At Living with Disability we understand that thousands of people around the country live with hidden disabilities which are completely unnoticeable physically. We also understand that a range of disabilities can make communication and voicing a problem very difficult, which is why we think these Medibands are fantastic idea, especially to help out in an emergency.
Stylish and functional Medibands are available in a range of colourful designs and like medical dog tags before them indicate exactly what condition the wearer has or perhaps how to treat them. A lot of the Medibands available are allergy related, which can be truly lifesaving but you can also get completely customisable ones which are designed to be written on. These are brilliant as there’s space to write a couple of important points such as ‘non-verbal, communicates through Makaton’ or ‘coeliac, use epi-pen’. This customisability is brilliant as you can ensure exactly what you want to convey in an emergency is immediately available to both the emergency services and any individuals who may try and help in a crisis situation.
As you can see, there is a huge range of different Medibands available and they come in a range of sizes so you will be able to find a suitable size. There are cute girly designsand also more professional looking bands perfect if you prefer to remain discreet about your circumstances. Bands can display your condition, your allergies, instructions or even what particular medication you’re on (as pictured).
The Medibands can truly be lifesaving and there are many happy customers that testify to this. Customers are happy with the way that Medibands can alert professionals to their condition without having to scream and shout about and many also find these Medibands more practical and accessible than traditional dog-tag style medical jewellery.
To find out more about the range of Medibands available and to make a purchase, click in the box below:
Created by inventor Mark Moran, who found himself thirsty and unable to get a drink whilst in hospital, the Hydrant is a simple but accessible design.
Some things are essential on a daily basis. Things such as eating, drinking and communicating are things which we expect to be able to do on a daily basis without too much difficultly. Living with a disability can mean support is needed to achieve these daily essential tasks and there are inventions out there to aid them. One of these items is the Hydrant water bottle.
The Hydrant water bottle is an innovative and intelligent design which making drinking simple for those who may have dexterity or fine motor problems. With a Hydrant water bottle there is no need to hold your drinking vessel, allowing you to drink with ease. The opportunity to drink freely can hugely aid the independence of those with limited mobility. It gives the ability to satisfy your own thirst without assistance as well as increasing your bodies ability to work and general well being.
This design is completely unique and the one-litre sized bottle which can be hung from your chair, bed or wheelchair and its drinking tube can be kept safely on your lap within your reach. To take a drink, there is a straightforward bite valve which you simply bite onto and suck. This design means there’s no risk of spillage and the design is patronised by Sir Ranulph Fiennes which shows exactly how much faith there is in this design. It’s used in hospitals, residential homes and by individuals in their own homes and is especially useful in combating dehydration.
What do Hydrant customers think?
Hydrant 750ml
Hydrant water bottle makes drinking more accessible and helps prevent dehydration and thirst, aiding recovery and general health. This idea is very low tech but customers are extremely pleased with their purchase. Sir Ralph described it as “simply brilliant and brilliantly simple” and many users are amazed at how it’s helping them from such an obvious idea! In many cases, customers have been able to monitor their drinking more closely and dehydration is no longer a worry.
This product is a great low-tech development which can be used in the home and when out and about and really solves a problem which many people deal with on a daily basis, the inability to easily access a drink.
Also available is the Sports Hydrant, this is an easy grip and smaller bottle without the tube. It holds 500ml and looks just like an ordinary sports water bottle. The benefit is though, that it has a long handle that can be easily grabbed or clipped onto a wheelchair or bed head. We use them everywhere, in bed, out on days out and the children get them as school water bottles! Highly recommended.
New Video from Hydrant for Health showing the uses in a hospital setting, showing how much it has improved the health and well being of patients.
Jim Easton, NHS National Director for Improvement and Efficiency, gives a short presentation about the effect of dehydration in hospitals and how The Hydrant helps with monitoring of how much people are drinking, as well as making it so much easier for a person to get a drink.
The rest of the video shows patients and nurses from The Great Western Hospital in Swindon talking about how it reduces reliance on drips and IV fluids and helps people drinking during the night and prevents infections caused dehydration.
‘The Hydrant……cheap, easy to implement, tackling the most basic problem. Potentially one of the ideas with the highest return to investment ratio I have ever seen’ Jim Easton
‘Simply Brilliant. Brilliantly Simple’ Sir Ranulph Fiennes
“If you can’t reach a drink, if you can reach it but can’t lift it, if you can lift it but not hold it, you will usually need someone to help you. But the hydrant is a simple delivery mechanism that reduces dehydration and increases a persons independence” Mark Moran, Inventor or the Hydrant.
“It has hugely improved the quality of life for our patients and as such The Hydrant should be a standard part of any hospital’s armour in the battle against dehydration” Liz Evans, Nutrition Nurse Specialist, Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
UPDATE the Hydrant has been approved for use in 50 NHS trusts and will help patients in hospital!
Award-Winning Design
Hydrate for Health have won the 2013 Queen’s Award for Innovation
The unique innovate design of the Hydrant has also won a number of awards. Most recently the creator, Mark Moran, founder of Hydrate for Health, won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise.
He is one of approximately 150 people or companies to have received the award this year. The Queen’s Award for Innovation is the highest honour that can be received in terms of business success, further proving the functionality and usability of Mark’s design.
The annual awards ceremony will see Mark Moran attend a special invitation to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen in person. As an extra boon for the Hydrant, the packaging can now carry the Queen’s Award emblem for the next five years, a clear indication of the quality and importance of this product.
Our favourite version is the 1 litre Hydrant – with a drinking tube/straw that includes a bite-valve built-in to the end, to ensure liquids can be taken at any point, without fear of spillage. There is a recent review here
I bought a Hydrant so I can drink when breastfeeding my daughter and it is completely ideal. It means I can feed in bed and if I get thirsty can simply reach for the drinking tube and keep hydrated. The need to keep hydrated whilst breastfeeding is often overlooked, especially by me, but this Hydrant completely solves the problem.
If you are interested in purchasing a Hydrant drinks bottle, please click the here to see the extensive range available at Trabasack.com
It can be difficult for wheelchair users to find the right bag for their needs, especially if they want to carry a laptop, iPad, or small detachable speech simulator with them. And many of us who use wheelchairs know how frustrating it is to have our movement restricted by a conventional wheelchair tray.
Ideal for meals, or a quick cuppa on the move!
The Trabasack range of wheelchair lap trays could be just what the situation calls for. Trabasack wheelchair lap trays have one side as tray surface that is firm and flat enough to write and work upon, and underneath a small beanbag sac that helps the trabasack to rest levelly on your knees without adding to the weight. Your Trabasack lap tray is convenient to carry and use on your lap wherever you are and whatever you’re doing: to sign forms in the bank; to rest your cup of coffee; to write notes; or for crafting.
Between the flat and beanbag surfaces of the Trabasack is a securely zipped bag with more than enough space for your daily needs. The Trabasack Curve is large enough for a 14″ laptop or notebook computer – it’s shaped to fit perfectly round the waist, and has no hard corners. The Trabasack Mini is super slim but large enough for iPads and most smaller laptops and notepads, and for A4 documents.
A Trabasack comes with handles and a choice of straps, so as well as a wheelchair lap tray it can be used as a briefcase, a messenger bag, or a shoulder bag. You can machine wash your Trabasack, and of course it comes with a one year guarantee.
Both types of Trabasack come with a choice of surfaces on the flat side. The standard Trabasack has black leather-style PVC, easy to wipe clean and hardwearing. The Curve has a soft Velcro ready surface: anything with Velcro “hooks” attached will stick to it. So, for instance, you could attach velcro to your phone, remote control, games console, or a child’s toy, and be sure it won’t fall out of reach.
Here is a video testimonial from public speaker, Dr Mark Edworthy, that explains why he finds it useful:
Altogether the Trabasack is that rarest of things: a multipurpose product that really does succeed in all it sets out to do. Very highly recommended!
