1. Stairs – overcoming the obstacle

What happens when you suddenly can't manage stairs? This is a problem that confronts many of us: more than two thirds of British homes are on more than one level.

Peter Wingrave, sales director at Independent Living site subscriber AAT GB, has written an interesting article about the pros and cons of different solutions, both short and long term.

Read more here

2. March Madness!

Spring is coming - I promise! Festival Spirit will be celebrating the equinox with a full day of music, comedy, poetry and "campfire conversations", all to enjoy, free of charge, from the comfort of your own sofa.

The March Madness event has been made possible by a small grant from the National Lottery, and many of the acts have disabilities or life-limiting illnesses.

As you may know, in more normal times, Festival Spirit provides opportunities for young people with disabilities or life-limiting illnesses to attend festivals.

Read more here

3. Preventable Harm - briefing paper

Mo Stewart, disabled veteran and healthcare professional by training, has spent more than 10 years exposing the pernicious effects of welfare “reforms” on people living with disabilities.

She has now published a briefing paper in order to address the apparently widespread ignorance amongst MPs and others of the monumental scale of harm caused by the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) in particular.

Former shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said that he will be talking with MPs about this, and the brief has been distributed to various parliamentary groups, with a suggestion that an MP should approach the Backbench Business Committee to arrange a debate in the House of Commons.

You can read the briefing paper here

4. Venue to Virtual - almost here!

Week beginning 1st March is the date for your diary. That's next Monday!

Kidz to Adultz Venue to Virtual is bringing together a range of products and services from custom-made safe rooms to high sided beds and sleep areas; assistive technology; PA carer and payroll services; to learning opportunities for young people with learning difficulties; training opportunities - not to mention free, impartial equipment advice.

More details here

5. Killing COVID with light

I think we are all now realising that there is no going back to "life BC" (Before COVID).

Pandora's Box has been opened, and the virus will be with us for the foreseeable future. Which means protecting ourselves as much as we can.

The vaccine roll-out is going better than anyone predicted - in Britain at least - but that isn't the complete answer. Indoor spaces are particularly favourable for transmission, with virus particles lingering in the air and on surfaces, waiting to be inhaled.

Independent Living site subscriber, LED Direct, has an interesting article explaining the use of UV light to protect homes, as well as commercial and healthcare premises.

You can read it on their website

6. Latest - Robotic AI glove

A clever new robotic glove based on AI technology could soon be helping millions of people recover muscle grip in their hands, having secured support from the Edinburgh Business School’s Incubator, based at Heriot-Watt University.

The glove is aimed at the 2.5 million people living in the UK who suffer from hand weakness because of age or due to conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease and carpal tunnel syndrome.

More details here