When you’re dressing yourself, one particular complication can be fasteners. Whether you have poor manual dexterity or the use of only one hand, it can be virtually impossible, for instance, to fasten the buckles on your belts. Or you might be able to manage the buckle with a struggle, but then have problems if you have to rush to the toilet.

Easy Belts are the answer. They have a velcro strip that simply goes through a D-shaped buckle and folds back on itself, holding the belt securely in place – easy to operate single-handedly.

Colourful designs and styles

Easy Belts come in both adult and child sizes, adjustable of course, and can be made to measure if required. They are slightly elasticated, a boon for people with conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome which can cause painful bloating.

You can choose your Easy Belt from a range of colours, from pink stripes to black. Why not buy several, so you’ll always have one to match your outfit? It also means there’s bound to be one to match your child’s school uniform. Easy Belts can be machine washed, and come out looking as good as new every time.

Existing users are very positive about their Easy Belts. A man with Parkinson’s Disease was no longer able to manage normal belts and this caused distress. Easy Belt made it so easy for him to do up his belt. A teenage girl with learning disabilities could manage most things herself but struggled with belt buckles. Once she had an Easy Belt those days were gone: no more fiddling to find the hole, just one pull and fasten and it was done.

Easy Belts are highly recommended as a functional and fashionable aid to independence. With their excellent choice of sizes and colours,  there’s bound to be one to suit you. And at their very reasonable price, how can you lose?

Visit the Easy Belts webshop for more info about these practical velcro-able belts. http://www.easybelts.co.uk/

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Have you ever heard of a hands free toothpaste dispenser? Living with disability can present problems you had never thought possible, with daily tasks that you may have once took for granted or never imagined they would be a problem. Whether you live with a disability yourself or are a parent or carer, you may realise the many difficulties that come in the area of personal care.

An easy to use, accessible hands free toothpaste holder.

Personal care is sensitive area which inventors and retailers are often trying to find ways of adding independence whilst keeping the whole process dignified and respectful to the individual living with a disability. One area of personal care which can prove difficult is cleaning teeth. Although for many, the actual process of cleaning their teeth isn’t the issue, as there are specifically designed toothbrushes for those who need them, but getting the toothpaste from the tube can be a trial. If you have a dexterity or fine motor skills disorder or have weak muscle tone or grip, squeezing a toothpaste tube can be very difficult. Luckily there are a range of Hands Free Toothpaste Dispensers being developed that eliminates this problem completely.

A hands free toothpaste holder stops mess, waste and also makes it much easier to access your toothpaste. One light touch instantly dispenses the amount of toothpaste needed and it’s an extremely easy piece of kit to install and the refill process is also no problem. One of the most popular brands of toothpaste dispense is the Touch N Brush as they were popularly advertised on shopping channels.

Customers of the hands free toothpaste dispenser remark upon its many qualities including its design meaning it blends easily into any bathroom without looking clinical or out of place and it is extremely economical as it uses every last inch of toothpaste, which rarely happens when we regularly squeeze the tube!

Watch this Touch N Brush infomercial from the States to find out more about automatic toothpaste dispensers:

If you are interested in a Handsfree Toothpaste Dispenser, please checkout the selection we have found for sale here, in the UK:

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The Knork is fast becoming one of the most popular gadgets for those living with disabilities around. If you haven’t heard of it, this is the place to be to find out everything you need to know about the it and its ever expanding range of easy-to-use cutlery.

As this tweeter puts it, users really do love their knorks:

[blackbirdpie url=”http://twitter.com/#!/XLove_you_moreX/status/141887641628049408″]

Exactly what is a Knork?

The Original Knork

This is probably your first question and we don’t blame you but put simply, a knork is the only utensil you’ll ever need when eating a main meal. It combines the prongs of a fork with the cutting edge of a knife. It was originally designed to aid its inventor whilst eating pizza but has expanded well beyond this original purpose.

The Knork’s cutting edge is specifically designed not to be sharp and require a simple rocking motion to cut through foods, avoiding the risk of sharp edges. This product is a stylish and modern piece of equipment that could be an essential gadget for your home especially if you have limited dexterity or limb paralysis.

Expansive and expanding: the ever growing adaptive cutlery range

The Knork inventors knew they were onto a winner with their original design and have since rolled out many different styles and types of cutkery, including full flatware sets and foam handled knorks to aid gripping. The range was further enhanced with the release of the Knork Flatware line which includes a range of different pieces including a salad knork and steak/butter knife. It doesn’t stop there, they have also extended their range into plastic cutlery so you can take your knork with you if dining alfresco or enjoying a family picnic.

Fans of the Knork can’t help but sing it’s praises, describing it as study and weighty, which makes its cutting edge more effective and aids independence as food no longer needs to be cut up on behalf of the individual with the disability. It has opened new doors for people who may previously have been embarrassed eating in public as with a knork, there is no need to ask for food to be cut up as you can do it yourself.

This informational video gives some extra info regarding the range:

UPDATED Recent Feedback

We have had some brilliant feedback via our store – Trabasack.com in the past few days for knorks. Whenever we take  knorks to shows and exhibitions we always hear from people how much they are helping so we thought we would share this useful feedback that was posted on Amazon.

The fork has provided a new level of independence for my 9 year old who suffers from cerebral palsy and has a weakness down one side. He has been able to cut up his own food for himself for the first time. Am thrilled with the knork.

And from another customer who highlights the ‘universal design’ non-stigmatising aspect of the knork cutlery:

well packaged nice looking item will be able to use when I go out for a meal without people wondering what I am using as looks like a normal fork

We are often told that the knork is particularly useful cutlery for people with a stroke condition:

Excellent item and would definitely buy from this seller again, I bought it for my wife who has had several strokes and it has made a huge difference to her eating at home or out in a restaurant, would thoroughly recommend it.

But ANYONE can use a Knork:

Although I am not without two hands, I prefer to eat one handed. I have been looking for a while for a KNORK and decided to have a look on Amazon and found what I was looking for. The item arrived promptly and well packaged I was delighted with the product and can recommend this seller.

The Salad Knork is as stylish and functional as the original, yet smaller in length.

The Knork Range of Adaptive Cutlery

The Knork is an ever-growing range of cutlery, and includes the original Knork, a steak knife and plastic versions, ideal for camping and picnics.
The newest addition to the Knork family to be stocked on our store is the Salad Knork. The salad Knork is a smaller version of the original Knork.
The salad Knork is as stylish and practical as the original, however the slightly more compact size allows you to use it for dining on salads or starters, and is ideal for children or anyone with smaller hands. The size of the new salad Knork is easier to hold for little ones, and measures 17cm in length with smaller prongs and a slightly more curved shape.

To view or purchase from our range of Knorks, please click here to visit Trabasack.com, or alternatively, visit Amazon.co.uk for further Knork products:

UPDATE

The Knork in the Huddesfield Examiner

We are always on the lookout for mentions of the knork and spotted this review in the Huddesfield Examiner

Denis Kilcommons describes the knork as “the perfect accessory to a mobile phone”! His review is quite tongue in cheek and he likens the knork to the part of the Americanisation of Britain. All good fun but a little bit alarmist we feel!

And now we have the knork.

This is not new, although I had never heard of it before. According to Wikipedia, that font of all internet knowledge, Horatio Nelson used a specially adapted fork with a cutting edge after losing his arm in battle in 1797, so the knork is obviously a very worthwhile item of cutlery for those with only the use of one hand.

But give Americans an inch and they’ll take your knife. They have already removed it from everyday dining.

The first time I ate out in America 40 years ago, I discovered the knife is a scorned accessory. Only truck drivers use a knife AND fork, I was told, as I got stuck into my steak with both utensils. Polite society first cut up their food then discarded the knife and used only the fork to scoop the small bits into the mouth.

How stupid, I commented. That way, your chips go cold.

Truck drivers, I opined, are obviously a very sensible breed. When in the States, I have ever since conducted myself like one of Eddie Stobart’s finest, no matter how posh the restaurant.

But a Knork? The Yanks will love it. They could even make it compulsory because it means they will never have to put down their mobile phones, even when cutting their meat.

You have been warned.

We are still glad that the amazing functional and stylish knork has reached even Denis’ sheltered corner of Huddesfield!

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