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Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easier
Hi, Its hard to know when shopping for aids if they will be any good, everyone’s needs differ greatly even more so between different conditions. Advice from Adaptations shops and Occupation therapists can be unreliable or basically just bad for MD patients. I have found that they try to treat all disabilities as they would an elderly person but unless that elderly person has MD its just bad advice. The help from local councils also differs from area to area on what they are willing to supply, and what items that can supply but keep secret as due to cost. I’m sure we’ve all got a loft full of pillows, gadgets and contraptions that looked good on the shelf till you got the thing home. Thought it would be good to talk about what’s good and what’s not in regards MD and any cheaper handy alternatives to branded official disability aids. as the words disability aids seem hike the price up.
Stair lifts with riser
Everyone will agree how much they benefit from their stair lift if they have one. When my last stair lift came to the end of its life a few years back I did some net shopping and eventually found the stair lift I have just now. as well as getting you up and down stairs this stair lift also has a built in riser just like a riser recliner chair. so at a flip of a button it slowly rises till you are in a standing position and are ready to bear your weight no more pulling on grab bars risking a topple down the stairs. The only thing is this chair is more expensive than the other chairs but councils do supply and fit them the OTs simply told not to advertise the fact. I had to fight for about 6 months before they agreed but they can do it. and its made a big difference to my life as i dont need help to got on off chair..Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierI got a grabber from my Dad a year ago & laughed when he brought it round. The jokes on me, I got two now & they’re invaluable to me, save me so much back ache & frustration. If one can’t quite manage the weight of something, the two can together. I normally keep one in my bedroom & one in the living room/kitchen. Also got a long handled toilet brush and a dustpan & brush – all have handles about three feet long.
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierI got a grabber from my Dad a year ago & laughed when he brought it round
grabbers are good, Ive also got an extending pen thingy with a magnet to pic up small metel things. good for when sewing and you drop the pins/neddles. Ive got 2 kinds of grabby the type like the council litter pickers have and one that folds. cant lift anything heavy with the folding one as it folds back on itself but ok fot the tv remotes.
I was given my first grabby as a gift too. the idea was for me to pic up my own clothes off the bathroom floor. but hey I think that counts as house work.. dont do housework
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierCar Gadgets
My new fav gadget is an adaptation I saved up for on my new motabilty Car. This is my fifth car via motability and its the first one that i have been able to open the boot door on. (im under 5 feet and cant reach up)
The gadget in question is an “automatice tail gate opener” so at the touch of a button my boot can open and close without having to grab a passer by to open it
allow the more expensive cars sometimes comes with an auto tail gate the automatic I need is always much too expensive on the high end cars for me, so this adaptation on my MAzda 5 was the best way. I have high hopes for Fords new cmax that can comes with the auto tail gate as an option.Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierIn ASDA today.
Weathertrax for £ 9.00.
mentions Yaktrax as part of contact phone number. Are these a cheaper form
of Yaktrrax?Did not buy them as our snow retreated a couple of days ago and for some
insane reason I think vthat is it for this winter.Things just have to get better!
"Even if you are not paranoid, it does not mean they are not out to get you!".
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierHand controls to drive car
Does anyone have (or had) hand controls in their car to operate the accelator and brake. Got my new car (mazda 5) couple of months ago and being short and having one short leg due to my scoliosis I cant reach the brake properly. Wasn’t able to test drive my car before buying as garages never have an auto. never had this problem before but this is my first car thats been higher off the ground. my last car was a focus estate, great to drive but too hard getting up and out from.
soo my question. Im looking at hand controls to reduce the leg stress when braking, particullary when sitting at red lights. Cant get to test drive hand controls in a automatic car as the salemens cars are all manual. and seeing thems not enough.
Are they hard to learn to use. would be greatful for any advise and any good/bad points on hand controls.
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierHandy Bar
Its a small red rubber bar that fits into the door loop and helps me getting out of my car. Its hard to explain so i’ve copied some details below.
The HANDYBAR CAR AID is a highly engineered simple device with a non slip solid support handle for extra comfort and a super strong forged steel shaft.
The HANDYBAR CAR AID fits the majority of vehicles with the standard U shaped striker plate on the car door frame and there is a U shaped striker plate on each of the driver and passenger doors.
The U shaped striker plate is one of the strongest parts of the vehicle and is designed to keep the vehicle door closed in the event of a side impact collision, so is the ideal point to create a safe and secure attachment for the AUTO HANDYBAR.
The AUTO HANDYBAR also incorporates an invaluable Seat Belt Cutter and Glass Breaker to help leave a vehicle quickly and easily in the event of an accident or emergency.
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierCushtie Squish Pillow from Amazon & Ebay
My new fav pillow , moulds to your body, filled with millons of little beads that sort of heat up against your body. Comes in lots of colours and shapes.
great for travelling in the car or watching telly.
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easier“the Handy bar” as recommended by alunwatson
Have ordered one of these and also ordered a car caddy which is bassically a strappy thing that you hook onto the door frame above the window to pull yourself out but Im going to use it on the door handle to pull the door closed.
both can be view on mobilitysmart website but I ordered cheaper of ebay and amazon but this site has lots of great ideas.
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierCatatude – think we are going to rename you ‘Gadget Gal”
I'm always the animal, my body's the cage
I blog about nothingness www.amgroves.com
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierCatatude – think we are going to rename you ‘Gadget Gal”
I like it.. Do I get a cape. it sounds superheroy Love a good gadget
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierI’ve been getting into the whole baking thing and a lot of the more adventurous recipes I’m trying call for separating the eggs. It might just be that I need to practice doing it in the shells but I’ve ordered myself an egg separator. I expect miracles….at a low price….
What about second breakfast?
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kissofdarkness1/
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easier@kissofdarkness wrote:
I’ve been getting into the whole baking thing and a lot of the more adventurous recipes I’m trying call for separating the eggs. It might just be that I need to practice doing it in the shells but I’ve ordered myself an egg separator. I expect miracles….at a low price….
Thanks the tip.
Glad the egg seppy is on the way to you and at a nice cheap and sensible price. Hope it does not turn out to be an
“egg breaker”, many is the time I set out to do poached aggs and end up with scrambled."Even if you are not paranoid, it does not mean they are not out to get you!".
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierI got a silicon cup thingy from pound shop for poaching eggs. just crack egg into silicon cup and float in water. simples.
retro method:
pot with boiled water (bubbling)
stir the water to make a whirlwind
stir in first 15ml of viniger
then break your egg into middle of swirling waterRe: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easier@taungfox wrote:
Glad the egg seppy is on the way to you and at a nice cheap and sensible price. Hope it does not turn out to be an
“egg breaker”, many is the time I set out to do poached aggs and end up with scrambled.My attempts at omlettes become posh broken omlettes [thats chumky scrambled eggs with stuff in, like ham, mushroom, onion, pepper, whatevers left over to chop]
I'm always the animal, my body's the cage
I blog about nothingness www.amgroves.com
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easier@amgmod wrote:
My attempts at omlettes become posh broken omlettes [thats chumky scrambled eggs with stuff in, like ham, mushroom, onion, pepper, whatevers left over to chop]
I do hammy scrambleds, will try adding some other stuff now. Thanks the idea.
Do mine is casserole dish in microwave so plenty of room.
"Even if you are not paranoid, it does not mean they are not out to get you!".
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierI thinly slice onion, pepper, mushroom and fry them soft before adding the egg.
I'm always the animal, my body's the cage
I blog about nothingness www.amgroves.com
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easierhave you maybe thought about softening the veg, taking them out then adding the egg for a couple of mins so it starts to form the skin at the base, then returning the veg? I dont make omelettes so I might be unbelievably wrong and misguided in my technique but I seem to remember my mum doing it that way.
What about second breakfast?
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kissofdarkness1/
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easier@kissofdarkness wrote:
have you maybe thought about softening the veg, taking them out then adding the egg for a couple of mins so it starts to form the skin at the base, then returning the veg? I dont make omelettes so I might be unbelievably wrong and misguided in my technique but I seem to remember my mum doing it that way.
Never thoght of doing it that way …
I'm always the animal, my body's the cage
I blog about nothingness www.amgroves.com
Re: Gadgets and Stuff to make lift easier@amgmod wrote:
Never thoght of doing it that way …
Hope it works now I’ve said that!
I’m now the proud owner of a cordless vacuum. Pricey
but upon arrival I’ve found it will be worth it – no dicing with death via electrocution (tangling the cords around my wheels) and it’s so light! Even when it’s suctioning.What about second breakfast?
IG: https://www.instagram.com/kissofdarkness1/
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