Posts Tagged ‘Disabled’
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 »
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 »
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 »
Tuesday, 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 »
Wednesday, 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 | 10 Comments »
Thursday, July 8th, 2010
The Blue badge scheme for those people who use a wheelchair is such a useful idea for allowing disabled people and those with restricted mobility to get about and be able to park more easily. Unfortunately it is so easily abused and mistreated people who have difficulty in walking or who need to use an electric wheelchair or mobility scooter need to be able to park the transport vehicle of their choice, be it a car or an adapted van to take a power chair easily and as near to the premises they wish to visit as easily as possible. All to often you will see some one zoom into the only empty disabled parking bay available and then jump out of the car and run off to a cash point machine whilst some one with a disabled blue badge drives up only to find that there are no spaces left. If you are brave enough to say anything to the inconsiderate person who parked in the disabled bay you will probably if your lucky only be verbally abused however some times people have been known to be physically attacked when suggesting to another able bodied person that they were inconsiderate. I read recently of a person who carried some A4 sheets he had printed off saying ‘WOULD YOU LIKE MY DISABILITY AS WELL?’ which he placed on the windscreens of cars parked by able bodied motorists in disabled parking spaces. I really like his thoughts but I don’t know if I would be brave enough to do it myself though. If you are struggling to walk and can’t bend your legs as a normal person would do then you need plenty of space to open your car door to allow you to get your legs out and then stand up not always easy if you have had to park in a normal parking bay where the space either side of your motor is more restricted it is even worse if you need to get a wheelchair out of the car and open it up or assemble a mobility scooter at the back of your car before getting the disabled person out of the vehicle and in to the mobility scooter. It can be very difficult to do if some one parks their car with their bonnet hard up t the boot of your car. How many times have you seen motors that have been adapted to take power chairs or mobility scooters with signs on the back doors with a polite request to allow a certain amount of space at the rear of the vehicle to allow access for the ramp for the mobility scooter to go up and some inconsiderate person parks so close that not only can the ramp not be used but the doors can’t even be opened. The difficulty is of course that you or some one you know has a disability or mobility problem then you really do not have any idea just how restrictive it can be, all of us in these situations would rather be fit and able bodied and not having to use the Blue Badge scheme but unfortunately for one reason or another we are in the situation and whilst we do not want people feeling sorry for us we do need them to try and understand why we need the Blue Badge scheme and why it is recognised world wide.
Tags: Able-bodied, Accessibility, Accessible Britain, Conditions and Diseases, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Disabled parking permit, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, mini scooters, mobility products, mobility scooter, Parking, Power Chairs, Transport, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Wheelchairs | No Comments »
Friday, July 2nd, 2010
If like me you are old enough to remember this song when it was first a hit you probably thought, as I did at the time, that 64 was old! Well I am no the wrong side of 64 and know it the mind is still willing but the body is weak! I still feel 27 inside but going on well beyond 64 on the outside I can tell you and back then I didn’t think anything about wheelchairs, mobility scooters recliner chairs or electric beds but oh how I appreciate them now! When I was younger I was able to get over aches and pains so quickly that I really didn’t notice them but with the onset of arthritis the aches and pains don’t go away. So if like me you are able to admit to growing up through the 1950′s and 1960′s then perhaps you to need loving now your 64, or even older, but certainly you need and deserve all the help you can give yourself. Whilst I do not use a wheelchair yet at home I am certain I will have to at some time in the not too distant future, however when I go travelling by plane I always request wheelchair assistance at the airport, it is great you get so well looked after from the moment you book into the moment you leave the airport at your destination and in my case it means my little legs ache less than they would if I had to walk from entrance hallway to the departure gate if I could actually manage to walk that far. How come as a youngster I walked miles and as an ‘old geezer’ every step is a pain? Still when I am at home there is the comfort of my recliner chair, I have one of those electric recliners with the riser action it takes all the stress out of my arthritic joints as I either sit down or stand up. If I don’t fall asleep there in front of the television then I soon manage it when I get in the bedroom and find the welcoming site of my electric bed, it is an adjustable bed so I can raise my feet or my ankles at the touch of a button or even sit up to read when the pain is really bad. I love life and really enjoy being older than 64 but wish I could do it without all the bits falling off or going wrong! Wonder if you will still love me when I’m 94!
Tags: Adjustable bed, Arthritis, Bed, Bedroom, Chair, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Electric adjustable beds, electric recliner chair, Electric recliner chairs, Electric riser recliner chairs, Furniture, memory foam, memory foam mattress, mini scooters, mobility products, mobility scooter, Motability, Power Chairs, Recliner, Riser recliner chairs, Wheelchair, Wheelchairs
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Main Scooters, Mattresses, Mini Scooters, Power Chairs, Riser recliner chairs, Wheelchairs, ajustable beds | 32 Comments »
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Sleeping is so important to us and an adjustable bed can be a real help but have you ever thought about how you sleep and whether what you do before going to bed is the right or wrong sort of thing? for instance it is recommended in an article I read recently that you make sure that your bed and bedroom are quiet and comfortable for sleeping, I’m not really certain how you keep the bed quiet, but I understand what they are getting at. If you set the right atmosphere then you will create a better nights sleep. It is better to have the room cooler and then use your blankets or duvet on your bed as a means to keep warm. If you want to get a good nights sleep in your bed you should also make sure your curtains don’t let any light in as the early morning light filtering in could disturb your sleep pattern. Once in the bedroom your adjustable bed will help you find the right and most comfortable position for you and if you want to sit up and read or watch television then it is so much easier with an electric bed. For those of us who suffer with a disability or mobility problems then being able to adjust the bed at the touch of a button is a real bonus, imagine if you have circulation problems and need to raise your ankles with a normal be it is a matter of stuffing pillows under your ankles or legs or getting someone to do it for you, then the first time you move they slip out from underneath you and you need to start again where as with an electric bed it is just a slight touch to one of the buttons and suddenly and quietly your ankles are moved, sheer bliss! If you have a problem with a hiatus hernia or acid reflux then the possibility of being able to sit up in bed to sleep without loads of pillows is just such a relief. the same thing will apply to those people who have heart or blood pressure problems being able to adjust your position in bed is a great help. If you are a heavy snorer or suffer with sleep apnoea then being able to sleep in different positions on you adjustable bed could benefit your partner as well as you. So you can see an adjustable bed can be a really useful part of making sure you get a really good nights sleep and as an added bonus if you have a disability problem or a long term illness or you buy your adjustable bed exempt from VAT , you will need to fill a VAT emption form at the time of purchase but if you are buying a bed that costs £500 then you would be saving £87-50 at present and £100 when the new rates come in to force next year. Well worth having! However what ever your condition an adjustable bed can help to a better nights sleep.
Tags: Bed, Conditions and Diseases, Disabilities, Disability, Disabled, Electric adjustable beds, electric beds, Health, memory foam mattress, Sleep, Sleep apnea, Sleep disorder
Posted in MOBILITY PRODUCTS, Mattresses, ajustable beds | 1 Comment »
