Overview
More of
your health care takes place in your home than anywhere else. Having the right
tools, medicines, supplies, and information on hand will improve the quality of
your self-care.
Self-care tools are the basic equipment of your
home health center. Store all your
self-care tools and
supplies in a central location, such as a large drawer
in the bedroom or family room. Use the lists of tools and supplies in this
topic as checklists for keeping your home health center stocked. It's a good
idea to keep all your family's medical records in one place, such as in your
home health center. For information on organizing these records, see the topic
Home Medical Records.
Be familiar with the disaster preparation
and response plan for your area. Keep the appropriate supplies on hand. For
more information on preparedness and recommended supplies, see the topic
Terrorism and Other Public Health Threats.
Note: | If small children are around, keep your supplies
out of reach or stored in containers or cabinets with childproof safety
latches. |
Cold Pack
A cold pack is a plastic envelope filled
with gel that remains flexible at very cold temperatures. Buy two cold packs
and keep them in the freezer. Use them for bumps, bruises, back sprains, turned
ankles, sore joints, or any other health problem that calls for ice. A cold
pack is more convenient than ice and may become the self-care tool you use the
most.
You can make your own cold pack:
- Put
1 pint (0.5 L) of rubbing
alcohol and 3 pints (1.4 L) of
water in a 1 gal (4 L),
heavy-duty, plastic freezer bag.
- Seal the bag, and then seal it in
a second bag. Mark it "Cold pack: Do not eat," and place it in the
freezer.
A bag of frozen vegetables will also work as a cold
pack.
Humidifier and Vaporizer
Humidifiers and vaporizers add moisture to the air, making it less drying to your mouth,
throat, and nose. A humidifier blows cool to lukewarm mist into the air, and a
vaporizer puts out hot steam.
The mist from a humidifier may be
more comfortable to breathe than hot steam. But humidifiers are noisy, produce
particles that may be irritating to some people, and need to be cleaned and
disinfected regularly. This is especially important for people who have mold
allergies.
A vaporizer's hot steam is germ-free and may feel good
when you have a cold. But the hot water can burn anyone who overturns or gets
too close to the device.
Medicine Spoon
Medicine spoons are transparent
tubes with marks that show typical dosage amounts. A medicine spoon makes it
easy to give the right dose of liquid medicine. While the spoons are convenient
for anyone, they are particularly helpful for people who have young children.
The tube shape and large lip get most of the medicine into a child's mouth
without spilling. Buy one at your local pharmacy.
Otoscope
An otoscope is a flashlight with a special
attachment for looking into the
ear 
. With training, you can use an otoscope to help
you decide if an ear infection is present. Inexpensive consumer-model otoscopes
are available, but they do not put as much light into the ear canal and eardrum
as the one your doctor uses. They can also be used as high-intensity
penlights.
Penlight
A penlight has a small, intense light that
can be easily directed. It is useful for looking into the mouth or throat or
examining the skin, and it is easier to handle than a flashlight.
Blood Pressure Cuff
If you have heart disease or
high blood pressure, it's a good idea to have a
blood pressure cuff to monitor your blood pressure regularly.
Blood pressure cuffs come in many models. If you have difficulty reading
the gauge on a regular cuff, consider an electronic digital model. Ask your
pharmacist to recommend a blood pressure kit and show
you how to use it. For more information on how to take a blood pressure, see
the topic
Home Blood Pressure Monitoring.
Thermometer
Glass thermometers that contain mercury
are no longer recommended because of safety concerns. If you have one in your
home, consider replacing it with a
digital electronic thermometer . You can contact your local recycling center to
see if they dispose of thermometers that contain mercury.
Digital electronic thermometers are accurate, easy to read, and durable.
Temperature strips are very convenient and safe but are not as accurate as
digital thermometers and should only be used to measure armpit (axillary)
temperature. They are inaccurate when used on the forehead. Thermometers that
measure the temperature in the ear are fast, easy to use, and quite accurate,
but they are expensive.
Rectal thermometers with enlarged bulbs
are helpful for children younger than 6 or anyone who cannot hold an oral
thermometer in his or her mouth. For more information on how to take a
temperature, see the topic
Body Temperature.
Credits
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 1, 2008 |
