Essential Items: The Bed Leaver

Essential Items: The Bed Leaver

Some items are essential to our every day lives and are integral to ensuring we can get on without too much trouble and stress. Whilst living with a disability, the range of equipment and gadgetry used on a daily basis can be vast and there are some items which are absolutely essential to ensure a decent quality of life. One of these items is the Bed Leaver.

What is a Bed Leaver?

A Bed Leaver is probably the most well known bed grab rail that is used by both medical professionals and individuals in their own homes. They can be found in hospitals, respite centres and residential homes and as this tweet describes, they can really be an essential piece of kit:

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/WarpedWoman/status/139645293774909440″]

A Bed Leaver can help people with mobility difficulties sit up and get out of bed if necessary. With the support of a Bed Leaver, many people can feel significantly more independent and in control of their own lives. Used by both social services and medical professionals, this product has numerous recommendations behind it and the product itself is great quality.

An example of a Bed Leaver

As the photo shows, the Bed Leaver grab rail is mounted upon high grade plywood which is designed not to split or splinter and it has a well-finished end block which looks great on the outside of your bed. The rail itself looks like any regular bed rail and the wooden finish of the end block means you bed doesn’t end up looking too clinical.

The Bed Leaver is designed specifically for divan-style beds and can be fitted to single, double or king-size beds. With a Bed Leaver grab rail you can easily get in and out of bed without struggling and you can sit up and down with ease too. Living with a mobility disability can be difficult and aids like this can support daily life and make it a little bit easier.

The Bed Leaver is recommended by occupational therapists and other medical professionals alike so if you’re looking for a grab rail for your bed, click the box below for more info:

Low-Tech Lifesavers: Long Handled Shoe Horns

Low-Tech Lifesavers: Long Handled Shoe Horns

The low-tech gadgets in our lives are sometimes the most important. Imagine trying to eat without a spoon or drive your car without its wheels for example. When living with disabilities, it is sometimes the most basic design which can make the most difference. Today, we’re looking at long handled shoe horns and how they can make life just that little bit easier.

Why would I need a long handled shoe horn?

A long handled shoe horn is an essential piece of kit if you need a little assistance putting on or taking off your shoes and like this tweeter says, they can be a real lifesaver:

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/Darediva/status/139440525399949312″]

An Example of a Long Handled Shoe Horn

Long handled shoe horns are a great idea for anybody who suffers from any sort of joint condition, chronic pain or difficulty bending over. It’s the extra helping hand you need sometimes when you need to get yourself into your shoes and also, after a long day at work or leisure, taking them off again. This informational video shows exactly how one particular brand of long handled shoe horn works:


Once you own a long handled shoe horn, you will wonder how you managed without it and it’s a great way of adding an extra element of independence to your daily routine. Once you’ve worked out the knack of using your shoe horn, you’ll be able to slip in and out of your shoes with ease.

There are a range of different long handled shoe horns on the market, traditional “jockey” style shoe horns are embellished with lots of extras that can make them harder to use so it’s a good idea to look in depth at the product you choose. The price range varies from product to product but you can get a great quality, functional long handled shoe horn for a reasonable price no trouble.

To purchase a long-handled shoe horn, or for further info, please click here to visit the Disability Horizons store.

Essential Items: Talking Tin Lids

Essential Items: Talking Tin Lids

You can use your Talking Tin Lid on any food container

If you have a visual disability, then having your kitchen set up in the right way is essential to avoid the many risks that could occur. The RNIB and other charities work tirelessly to provide gadgets and inventions which can make the kitchen a safer place and somewhere you can independently access everything you need. One of their inventions is the talking tin lids, a truly great idea.

Talking tin lids are a specially designed recording produce which can help you identify the contents of any food storage container, most obviously tinned foods. They are extremely easy to record messages on and then you know exactly what’s in the tin and also, if there’s space you can record a best before date too, further enhancing your food safety in the home.

The majority of talking tin lids available has a 10 second recording time although you can get them with up to 40 seconds. In 10 seconds it is possible to say “baked beans, best before 15th Dec” for example so you can ensure you know what product is there and how long its shelf life is. The talking tin lids fit comfortably with magnets to all tin lids including ring pull tins but excluding those that have aluminium lids. You can also use them on other containers as they come with a self-adhesive metal disc and/or an elastic strap to attach them with. However, the tin lids are not microwave or freezer safe so keep this in mind whilst using them.

They have received some great reviews from the visually impaired community, many of whom are delighted by the fact that they aid daily independence and make finding ingredients and cooking much easier than before.  There are many different options and they can be used on containers of all shapes and sizes due to the additional adhesive choice.


If you are interested in finding out more about Talking Tin Lids please click the box.

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