There are many reasons you could need a toilet aid. Urinary incontinence is a problem which effects 200 million people worldwide and a large number of these are women. UI can have serious social, sexual and professional consequences which make it a particularly embarrassing problem which many people find hard to deal with. There are a range of female toilet aids on the market designed to help with the problem. This video shows one woman dealing with her problem publicly on the Embarassing Bodies television programme. It also has some interesting facts and figures about the problem.
There are a range of female toilet aids designed to make it easier to handle with an incontinence problem.
Different Types of Urinary Incontinence
There are two main types of urinary incontinence: stress incontinence and urge incontinence. The NHS describes them thus:
stress incontinence – when the pelvic floor muscles are too weak to prevent urination, causing urine to leak when your bladder is under pressure, for example when you cough or laugh
urge incontinence – when urine leaks as you feel an intense urge to pass urine, or soon afterwards
There are many causes of this problem and in woman it can often be due to pregnancy and vaginal birth as well as ageing. Other causes include overweightness and obesity as well as a family history of the problem. It can be an extremely embarrassing thing to live with but there are methods and products designed to make the condition less debilitating and embarrassing.
According to the National Association for Continence one third of men ages 30-70 have experienced loss of bladder control at least once and the symptoms can be long lasting. What’s more many men and women wake in the night with the urge to urinate and a percentage admits to losing urine on the way to the bathroom. A toilet aid can be a sensible way of handling this embarrassing issue.
Female Toilet Aids for Everyone
You could have many reasons for needing a female toilet aid and it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re living with incontinence. Post-pregnancy and often after bariatric operations there’s a need to use a catheter and once it is removed there can often be a short-term problem getting used to passing urine again. Female toilet aids provide a solution to this short-term problem.
Illnesses that cause Urinary Incontinence
There are many different conditions which can lead to long-term incontinence; in fact it isn’t considered a disease in its own right as it’s usually a symptom of something else.
The NHS provide a list of the main causes of stress incontinence:
nerve damage during childbirth
increased pressure on your tummy, for example because you are pregnant or very overweight
a lack of the hormone oestrogen in women (less oestrogen is produced after the menopause)
certain medications
They do the same for the causes of urge incontinence:
neurological conditions, which affect the brain and spinal cord, such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis
conditions affecting the lower urinary tract (urethra and bladder), such as urinary tract infections (UTIs) or tumours in the bladder
drinking too much alcohol or caffeine
constipation
certain medications
Living with any of these conditions could explain the development of your urinary incontinence but there are ways of managing the problem.
Women’s Toilet Aids for Travel
Toilet Aids can be used by campers
The toilet aids on the market are also a great idea if you travel. Anybody camping could really benefit from using one of the toilet aids on the market. These small portable facilities are a much more sensible alternative to some of the large bulky toilet-style products out there. The same could be said for festival-goers as using the on-site facilities isn’t always the wisest decision – if you’ve got any sense that is!
Women’s Outdoor Toilet
Personal or portable toilet aids exist to give people the option of passing urine when it may otherwise be impossible to do so discreetly and without feeling under pressure or embarrassed. The two leading devices are the Uriwell Personal Toilet and the Me Too – Outdoor Toilet Aid for Women. Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of each device as a women’s toilet aid.
Uriwell Toilet Aid
A Uriwell Female Personal Toilet
The Uriwell is an affordable and portable personal toilet. It’s concertina design makes it easy to carry and keep stored discreetly but it can also hold a large volume. It’s made of hygienic plastic so can be easily cleaned and kept sterile. It’s ideal for times where there’s no chance to get to the bathroom such as in the car or in the bedroom when you’re caught unfortunately short. It can be kept discreetly in a drawer at home or in a handbag whilst you’re out and about. This video shows the Uriwell personal toilet being demonstrated:
Me Too – Finally Standing Up
Me Too – Outdoor Toilet Aid for Women
Me Too is a short term alternative to the Uriwell toilet aid. It’s disposable and gives women the freedom to urinate standing up, which can be essential when there’s the desperate urge to go and no opportunity to get somewhere appropriate. It’s designed with female anatomy in mind and is both hygienic and practical for use when out and about. The funnel and spout fit design can be separated to make carrying more simple and this device is considered great even for those who aren’t suffering with any form of incontinence and may just be attending an outdoor event. They’re great value and come in packs of five. They are designed to be thrown away after use making them completely hygienic.
She-wee Infographic
Advantages of Female Toilet Aids
Using a female toilet aid can save time; dignity and help users feel like they’re able to get on with their lives normally. You can avoid the stress of always needing to know where the nearest toilet is, as long as you have access to somewhere discreet such as your car.
There is no need to be ashamed or embarrassed as many people live with the problem and there are products on the market designed to make it less of a problem. No one needs to live with this problem ashamedly and can make actions towards living a full life despite having to manage the condition.
We are pleased to announce the launch of Equ4L.com – Equipped 4 Life. Equ4L.com is a fresh and new online boutique-style store stocking the most innovative and inclusive gadgets and products on the market.
Equ4L.com stock a variety of products from the Uriwell range, including the Uriwell in Pink for women, the Happy Pee for kids and Me Too toilet aid for women.
If you would like to purchase a female toilet aid please click the button below to have a browse of the products available at Equ4L.com:
I bought the Go Girl in preparation for my first summer festival in July and a walking holiday in August. This is after many years of ‘near misses’ because of lack of toilet facilities and a reluctance to expose myself on woodland or mountain walks. Even with someone acting as ‘lookout’it can be embarrassing to have your bottom on display! My Go Girl arrived within a few days of ordering it. I couldn’t believe how small the tube is and therefore discreet to carry around. I tried it out in the shower first…..all went well, so then risked the toilet…….all went well again. My only criticism is the need to still pull down trousers/jeans for fear of ending up wet. Although, leaning forward with one hand on the wall helped to direct the flow away from the body. Maybe an extension tube could be sold? I have thought of wearing skirts for walking to make the process easier. Skirts and walking boots? Hmmmn. Not sure!
There are many disabilities which leave people exhausted, in chronic pain or fatigued beyond all belief and as convenience has become a key to modern living, even without these conditions in mind, there has been a glut of inventions which have made living much easier for people with such problems. Previously we looked at useful kitchen gadgets for getting hot plates from the microwave.
One of these inventions is the Lidded Microwave Saucepan. When living with conditions which can be extremely debilitating it can be difficult to ensure you keep yourself as healthy as possible in terms of eating, drinking and other daily essentials. With a Microwave Lidded Saucepan you can safely heat up a precooked meal or even just have some simple soup without having to worry about turning on the hob. Also, the lidded element of this saucepan design means you can avoid the classic splattered microwave issue which can be an absolute nightmare to clean. It is also much safer than using cling film or another cover for your food as a lidded saucepan comes with holes to let out the steam, avoiding the risk of injury and they’re obvious microwave safe but also dishwasher safe.
Customers are really happy with their purchase and those living with other disabilities have also agreed it can be useful because it’s not heavy compared to
A Lidded Microwave Saucepan Steaming Vegetables
traditional saucepans so can be lifted by those with weak muscle tone or limited dexterity. Customers love how easy it is to use, to clean and to look after and how quickly it can cook food to the appropriate core temperature.
There are a range of different lidded microwave saucepans on the market from many of the top kitchenware retailers and the prices differ accordingly. It’s a great way of providing yourself with nourishing meals in super quick time.
The lite cup night light is a handy drinking aid for night time drinks and hydrating in the dark. The built in light and non-spill features make it a useful bedside cup.
At Living with Disability, we like to take into consideration the opinions and experiences of the blogging community and anybody living with disabilities who has discovered a great item that makes their life a little bit easier. We’ve previously discussed products as recommended by Tourettes Hero such as simple wrist straps and life changing weighted blankets and today we’re looking at an item recommended by Danni, found on Twitter as @Dannilion, a blogger who describes herself as ‘quite disabled’ and that ‘finding products that make life easier and increase my independence is very important to me’. With this in mind, Danni wrote a blog post all about her favourite items including the seemingly simple Lite Cup Night Light . At Living with Disability we’d never heard of the Litecup before so taking a closer look at it, we agreed with Danni, it really is a great product.
Litecup – Night Light and No Spill Cup in One
The Litecup is a clever little cup which features a non spill lid and a light in its base, which comes on automatically in the dark. Brilliant if you’re looking for your drink late at night and avoids the risk of spills. There are many different reasons that this product could be a great addition to your range of kitchen accessories and Danni explains that she likes it specifically because of its non-spill top. This allows her to drink whilst laid down as there are days where she finds it hard to leave bed and we believe many of our readers will recognise this experience. The Litecup comes in a range of different colours so you can pick a lid that suits your personal preference and it’s a great, affordable product which can make drinking much easier and less challenging.
Reviews of the product praise its robust build and ease of use. They also rate how long lasting the light is and how it can be knocked over without causing any spills. The Litecup is a great product which we believe many people could benefit from and we thank Dannilion for bringing it to our attention.
Weighted blankets come in many colours and patterns and look very much like ordinary bed coverings
Weighted blankets are heavy, specially made bed coverings. They use sewn-in bags of sand or other dense materials to make the covering heavy. They are mostly used for children with autism but be used to calm people with dementia or for other neurological conditions. They help children sleep and can help with tics and involuntary movements and conditions like restless leg syndrome.
This is another post inspired with thanks to @touretteshero. One of her fab blog posts led us to this product which we really believe deserves a mention on Living with Disability. The product in question is the use of weighted blankets, a simple invention which provides a carefully determined amount of pressure during sleep to help control any involuntary movements. They can improve the sleeping patterns and experience for those who have a number of different conditions.
Like the post on wrist straps, Tourettes Hero’s blog post, describes a product that has helped her get on with her life. She discusses how it helps provide some resistance to her tics but also mentions how the product was already on her horizon as she had seen them in use with autistic children. People who have an autistic spectrum disorder can have extreme difficulty sleeping due in many cases to proprieoceptive imbalance and even experience insomnia. A weighted blanket can significantly improve these problems and they can also help in the day time to help control the stimming that is related to autistic spectrum disorders.
Tourettes Hero with a heavy sleep aid…sorry, wrong pic, I mean with the marvelous Stephen Fry
So, what does a weighted blanket do?
Many of us have experienced the comforting feeling of heavy eiderdowns or blankets, maybe at grandparents as a child or the feeling of being ‘tucked up tightly’ with sheets. A weighted blanket provides what’s described as ‘deep pressure’ which is found to be calming and comforting especially for children on the Autistic Spectrum as research suggests they seek this deep pressure and want to be covered under several layers. With a weighted blanket, several layers aren’t needed and there is no risk of suffocation etc.
A large specially made heavy bed covering can be used at night to aid sleeping. Many families have said that using weighted blankets has given their child the first uninterrupted night’s sleep of their lives. They can help the child relax and feel comfortable in their bedroom. As well as large blankets there are a range of smaller products and lap pads which are designed for day time use, even in classrooms and at the dinner table. A weighted lap pad is designed to promote calm behaviour, enhance focus and concentration and also allows for further learning and comprehension if used in schools.
This video shows reviews on brand of weighted blankets and shows their uses:
For more info about the weighted blankets for sale on Amazon, click the box above.
This great little page holder for books was spotted by our friend Rob Davies of Mobility Choices. Rob brought the PageKeeper to the UK, so that we can now get hold of a brilliant gadget for holding books open. At Living With Disability, we’ve talked previously about the value of the larger weighted page holders and how they can help with daily life, especially in the kitchen. Since then, we’ve discovered the innovative little page holding clip the PageKeeper which is an essential buy for any enthusiastic reader, including people with impairments. More convenient and functional than your usual bookmark, the PageKeeper ‘automatically’ keeps your page. Meaning that as your get through your book you’ll never lose your page again and you won’t have to remember to replace your book mark at the end of a night’s reading. This is an extremely useful and convenient page clip for anyone, but even more helpful if you live with a disability which affects your memory.
The Pagekeeper: user-friendly universal bookmark and page holder
The PageKeeper is a surprisingly simple invention and is easily clipped onto any book you choose to read. Whenever you turn a page the mechanism holds that page and then, the spring finger keeps your page so you don’t have to worry about losing your place or heeping the pages held open or, even worse, damage your book by turning over its corners. Keep your paperback collection in pristine condition with the easy to use yet ingenious PageKeeper.
The simple yet ingenious PageKeeper
The PageKeeper has received some extraordinary reviews from its many customers across the globe. Not only the usual ‘nice little gift’ and ‘very useful for the avid reader’ this product has been exposed to some extreme treatment and will still hold a page, as you will see in the video below.
It is a must have for any bookworms out there. Universally designed so that whatever the size of your chosen book, you should have no trouble attaching your PageKeeper to it. As this video shows, the PageKeeper is extremely hardy and withstands even the most extreme product tests:
At Living with Disability we really like this gadget because you will will never have the annoying daily habit of not being able to find your page or rereading the same section again and again. Or rereading the same section again and again ( annoying isn’t it!) If you’re interested in purchasing your own PageKeeper, they are low cost and you won’t be disappointed. You can buy one by clicking in the box below:
Getting a bra on with one hand is very difficult without the help of a Bra Angel
The Buckingham Bra Angel
This week we thought we would feature a Bra Angel review. Not to be confused with the The Bra Angel Bra Repair Kit : instant bra repair kit that is a also available, the Buckingham Bra Angel is a gadget to help with putting on a bra with one hand
Dressing and personal care are among the most intimate and private areas in somebody’s life and the need for support in this can be upsetting and cause anxiety. At Living with Disability, we have searched to find a range of products which support individuals with their independence in personal care including the Uriwell Range and the Denham Brush and the latest product we’ve discovered is the Buckingham BraAngel. At the best of times fastening and unfastening bras can be difficult and it can become even more taxing if you live with a disability or injury. Women living with upper limb restrictions including weaknes following a stroke, arthiritis or permanent damage after trauma can find drawing together the ends of the bra very difficult and then realise they need support getting dressed. The Buckingham Bra Angel can even be used successfully by those who have the use of one arm or have had an amputation.
The Buckingham Bra Angel Dressing Aid
The BraAngel Dressing Aid has been specifically developed with this problem in mind by a trained and experienced occupational therapist. The aid is designed to provide support whether it’s needed for just a short period after a fracture or for longer more permanent usage.
As the image shows the BraAngel holds one end of the bra tightly whilst the other end can be brought around the body and attached to the secure end. As you can see the BraAngel is comfortably positioned around the neck, between the cleavage and comes with a useful soft chin pad to allow you to maintain its position whilst clearly seeing the fastenings so you can easily put on the bra.
The features of the BraAngel cannot be underestimated and as a truly universal design, it should be possible to use it with all different styles and types of bra and all collar sizes. The product is designed to allow for easy discreet storage and should require next to no cleaning as it’s designed with no obvious dirt traps. The product is 100% free of latex allowing those with allergies to use it when necessary and the heart shaped chin pad allows for comfort and extra functionality when securing the device.
Bra Angel Review
The Bra Angel has it’s fans and was reviewed recently by the ’British Mobility Scooters’ blog who said “The Bra-Angel holds one end of the brassiere securely whilst the other end is brought round the body and attached together. It even enables those who only have the use of one arm to be able to put on their brassiere independently.”
An original, ingenious idea that can give women back their independence and privacy when dressing, the BraAngel is truly an innovation. To find out more and purchase your own, click in the box below:
Searching for “Disabled Shoe laces “? Greeper laces are always tied, useful for top sportsmen and people with disabilities a truly universal design.
With the Paralympics coming up we thought we would feature a neat gadget used by top athletes like World Ironman Champion Chrissie Wellington MBE.
Shoelaces as used by top sportswoman Chrissie Wellington MBE
At Living With Disability we were really excited when we first heard about greeper laces as we realised the difference they could make to so many lives. You see, Greeper Shoe Laces carry the tagline ‘One Applied, Always Tied’ and you can adjust, loosen or do anything you need with your shoe laces without every needing to tie and untie them. This really is an innovative, yet simple creation which we had to share.
There are many groups of people living with disabilities who can significantly benefit from Greeper Shoe Laces. Firstly, we thought of those living with a range of learning disabilities which have made tying shoe laces very difficult. In the past, many people living with certain learning disabilities were seen only wearing Velcro shoes but with Greeper Shoe Laces, the range of shoes to choose from is wider and more accessible. Secondly, Greeper Shoe Laces are a great idea for children with autism who frequently remove their shoes, as there’s no need to retie and they can be put back on in seconds. We also believe Greeper Shoe Laces would be a great idea for anybody living with painful conditions such as arthritis which make bending and stretching difficult. You can simple slip your shoes on and off and the laces remain tied. People who are overweight or have back pain can also benefit as the laces remove the need for bending of reaching down to retie them during the day.
Once applied they stay on all day long
Greeper Shoe Laces require a little initial fitting but once it’s done, they’re there to stay. They come in a huge range of colours and two different lengths, so you can fit them in your trainers or boots. The really ‘inclusive design’ wow factor is the fact that they can be used in any shoes or training boots, removing the need to find expensive specialist footwear and allowing athletes to choose the absolutely most suitable shoes for the event. They’re a great help and remove one more of those pesky daily tasks which can become a difficult chore. This informational video shoes exactly how Greeper Shoe Laces work:
Range of Greeper Laces
There are several styles in the Greeper lace range. No matter what the occasion or task, there is a Greeper lace in a style and colour to fit your needs and tastes.
Sports Greeper laces in Neon Pink
Sports Greeper Laces
Greeper Sports laces are ideal for all types of sports shoes. Whether you enjoy tennis, running or golf; the Sports range are an oval type like the ones usually included with running shoes. They are also perfect for school shoes such as smart footwear or plimsoles used for gym.
Sports Greeper Laces are available in the following colours:
Neon Green
Purple
Red
Neon Orange
Yellow
Blue
Black
Neon Pink
White
Grey
Beige and Brown Hiker-style Greeper Laces
Hiker Greeper Laces
Greeper Hiker Laces are ideal for outdoor hiking and walking boots. They are longer than any of the other styles (150cm). This allows for the extra length needed when threading through the eyelets of boots. Greeper Hiker Laces feature a durable yet lightweight nylon toggle with high tension springs. This ensures that your laces will stay tight no matter the incline or conditions.
Hiker Greeper Laces are available in the following colour combinations:
Purple/Black
Brown/Black
Beige/Brown
Black/White
Pink/Purple
Smart and stylish – Black Greeper Execs laces
Execs Greeper Laces
The Execs range of Greeper Laces are a stylish and formal option for smart shoes and occasions. Perfect for classic men’s shoes, business footwear and both girl’s and boy’s school shoes. Execs Greeper Laces are available in either Brown or Black.
Modern and Fresh – The Greeper Flats range in Orange
Flats Greeper Laces
The Flats range of Greeper Laces are most popular amongst younger sporting-types. They are 10mm wide, flat laces that are usually found in less-formal sports footwear. They are ideal for pumps and “Converse” skater style footwear, and are available in with either the SureGrip or Sports toggle.
Flats Greeper Laces are available in the following colours:
Pink
Black
White
Red
Purple
Orange
Brown
At Living with Disability we are particularly excited about this product because it really is a brand new idea and something we think thousands of people could benefit from. If you’re interested in making a purchase, just click in the button below to visit Equipped 4 Life – Equ4l.com – a new boutique store selling the most innovative and inclusive designs available:
Avoid Scalds from Hot Plates with your Buckingham Coolhand
Specifically designed for use as a hot plate holder, the Buckingham Coolhand solves the age-old problem of burns, slips and scalds that come from trying to remove dangerously hot plates from the microwave or oven. The combined difficulty of the hot plate and the weight of the cooked food upon it can make lifting the plate much more difficult. Even with your bare hands or a cloth it can be tricky, so a Coolhand is a neat way of making life easier. All plates are held so that your entire hand takes the weight of the plate and you’re not reliant solely on your fingers.
Red Hot Plate Holder Video
We decided the images for the Coolhand looked a bit ‘flat’ so we created this ‘Red Hot Plate Holder video for it, hope you like it! It is safe for work
The Coolhand allows for heated plates, complete with your chosen meal, snack or dessert to be easily and safely removed from the microwave oven and taken to your dining table. This innovatively designed product from the well-known Buckingham Healthcare Company, allows for anyone who uses a microwave to have a safer way of transferring their meals from kitchen to table. It is highlighted as particularly useful if you live with a disability which causes dexterity problems in your wrists or hands or limited strength and even those who may have a limited grip due to conditions such as arthritis.
The Easy Way to Hold and Carry Plates
The ergonomically designed Coolhand Hot Plate Holder
The Buckingham Coolhand relies on the power of leverage to lift, so that the handle not your fingers takes the weight. The Coolhand replicates the action of a hand, gripping and releasing extremely easily and of course, as an additional tool removes the risk of burns and scalds to your skin.
There are many great features which make the Coolhand a universally popular product which include its non-slip soft grip handle which is 100% latex free, meaning it is safe for those with allergies. Its ergonomic design allows it to be cleaned very easily and there are no obvious dirt traps anywhere on the item and it can be simply popped into the dishwasher when it needs a clean. To allow use by those with weakened strength the Coolhand is extremely lightweight as well as being strong and durable. Finally, the design was created by Chris Buckingham, an experienced occupational therapist whose life improving gadgets we have featured before. She and the design team have worked to ensure that the Buckingham Coolhand should fit with most regular plates or bowls and therefore can be called a truly universal innovation.
If you’re interested in purchasing your own Coolhand hot plate holder, click in the box below:
Silk-like style clothes protectors – new pashmina from Bibetta
The Bibetta range of clothes protectors has recently come to our attention and we think it’s a brilliant product range, which allows for safety, comfort and dignity whilst eating and drinking. The Bibetta range includes both Tabard and Pashmina style clothes protectors which allow the user to feel comfortable and safe whilst eating or drinking, with no risk of spills or damage to clothing or bare skin. Lightweight and easy to put on, the Bibetta range is great for use in the home or whilst out and about and makes eating and drinking in public a less anxious affair, if you live with a disability which effects chewing and swallowing for example. Along with other items like the Hydrant and Liquid Level Indicator, Bibetta Clothes Protectors go along way to ensuring your comfortable and secure whilst dining, as this lady says in a tweet:
@trabasack Never liked the fasten-round neck type but the tabard & pashmina styles are appealing I must say.:-)
Tabard Style Clothes Protectors – Functional and Dignified
A Functional Bibetta Tabard put to great use
The Tabard Style Clothes protectors from Bibetta are designed with functionality and comfort in mind. Available in a range of sizes for teenagers and adults and made from strong, long-lasting materials. To aid with eating and drinking the tabards are 100% waterproof, almost impossible to stain and can be popped into the washing machine and tumble dryer and remain in perfect condition. They’re soft, flexible and easy to wear and their durability means they last a lot longer than traditional clothes protecting bibs.
As the photo shows, the product is designed with an over-the-shoulder shape which means they look much more like a tabard than a traditional bib, just without the back so easy to put on and take off. This makes a change from traditional bibs which can look uncomfortable and less dignified. Their ergonomically shaped design at the front allows for completely free arm movement, allowing for easy access to drinks and food. Made from flexible Neoprene, the tabards are easily fold-able and can be stored without difficulty.
Pashmina Style Clothes Protectors – Elegant and Practical
The Bibetta Pashmina is attractive and practical
As the photo shows clearly, these Pashmina Style Clothes Protectors offer a completely discrete and dignified solution for avoiding drips and spills onto clothes, keeping them entirely clean. It combines the fashionable elegance of an attractive scarf with the functional protection you may need from a bib. The pashmina is designed with style and dignity in mind and comes in a range of colours to complement any outfit beautifully. It’s made from a soft and luxurious feeling silk-like fabric which adds to its attractiveness and the front is absorbent, keeping away moisture from the skin and allowing for more comfort. It has two further layers, the middle layer is also absorbent whilst the back is waterproof, allowing your skin and clothes to remain completely dry, even if spillage does occur. Like the other products, Bibetta Pashminas are extremely durable despite their delicate appearance and therefore can be machine washed and tumble dried and remain in great condition.
The Bibetta team pride themselves on offering top quality products with durability and dignity at the core of their ethos and both these products deliver that and much more. To find out more and make a purchase, click below:
UPDATE
We know wearing a clothes protector can be an awkward social experience and were pleased to see the issue tackled in this blog post from Simon Stevens, an Independent Disability Issues Consultant, Trainer and Activist:
A bib is a covering of the fact worn to protect clothes during mealtimes or from drooling. It is generally seen as something as normally worn by babies but as someone with cerebral palsy, I wear a bib at home all day because of my own drooling. Am I a baby? Not at all, just someone using something I find useful.
10 years ago, bibs for adults were a taboo subject but now I feel that it is more accepted for many disabled people to wear bibs if they wish to do, as well as use a whole range of specialist equipment which were previously less acceptable. I feel this is all due to an improved inclusion of disabled people on their own terms.
People with significant impairments often find things that some regard as babyish as useful to their chosen lifestyle and I am clear the pressure to act normal is less than what it used to be.
At Living with Disability we’ve been impressed by the work of @touretteshero on Twitter and in the newspapers, battling against prejudice and ignorance. We have been looking at her blog has some pretty interesting and useful gadgets if you have Tourettes Syndrome or in fact a range of conditions which may result in tics such as Myoclonus or Distonia. Some of her ideas could also be considered if you have a stereotypic movement disorder. Today, we’re going to have a look at a simple item which wasn’t designed for those living with disabilities in mind.
A mobile phone wrist strap may seem like a simple invention which helps any mobile phone user keep their phone close at bay and in most senses it is, but reading this great blog post from Tourettes Hero, you can see how useful a wrist strap would be for her situation as it would ensure the phone was safe and accessible whenever it was needed.
There are a huge range of different mobile phone wrist straps out there, as there are with most mobile phone accessories. You can find simple black ones, those that can be adjusted to different lengths and those which keep your phone firmly attached to your wrist. Whichever suits you best is dependent on your own situation and how you access your phone. A wrist strap will ensure it never goes missing or becomes out of reach and you won’t have to worry about it going missing whilst out and about. The wrist strap has been
A Smartphone Wrist Strap
revolutionised as the picture shows, so now even the newest generations of smart phone can be safely secured to your wrist to ensure you have access whenever you need it.
An ingenious idea as Tourettes Hero says and something that you wouldn’t even imagine could be such a help until you look at it in more detail and think how such a simple little thing can be used effectively on a daily basis. There is a huge range available at a range of different prices so you’ll be sure to find one which suits your circumstances. You can even use wrist straps for other gadgets including your camera. Other people might find a wrist strap for walking sticks useful or for an ipod, digital camera or purse.
With a forward by no other than Stephen Fry it looks really interesting:
Meet Jess, aka Touretteshero. Jess has Tourettes Syndrome, which means that she makes sounds and movements over which she has no control. Jess swears, she s one of about 10% of people with Tourettes who do. She says biscuit a lot, about 16 times per minute (that s 6 million a year!), and then there are the sometimes life-threatening arm and leg tics… Tourettes can be tough to live with, often bringing out unpleasant behaviour in people who don t understand it, but it can also be inspiring and, above all, funny. Jess s verbal tics are often truly surreal Leisurewear Velociraptor Training Party! , Capital letters talk to themselves at night or If all the hoofed animals could count there wouldn t be a banking crisis. These excerpts from Jess s personal blog follow a year in her life and the whole spectrum of her experiences. We re introduced to her support network of close friends, including Fat Sister, Leftwing Idiot and King Russell, as well as strangers who can be unpredictably helpful or hurtful. Moving, funny, shocking, tender, and inspiring, Jess s words are courageous and optimistic in the face of the major challenges she faces. Welcome to Biscuit Land.
We like to find new gadgets or uses of existing products that help people with disabilities. We don't like clinical or stigmatising looking ugly products that make your home look like a hospital ward!
Please leave a comment if you would like to submit a review or suggest a product. You can always talk to us on twitter @lwdisability or facebook. We love to be offered guest posts and happily include your bio with blog link or for a chosen cause or charity.
. At Living with Disability we’d never heard of the Litecup before so taking a closer look at it, we agreed with Danni, it really is a great product.
which is an essential buy for any enthusiastic reader, including people with impairments. More convenient and functional than your usual bookmark, the PageKeeper ‘automatically’ keeps your page. Meaning that as your get through your book you’ll never lose your page again and you won’t have to remember to replace your book mark at the end of a night’s reading. This is an extremely useful and convenient page clip for anyone, but even more helpful if you live with a disability which affects your memory.
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