Did you know that February is American Heart Month?

February is American Heart Month and this is the month to promise yourself a better you if you haven't already for this wonderful 2008. February is always popular for Ash Wednesday, Chinese New Year, and of course, Valentine's Day. But one thing about February that is great, is that its the month that many volunteers from the American Heart Association visit their neighbors and get the word out in order to raise funds for research and education about heart disease and stroke, the nation's number one killer.

Although many of you are good to your sweethearts this month, don't forget to be great to your own heart. Get out, take a walk, have a stroll with the dog, enjoy the outdoors and enjoy your life, it's too short to be inside all of the time. Be good to your heart and it will in turn be good to you.

Practicing Home Safety

Home Safety is a growing concern for families all over the world as more and more homes are having children or housing the elderly and those with disabilities. It's always a good idea to install extra grab bars in the bathroom to assist with mobility and comfort. Don't forget to properly install smoke detectors in case of a fire emergency in the house and use night lights in the hallways at night to help prevent falls or accidents.

The Home Safety Council suggests these and more great tips to keep you and your family safe at all hours of the busy day. Visit their website and keep your humble abode safe and sound.

Daily Living Aids in The Bathroom

The bathroom is such a dangerous place for elders or those with disabilities. They can may have trouble standing up from the toilet, need to sit down in order to bath, or worse, slip and fall on the tile due to a lack of handling aids available. Luckily, Allegro Medical has tons of Bathroom Assist items for increased safety, security and confidence in the bathroom.

Commodes and Commode Accessories
The Bathroom Commode is great for those who have difficulty getting on or off of the toilet. There is one with a weight capacity of 300 pounds from Invacare called the All-in-One Commode with height adjustments that can be made in 1" increments from 23" to 29". This is on commode that can be used bedside with a backrest or it can act as a toilet safety frame or raised toilet seat. If you prefer one that can store out of the way for relatives and visitors that come to town, perhaps the Folding Commode would be a better fit for you. For a mobile commode, there is a Drop Arm Shower Chair and Commode that converts into a wheeled shower chair as well.

Raised Toilet Seats
Depending on whether you'd like a elevated toilet seat extension or a kit that raises the entire toilet seat, there is bound to be a Raised Toilet Seat fit just for you. A popular model of toilet seat risers is the Toilevator Toilet Seat Riser. The Toilevator raises the entire base of the toilet off of the ground for more stability. We also have a Toilet Seat Extender with Arms to assist in your mobility on and off of the toilet that simply and securely attaches to any bathroom commode.

Grab Bars
Grab Bars are widely used in the bathroom, but this is an item so necessary for safety, it can be used anywhere in the house. They can be installed anywhere and used for just about anything. A very versatile set is the set of Suction Cup Grab Bars. Release levers make installing and removing the portable suction cup grab bars easy. Or if you prefer something installed check out the Invacare Knurled Grab Bars. Although not as mobile, these grab bars definitely do more than get the job done. They are rust-resistant and can hold up to 250 lbs.

Be sure to check out Allegro Medical for more of these Daily Living Aids and Bathroom Assist items.

The Cho-Pat Knee Brace

Cho-Pat Dual Action Knee Strap

The newly patented Cho-Pat Knee Strap provides an extra dimension of relief for painful and weakened knees. It was designed to help nurse and prevent injuries.

The knee strap applies pressure upon the patellar tendon below the kneecap to stabilize and tighten up the kneecap mechanism, which improves patellar tracking and elevation and reduces patellar subluxation. It adds further strengthening to the kneecap mechanism by applying pressure on the tendon above the kneecap as well. This tends to reduce the forces of the quadriceps on the patella tendon and erosion of the undersurface of the kneecap due to a possible misalignment of the quadriceps (Q angle).



The device’s design and construction apply constant dynamic forces to the surrounding areas of the knee reducing the likelihood of overuse syndromes. At the same time, the strap allows for full mobility while providing maximum benefits.

The Dual Action Knee Strap incorporates some of the advantages of the original Knee Strap plus the added benefits of further strengthening the kneecap mechanism by applying pressure on the tendon above the kneecap as well. This tends to reduce the forces of the quadriceps on the patella tendon and erosion of the under surface of the kneecap due to a possible misalignment of the quadriceps (Q-angle).