photos by: JODIE BRIM CREATIVE
There’s no substitute for peace of mind when it comes to arranging for an aging family member to remain in his or her home alone. While you may begin that journey with more questions than answers, the experts at Forsyth Medical Supply in Winston-Salem should be your newest and most trusted friends.
While serving our community from the same location for more than five decades, Forsyth Medical Supply is the first choice for medical supplies, furniture and assistance equipment. Ask local medical professionals and other grateful families in the area, and you’ll hear their recommendations come straight from the heart!
The Forsyth Medical Supply showroom displays more than 8,000 products for customers to examine, touch and envision using in their home. Store Manager Brenna Chandler – and everyone on their personable staff – answer those tough questions when dealing with an aging parent or grandparent, and share their knowledge of “at-home safety” on a daily basis. Set aside time to browse their options, and see what’s available for loved ones who would prefer to live in their own homes as long as possible.
At-Home Safety Essentials
If you’re a novice caregiver and unfamiliar with equipment technology, Brenna shares the most commonly needed items including scooters, wheelchairs, lift chairs, compression garments and incontinence products. Most can be locally delivered within one or two business days and set up in your home, ready to use.
“Mobility scooters and power wheelchairs are some of the most popular items in the store,” she explains. “These are great options for people with limited mobility and can give back freedom and independence. Most customers need guidance to select the model that best fits their lifestyle with battery life, weight limits and wheel size a few elements that come into play when choosing.”
Some models can break down for a caregiver to easily transfer to a car, or there are non-folding options that can accommodate more weight and harsher terrain. Forsyth Medical Supply strives to stock 10 different models that are available to demonstrate in person.
A lift chair should also be on your list of home safety essentials.
“This is a big purchase for most people, and sometimes the only way a loved one can maintain independence at home,” adds Brenna. “We work with customers before purchasing to make sure a chair is the best size, style and functionality for them. Some need different, easy-clean fabric types when they are incontinent while others prefer a leather option.”
While incontinence may be a difficult topic to approach, the staff is happy to talk one-on-one to suggest what’s best for your situation. The store offers low-profile adult disposable pull-ups and briefs with the highest absorbency levels on the market, with size samples available before you purchase. Washable and disposable bed pads, rinse-free bathing wipes and other bath-safety products are available.
Forsyth Medical Supply also stocks a large inventory of compression garments and can custom measure patients to assure the correct size and fit – knee high, thigh high and even compression wraps for folks who no longer have the hand strength to pull on the traditional style. Not just for seniors confined to home, compression stockings are popular with workers who stand on their feet all day or anyone with swelling issues. Custom fittings for compression garments are typically held Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. with no appointment needed.
As a vital part of that 50-year, well-respected reputation, Forsyth Medical Supply will handle your manufacturer’s warranty if repairs are needed, another reason to shop for medical supplies locally and not online. Another advantage to relying on a local source, some equipment is available to rent weekly or monthly for a short-term need. Mobility scooters are often rented for grandparents attending graduations, lift chairs are common for patients of all ages recovering from surgery, and knee scooters are often used by students at school after ankle or other minor injuries. Pediatric wheelchairs and other pediatric medical supplies can also be rented for short-term injuries.
“We take pride in knowing our staff is trained on each item that we sell,” says Brenna. “If we don’t truthfully and confidently know the answer to a question, we can research or refer you to another expert. Our products are too important to the people in our community to rely on misinformation, and we are constantly learning and further educating our staff on new equipment.”
Trust Forsyth Medical Supply when it matters most, and visit them at 3033 Trenwest Drive, Winston-Salem, NC, 336.768.5512. The showroom is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. to browse available products, or visit forsythmedicalsupply.com. Financing is offered with a CareCredit card – ask a staff member to assist you with an onsite application.
