Uniflow Straws are a simple yet ingeniously designed drinking aid for those people struggle with sucking on a straw. Illness and disabilities can cause difficulties with both physical and oral motor skills, and people can find it difficult to maintain suction when using ordinary straws.
Many people that experience dysphagia, a difficulty with swallowing and eating, find the innovative one way valve useful. These non return drinking straws allow a pause and rest between sips. It makes it easier to drink and reduces the risk of choking on liquids.
How Do Non Return Valve Straws Work?
Uniflow one way straws use basic physics to provide a rather smart solution to drinking and swallowing with a straw.
Uniflow one-way valve straws keep unconsumed liquid in the straw itself in between sips.
The basic principle is to ensure the liquid can only travel one way once suction is in place, and these non return straws feature a small valve in the base that helps to reduce air intake when in use. This then keeps any unused liquid in the straw itself in between sips.
The diameter of each no return straw is also slightly smaller than that of an ordinary straw of this size, which helps to maintain a reduced yet steadier liquid flow rate. This is ideal for those who may feel overwhelmed when drinking liquids due to their dysphagia.
Who May Benefit From Using Straws with a One-Way Valve?
There are a number of conditions where the risk and discomfort of dysphagia plays a major role in the sufferer’s quality of life. People with multiple sclerosis, or MS, can have have difficulty with swallowing and sucking. This can lead to not only coughing, choking and discomfort whilst drinking, but can then lead to further complications of health such as lung infections and dehydration.
Uniflow’s one-way valve design is ideal for teaching little ones to use a straw
The innovative design of the Uniflow one way drinking straws ensures liquids are consumed at a steady and slow pace. This helps to remove the fear of choking or coughing fits, and to provides piece of mind to those with swallowing difficulties.
Using One Way Valve Straws with Children
Straws with a one-way valve are also ideal for young children and toddlers who are learning to drink from a straw. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make the introduction to straws more simple for children. However, the non-return valve featured in each Uniflow straw actually provides the same outcome without the need to alter ordinary straws, which is perfect for busy parents of children keen to master straw-drinking.
1. To start, cut a regular straw in half. Not only is a shorter straw easier to handle, but it also takes less strength for a child to suck liquid from a shorter straw.
2. Dip the straw into a cup with liquid preferred by the child. Place the tip of your finger over the top of the straw to keep the liquid in the straw. Remove the straw from the cup, keeping the top of the straw covered with your fingertip.
3. Place the straw on the child’s lips at a slightly tilted down angle (so that if you release your finger, the liquid will flow into the mouth).
4. Remove your fingertip, allowing the liquid to flow into the child’s mouth. The goal here is for the child to comprehend that he/she is getting liquid from the straw. As you are doing this, tell the child to “take a sip.”
5. Once the child comprehends the idea of getting liquid from a straw, instruct him/her to close his or her lips around the straw. When the lips are closed around the straw, release your fingertip for the liquid to come out. You may have to provide lip closure exercises to assist the child with this skill. Pinching the lips together may help. Stretching the lips prior to straw drinking may help as well.
Uniflow No Return Straws are designed to be fun and inclusive.
The design of each one way drinking straw is simple and inclusive, with very little visual difference to ordinary straws. The Uniflow no
return straws are sold in packs of 15. Each pack includes several bright and cheery colours that will appeal to adults and children alike. The straws are also disposable, so are ideal for popping in your bag when out-and-about.
Strawberi straw holder and Uniflow straws make the perfect companions
Although these one way straws are not recommended with fizzy or thick drinks (such as smoothies and fiber supplements) they are perfect for warm drinks, juices, cordial and water whether at home or on the go.
The perfect companion to the Uniflow non-return valve straw is the Strawberi straw holder. The Strawberi is a small yet very smart invention that clips on to the side of your glass or cup, and holds your straw in place. This is ideal for hands-free drinking and keeping mess and stress to a minimum when drinking.
Customer Quote from Amazon
These straws are great. My 92 year old mother was finding it increasingly difficult to drink from a cup and didn’t have the strength to keep sucking liquid up through an ordinary straw. These just need sucking up the tube once and then the liquid stays up the tube – she is now drinking lots more liquid. Thoroughly recommend them.
To buy your one way valve straws please click the box below:
@lwdisability Thanks for the lovely article! We’re working on making #uniflow even easier to use (and better value too).
This week we thought we would look at a popular diet that many people are finding helpful. It is low cost as there are no special foods to buy or joining fees and it is also purported to have additional health benefits. This Radio 2 interview with Dr Michael Mosley explains the key points:
For a transcript of the full interview, scroll to the bottom of the page.
The Fast Diet
The ‘fast diet’ is actually not a new way of losing weight.
Although the “fast diet” may seem revolutionary and new, the science behind this fantastic diet has actually been around for decades, nay, centuries. Dr Michael Mosley quite openly admits that this was no secret discovery of his own, but more a revelation brought-on from researching centuries of the eating habits of the human race.
For many centuries humans partook in what we now call “feast or famine” – a phrase that describes a period in our culinary history where food was not always at hand whenever you “desired” it. The foraging needed and lack of modern preservative methods didn’t allow for anything as effortless as simply opening a fridge to find your dinner. Thus, with this struggle to find nourishment with ease, the body would suffer periods of fasting, between large meals – a method of eating which has now been revealed to be highly beneficial for both weight loss and health.
The Fast Diet – The Secret of Intermittent Fasting
The idea of “intermittent fasting” is, as mentioned above, influenced by our earliest counterparts and their intermittent fasting which was a basic part of their survival. To transpose this method of eating to the 21st century, Dr Michael Mosley has created the “Fast Diet” – a simple and easy to follow intermittent fasting plan that involves 2 intermittent days of low calorie intake vs 5 days of normal eating per week.
The Fast Diet Book and Dr Michael Mosley
Click the image to buy ‘the fast diet’ book.
Dr Michael Mosley is both an accredited journalist and scientist, and one of his most notable works includes his series for the BBC entitled “Inside the Human Body”, where Mosley covered in great depth the wonders and workings of the human body.
It was during his work for BBC’s Horizon that Mosley came to study the 5:2 diet – otherwise known as intermittent fasting diet, and so amazed and convinced by the outcome of his research was he, that he decided to release a book that would truly explain the science behind this tried-and-tested diet, and give proof of the results he himself had achieved.
Intermittent Fasting
Unlike other calorie restrictive diets that suggest what some scientists believe to be dangerous periods of total fasting, the Fast Diet doesn’t entail entire days of food restriction – rather simply a cutting-down of calories. Lowering your calorie intake to 500 calories for 2 intermittent days a week ensures not only that you eat on fasting days, but also motivates you to eat incredibly healthy food such as fresh vegetables and fish.
Many diet plans have failed in the past due to the unrealistic restriction of food types on the user, making the diet ultimately unmanageable and unrealistic to fulfil in everyday life, or around times like Christmas or weekends for example.
However with the Fast Diet you have the benefit of healthy, nutritious food for only 2 days out of 7, with the other 5 allowing you to eat whatever foods you normally love and enjoy, whilst leading to astounding weight loss through very little effort or change to your eating routine.
Intermittent Fasting Benefits
The benefits of intermittent fasting lie far beyond simple weight loss – most importantly research that has proven that not only does a intermittent fasting lifestyle help control insulin levels that burn fat and keep your energy balanced, but in turn can help protect you against diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s Disease.
As most diets usually only concentrate on weight-loss benefits, what makes the effects of the Fast Diet special, is the proactive benefits on your long-term mental and physical health also.
Intermittent Fasting Before and After
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Dom Joly are among the celebrity fans of the diet
The results from following the Fast Diet are astounding – many report a 2 lb a week loss from following the diet – with very little disruption to your normal eating habits, the diet fits seamlessly into your everyday plans. Many struggle to find time for the gym, and we all know how difficult it can be to stick to a diet that restricts certain food groups, which is why the Fast Diet has become such a roaring success, with celebrity chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall being at the forefront of celebrity advocates. Other celebrity fans of the diet have included Dom Joly who has lost 2 and a half stone on the diet and has maintained it for many months. His article about it can be found here.
Not only will you see the benefit of following this fasting plan in terms of weight loss, but results show that the healthy food choices on fasting days and the new method in which your body learns to interpret the food you feed it, also boost energy levels on both a mental and physical level, leaving you feeling healthier from head-to-toe!
Intermittent Fasting Plan
Although the ideology of the fast diet is relatively simple in itself, the only hurdle you may come across is finding and creating a number of interesting low-calorie meals to prepare for your fasting days. The Fast Diet book created by Dr Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer is filled to the brim with delicious and exciting ways of creating meals and snacks for your fasting days, along with plenty of daily meal plans that will ensure you keep under your 500 calorie limit, and make this already simple lifestyle change even easier.
Fast Diet Recipes and Practical Tips
I have been on the diet myself since October and have lost 9 kgs so far (over a stone). I haven’t used any particular recipes as the diet is more about avoiding food than creating new meals! I do have some tips I can pass on though:
Drinks
I drink black coffee, herbal teas or water throughout the day. Strictly no alcohol. I fast on Mondays and Wednesdays and I decided to cut alcohol out on Tuesdays as well.
Breakfast:
Egg and 2 lean slices of bacon or ham: approx 200 cals
This is the breakfast that Dr Mosley has himself. It is high protein and helps you to stop feeling hungry.
60 grams of porridge oats, water and salt or a teaspoon of sugar: 200 cals
This does fill you up and tastes surprising good without milk!
1 boiled egg on a piece of toast, thin scrape of butter: approx 200 cals
Another high protein option.
Couple of apples: 80 calories or skip breakfast altogether!
Lunch and Dinner
I make up a huge soup and either split it between lunch and dinner or skip lunch and have it for dinner only.
I add a selection of courgettes, cauliflower, leeks, onions, butternut squash, mushrooms, red peppers, brussel sprouts, cabbage and basically any other low calorie vegetables I have available. I boil it up with chilli powder, curry powder, marmite or bovril and worcester sauce. Any packet noodle sachets that I have can go in. Anything that adds flavour but few calories.
I also sometimes add shirataki noodles. These are very low calorie noodles that I buy from a chinese supermarket. They are made of a type of yam fibre they have virtually no calories. They are not quite like real noodles but do fill you up!
I try to eat my soup quite late and go to bed early. I just say to myself “It is just one day, I can eat whatever I like tomorrow”. For me the most important thing about the diet is that I think I can stick to it long term. For the rest of the week you have full flexibility and can enjoy whatever food you like. It has also been a slow 1-2 pound a week weight loss so I think That is a healthy and sustainable way to lose weight. It is also cheap and doesn’t require my attending a regular session anywhere, which I would find difficult with my caring responsibilities. So far I have even tried one day where I ate nothing at all and actually it wasn’t too bad. Obviously the usual caveats apply, check with your doctor if you have health conditions tha ou are concerned about before doing this diet.
I experimented with the diet after the programme was shown, then had a very dissolute December, knowing full well that I was going to go at it full tilt in the New Year. I started on the 2nd, 19 days later, I’ve dropped 10 lbs with no problems, no loss of energy (I play squash vigorously, and 5-a-side when I can get a game), and no trouble sticking with the plan. So, yes it works. Absolutely.
However, the most important point to emphasise is that this not a weight loss diet. Weight loss is entirely a side effect of the real purpose of the diet, which is to prolong life. It’s a milder version of Alternate Day Fasting. This is scientifically unproven as yet, but is said to reduce the chance of developing various cancers, and to help manage a variety of conditions / illnesses wide enough to include diabetes & arthritis. What tends to get the headlines is the fact that on your Fast days, you cut your calories to a quarter of the recommended. What is more significant is reducing your protein intake. This is said to force your body from “growth mode” into “repair mode” where, instead of creating new cells, the body attempts to repair damaged ones. Since cancers are essentially uncontrolled cell growth, it’s obvious how this diet could help; equally, repairing damaged cells will presumably help with any number of ailments, aches & pains.
Personally, I’m no fan of calorie counting. The vast majority of people have no idea what a calorie really is or how it’s measured. Therefore, my advice is don’t fuss too much about the limits. For a man, you’re supposed to keep the protein under 35g & the calories to no more than 600. If you stick to the protein limit & bust the calorie limit by a couple of hundred, it’s not going to hurt you. It’s the protein limit, I think, that is more significant in switching to repair mode. I’ve been varying between a 4:3 & 5:2 version of the diet, and I’ve probably hit 8-900 calories on half the Fast days & still shed pounds plenty quick.
Key psychological point: you don’t actually feel like you’re on a diet. There is no constant struggle to discipline yourself day after day after day. Five days a week, you eat normally; two days you fast. You can do two days consecutively (I was doing Sun & Mon last year), you can split them, it really doesn’t matter. But it isn’t difficult, on a single day, to adjust your diet, knowing full well you can eat what the heck you like the next!
As far as food goes, it’s quite simple. On Fast days, cut your protein down, cut out the standard starchy staples (spuds, pasta, rice, bread). Eat plenty of non-root vegetables, along with some chicken or fish & you’re pretty much there. Even if you’re not much of a cook, or short on time, it doesn’t take much to grab some mixed frozen veg from the freezer (beans, sprouts, casserole veg, broccoli, cauliflower, that sort of thing) & flash it in the microwave. Fresh or frozen, you can always pep things up with herbs, a sprinkling of seeds (fennel, caraway, etc), or a few splashes of soy / oyster / Worcester / Tabasco sauce. Plenty of variety there, so it doesn’t get boring either.
Final trick: drink plenty; sip, sip, sip throughout the day. Now, you are allowed black coffee / tea on the diet, but I don’t drink either, so I just drink water. The important thing is sip, sip, sip, though. On a fast day, I’m typically drinking 3-4 litres, which gives the system a good flush, as well! But it’s not a huge glug followed by nothing for hours. Sipping throught the day keeps the hunger pangs at bay and makes it easy to stick to. And it’s only for one day, remember!
I you are interested in buying the book please do so from our link below:
Transcript from the Radio 2 Interview with Dr Michael Mosley 23/01/2012
00:00 Steve Wright: Dr Michael Mosley is a journalist, science presenter and producer. He is well known for his programs on biology and medicine particularly his series on the workings of the human body, inside the human body. Last August, Michael was credited with popularising the “5:2 Diet” after appearing in the BBC Two Horizon documentary “Eat Fast Live Longer,” which had a phenomenal global response. Now Michael along with journalist and author, Mimi Spencer, has just published the “Fast Diet” which outlines how intermittent fasting helps you lose weight and live longer. So listen to this, the key to the book… In fact, let’s welcome him, and…
[applause]
00:39 SW: I was going to say, quartering your calorie intake for two non-consecutive days each week. So just run that by me again and tell me how that actually works.
00:48 Michael Mosley: Okay.
00:49 SW: So imagine it’s Wednesday, as it is, on this diet, what would I be doing now on a Wednesday?
00:54 MM: Okay, so what I actually do is every Monday and every Thursday I eat 500 calories or 600 calories around there. So I have breakfast which consists of a couple of scrambled eggs and a piece of ham, that’s about 300 calories. I drink loads of black tea, water, black coffee until the evening about 7 O’clock when I have a pile of vegetables, enormous pile of vegetables, with a slice of salmon or something like that.
01:20 SW: So you’d be skipping lunch?
01:22 MM: That’s a fasting day. Right, skip lunch.
01:24 SW: Right. So what do you do for lunch when you are feeling a bit pangy?
01:27 MM: These days I don’t because I’ve got used to it. The thing about this diet… I mean it’s been studied now for 20 years by some of the world’s leading scientists. Indeed one of the guys behind it is the most cited scientist in his area, which is neuroscience, in the world. So it’s not new. What’s new is that I came along and promoted it and did it, [laughter] and also what is new is the fact there are human trials underway at the moment of it. So it’s not a gimmick, it’s based on a huge amount of science.
01:53 SW: So just clarify what you do then? You semi-fast, for two days out of seven and the other five days you can eat absolutely normally?
02:00 MM: Yeah.
02:00 SW: It’s just simple as that.
02:01 MM: And that’s why foodies love it. People like Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has just written about it saying he loves it, because they can eat and drink exactly what they want, five days a week and two days a week they eat what I’ve just described, which is a light breakfast and a light supper.
02:15 SW: Okay, you’re the scientist, you’re the doctor, why does that work?
02:18 MM: The reason it works is partly because you consume less calories, because you are actually consuming a quarter of the amount of calories on two days a week. And on that basis just from normal physics, you will lose about a pound of fat a week. You will appear to lose more than that because all diets, what happens is you lose mainly water at the beginning, so you appear to be losing loads and loads of weight than you stabilize, and that’s because it’s mainly water. On this diet, you lose about a pound of fat a week and then you just constantly go on doing it. At a cellular level what happens is your system is being stressed because we evolved at the time when feast and famine was the norm. So a 100,000 years ago, we did not eat four meals a day. We basically went off, we killed something, we ate it, we gorged ourselves, and then we ate nothing for quite a while. And our bodies like stress. The reason that exercise works is because it tears muscle. It stresses muscle and then when you recover, you recover stronger.
03:12 SW: On the fasting days, what about sustaining energy levels?
03:15 MM: One of the surprising things is after about two or three weeks, what happens is you will find that you actually have more energy, because they know that what happens is your brain starts producing this stuff called neurotrophic factor which makes you feel good. They’ve detected it in every animal model they’ve tested and they’re just starting next week, they’re gonna start human trials of it. So what this stuff does which is called BDNF and they’ve have measured it in all sorts of animals, is it makes you feel good, it’s the stuff that gets produced when you take antidepressants except it’s a natural thing. So it will make you feel better, sharper. It will protect you against dementia if they’re right. And the other thing is, most people have this idea that, “Ooh, if I don’t eat then my blood sugars will sink”.
03:55 SW: Yes.
03:56 MM: That is complete and utter fallacy. You would have to go without eating for three days and probably run at least three miles for your blood sugars to sink. It just doesn’t happen, your body is fantastically good. All that happens is that you are used to a high sugar diet and so for the first three weeks you will find it quite tough.
04:13 SW: The other question I wanted to ask you, it’s about the actual recipes. So these are recipes for the days that we’re fasting? Or…
04:19 MM: That’s right.
04:20 SW: Okay, so let’s say…
04:22 MM: Because the idea is you don’t want to… On a diet, you don’t want to change too many things. You want to keep it really simple.
04:26 SW: Yes.
04:26 MM: So broadly speaking I am saying on your five days, do whatever you normally do, don’t bother about it. All you do on your two days is you reduce the amount you eat. Now these recipes suggest ways you can do it. Lots of people save a lot of money on this, because obviously you’re spending a lot less.
04:41 SW: Okay, by the way Michael’s book “The Fast Diet” is out now and when we come back we’ll talk briefly about the diet book again and then also this exciting new series… What’re you laughing at now?
Is this the best design for toilet seat transfers in the world?
Comfort and Safety in the Bathroom
The AXS Wingman, A Safe Inclusive Toilet Seat
Wheelchair users who regularly do toilet seat transfers will know what a problem this can be. We were really pleased to discover this new brilliant design from the US. It is a toilet seat with a difference, there are supports built in to the seat which make transferring from the wheelchair to the toilet much easier and safer. The name ‘Wingman’ gives you some idea as to how it works. It has wings! These ‘wings’ mean that you have quite literally something to hold on to and lean on when you’re hauling yourself onto the toilet.
To see just the transfer click below:
Support on all sides for safer use with the AXS Wingman
Installing the super strong toilet seat
The Wingman can be fitted on any standard toilet in place of a normal seat so you won’t need any special fitting equipment which will cost you extra. No hidden costs at all. This is a very simple, effective design that installs with a minimum of fuss and with maximum benefit to people needed to transfer.
Using a transfer wheelchair toilet seat
People who use a wheelchair regularly know how hard it is raise and lower yourself onto a standard toilet seat. There’s not much to hold on to and it’s not great having to hook your hands around a wobbly toilet seat, especially if the toilet you’re using is in a public place. It’s just not very hygienic to put your hands so close to the toilet bowl. The AXS Wingman is perfect because you don’t have to put your hands as close to the actual bowl of the toilet itself, much nicer to use. The surface of the Wingman is made from material which is easier to grip and has “smoothly integrated palming surfaces” as it’s designer describes them. This is a very well thought out bit of equipment.
Easy and safe toilet transfers
With the Wingman you can lean and hold onto the wings and at the front of the seat without worrying about breaking the seat, and for added stability too. Twisting your body and leaning to either side isn’t such a worry, because you have something sturdy to hold on to.
The AXS Wingman wing can take the weight of 767lbs, it is a very strong toilet seat!
When you lift yourself from your chair, you can easily hold onto one or both of the wings or the shaped front of the seat and hoist yourself onto the toilet. No more worrying about breaking the seat or falling whilst transferring. The surface of the Wingman is made from material which is easier to grip onto as well, so this is a very well thought out bit of equipment.
Durability – a very strong toilet seat
Traditional toilet seats can end up breaking over time because of the pressures put on them. The AXS Wingman has been tried and tested so you know you can trust it to support you even after a lot of use. If you have a wall bar in your bathroom, it makes using this toilet seat even easier as you have even more handholds. You can use this seat in whatever way you find most comfortable for you.
Designed for a need
The AXS wingman was created by inventer Stephen Cowen who saw that his 87 year old father was struggling with a traditional seat. It is being made in small batches at the moment. Seats produced are going into ‘Case and Pilot studies’. When installing a public toilet, architects should be thinking of installing a toilet that is easiest for anyone to use, particularly in a disabled toilet. For wheelchair accessible toilets in shop or an office, this design should be added to the budget.
Unfortunately it isn’t available in the UK. As soon as it is we will let you know. The best way to keep in touch with them is via the Wingman Google + page. or via twitter @axswingman
Signature Name Stamps can be used to create a legal signature with a rubber stamp, so that the person does not need to write or create a signature that looks the same every time.
Whilst working behind the bar in a pub, I came came across this ingenious yet simple device which helped a customer living with motor neurone syndrome independently purchase their drinks. The item in question is a signature stamp. In this particular instance, the customer was unable to sign their name or use a CHIP and PIN device but was able to use their personally designed signature stamp, ingenious don’t you think?
Carry your pre-printed signature with you wherever you go
A Signature Stamp is a great way of getting rid of the worry or embarrassment of trying to write a consistent signature every time. Many people have disabilities that affect their fine motor skills but it’s also something you can plan in advance if you live with a degenerative condition. Another use for a signature stamp would be for signing letters and other documents, so that you do not need the help of someone to sign or act on your behalf. It may only seem like a small thing but it is another important element of daily life and independence that you can maintain.
Scanned Signature into a Rubber Stamp
Most companies who provide signature stamps require you to scan a copy of signature over and then they’ll send out your personalised stamp, complete with ink pad which makes it extremely easy to carry around and take out when you’re planning a shopping trip. An everyday item which has been used in businesses for years can become a handy friend for you to use on a daily basis.
A simple but ingenious signature stamp
Customers who own a personalised signature stamp are extremely pleased with the results and many have remarked how it allows them to be more independent and comfortable when out and about. Equally, they can be helpful for people who may live in anxiety related conditions and find it hard to write or communicate under pressure. With your own signature stamp you can order and pay for items in many instances without having to discuss or feel pressured or rushed.
If you’re interested in purchasing your own signature stamp, click on the box below:
UPDATE
Are these stamps legal to use on documents in the UK
In response to a comment from Robin who blogs at http://www.mobilityshopper.co.uk/ we made some enquiries to check that the stamps can be legally used as a signature.
We found a very useful PDF leaflet from Ataxia UK that was written by Stephen Mason, author of Electronic Signatures in Law and editor of the e-Signature Law Journal.
English judges have taken a pragmatic approach to the manuscript signature.
In essence, a signature can take any form, providing it acts to prove the person intended
to sign the document.
The PDF describes several instances of people using stamps when they have had degenerative conditions, and the first recorded use of a ‘seal’ in 1681!
Guidance from the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) states that English law recognises
as a valid signature not only one written manually by the signatory but also one appropriately
embossed using a facsimile signature stamp.
If you find that your bank or shop refuses to accept a signature name stamp you can also rely on the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 as service providers must ensure they provide an equal service to disabled people. We would be very interested to hear of the experiences people have had using signature stamps in the comments below.
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
Using the Bra Angel
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 to buy in confidence from the Equ4l.com webstore.
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:
We’re working on making #uniflow even easier to use (and better value too).
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. 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.
