Those Red Dots
Don't Leave Home Without Them
by Fran Clever
Fortuna, California
Recently I made the decision
to move into a retirement
center with assisted living
services. Making the decision
to sell your house and move
poses many challenges—
choosing the best facility to
meet your needs primary among
them. In my case, I was
already acquainted with this
facility in Fortuna, which is
about 25 miles from my home.
I have actually written
articles about this center.
When it opened, I toured the
grounds and talked to staff
members. So, I knew it was
okay. It is close to my
daughters and grandchildren,
and I was already using the
medical facilities and
doctors in the local area
before the move came up.
Other residents I have talked
to here are mostly here
because they are close to
family, too.
The assisted living facility
has different levels of
charges depending on how much
help you need. I am still on
the "independent" level,
which is about the least
expensive but still provides
lots of help. I am prone to
falls and a medical staff is
on hand at all times. This
retirement center also has a
"memory facility" on site for
people who have memory
problems.
The staff is friendly,
helpful and nice; the food is
plentiful and fairly good.
Before I got settled though,
I moved three times in eight
months. Each move required an
adjustment to new
surroundings, gadgets and
equipment.
Everywhere I have been, the
little red dots have come to
my rescue, helping me locate
the right button to punch on
a microwave, set the
thermostat, switch channels
on the TV remote control,
adjust light switches or do
anything else that I needed
help to do. I have found many
other uses for the wonderful
little red dots. I have used
them on special keys I needed
like the one for my postal
box and have strategically
placed them to help me locate
the correct box in a row of
look-alike boxes.
The little raised red dots
come on self-adhesive sheets.
All you need to do is peel
one off the sheet and press
it on the gadget to mark the
desired setting. Red dots can
be found in craft stores and
in catalogs catering to
people who have vision
impairments.
Unfortunately, I have not yet
found any such helpful little
guides to help identify
different kinds of plumbing
equipment. Have you ever
noticed that no two sink
faucets or shower stalls are
alike? It is amazing how many
ways manufacturers have found
to turn hot and cold water on
and off.
I have learned over the years
that having a sighted
companion check out shower
fixtures before I venture
into a strange shower is very
helpful. Up, down, right,
left, push or pull, they all
seem to have different ways
of accomplishing the simple
act of producing flowing
water of a comfortable
temperature.
In one of my last shower
encounters, I confidently
stepped in and picked up the
handheld shower, which was
exactly like the last one I
had used. I turned on the
water and nothing happened. I
felt along the hose between
the fixture on the wall and
the hand shower and there
were no leaks, but the hose
filled with water. Realizing
there must be some kind of
knob, I felt around until I
found one, but no matter how
I twisted or turned, still no
water. I ended up using a
damp wash cloth.
The next day I had the
maintenance worker in to
"fix" my shower. He did
something very simple, and I
can now get the water on. I
have also discovered that by
bypassing the shower gadget,
I can turn the water off. Now
I just turn the water off and
on at the faucet and don't
even think about trying to
turn the water on and off on
the hand shower.
The trauma of moving from one
living place to another is
always difficult. Trying to
relocate familiar objects
needed for everyday life can
be stressful enough without
the extra problems of not
being able to turn the heat
on and off without help. I
have found that for those who
have vision problems, the
little red dots take away
some of the frustrating
feelings of not being able to
organize and use belongings
independently.
Resources
For assistance in labeling
household items, consider
"Make It Visible," a labeling
kit available for $19.95 from
Independent Living Aids. The
kit includes a 3X magnifier,
low vision pen, tactile
orange paint, a sheet of oneinch large print black vinyl
letter and number stickers
and an assortment of tactile
markers, including bump-ons.
For more information or to
order, contact Independent
Living Aids at 800-537-2118
or
For assistance in making the
transition into senior
living, the following
resources may provide helpful
information.
LIVING TRANSITIONS: A STEPBY- STEP GUIDE FOR A LATER
LIFE MOVE by Sue Ronnenkamp
Senior Transitions
13223 Ventura Blvd., Suite E
Studio City, CA 91604
Phone: 866-35-ELDER (3535337)
Web site:
American Association of Homes
and Services for the Aging
2519 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008-1520
Phone: 202-783-2242
Web site:
www2.aahsa.org/consumer_info/
homes_svcs_directory/default.
asp