July 28th, 2010
When I last blogged I told you about the safety information to be found through one of the local UK Police Forces with regard to mobility scooters and said I would give more information as I could. Well here we are again and it is a subject that is very important to me and hopefully to you as well. It is so easy to get a mobility scooter in this day and age and there is no restrictions on who can use them and so lots of road and pavement users have no experience and lots of people in power chairs haven’t even driven a car, but they can still sit down and start up a wheelchair that is capable of going at speeds of anywhere from 0 to 8mph depending on the model they have chosen. So if you are a new user or you have been a user of mobility scooters for some time the same rules apply, pedestrians have right of way so even if you are riding on the pavement you must be aware of pother people and give way as required rather than expecting them to give way to you. When you go out on your mobility scooter try to plan your route the most direct or shortest route might look sensible but it wont necessarily be the best way try to avoid steep hills and high kerb’s or other obstructions, keep your eyes open for road works places the gas board or water authority are digging up the road or pavement can suddenly make what was a safe route for a power chair user into some thing of an obstacle course. Whilst you can obviously cross a road for the purpose of getting from one side to the other you can only actually ride along the road if you are using a class three style of scooter. these are the larger more powerful models that can go at speeds of up to 8 mph hour but if you do use one of these then there are requirements you must comply with, this type of scooter must have wing mirrors, indicators, lights and audible warning system. As well as that it should also be registered with the DVLA a government agency that handles all types of vehicle licensing. The good news is that it doesn’t cost anything to get a road fund licence for your mobility scooter however the downside is you can possibly be taken to task by the Police and perhaps even fined if you don’t display one! One other thought for this session on safety is a sensible one for your own protection, Insurance, whilst it is not a legal requirement it is a sensible idea to get you and your mobility scooter insured. just imagine how you would struggle if some one was mean enough to steal it, no insurance and you have to bear the cost yourself, some one damages it and no insurance again you cover the repair costs worse than either of though is the slight chance of you having an accident and injuring some body, no insurance and they sue you for compensation and it could cost you everything! Be as safe as you possibly can on your mobility scooter but be sensible as well, if you are just starting out then practice, practice, practice you will be glad you did and it will give you more confidence to use your power chair or mobility scooter or powered wheelchair and as a result you will get so much more enjoyment.
Tags: Disability, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Healthcare, Law enforcement in the United Kingdom, mini scooters, Mobility and Transportation Aids, mobility products, mobility scooter, Mobility scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchairs | No Comments »
July 27th, 2010
Recently I saw and article published by one of the UK police forces about being safe on your mobility scooter and I found it interesting and helpful so I decided to pass as much of the information as I possibly can. Some of it is basic sense but even so it is worthwhile thinking about all aspects of safety when your going to use a mobility scooter or power chair especially if you are only just starting, after all there is no test available to take before you start driving. So make sure you understand all the switches and levers actually do and make sure you are confident that you can control it before you go out for the first time. Keep your scooter in good order and properly maintained and thoroughly check it on a regular basis your manufacturers hand book will normally tell you what to do. The battery is so important try to keep it fully charged and if you are not using your mobility scooter on a regular basis ensure that at least once a month you put the battery on charge. The last thing you want is to go out for some thing important like the shopping to Asda and find out you don’t have enough charge in the battery to get you home,have you ever seen any one trying to push a power wheelchair they are so heavy! You must also realise how important it is not only to see well but also to be clearly visible to other road and pavement users they aren’t always ready for some one driving along at 4mph well below there normal eye level so have some thing bright on so that other people can see you and if the weather is bad and you cover yourself up against the elements make sure you dont impair your own vision, it is so important to see where you are going so you can anticipate what others might do. Obviously you are sensible but even so make sure that when you are out on your mobility scooter you dont partake of the alcohol as you can still be prosecuted for being over the limit if the Police stop you for any reason and find you have alcohol on your breath. You should also check with your pharmacist about the effect any prescription drugs may have on your ability to drive. If like me you suffer from sleep related problems you should make sure you are not liable to drop off whilst riding in your powerchair. It is so easy to cause havoc if you do. There many more tips and suggestions that I have found from this police site and I will bring you more again shortly. I will leave you with two thoughts, first one why do we have lots of different police forces, why not just one to cover the whole UK surely that must be more cost effective and the second thought is just how safe is your mobility scooter do you check it or take it for granted?
Tags: Accessible Britain, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, mini scooters, Mobility and Transportation Aids, mobility products, mobility scooter, Power Chairs, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchairs | No Comments »
July 25th, 2010
Well it’s Sunday morning traditional time for the fully cooked breakfast and so much easier for you to eat in bed if yours is one of the adjustable beds that are available now, it is so easy to be able to sit up at the touch of a button rather than having to prop yourself up with lots of pillows. Whether you want to have a relaxed breakfast in bed or read the Sunday papers from one end to another including all the supplements and magazines it is so much more comfortable if you have an electric bed to do it with. Nowadays you can choose from single versions or doubles and king size sets right through to super king size and it is possible to have the larger size beds with either one mattress or two individual mattresses with there own controls. If you are on your own and want more space then it is sensible to buy a set with one mattress and give yourself more room to spread out at least that way you will have room to put the Sunday papers on the bed and use some of the space for the breakfast tray. The only problem with this is that if you are on your own it does mean you have got to get up and do your own breakfast and take it back to bed with you but then I suppose you have got to collect the papers from the door anyway. If there are two of you sharing it is much more sensible to have an electric bed with separate units so if one partner wants to stay laying down whilst the other one sits up to read the papers before he goes off to get you a cup of tea and prepare your breakfast then it is possible. all of the adjustable beds now available come in 6’6″ (2 mtr) lengths even the single versions so it will need you to check your bed clothes and there are some very good specialist bed clothes companies that can help you out with this requirement. Another very useful adjustable bed is the profiling bed which is absolutely perfect if you need nursing in bed because not only will it adjust to suit the position you want to be in but it will also rise up so that your carer or partner can attend to your needs so much more easily. There are so many different mattress types to choose from which include memory foam, pocket spring, bonel springs, latex foam and some times combinations of the various options are available as well. It is a certain fact that electric beds can be a real help to any one with mobility or disability problems and even as an adjustable bed for anyone they can be a great place to read the Sunday Papers and have a full breakfast, go on spoil yourself have breakfast in bed you know your worth it!
Tags: Bed, Bedroom, Disability, Electric adjustable beds, electric beds, electric recliner chair, Furniture, mattress, Mattresses, memory foam, memory foam mattress, Pillow, Shopping
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Mattresses, ajustable beds | No Comments »
July 24th, 2010
When you get yourself a recliner chair do you want a manual one on which you will find either a release catch or handle and that you can recline by pushing on the back, the disadvantage is that you then have to use both your legs and possibly one hand on the handle to push the leg rest down afterwards. Or do you want to go with an electric version of recliner chair which can make life so much easier. There is now such a wide range of electric recliner chairs with different manufacturers different covers and sizes and now ranges covered in PVC, leather match, bonded leather, full aniline leather as well as combinations of Leather and leather match. In this instance the main body of the chair and the arms are all covered in full leather whilst the outside is covered in leather match, a substitute for leather which is coloured to exactly the same shade but is less expensive and so enables the price to be more competitive without detracting form the wear ability of the chair itself. With the electric recliner chairs you can normally choose either a single or dual motor chair, the more sophisticated dual motor chair is, obviously, more expensive as it has two motors but it does mean that the back and the leg rest can be used interdependently of each other. Of course not every one want’s to have some thing plugged in then it can be sensible as an alternative to look at the ranges of swivel recliner chairs which are available. These come with different sizes colours and bases but the real beauty is the fact that you can turn around a complete circle and so survey the whole room, great if you have a lot of guests and want to be able to talk to them all. You don’t have to use the stool but when time comes to relax it is so comfortable to be able to put your feet up and use the full benefits of these swivel recliner chairs and stools and you will find that they are so competitively priced. If however you have any physical problems, disability’s or even long term illness it may well be better to go for an electric riser recliner chair not only can you recline easily, just press the button, but you can also go from a sitting to standing position without any effort on your part and imagine just how much less stress there will be on your joints under those circumstances. The other beauty is that you can obviously reverse the situation and take your self from standing to sitting and then on to a reclined position without any effort on your part. Making life so much easier and because these riser recliner chairs are designed specifically for persons with a long term illness, a disability or mobility problems the HMRC section of the government allows you to purchase them without VAT if you fit their criteria and fill in the VAT exemption form. So decide what you want from your recliner chair and buy the right one for you.
Tags: Business, Chair, Consumer Goods and Services, electric recliner chair, Electric recliner chairs, Electric riser recliner chairs, Furniture, Health, Home and Garden, Recliner
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Recliner Chairs, Riser recliner chairs | No Comments »
July 21st, 2010
When you are struggling with a disability or mobility problem there comes a time when you have to stop and think about how you are going to get about. then it is a matter of deciding if you need a wheelchair of the normal style or perhaps an electric wheelchair. Now obviously one will cost you more than the other but it is a matter of considering your own circumstances if you go for a manual wheelchair will you be strong enough to use the self propelled type or will you have a partner or carer to push you around in it? If you are being pushed it can be a very daunting situation for the first few times as you get used to being sat in a moving object without being in control and for your partner or carer it is perhaps something new for them as well, will they think about the kerb that is coming up or will they not realise in time and bang you into it! It does happen and can be a real shock to the system better to make sure your wheelchair has a safety strap with it to hold you in place, just in case. It is always possible when you don’t feel at your best for you to be pushed around by some one even in your self propel wheelchair. So you never need to be stuck and if you are going away on holiday you can een now obtain lightweight wheelchairs to take on the plane with you. If you want more freedom and independence though you might be better looking at a power chair or mobility scooter. They will enable you to travel on your own or at sensible speeds with your partner carer or anyone else who goes with you. They have varying ranges of distances you can go on a fully charged battery and this will depend on the conditions the terrain and the weight of the person using the scooter or power chair. There will of course be a considerable difference in price of the cost of a normal wheelchair to to the electrically driven ones but the beauty is if you need a means of transport if you are disabled or have long term illness or a mobility problem then there is some thing that will be just right for you. Wheelchair, power chair or mobility scooter the choice is yours.
Tags: Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, mini scooters, mobility products, mobility scooter, Mobility scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchairs | No Comments »
July 19th, 2010
We all need to be as comfortable as possible and an electric bed can be a real help towards that. With so many different styles to choose from there is certain be one that you will like. There are even adjustable beds now with metal frames so if you like the traditional styling that a metal frame can bring to your bedroom it is now available for you. It is still possible with this style to have your own control for your side of the bed so if you want to sit up whilst your partner is laying down it is just so easy. That really is the beauty of an adjustable bed you can both sit up together or lie down together or even raise your feet at the same time! With simple quiet motors you can move whilst your partner sleeps and not disturb them, so if you are struggling with some thing like a hiatus hernia and need to sit up to sleep then it can be so easy just press the button and let your electric bed do the rest, this will help you relieve the pain and pressure brought on by the reflux that you get with a hiatus hernia. Electric beds can be so helpful as well if you have circulation problems, the ability to be able to raise your ankles without having to pile pillows or cushions under your legs is so helpful to you. Those people unfortunate enough to suffer with arthritis or rheumatism will also benefit from an adjustable bed especially one with a massage unit in it. If you or your partner is in need of nursing then perhaps you should look at a profiling adjustable bed which apart from helping you to adjust your position also helps to lift your whole body to a position where your partner or carer can easily tend to your needs. As I said there are just so many electric beds available there is bound to be one that makes you comfortable! Sleep well.
Tags: Adjustable bed, Bed, Bedroom, Disabilities, Disability, Electric adjustable beds, electric beds, electric recliner chair, furmanac, Furniture, mattress, memory foam, memory foam mattress
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Mattresses, ajustable beds | No Comments »
July 16th, 2010
A lot of people buy recliner chairs and very sensible indeed as they can be so comfortable but some times a swivel recliner chair can give you more options. There is so much choice nowadays and chairs are available in PVC, soft cloth, Leather with leather match and full leather that there is bound to be one to suit your requirements. You will normally find that the swivel recliner chair comes complete with a matching stool so in extreme situations you can at least for a little while find an extra seat if you need it. The beauty of this type of chair is that it it means you can sit in a regular sitting position or sit back and put your feet up on the footstool or just recline the chair with your feet up and relax perhaps close your eyes and sleep, but as well as that because your chair will swivel it is so easy to turn to any position and carry on conversations with people any where in the same room, that is if you want to talk to them and if they have anything sensible to say to you! With different styles of base on the swivel recliner chair and its matching footstool you can choose a style that pleases you most. The most popular style is the ‘star’ type which has 5 feet on the base of the chair and 4 on the base of the matching footstool, this gives a stability together with a stylish look, there are also circular bases which give a real quality look whilst allowing you to swivel so easily. The bases come in different finishes coloured finishes like cherry and natural which then tone so nicely with the colour of upholstery you settle on. With the swivel recliner chairs you find that there are different types of controls for the reclining action from a simple tightening bolt under neath the chair which alters the resistance so that you have to push harder to recline to the more sophisticated slide action on the side of the chair. You will find that there is a wide choice of sizes both in width and height and some even have adjustable head rests. so all in all the swivel recliner chair and footstool can be a really sensible alternative to a normal recliner chair.
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Recliner Chairs, Riser recliner chairs | 1 Comment »
July 14th, 2010
Reading the paper this morning I saw an article about a gentleman who is being prosecuted by the Police for riding a Segway scooter on the pavement. the article goes on to say that it is illegal to ride on the pavement or roads with bicycles, scooters or skateboards and that the only exemptions are mobility scooters and then there are differences with them as only certain models can actually be ridden on the road these are the mobility scooter that are capable of speeds of up to 8mph and whilst it does not cost anything to do it these machines should always carry a DVLA road tax disc other wise you can technically be committing an offence. You should also remember that if you are driving the larger road legal mobility scooter it must have lights indicators and a mirror or mirrors. With this style of mobility scooter you are able to ride both on the road and also on the pavement but not on dual carriageways or motorways. When it comes to the smaller type of mobility scooter you are allowed to ride on the pavements and to cross roads but not to ride on the road, so you can ride from one side to the other but mustn’t ride down the road on your scooter of this type. Whatever size or style of mobility scooter you choose to use you must always be very aware of all other road and pavement users cars, lorries and buses on the road and pedestrians and mothers with prams when your on the pavement, you may be disabled or have mobility problems but you do not necessarily the right of way and it is always much nicer to be polite and considerate isn’t it? It is so good to see some one respond with a smile when you show you are aware of them. These rules also apply to those using powerchairs as well and with the smaller size of most of these they are so nippy and easy to drive and turn that you really do have to be aware of others on the road. It will be interesting to see how the gentleman gets on with his case with his Seqway scooter but at least we can rest assured that our mobility scooters are legal on the pavement.
Tags: Disabilities, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, mini scooters, mobility scooter, Mobility scooters, Motorcycles, Power Chairs, Scooter, Segway PT, Shopping, Skateboard, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchairs | 2 Comments »
July 10th, 2010
I was watching television the other evening trying to find a programme that was not anything to do with football when I came across a consumer advice show called the Ferret and one of the items on it that evening, well I think the main part of the show actually, was about direct sell sales people calling on people in their homes and attempting to sell them an adjustable bed. The TV company and the reporter focused on one particular company who have since been fined heavily for the way they and their sales satff operated once they got inside some ones home. Sales people according to the report were spending four hours or more in the homes of many people refusing to go away when asked and then not only charging really high prices 3 or 4 times that of a normal company but also managing to sell a payment plan on top which meant that many consumers were spending another 50% on top of extremely high prices of the bed some of the prices that were mentioned on this television programme were 5 or 6 times higher than the price you find an adjustable bed for on the internet. Later in the show the reporter said that the actual firm concerned had gone in to liquidation and it was possible there would not be enough left in the assets to pay the fines imposed by the court. Having been in the furniture and allied trades for over 50 years now I have seen many of these pressure style sales companies and their commission based sales people come and go we all have hear stories about double glazing salesmen and kitchen and bedroom sales staff who wont go once you let them into your home and they are not nice but the sales people and companies that employ direct sell high pressure tactics with people with disabilities or mobility problems or long term illness or just the elderly are the worst in my eyes. These adjustable beds are a wonderful products that really can help with sleep and comfort but they can be sold insensible ways that mean the consumer isn’t pressured into buying some thing at a grossly inflated price by some sales person who is greedy and knows that the higher the price that he can sell it to his or her unsuspecting customer for the more commission he or she can make. There is a wonderful choice of adjustable beds and with a range of prices and for those people with disabilities mobility problems or long term illness it is normally possible for you to buy your bed excluding VAT but not every sales person will tell you that. Be careful with your adjustable bed but enjoy it with out paying too much for it!
Tags: Adjustable bed, Bed, Direct selling, Disabilities, Disability, Electric adjustable beds, electric beds, mattress, memory foam mattress, Shopping, Sleep, Sleep disorder, Television
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Mattresses, ajustable beds | No Comments »
July 9th, 2010
The choice of recliner chairs is now much bigger than ever before and just about every need can be catered for. It is a matter of doing your research and deciding what your needs are and what you would like and how much you want to spend. Then would you like a recliner chair that does just that with a manual action that you have got to operate by pushing or a swivel recliner chair with a matching footstool to put your feet up on or would your preference be for an electric recliner chair. they are so easy to use just press a button and the footrest will start to come up and release the button and the recliner chair will stop just where you want it to. If you want a swivel recliner chair there is now more choice then ever before and some of them even come with massage units built in. However the electric recliner chairs can offer you so much more most of them now include a battery back up system which allows you to be able to return them to a normal sitting position even if you have a power cut, imagine you have just reclined fully then dropped off to sleep and when you wake up the electric has gone off struggle as you might you can’t get out of the chair, I’ve tried it is nigh on impossible. If your electric recliner chair has a battery back up system then there will be enough power to get you back to a sitting position. The only thing is that like fire alarms that a battery powered the battery on your electric recliner chair should be checked regularly, you never know when you will need it! Electric recliner chairs normally offer you the opportunity to have either one or two motors and if its possible always select the chair with two motors, this then gives you a back that operates independently from the foot rest so if you just want to put your feet up with out the chair reclining your back you can. There is also now a range of riser recliner chairs designed specifically for those persons with a disability, mobility problems or serious long term illnesses and they can be so very helpful. Imagine if you have arthritis or some form of trouble with joints that cause you pain when you sit or stand how much better it would be if your recliner chair took all the pressure for you. Recliner chairs are for every one.
Tags: Chair, Chairs, electric recliner chair, Electric recliner chairs, Electric riser recliner chairs, Furniture, Recliner, Riser recliner chairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Riser recliner chairs | No Comments »
