Health · Wellness at home · Home medical equipment

Equipment, safety and care at home, explained plainly.

AHDnet is an independent guide to the aids, adaptations and routines that help people live safely at home. Plain language, practical questions, nothing to sell.

Browse by need
A person in a hospital gown standing with a walking frame beside a bed
Fig. 1 — The first weeks with a walking frame are where good advice matters most.
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Browse by need

Sixteen guides in six departments, from the first walking aid to caring for someone after a hospital stay.

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Nine for today

Reshuffled daily at 00:00 UTC · Every note in the archive

  1. 01When a relative comes to stay

    Hosting a parent or grandparent who uses a walking aid? A few changes to the guest room and bathroom make the visit easier for everyone.

  2. 02Questions to ask when equipment is recommended

    When a clinician suggests a walker, a bath bench or a hoist, a few questions at the start avoid problems later.

  3. 03A room-by-room home safety check

    Twenty minutes, a notebook and a fresh pair of eyes: an autumn walk-through of the rooms where trips and slips start.

  4. 04Getting mobility aids ready for winter

    Ice, grit and slush are hard on canes, walkers and wheelchairs. A short pre-winter check and a few habits help.

  5. 05Keeping a simple home care binder

    One folder with contacts, appointments, equipment details and notes makes care at home calmer, especially when several people help.

  6. 06Indoor walking options around Bloomington

    When ice and cold make pavements risky, indoor spaces in and around Bloomington offer level, sheltered places to keep walking.

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How the guide works

AHDnet explains; professionals assess. Read this before relying on anything here.

  • Independent

    No sponsors, commissions or brand recommendations. No products are sold here.

  • General, not personal

    Information to help you understand options and ask better questions, not medical advice.

  • No prices, no rankings

    Costs and models change too fast. We describe types of equipment, not products.

  • Plain language

    Written for someone meeting a walker, a bath bench or a care bed for the first time.

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Bloomington, Minnesota

Eight real venues in the city, each with notes on visiting with a walking aid or wheelchair. No affiliation with any of them.

VenueWhereKind of place
Mall of AmericaEast Bloomington, near I-494 and Highway 77Shopping and entertainment complex, indoor events
Bloomington Center for the ArtsCivic Plaza, West Old Shakopee RoadTheatre, galleries and art classes
Normandale Lake Park and BandshellWest BloomingtonLakeside park, outdoor concerts and community events
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife RefugeEast Bloomington, American BoulevardWildlife refuge, visitor center, trails and nature programmes
Richardson Nature CenterWest Bloomington, East Bush Lake RoadNature center, trails and environmental education
Normandale Japanese GardenNormandale Community College, France Avenue SouthPublic garden, walking paths, photography
Bloomington Ice GardenCentral Bloomington, West 98th StreetPublic ice arena: hockey, figure skating, public skating
Pond-Dakota Mission ParkSouth-east Bloomington, East 104th StreetHistoric site and park: Gideon Pond House

All eight Bloomington pages

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Words you will hear

Three entries from the glossary of home medical equipment.

Rollator
A wheeled walker with hand brakes, usually with a seat for resting while it is parked.
Transfer bench
A seat that straddles the side of a bathtub so you can sit outside it and slide across.
Occupational therapist
A professional who helps people carry out daily tasks, often by assessing equipment and home changes.

Open the glossary