Disability team succeeds in improving CityWest Homes
Mar 3rd
Whoahhh! Is this the most boring topic ever? Well, it would certainly be worth a nomination for this year’s most boring story of the year awards but it does have its merits.
Before you slink into a torpor and start fantasising about a warm holiday in the Maldives let me set the scene. CityWest Homes is a housing organisation that manages Westminster City Council’s 22,000 homes including all maintenance and estate management through their local estate offices.
Bear with me….make a coffee perhaps, sip a Red Bull, but bear with me…..
Now, normally, most disabled people have to wait months and even years for any Council to make special alterations to their homes. With potholes, leaking roofs, plumbing emergencies, boiler failures etc all taking priority, councils have often put disability improvements to the very bottom of the pile. Usually they’re just buried for good.
Yet for people who are disabled, especially the newly disabled like veterans from Iraq or elderly stroke victims, having to wait months and years for home improvements can make their suffering unbearable.
This is why I’m very impressed with the team at CityWest. What they’ve done is set a blueprint for all councils nationwide by seriously shortening the waiting time for mobility aids.
The building and property services team, which installs mobility equipment in homes with physically disabled residents, has managed to shorten the waiting times for urgent tasks by 50 percent (from thirteen weeks to just six). Now let me tell you that’s seriously quick. For people used to waiting 3, 4 or even 5 months, sometimes longer, the prospect of getting their mobility aid installed in just six weeks is OUTSTANDING.
In 2010 so far, the team, consisting of just 5 members, has more than tripled the total number of adaptations completed. A big round of applause to Rowena Ng and her staff because not only are her colleagues dramatically improving waiting times, they’ve also made it a point to listen to the recommendations made by tenants themselves.
The reaction of residents? The service provided by the team has been rated 5/5 by 70% of participants in a recent survey.
With the services provided by the team including installation of special equipment like mobility baths, along with adaptations like bath lifts, special stairlifts, hoists, and ramps for the patients, CityWest should get a medal.
Why can’t every council behave like this?
Mobility aids – a political hot potato?
Feb 25th
With both main parties scrabbling for votes prior to the 2010 elections, it’s no surprise that neither wants to show their hand. That’s a pity because for Britain’s 11 million disabled individuals the prospect of swingeing cuts in the NHS doesn’t fill any of us with confidence. After all, it could be equipment for the disabled that suffers the chop.
Will mobility budgets get axed?
Western democracy is a bit of a mockery because even if politicians don’t disclose to us what they intend to do prior to an election, they often renege on their promises once in power. As Exhibit A I hold up Barack Hussein Obama who is as believable with his ‘change you can believe in’ mantra as Tiger Woods was with his marriage vows. As Rupert Cornwall says in today’s Independent, ‘America is in a foul mood’, with Obama seen as an empty suit doing Wall Street’s bidding. BTW, did you know that the Wall Street bailout would have paid off all US mortgages in one swoop? No wonder the US is pissed….they could have been having one long party instead of the next great depression.
Here in the UK, if a political manifesto was seen as a legally binding document then it would change the face of politics as we know it. Perhaps even honesty might rear its ugly head?? Still, with my cynics hat on, Labour and the Tories would try to get round it with simplified one liners. You know the sort of tripe…..“we’ll assist disabled people”. Err, and what would ‘assist’ mean? 20p off a Costa Coffee when having a check-up?
Anyway, here’s the problem….. the market for equipment for disabled people in the UK is about £1.6bn, up from about £1.4bn in 2004. The issue for whoever is next in power is that this demand for mobility equipment is increasing above the pace of inflation.
This growth is expected to continue for the next 5 years because as the number of elderly individuals increases, the overall size of the disabled population is also growing larger. I haven’t made these figures up btw. They come from a report from the UK Office for Disability Issues, a Government department.
So how can the UK Government increase the money available for disabled equipment at a time when it wants to make big cuts in the NHS budget? It can’t.
This problem will only get worse because mobility aids are becoming more sophisticated by the day, even basic aids like bath lifts, adjustable beds and disabled toilets. As they become more useful, patients and medical professionals are looking out for the next innovation to hit the market.
This all costs money.
There is also a trend towards community care, and many more disabled people are living at home nowadays, both for emotional as well as financial reasons. This is increasing the need for individual equipment and specialist aids, like small hoists and stairlifts….this costs money too.
The solution? If we don’t want to go back to the Stone Age, we’re going to have to make sure that the next Government is upfront about its intentions for equipment for the disabled.
Let’s make a start by writing to Jonathan Shaw, Minister for Disabled People who can be reached at the Department for Work and Pensions, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H 9DA.
On our own we’re powerless, but all eleven million of us? Think what could be achieved. All we’re asking is for honesty of intentions before the election. Then we can cast our vote with confidence.
Invalifts, a tight squeeze but worth it
Feb 17th
Firstly, apologies to anyone who has left a comment only for it not appear on my blog. That’s been rectified and whilst I’d like to blame WordPress, the bottom line is that I didn’t know I needed to approve them first! So they’ve been lying in my inbox for ages. Ho hum and red faces all round.
It’s difficult to kick my keyboard into gear today mainly because I feel like a good old fashioned rant at First Direct bank. I quite like them tbh, they’re always polite, but credit card interest rates of 21%?? I nearly choked on my Welsh rarebit when I opened my statement. It’s a disgrace when Bank of England interest rates are at a 360 year historic low. Even worse, it’s stealing off those people who can least afford it with many young, elderly and disabled people having to use credit cards or, God forbid, burn furniture to get through this bitterly cold winter.
Angry man
With that off my chest, I was heartened to receive word about Invalifts, a Midlands-based company who are specialists in platform lifts for wheelchair and disabled users. Their website is really smart, easy to read and surf. I laughed when reading about how the two owners Derrick and Neil have 70 years lift experience between them – I saw that trick used once for a 69 year old grandfather and his one year old grandson.
Anyway, where Invalifts seem to make a huge difference is fitting disabled lifts into tight spaces. Not so easy, of course with England, Wales & Scotland all scattered with listed buildings.
The University Hospital of Leicester NHS Trust’s education department is a case in point. They soon realised that no local company would be able to design a lift that’d fit the dimensions of the space allotted for the purpose. Alternative solutions like stairlifts simply wouldn’t work.
Enter Invalifts.
The MC2000 from its stable is a self contained powered access platform lift with a footprint of just 1250mm by 1250mm. That’s tighter than a banker’s wallet. It can work on a single phase of 240 volts of power with the support of a twin chain – don’t ask me what that means – but I do know it works without the help of an overhead machinery room or basement. That’s a big, big plus after all, who wants to dig a basement ten metres into the ground or fit an overhead machinery room?
A tight squeeze but it’ll get you to the 1st floor
Invalifts tell me that they worked fast in installing the lift for Leicester General Hospital and completed it in less than one week. They’ve also added another design to their range which includes an ultra small, self-contained passenger lift. This lift can be easily installed into tight spaces such as stairwells. I’d guess you’d need to put your hands in your pockets and wear latex to get into that one if the MC2000 is any guide.
Latex needed?
Does anyone else know of stairlifts or lifts that can be squeezed into tight spaces? Please let me know as we’re trying to build a list of suitable companies for Mobility Compare.
Strongarm Cane of the Law
Feb 9th
I haven’t used a cane or crutch since I had a nasty sports accident a few years ago, but when I did they all seemed much of a muchness – cold, grey metallic pieces of steel with as much personality as an NHS car park clerk.
The designs were all basically the same too – straight pieces of metal, a rubber armpit rest and a clunky piece of plastic at the bottom. Not much good for anything except hobbling around on and giving the odd cheeky nipper on my estate a light clout when dropping litter. I say ‘light’ in case the Old Bill is reading.
A few people have tried to jazz them up. A quick web search brought up one or two students at The Global Art Initiative in Texas who gave their crutches a bit of life – fair do’s they’re not a bad effort.
That aside, cane and crutch design hasn’t really moved forward since Noah used one to ward off three chimpanzees – only two were allowed if you remember.
That’s why I was intrigued to find in my mobility compare inbox a missive from a company called Strongarm who claim to have invented the next generation of canes – or in their words ‘an ambulatory aid’. Why the name Strongarm? No idea but it’s probably a play on words between having a ‘strong arm’ and the firm grip a Chicago policeman gives when he apprehends you for wearing a t-shirt that says Obama? No we can’t.
With headquarters in Illinois, the Strongarm looks almost like a normal cane but provides the stability of a forearm crutch, without the tripping hazards associated with walkers and quad-canes. It’s a really neat idea tbh, because it transfers the load bearing from the user’s wrist to the forearm, creating a much more stable alternative to walkers and canes.
Here’s a small piccy:
Video: http://www.strongarmmobility.com/video4.php
From what I’ve read the Strongarm is of great benefit to amputees and post-op patients – and especially those who require greater balance, like someone recovering from a stroke or from Parkinson’s disease.
Their best product is the Forearm Cane. It’s an ambulatory aid that looks like a cane, but it provides significantly more stability, like a forearm crutch. With the StrongArm Forearm Cane, the tripping hazards associated with quad-canes and walkers are greatly reduced.
Given that the American Geriatrics Society Journal has found that 47,000 adults each year are treated in the US alone for serious cane and walker related injuries, the Strongarm looks to have a bright future. The only two problems I can see is that there are no UK distributors – if that changes I’ll let you know – and the fact that UK prices don’t seem to have been set. Hmm, with the pound dropping like a stone I’m not confident that it will be priced competitively. Let’s wait and see.
Using Teeth to Transmit Sound – New Hearing Aid Technology
Feb 2nd
Single sided deafness, or the loss of hearing in one ear, affects a comparatively small percentage of the population… about 200 in every million. That’s not a lot of people.
But it’s enough.
In fact it amounts to 1.5 million people afflicted across the world. That’s a city the size of Birmingham.
The loss of “stereo hearing” can have dangerous consequences, especially while crossing a street, or in other mobile environments. However, Sonitus Medical, a privately held medical company that specialises in treating single sided deafness, has created a new device, SoundBite, which uses the natural conduction of our teeth and bones for transmitting sound waves to the inner ear – even if the middle and outer ear parts are damaged.
It’s ingenious.
Here’s how it works:
SoundBite can detect noise vibrations by using a microphone that is placed in the ear, and is connected to a transmitter device behind the ear. The BTE (behind-the-ear) device then transmits to an ITM (in-the-mouth) device that sends the sound waves through the jawbone to the cochlea (the snail-shaped tube in the inner ear). No surgery is required, and both the devices can easily be removed and charged inductively.
Sonitus Medical is in the process of preparing SoundBite for FDA trials for single sided deafness, and possibly, eventually treating other types of deafness too.
Of course, the concept is not entirely new. Other hearing aids have also been known to utilise bone conduction for transmitting sound waves. But most of them, however, use titanium pins that are drilled into the jaw bones (or even skulls) for transmitting sounds to the inner ear. SoundBite’s digital hearing aid appears to be the first non-invasive, non-surgical, and easily removable device developed for the mass market.
A Note of Caution: While the hearing aid reviews may be encouraging, SoundBite is probably still years away from retail production. Sonitus Medical plans to eventually have these ITM devices fitted to an individual’s back teeth, and custom made fairly quickly (in 1-2 weeks). A complete hearing aid system would include 2 ITMs, 1 BTE device, and a charger. We hope to include more information about Soundbite on our sister site, MobilityCompare, as and when we hear more information.
If you consider all forms of cochlear implants, the SoundBite devices may be fit only for comparatively specialised use. Nevertheless, the ability to easily upgrade/ replace the individual components of these systems makes Sonitus Medical’s device quite competitive.
Who knows, perhaps Bluetooth headsets of the future may be developed based on the cutting-edge hearing aid technologies of today Whatever the answer, Sonitus’ plans are very, very welcome for the hundreds of thousands of single sided deafness sufferers worldwide.
Uisng teeth as a hearing aid? SoundBite can……
Mobility Scooter Accidents – is testing the solution?
Jan 26th
The start to the New Year ushered in the sort of headlines that mobility users could well do without. “A Mobility Scooter Menace?” screamed the BBC as it outlined how recent high-profile mobility scooter accidents had raised concern that drivers can’t be prosecuted.
Unfortunately, it’s all too true that pedestrians have been injured and toddlers knocked down by senior citizens riding mobility electric scooters. One woman, Lilian Macy, died after being hit in September by an errant scooter owner. The problem has now become so severe that in February a committee of MP’s will even begin an inquiry into mobility scooter safety.
Currently, it is difficult for authorities to apportion blame. The Road Traffic Act exempts mobility scooters and this makes it difficult to hold anyone responsible for an accident. While the freedom of the elderly and handicapped is welcome, it would help if safety guidelines are heightened, precautions taken, and some kind of training be given to mobility scooter users before they take to the streets.
Police safety courses are being conducted for mobility scooter owners in some areas, Norwich being a prime example. Users are given training where they can overcome obstacles such as avoiding hitting a mannequin, slaloming around traffic cones, taking sharp turns, and parking correctly. The user’s ability to operate their vehicle is enhanced and their driving skills honed. This ensures the safety of pedestrians and builds the confidence of mobility scooter users.
One must not ignore the fact that lack of confidence or bouts of anxiety attacks are not uncommon among elderly people. Confusing or sudden rapid movements of people in their path may cause them to speed up or knock someone down.
For their part, mobility scooter users need to be aware about the gravity of the situation if and when they can lose control of their vehicles, absent-mindedly backing into a person, or jerking forward suddenly. Driving slowly, carefully, and being alert at all times, especially when there are people around is the secret to safe mobility scooter driving.
Accidents happen all the time, everywhere, and with all kinds of vehicles. What’s important is that safety precautions and traffic rules should be adhered to, both by vehicle drivers and pedestrians. Agreed, there has been a recent spurt in mobility scooter accidents, but what is required is not apportioning the blame, but finding a solution that works for all.
MobilityCompare’s view? Voluntary training courses should be available to all mobility scooter users and made mandatory for anyone over 80 years old.
Photo Caption: An 89 year old man caught travelling at 8mph on the M20 motorway in 2009
Zound’s Hearing Aids
Jan 18th
Zounds Hearing, Inc. is a provider of complete hearing aid solutions for those with any kind of hearing loss, mild, moderate, severe or profound. They design, manufacture and sell high-performing hearing aids, and are one of the fastest-growing hearing aid companies in the world.
Well, to be honest, you’d expect any hearing aid company to say this and to impress MobilityCompare you need more than mere words.
But even with our cynical hat on, we sat up and took a second look at Zounds latest developments in hearing aids. Indeed, Zounds Hearing has announced the launch of a completely new line of next-generation hearing aids that have made many people sit up and take notice.
Zounds’ latest patented technology is a completely new approach in hearing aid solutions, and apparently it took countless hours, thousands of dollars and more than 10 years to develop. The result has been one of remarkable voice clarity but at reasonable prices.
Sam Thomasson, the CEO of Zounds, talks about this breakthrough technology, “We took our well-received Z1 hearing aids and challenged ourselves to come up with an even better performing hearing aid. The result, simply put, is a line of products that has outperformed even our own high expectations.”
This new line of true performance hearing aids features three product families, Riazo, Clareza and Potenz:
- Riazo – for those who are looking for complete clarity but at a competitive price point. This is a hassle-free hearing aid designed to give users peace of mind to comfortably enjoy their daily lives.
- Clareza – features high-performance technology within a convenient hearing system, with remote control for greater ease of use (including easy hearing aid battery rechargeability).
- Potenz – the most powerful in the line, with vibrant sound for people suffering from severe to profound hearing loss (available in a full hearing system, with a remote control and easy rechargeability).
Zounds believes their new technology will come as a godsend for digital hearing aid users. Justin Kroop, Vice President of Marketing at Zounds Hearing, says, “The engineering team has really hit one out of the park.” The revolutionary technology that sets Zounds Hearing apart from other hearing aid solutions utilises a combination of internally developed technologies and exclusively licensed technical know-how from Acoustic Technologies, Inc., where Sam Thomasson is also the founder.
Is it all PR puff or is there substance in Zounds’ claims? Well, when MobilityCompare tracked down some previous product reviews we came across some excellent reviews on a few forums. View one example here from 2007.
However, there are various rumours that the company is not run as perhaps it should be. In fact last year the company filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and whilst it looks like the company has now emerged from out of the woods, the question remains whether any hearing aid warranties would be honoured if the company failed again?
Our advice? The technology sounds extremely promising but we’d need to see the company trade profitably for a year or two before we invested in one of their hearing aids. However, if the technology is really that good (we’re talking bionic ears as standard) we might, just might, consider buying one beforehand. Watch this space.
British scientists develop tracking technology for mobility scooters
Jan 5th
Mobility electric scooters are a godsend for elderly and disabled users, but they can also become a cause for concern. Why? Elderly people sometimes get disoriented and lost in unfamiliar surroundings. Battery mobility scooters may also run out of charge unexpectedly, and some users have even been known to inadvertently drive their mobility scooters onto motorways and get stuck.
The bottom line is this: how can you track your friend or parent’s mobility scooter when you aren’t with them?
Well, the answer could be at hand. Researchers at De Montfort University (Leicester) and the University of Lincoln are working on a new tracking technology that can prevent users from getting lost.
The device would be fitted on mobility electric scooters and local authority care providers would be able to monitor their location using existing mobile phone technology. Consequently, users would be able to leave their homes without any fear of getting lost. In case of an emergency, they could also be located easily and sent help immediately – vulnerable users would therefore feel secure, even if they were far away.
Once they return home, the device would also automatically connect the mobility scooter to the user’s home telecare network to create an integrated mobility solution.
Dr. Amr Ahmed, one of the scientists leading the project, says, ”The digital era and the increasing number of online services mean that more support is available to help older people maintain a lifestyle that is as independent as possible.”
The project, named ”Integrating mobility vehicles and devices with smart homes”, is funded by the Transport innovation Network (iNet). According to iNet director John Frodsham, ”It’s exciting to think that by integrating some existing and new technologies, possibilities could open up in new applications which will also have a growing societal benefit.”
At the moment this technology is being developed for local authority care providers but, like all socially useful ideas, MobilityCompare hopes it will soon be developed privately and come onto the open market. As soon as we hear we’ll let you know. Watch this space!
Oxford Dipper
Dec 22nd
At MobilityCompare we do everything we can to remain fit and healthy. After all, in our day to day work we’re frequently writing about the maladies that plague a significant minority of the UK’s population (alongside the mobility aid solutions to solve them).
We’ve since become acutely aware of the fragility of life and made it our mission to try and remain as healthy as we can before our own bodies start to creek and groan. Clue: it’s earlier than we thought!
In west London, near the M3 just over Chiswick bridge in London, there’s a superb health club called Roko which we’ve settled on as our gym of choice. Easy to get to and park, great staff and a relaxed atmosphere all make it perfect for the MobilityCompare team to try and maintain its health & fitness.
Our exercise regime? We prefer swimming to any other activity, although one of our number curiously enjoys Thai boxing as he tells us it is the best way of keeping fit whilst adding ‘self protection’ capabilities. By our reckoning, the cost of attaining ‘self protection’ abilities is the odd black eye or two…or three!
We tend to avoid running , not because we don’t enjoy it, but rather we know too many adults in their 50’s and 60’s who now have considerable problems with their knees as a result of running thousands of miles in their younger years. Swimming, because it doesn’t put excess pressure on the body or ‘jar’ the joints is the perfect alternative.
Imagine our surprise, therefore, when suddenly we visit Roko and find a huge contraption overhanging one of the swimming pool lanes. Upon further investigation it appears that the product in question is the ‘Oxford Dipper’.
The Oxford Dipper is produced by Dolphin Mobility, a respected name in mobility products based in Surrey, and is used to lift and lower people out of the water using a hydraulic lift. With a weight capacity of 22 stone it is the perfect way for individuals who have great difficulty getting in and out of the water to actually overcome the issue.
But what’s impressed us more than anything else is that a brand new health club, launching in difficult economic circumstances, has invested over £4k in equipping its pool with a mobility aid for just a few of its users. They needn’t have done that. The fact that they have is a sign that mobility products are becoming more mainstream and also a reflection of the club’s own standards in meeting the requirements of all its users, not just the fit and healthy.
Impressed? We were.
You have made your adjustable bed…now lie in it
Dec 14th
As we all know at Mobility Compare, the way we sleep affects our day, our life and most importantly our health, so it’s crucial that we get the best night’s sleep possible.
Indeed, if you suffer with joint pain, snoring or arthritis it’s never a case of getting out of the bed on the wrong side, but rather any side of the bed at all. Sleep – or rather lack of it – can become the primary issue that affects every aspect of our life.
That’s why the popularity of adjustable beds is soaring nationwide, as people who have difficulty sleeping are lining up for these comfortable cures. With more gadgets than James Bond’s Q, adjustable beds can help people maintain a soothing position throughout the night – essential for a good night’s sleep.
Leaving us shaken and stirred at MobilityCompare is the multi-functional Dreamaway Classic – a traditional memory foam adjustable bed, which comes with built in Cyclo Massage and Easy Reach features.
Whilst these adjustable beds perhaps won’t tell you a bedtime story, the Cyclo Massage enables troubled sleepers to enjoy a relaxing and deep massage whilst dozing off. What better way to help with those disturbed nights than your own personal masseuse, and the 3-way-setting includes rotation and vibration as it targets specific spots.
At a modest price of £400 the Dreamaway Classic adjustable bed can hold up to a body weight of 18 stone, is easy to assemble and the reflex foam mattress is 6’6 long which is longer than a usual bed as it takes into account the mattress extending.
We also have soft spots for the beds at Willowbrook, particularly The Victoriana and The Renoir. Both adjustable beds have been designed in a particular periodic or contemporary style in order to match other room furniture or complement a décor. Don’t worry though they still have a mattress that bends into 5 different positions for maximum comfort.
Let’s also not forget that a good mattress is essential for a pain-free, distress-free night’s sleep, and King Koil’s Cassandra’s twin slat waffle finish means that the middle of the mattress can be made softer or firmer, depending on the individual’s requirements.
The Cassandra chips in at just over £900, but the feeling of getting up gently feeling energetic and refreshed is priceless. The mattress is also made from premium cashmere wool and hypo allergic latex which makes it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Of course, should you need more assistance with keeping your balance then bar accessories that attach to your bed are available.
We will look at safety and stair bars in future blogs…
