilevel positive airway pressure for patients with heart failure and obstructive sleep apnea. Chest, 134(6): 1162–1168.

   Author	Maria Essig
   Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
   Associate Editor	Pat Truman, MATC
   Primary Medical Reviewer	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
   Specialist Medical Reviewer	Mark A. Rasmus, MD - Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine
   Last Updated	July 9, 2009

Provo building is ready for paint...and it's lookin' good

Warehouse

Showroom

Showroom View from Reception

Sales Office

Modulation in all things...

On the lighter side...

Those old proverbs from grandma and great-grandma's time are taking on new configurations in the computer age. Wisdom never changes, but sometimes we have to change the words:

What boots up must come down.

Windows will never cease.

Virtual reality is its own reward.

Modulation in all things.

A user and his leisure time are soon parted.

There's no place like www.home.com.

Know what to expect before you connect.

Oh, what a tangled Web site we weave when first we practice.

Speed thrills.

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to use the Net and he won't bother you for week.

How to Make Using a Walker Safer for Seniors

Despite the fact that walkers are meant to assist seniors who may have trouble on their feet, walkers could use some safety improvements. For many, walkers are hard to grasp; require the use of two hands, thus preventing a seniors from carrying items; and have a tendency to "catch," often quite dangerously, on carpeting and other surfaces that are not perfectly smooth (or ironically, don't slide well on smooth surfaces). Walkers can, however, be made safer with a little help from a few new products.

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A Standard Walker
• Special Safety Accessories
• Determination to find what works the best for you!!
• 
  

1. 1

   Identify ways to make holding on to your walker more comfortable. Standard walker grips are smooth, hard, and unfriendly to the human hand. Not to mention, slippery when one's hand is wet. And don't you just love the feeling of cold steel on your hand in the dead of winter? Walker hand grips come in terrycloth or fleece, slip on in a snap, and help you to "keep your grip."

2. 2

   Find walker accessories to help you carry the items you need with no adverse impact on safety. Manufacturers have been responsive to seniors in recent years by providing a wide range of carrying accessories for walkers. The classic "big front bag" for walkers has been improved upon, and other bags, boxes, and cases have been added for more specialized purposes.

3. 3

   Look for ways to help your walker glide more easily across the floor, thereby avoiding accidents. Deal with uncooperative surfaces with neat walker accessories that help you glide along. While they won't help you slalom down the slopes, walker skis pop easily onto the walker legs and help you slide, rather than snag, on carpeting. Skiing not your sport? How about tennis? Ball glides ingeniously use tennis balls to help the walker slide along over smooth surfaces like wood, tile, and vinyl flooring---and never leave a mark.

Read more: How to Make Using a Walker Safer for Seniors | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2123642_using-walker-safer-seniors.html#ixzz1AeSBTNQF