Posts Tagged ‘Disabilities’
Thursday, August 26th, 2010
It is great when you suddenly find freedom again when you buy yourself your new mobility scooter and at last you can get out and about and if you decide that what you want is one of the larger models with mirrors lights indicators and a horn then you can legally drive it on the road. You actually are required to display a road fund tax licence on all road going mobility scooters the beauty is though its free! Without one though the police are entitled to stop you and it is possible, though unlikely, that you could be prosecuted. Much more important though is the necessity to have insurance for your new scooter whatever size it is should yo be unfortunate to have an accident in which you injure some one and it is very possible to do if you are travelling at 8 mph and if you do not have insurance and the injured person decides to sue you the costs involved could be devastating. Not only will you have to pay compensation but possibly the costs of their solicitor, inexpensive solicitors now charge between £150 to £200 per hour! On top of that if the case goes to court and the findings go against you the total costs will normally be charged to you so suddenly you could have costs running into thousands of pounds. All this for the sake of a sensible phone call and a few pounds a year, some of the insurance companies will actually give you the first three months free. However it is not just the risk of you having an accident which is your fault you could find some unkind person decides to damage your scooter whilst your out or even worse some one steals it then you could be left to bear the costs of repair or replacement. There are lots of mobility scooters to choose from and whilst you may enjoy the freedom your scooter gives you don’t let yourself be caught out without insurance, you would find yourself lost if you couldn’t use your scooter or power chair just because you didn’t take it out.
Tags: Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Insurance, mini scooters, mobility products, mobility scooter, Mobility scooters, Police, Power Chairs, Scooter, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Power Chairs, Recliner Chairs, Riser recliner chairs, Wheelchairs | 2 Comments »
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010
well it is a Sunday in august and the year is passing on so really we should make the most of it before winter looms and get out and about in our wheelchairs shouldn’t we, if you are able to propel it yourself then it is great but if you need your partner or carer to push you in your wheelchair then fine get them out lets be mobile! When it comes to being mobile and getting out and about then then to quote this weeks Sunday Times Llandudno, Wales‘s most elegant seaside town is the place to be and what a wonderful place if you are in a mobility scooter the article in the Sunday times talks of all sorts of aspects of Llandudno including the extreme sports activities that go on on the West Shore because the wind across there just lends it self to that sort of adventurous past time and even some wheelchair users would enjoy it I’m sure. Just because people are confined to a wheelchair doesn’t have to mean that they can’t have fun! however the real beauty of Llandudno and believe me it is beautiful, is that it has some thing for everyone. If your not into the extreme sports then north shore has a lovely sandy and pebble beach a beautiful curved promenade which is ideal for anyone using a power chair so nice to drive yourself along there admiring the scenery with the Little Orme to one end and the Great Orme the other in between two miles of flat wide easy to manouvere along promenade and there is always the bandstand in the centre of the ‘prom’ where Sunday and Monday evenings during the season you will find the Llandudno Town Brass Band playing the band, not its members, is a hundred years old this year and play wonderful music that covers all of the period. if you don’t want to be confined to sitting and listening to the band then take a trip down Llandudno pier it is fun and very lively and is the longest in the whole of Wales and probably close to being the longest in the UK and the beauty is it is so easy to get along their in your powerchair and well worth the trip. with wonderful scenery all the way around it a great selection of shops and even better hotels guest houses and restaurant’s then Llandudno really is the place to go to to get out and about in your wheelchair but not just on a Sunday afternoon any time is Llandudno time!
Tags: Disabilities, Disability, Llandudno, mini scooters, mobility products, mobility scooter, Mobility scooters, Power Chairs, Seaside resort, Shopping, Travel and Tourism, Wales, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchairs | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
For most people a bed is just a sort of big box in the bedroom that you cover up and crawl into at night and hope for a good nights sleep. If however you have some sort of mobility problem or disability then it is much more important that you make the right choice of bed. You are probably going to spend more time in it than other people and so it is a really sensible idea to sit down and work out what you need, is it a conventional divan that you require or would you be better served by having an electric adjustable bed. One thing to consider is that if you have a mobility or disability problem but still decide to purchase an standard type of bed then the price will include VAT, 17:5% at present and going up to 20% next January a hefty amount in any ones books but if you decide to opt for an electric bed you will be able to purchase that bed on a VAT Exempt basis, obviously you will need to meet certain criteria such having a long term illness or have a permanent disability that affects you in some way, you cant say I have a broken leg and so I don’t need to pay the VAT that will get better and so it would not be allowed under this scheme. However if you arthritis or rheumatism then you would be eligible under the scheme, obviously there are all sorts of reasons why you should be able to purchase your electric bed without VAT and it does mean that you can probably afford a better type of bed because of this saving. However there are some ‘grey areas’ if one partner is suffering and the other isn’t then correctly if you buy two electric beds then the person who is fit and well should be subject to pay VAT on his or her part of the deal. As well as this it is a requirement that the bed purchased should be specifically designed for some one with a disability, an obvious example is the style of ‘profiling bed’ which will not just sit you up or raise your head or feet but will also raise the whole body and bed up to a position where by some one can nurse you. There are more and more ‘lifestyle adjustable beds’ on the market now and some of them specially the ones which have a Television built in to them tend to fall outside the scope of the scheme and so it is sensible to make sure of just what your buying. Whatever you decide though an electric bed can be a real help to any one who struggles to get a good nights sleep so think carefully and make sure you choose the right electric bed for you!
Tags: Adjustable bed, Arthritis, Bed, Bedroom, Disabilities, Disability, Electric adjustable beds, electric beds, electric recliner chair, furmanac, memory foam mattress, Rheumatism, Sleep disorder, Value added tax
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Mattresses, ajustable beds | No Comments »
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
Well I see Mr Blair has made the headlines again, this time with a grand gesture. He is giving the £5 million pounds he has received in advanced payments against royalties for his new book and has allegedly also promised all further earnings to help with those service personal injured in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Now if you are one of those people unfortunate to be in a position whereby you have a disability or mobility problem as a result of those conflicts will you feel any better if you receive help from this money or will you perhaps feel that it is tainted ‘blood money’ from a leader who is making money from touring the world giving lectures and talks as well as trying to conduct the peace movement between Israel and the Arabic countries that surround Israel. It is a certain fact that every service person who served out there did wonderful and sterling service under extreme pressure and terrible conditions and that they were badly equipped, so by now making money available is Mr Blair perhaps trying to make amends or is he just a very decent guy doing his best to help people who need wheelchairs or mobility scooters or a power chair to get about on as a result of injuries received in conflicts that Mr Blair committed the United Kingdom to. Some personal will be in situations were they will continuously be in bed and need nursing their loved ones or partners subject to a life as an unpaid carer. If the money from Mr Blair will help to pay for some of the items that these families need for them to have any sort of life in the future then it may well be a good and welcome gesture, but then again what about those service personnel who have given their lives in these conflicts, will their families gain any benefit from Mr Blair’s grand offer? Probably not but they could possibly helped in some way but unfortunately I feel that those who have passed on will not receive anything nor their families. I understand some peoples argument that service personnel sign up and must expect the consequences that come with conflicts like this but I am left to wonder if we should have actually been there in the first place and if we went in why weren’t our troops supplied with the full and proper equipment that was needed. Would we have gone in without the possibility of the oilfields being turned over to American hands at some time in the future. Perhaps Mr Blair is sitting back now in his recliner chair thinking he is one of the good guys again, lets hope he can justify all of those deaths and injuries in his own mind! Will Tony Blair’s millions help those with mobility and disability problems, possibly, will it make him any better thought of? I doubt it.
Tags: Adjustable bed, Bed, Bedroom, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Electric adjustable beds, electric beds, electric recliner chair, Electric recliner chairs, Electric riser recliner chairs, mini scooters, mobility products, mobility scooter, Recliner, Riser recliner chairs, Royal British Legion, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Recliner Chairs, Riser recliner chairs, Wheelchairs, ajustable beds | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
Well here we are on the way through summer and though it seemed to start well in April, May and June July and August haven’t bee as good as we would like have they but it doesn’t have to stop you getting out and about. What you need is the right wheelchair mobility scooter or power chair and off you go. The world can be yours, well not literally, but at least you can plan where to go in this wonderful summer season so many places that will now be able to accommodate your wheelchair so easily so that you can propel yourself around with that wonderful feeling of independence. So many country homes or National Trust sites now have access for disabled and mobility restricted people so that now you too can enjoy days out that a few years ago would not have been open to you. As well as that you can always plan and enjoy days out at the seaside providing you plan sensible and choose where you are going to go, resorts that are built around hilly areas are perhaps not the most sensible place to go and try and drive your mobility scooter as you may find that you haven’t got the power to climb steep hills or if you manage to get up you may drain the battery and then be very restricted as to what you can do. If however you choose a resort such as Llandudno which is so lovely with the main town being flat and easy to get around but is still surrounded by beautiful country side but here in this wonderful seaside town you will be able to relax and know that your power chair will get you anywhere you want to go, even to the far end of the pier whether you are driving yourself or your carer or partner is taking charge and the beauty is when you get there you can choose from the bar or cafe to recharge yourself before you start back. The way things are going you will soon be able to do something in the area you probably never thought possible there are moves afoot to tarmac a pathway up Snowdon to allow disabled people to climb to the summit but beware if you do decide to go up this route make sure you have the right clothing with you as the weather can close in very quickly and you dont want to get caught half way up or down with a T shirt and shorts it could be very dangerous. Enjoy yourself this summer make sure you get out and about as you want to but plan ahead and make sure your equipment is working properly
Tags: Business, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Health, Healthcare, mobility products, mobility scooter, Mobility scooters, Motability, Power Chairs, Shopping, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchairs, ajustable beds | 2 Comments »
Saturday, August 7th, 2010
Whilst reading the paper this morning I came across a report about a family from Angelsey in North Wales who have a daughter who is suffering from a severe skin disorder and as a result of that and the size of their family they are in receipt each week of benefits of £815-00 per week. The wife and mother who is 29 has never been employed her full time job is as a carer to her family and is about to give birth to their 8th child. Her husband who is 35 realised that they would be better off if he gave up his job as an administrator and they lived on state benefit. Now if you are actually suffering from a disability or mobility problem you may well be in need of a power chair and if you asked the state for help it would be virtually impossible to get. The same if you need an electric bed you certainly would not get the full cost of buying one, however desperate you are. Here is this family who have two cars, one a Mercedes people carrier, a 4 bedroomed home and sky television and normally according to the report in todays Daily Mail spend £2000 on Christmas presents. The Lady of the house says and I quote from the paper ‘It is really hard we can’t afford holidays’ Well as they live on Angelsey and are surrounded by the sea and some absolutely fabulous beaches perhaps life is one long holiday. Whilst I have every sympathy for their problems with their little girl there are so many people who need help from the state but can’t get it. I came across a lady recently about to enjoy her 101st birthday who is unable to go out of her property as a replacement knee operation went wrong for her and she cannot now walk even the few steps to get outside and so she asked for help by having a mobility scooter something like that would just give her the ability to get outside in to the fresh air and would probably cost half of what the family I mentioned get each week. Unfortunately she cant get one through social services and so her family are buying her one of the power chairs that will give her some freedom at least. Another person I heard of recently has a husband who is suffering from dementia and has to had to go into a home to be cared for as his wife can no longer cope she is in her 80′s and is not able to look after him properly any longer but because they have been careful all their lives the savings they have are now being used to pay for his care and if he lives beyond the savings then it seems likely she will have to sell her property to continue to support him. Some how life does not seem to be very fair does it? Every one needs a decent standard of living but the system is wrong when people in need cannot get things like riser recliner chairs without having to pay for them yet a family like this can enjoy all of the comforts without having to work for it. Again quoting from the Daily Mail the lady in question goes on to say ‘It doesn’t bother me that taxpayers are paying for me to have a large family’ and she added ‘I don’t feel bad about being subsidised by people who are working’ Well do you think she should or not? Certainly there ought to be ways to make sure that people take more responsibility for themselves this family have £42000-00 per year and pay no tax and no national insurance but will of course expect to get all the benefits of the National Health Service. There are so many people out there with disabilities who need specialist equipment or who can be made more comfortable by having better and easier to use furniture or bedding which would improve their lives and that of their partners or carers, imagine not being able to get in or out of the bath or shower but for less than half of what this family get each week people would be able to be supplied with items that would change their lifestyle. This new coalition government has a real job on it’s hands sorting out situations like this to make life fairer for all dont you think?
Tags: Accessible Britain, Adjustable bed, Bed, Bedroom, Chair, Chairs, Conditions and Diseases, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Electric adjustable beds, electric recliner chair, Electric recliner chairs, Electric riser recliner chairs, Furniture, Health, mattress, memory foam, memory foam mattress, mobility products, Mobility scooters, Power Chairs, Travel and Tourism, Wales, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mini Scooters, Recliner Chairs, Riser recliner chairs, Wheelchairs, ajustable beds | 2 Comments »
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
If you are unfortunate enough to have a disability or mobility problem it can be very frustrating, there are though now so many different products that can help you to make your life so much easier and the lives of the people about you. For instance profile beds in the electric adjustable bed range will make your life so much easier and if you have carers a partner or just a friend looking after you then their ability to care and look after you will be so much easier as this type of adjustable bed not only allows you to sit up or raise your feet and ankles it will also lift your whole body to a position where it will be so much easier for some one to attend to you. If you dont need as much care as that but you struggle with arthritis or rheumatism then an adjustable bed with a pressure relieving memory foam mattress would probably be of great help to you. This type of foam was originally developed by NASA for use in the space shuttles and then was taken up by the medical profession and then eventually became available to the general public. It is so helpful to any one who suffers from joint pains as it stops pressure build up and if you are confined to bed for a long period it will help to alleviate the problems of bed sores. Memory foam mattresses can be purchased on their own without the adjustable beds if you prefer. As well beds there are so many other items that can help with your problems around the home including recliner chairs and electric riser recliner chairs which will help you stand up or sit down whilst taking all the strain from your joints, the beauty of these riser recliner chairs is that they all come with battery back up so in the unlikely event of a major power cut you will still be able to get back to a normal position, you should check every so often as with your fire alarm to make sure the batteries are still working. As well as these there are always good old fashioned but comfortable fireside chairs which will make you feel more comfortable. The range of wheelchairs now available is very big and there are also power chairs, mini scooters and mobility scooters available which will help get you out and about. There is certainly always mobility products for you available
Tags: Adjustable bed, Bed, Bedroom, Chair, Chairs, Disabilities, Disability, Electric adjustable beds, electric beds, electric recliner chair, Electric recliner chairs, Electric riser recliner chairs, furmanac, Furniture, mattress, memory foam mattress, mini scooters, mobility products, Mobility scooters, Power Chairs, Recliner, Riser recliner chairs, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mattresses, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Recliner Chairs, Riser recliner chairs, Wheelchairs, ajustable beds | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
When it comes to choosing your wheelchair there is a lot to think about. do you want a manual wheelchair and if so do you want a self propelled that you can move yourself about in or a transit type in which you need to be pushed by a carer, relative, partner or friend. Of course if you go for the self propelled style then you do have the best of both worlds as you can still be pushed around if you can persuade some one to do it for you. There are lots of different styles to choose from and you might be a slightly larger person who needs the comfort and width that a bariatic wheelchair can give you, these are capable of carrying people up to 32 stone and are obviously very sturdy and bigger than the normal sized wheelchairs but it does mean that the larger person is able to get out and about like the rest of us and of course if you are using a self propel model it will really help to strengthen your hands and arms really good exercise! just think how much more freedom you can have in your life if you are able to use a wheelchair, no longer restricted to the house or flat you will be able to get out but please remember if you are just starting out with a manual wheelchair then do not do too much to start with or expect too much of your partner or carer they might need a good rest afterwards! If you are still able to be going out on a trip make sure that before you go your chair will fit into the car or if you are using public transport that you know how to get on and off the bus, most of them these days have facilities to position your wheelchair safely and against a padded pillar for extra stability. If you are contemplating a holiday in the near future it might well be a good idea to get yourself an extra wheelchair and have one of the very light easily fold able ones that will actually go in a bag and can be taken on board plane as hand luggage. Whatever you decide there is a wheelchair for you!
Tags: Disabilities, Disability, Health, Healthcare, Mobility and Transportation, Power Chairs, Shopping, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Wheelchairs | 7 Comments »
Sunday, August 1st, 2010
If you have any problems sleeping then an electric bed can possibly be the answer to your problems, the adjustments that can be made with this style of bed are enormous and as a result you will be able to find a position to help you sleep that you probably would not be able to get with a normal bed. Sleeping is so much more complicated and so much more important to us than people realise, if you don’t sleep properly your whole day can be affected and if you have problems that are ongoing then you can suddenly find your work or your driving and even your private life being disturbed because of lack of proper sleep. If you are unfortunate to suffer with some thing like a hiatus hernia then sleeping can be a problem as laying flat can make the situation with the acid reflux worse were as if you sleep in an adjustable bed you can make sure your back is raised and that you are in a comfortable position to sleep and so avoid any heart burn that is related to your hernia. If on the other hand you have a problem with circulation you may well find that being able to sleep with your feet in a raised position will be of great benefit as having the ankles raised will help to pump the blood back up your legs from the furthest point from the heart. Those people who suffer from arthritis or other similar joint problems will feel so much better for using an adjustable bed as they will be able to move their joints at the touch of a button so relieving pressure that builds up from being in one position for any length of time and if you are one of those people you will already know how difficult it is to do it without an electric bed but if you change to an electric bed your lifestyle will with out doubt improve. The choice is better than ever and there is definitely an adjustable bed that will be just right for you!
Tags: Adjustable bed, Bed, Bedroom, Conditions and Diseases, Disabilities, Disability, Electric adjustable beds, electric beds, memory foam, memory foam mattress, Sleep, Sleep disorder, Sleep Disorders
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Mattresses, ajustable beds | 2 Comments »
Saturday, July 31st, 2010
Life can be so difficult if you have a disability or mobility problems but at least there now some many useful aids you can obtain to help you, it is just a matter of finding the right place to source the various goods from. If you are struggling with mobility then perhaps you need a wheelchair and you will find that these will vary from entry level ones which can either be self propelled or the transit style where you require some one to push you a carer or relative or just a good friend. There are others within the manual wheelchair range to select from sporty styles and bariatic types for the bigger person. then there are the superior versions with more style and comfort which can either self propelled or the transit type and now there is even a new very lightweight one that is ideal for taking on holiday with you as it will fold down in to a handy carry bag and is light enough to go on board plane as hand luggage. If you want some thing that is power driven then there is a whole range you can select from including models that can either be controlled by the carer or relative from behind so you don’t run away or controlled by means of a very sensitive joystick type control unit by the person in the chair, if however you want more independence then the power scooters that are available now will have one to suit every requirement from micro powerchairs with 4 wheels to the larger ones with 6 wheels. from there you can move up to the midi and mini scooters and again you will find a wide and varied choice for you to select from starting with lovely 3 wheeler models right up to the 8mph per hour units that can be driven on the roads given the right circumstances and of course if none of those appeal you can choose from the main scooters which are bigger and more robust with admiral seats that turn around to allow easy access for you to get on and off they are Kings or Queens of the road! what ever you decide on you will be so pleased you are able even with your disability to get out and about
Tags: Assistive Technology, Business and Economy, Conditions and Diseases, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Health, Healthcare, memory foam, mini scooters, mobility products, mobility scooter, Mobility scooters, Motability, Power Chairs, Rough Guides, Shopping, Travel and Tourism, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchairs | 4 Comments »
