Keeping a well-stocked home health care kit is important in order to provide first aid and monitor your health long term.

• Your kit should be easily accessible to you, but out of reach of children.
• It should be kept at room temperature.
• You should check the kit regularly and replace expired medications and any other supplies that have run out.

First-aid essentials

• Antiseptic pads
• Adhesive bandages (band-aids)
• Elastic bandages
• Hot and cold packs
• Medical tape
• Saline spray
• Hand sanitizer
• Non-latex sterile gloves
• Sterile gauze roll and pads
• Triangular bandages
• 3-ply face masks 
• Thermometer

Your kit should also include over-the-counter medications, when necessary, such as:

• Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol)
• Antibiotic ointment 
• Calamine lotion
• Hydrocortisone cream (1%)
• Ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin)
• Aspirin 
• Allergy medications such as antihistamines or an EpiPen if needed.

You can explore our wide range of first-aid essentials here to help make sure your kit is kept up to date. Consider going through your kit with a family member or caregiver next time they visit in order to make sure you don’t leave anything out.

Home health monitoring essentials

Self monitoring can help you detect potential issues early on and assist you in keeping your health on track for the long term. Products used to monitor health include:

Blood pressure monitors

Taking your blood pressure regularly at home and tracking the results can give you a more accurate picture than only getting it checked when you’re at the doctor’s office. At Wellwise by Shoppers™ locations and online, we offer a range of at-home blood pressure monitors and our in-store staff will be happy to demonstrate how to use them correctly. The ideal blood pressure is under 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, if your blood pressure is regularly above this, talk to your doctor about how you can work towards lowering it. If it is over 180 systolic and 120 diastolic, call 911 immediately.

Oximeter

Pulse oximetry measures the oxygen saturation level of your blood and is carried out using a small device called an oximeter, which is clipped onto the finger, toe, or earlobe. Oximeters are often recommended for those with conditions which affect how well the heart pumps blood around the body, such as: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pneumonia, lung cancer, anemia, and heart failure. If you’ve been recommended to track your oxygen saturation levels, you can explore our range of oximeters.

Stethoscope

Stethoscopes can be used by a caregiver to help monitor your lungs and heart, and help determine if your heart is beating to fast. Explore our range of stethoscopes here.

Body weight scales

Keeping a healthy weight as you get older is important to help you maintain mobility, as well as helping avoid or improve certain conditions including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and sleep apnea. Keep track of your weight using a set of scales and work out your body mass index (BMI) using an online calculator – a healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9. If you need assistance losing or managing your weight, our range of fitness and nutrition products are a good place to start.

Putting together a home health kit made up of first-aid essentials and health-monitoring devices will set you up for success on your health journey. It’s a key step in helping you recognize any potential issues early on and empowering you to take action if you notice anything out of the ordinary.

Resources

https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/Article?contentid=1038&language=English

https://hypertension.ca/bpdevices https://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/how-pick-home-blood-pressure-monitor

https://www.healthline.com/health/pulse-oximetry#purpose-and-uses

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/