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Stay Cool – Keep Cool Gadgets & Ideas for keeping down the Temperature

Stay Cool – gadgets and ideas for keeping down the temperature

Girl in a fountain drinks

Keeping cool and hydrated isn’t always this easy! Photo credit: http://www.balthasars.com/family/aug_03c.html

Keeping cool in warmer climes can be hard. Humans can regulate their own temperatures but when it’s really hot – we feel it! This can be even more of a problem when living with a disability, particularly one where you’re required to use a wheelchair or spend a lot of time sitting or lying down.

There are plenty of keep cool gadgets and common sense tips which can make getting out and about in the sun less stressful. Below we’ve collated our favourite products and some handy hints to keep in mind.

The Danger of Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke

Just looking at the NHS information about these conditions shows how dangerous they can be. They can escalate quickly if not treated immediately. More than anything else they are completely preventable. Heatstroke is the more serious of the two conditions and can lead to severe complications including organ failure. Death is completely possible from severe heatstroke.

There are groups who are particularly at risk from heat stroke and exhaustion and they include the usual suspects such as young children and the elderly but also people who live with conditions which effect the kidneys, heart or circulatory system. Many disabilities make regulating body temperature more difficult and also specific medications such as beta blockers and antipsychotic drugs can make it harder for your body to fight heatstroke and exhaustion. Where these conditions are combined with sunburn, it can be very painful and distressing.

Keep Cool Gadgets and Products

Here we are looking at some of the most useful keep cool gadgets on the market.

Image of plastic helmet hats with holsters on the sides for holding cans of drink.

Click this image for more drinking aids – serious ones!

Drinking

When it’s super-hot it’s important to stay hydrated and your number one friend here is The Hydrant . Even if you have limited use of your limbs or can’t hold a cup comfortable your Hydrant can be clipped somewhere safe and you can access it through the straw. There are plenty more drinking aids available which we’ve talked about before.

Clothing

Coolvest - Keep Cool Gadget

Coolvest – Keep your Body Temp Down

There are specially designed items for keeping cool from specially designed scarves which are activated by soaking in water to these innovative Coolvests. Coolvests have been proven to regulate the body temperature which makes independent living easier. Coolvests have also been proven to be particularly beneficial to people living with Multiple Sclerosis who can find warmer temperatures particularly intolerable.

General tips to keep in mind when dressing for hotter weather include keeping an eye on the fit of clothes. Tight fitting clothes will become uncomfortable more quickly. Hats and breathable shoes should also be worn at all times to give air the chance to circulate and to protect your head from the heat. Clothes that are light in colour are also more likely to be comfortable as they naturally deflect the sun’s rays.

Fans and AirCon

Air Con Keep Cool Gadget

Trendy Portable Air Con Systems

One of the most obvious options for keeping cool is through fans and air conditioners. There are a range of different air conditioners and fans on the market including USB Hand Held Air Conditioner and Fans. A personal fan or air conditioner can provide instant relief from the sun’s rays and portable versions can be stored easily in a bag out of the way without being too inconvenient and large.

 

 

 

General Tips for Keeping Cool

The things we discuss below may seem like common sense but a little reminder never hurt anybody and there are a couple of ingenious tips you may not have thought of.

Stay out of the Heat

Image of a brown-haired toddler in a sunny garden, drinking from a cup using a straw

Uniflow straws make drinking easier – click this image for details.

It’s been said time and again – nobody should be out in the sun, if they can help it, when it’s at its hottest. Everyone should try and limit their sun exposure between 10am and 4pm as that’s when it’s most likely to cause harm.

Make Plans

If you plan ahead then you can have an idea of when you’ll be exposed to the sun and when you won’t. A plan also cuts out the unnecessary time spent out in the heat.

Eat Cool

Making the right food choices can help you keep cool. Raw foods including salads and fruit are best. They keep you hydrated and cool.

Avoiding protein heavy foods and meats is also advisable as they can increase metabolic heat production which can lead to loss of water and in extreme cases dehydration.

Ice Up your Trabasack

Ice-Filled Trabasack Cool Down Gadget

Keep Cool with an Ice-Filled Trabasack

Time and again we’ve expressed our belief in the quality of the lap tray bag range produced by Trabasack. With that in mind we’ve even found a fantastic way of using your Trabasack as a cooling device. Fill with ice! Of course we don’t mean just chuck ice cubes inside but a zip-locked bag of ice can be placed alongside the beanbag cushion. It’s great for keeping you cool and if you don’t want to keep it on your lap – why not use it as a cool cushion (as pictured).

Keep Cool, Keep Safe

Keeping cool in the warmer months is completely essential if you want to make it through the summer without excessive trips to the doctors. Other things to remember whilst out in the sun is to ensure you’re covered in high factor sun cream and drink, drink, drink.

Remember to keep an eye on others too, if you have an elderly neighbour it could be a good time to check in on them and ensure they’re managing in the heat too.

Maybe you have a top gadget or way of keeping cool?

Please add your ideas in the comments. 🙂

Greeper Laces featured in Your Autism Magazine

Greepers featured in Your Autism Magazine

An endorsement of Greepers shoelaces has appeared in Your Autism Magazine. A brand new review of a top product for children with autism.

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Your Autism Magazine

At Living with Disability we have some products we consider our absolute favourites. One of these is Greepers shoelaces. This innovative product range should be celebrated and that’s why we’re glad to see them featured in Your Autism Magazine. We believe in this product and we’re glad to see others do.

Greeper Shoelaces for Autism

Greepers Laces Review

Greepers Laces Review

Your Autism Magazine is the quarterly publication of The National Autistic Society for their members. Their latest issue includes a fantastic, helpful review of Greepers. We firmly agree they are a great investment for children and even adults living with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder.

Your Autimsn Magazine’s review shows off the funky red Greepers Laces but the range is much wider than that. All colours from black to purple to neon green are available. Wearers can match their laces to their personality or simply choose those that complement their outfit best.

The review in the magazine highlights how beneficial Greepers can be for children with autism. It explains that, “one parent said, “these laces are absolutely invaluable, especially as my son – who has autism – gets older. They mean we can choose any shoes he likes and can be confident that he can manage them.”

The review also says “Greeper is a special type of shoelace, it looks like a regular bow-type shoelace, but will never come undone. The laces are threaded through a central aperture with four stoppers positioned in strategic places. They can easily be loosened or tightened by the wearer or their parents”.

With glowing reviews it’s clear that Greepers are on the up. Hopefully this feature in Your Autism Magazine will further their uptake and widen their appeal.

Benefits of Greepers for Children

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Greepers Laces Full Page

Greepers Laces can be great for children who have difficulty getting to grips with regular laces. They appear identical so there’s no stigma and they give children with disabilities much-needed independence when choosing footwear.

Greepers are universal as the parent above said, they can be used with any shoes of your choosing. They’re also a great solution for children who have that annoying habit of repeatedly untying their shoes. With Greepers it simply isn’t possible.

Your morning routine rush will be halved as the stress of shoelaces is removed. They are a better option than Velcro or elastic-laced shoes as the level of support is much better. We’ve looked previously at the differences between Greepers and Elastic Laces and it is pretty clear which comes out on top.

We’re always pleased when one of our favourite brands receives media coverage. Therefore we are really happy for Greepers and their appearance in Your Autism Magazine.

These are fantastic I bought them for my son who is partially sighted and has Asperger’s syndrome so getting dressed can be tricky for him but tying laces impossible! Now I have found these he had more choice for shoes and trainers and these were for his beloved boots he wears to Uni all through the winter! Fantastic invention thank-you x

Recent feedback for Greepers Hikers Laces.

Inventor of Greeper Laces gets Facebook Feedback for how useful they are for children

Peter Greedy who originally invented Greepers for his own children, gets regular feedback from parents with children with autism.

Just got this note from a customer... "I just want to say that the product is a god send, I have ordered them for my son who has Autism and just can not get the hang of tying shoes laces. As he is tall for his age, he is now in Adult shoes sizes, even though he is primary school. I have been unable to find velcro PE trainers in his size and these laces now mean he will be able to do his own shoes at PE time, without the other children noticing he can not do his laces and he will now not need to have an adult help." Love it!

 

Having just posted the note below ,within about 10 mins I also got this note... "ps Just noticed your job title - fantastic invention - so thank you on behalf of all those like my son who have impaired motor skills and can't tie laces!" Feeling very appreciated!

Two customers giving great feedback today... "ps Just noticed your job title - fantastic invention - so thank you on behalf of all those like my son who have impaired motor skills and can't tie laces! "I just want to say that the product is a god send, I have ordered them for my son who has Autism and just can not get the hang of tying shoes laces. As he is tall for his age, he is now in Adult shoes sizes, even though he is primary school. I have been unable to find velcro PE trainers in his size and these laces now mean he will be able to do his own shoes at PE time, without the other children noticing he can not do his laces and he will now not need to have an adult help."

 

The wider appeal of Greeper Laces

As we have said before, the great thing about Greepers is that they are also used by top sports people, so children can emulate their heroes too! This month also saw Greepers worn by Lucy Gossage winning Ironman UK in a pair of purple ones! This is such a fab pic we had to share it here!

Athlete Lucy Gossage celebrates the winning of the Ironman UK competiton.

Lucy Gossage winning Ironman UK wearing a pair of purple greeper laces!

UPDATE: Greepers Still in the Lead Triathlon 220 Magazine

As we mentioned above, Greepers are the best laces for athletes and have just been recommended again in the 220 Triathlon Magazine’s new edition (April 2014). They have a feature “Race Day Kit” essentials and Greeper Laces are one of the chosen products and given the top rating and the award BEST ON TEST.

laces shown with toggle that keeps them tight

Greeper Laces in Triathalon 220 Magazine

'Race day kit' showing vairous products for triathletes

Greeper Review BEST on TEST feature in Triathalon 220 magazine

The review reads:

“We’ve tested Greeper Laces before and, despite fierce competition from French outfit Xtenex and their bobbly efforts, in our eyes – and on our feet – the UK product continues to lead the way.For those new to tri or 220, the traditional lacing system is replaced with a brilliant mechanism that requires no tying. Simply guide the Greeper through eyelets in reverse before clamping in place at the toe end via a miniature plastic connector. Back at the tongue end the ingenious toggle requires a gentle tug of its protruding loops to tighten. Pull the toggle to ease pressure.
Sprinkling your shoe with talc and a modicum of practice will have you T2-ing faster than ever before. But, more importantly, your foot feels secure – unlike other systems that can leave your foot slipping about like Bambi on ice.
Verdict: Still the leader of the triathlon lacing pack. 93%.”

Female Toilet Aids

Female Toilet Aids

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 being overweight 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

camping toilet aid

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 SheWee – 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

Uriwell Female Toilet Aids

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:

 

SheWee – Finally Standing Up

Female Toilet Aid

Outdoor Toilet Aid for Women

SheWee 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, instructions

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.

Photo Credit: Al_HikesAZ via Compfight cc

Purchasing Female Toilet Aids Online

There is a huge range of toilet aids available for sale online via Amazon.co.uk, including the Uriwell range, Happy Pee for kids and the SheWee for women – please click the boxes below to purchase:

 

 

Review from Amazon for the Go Girl

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!

 

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