1. Are you sitting comfortably?

We all know that feeling, when you’ve been in one position for a while and you start to feel uncomfortable: the cushion needs plumping, you feel pressure on parts of your body.

Being comfortable yet appropriately supported can really impact on our general feeling of wellbeing.

Independent Living site subscriber and vacuum posture specialist AAT has compiled some excellent advice on choosing the best postural support for you.

Read more here

2. EHRC reminder

Face coverings and who has exemption from wearing them keeps coming up as a topic on Independent Living.

As we emerge from lockdown, it is important to keep doing the things that help prevent the virus from spreading, so everybody who can wear a mask really should.

At the same time, the EHRC is reminding businesses that blanket bans on customers who don't have a face covering are likely to be illegal...

Keep reading here

3. Unequal apps

A friend I usually chat to on Skype can no longer use it: he is visually impaired, and recent updates have rendered it unworkable for him.

This is not an isolated occurrence by any means, yet apps are frequently championed as the means by which people with disabilities will be able to access a more independent lifestyle.

RiDC (Research Institute for Disabled Consumers) has been putting smart home apps through their paces, to see how user-friendly they are...

Find out more here

4. Resources from Sense

The national disability charity Sense has launched a new online platform to access arts, sports and wellbeing resources.

It offers more than a hundred free activities for people living with complex disabilities to take part in no matter where they are.

More details here

5. Supporting key workers

Our friends at MASIS launched a campaign early in the first lockdown to show appreciation of the efforts of people on the pandemic frontline with a key worker lapel badge.

It is still important to recognise their essential role, so the charity has decided to continue selling the badges, which have been redesigned to remove the reference to 2020.

Read more here

6. Latest - Subscriber Shorts

Snippets of news from some of the lovely subscribers whose support enables Independent Living to keep going!

Closomat, the experts in toileting, have a freshly updated showcase page.

Stiltz Homelifts have a special offer on lifts ordered before May 31st, of £500 off and a free one year extended warranty.

Astor Bannerman has recently donated 675 slings, worth £67,000, to National Star, a UK charity supporting young people with complex disabilities