One area of Independent Living that is always popular is our advice on fall prevention  and I am pleased to say that we now have a companion piece – information about what to do after a fall.

Felgains, expert care equipment providers, have written a step-by-step guide to what you should and shouldn't do if you are the first person on the scene when someone has fallen.

Read the guide here

 

The Centre for Ageing Better has produced an interesting report about older people and home adaptations. Summarising briefly, they found people often delay making adaptations which could help them live independently and safely because they are put off by the appearance of grab rails and other aids to daily living.

I am in a bit of a quandary here, because I know – as do you – that there are very attractive adaptive products to be had. Only last week, I featured an accessible wetroom that no-one could find stigmatising or clinical looking. And you will find plenty more good-looking solutions on Independent Living!

Why is the message not getting through to more potential customers? Are specifiers in a rut about which products to suggest? Or is it lack of visibility in mainstream shopping environments? Let me know what you think!

 

The children's charity Newlife has a really valuable emergency equipment loan service, to provide essential mobility and daily living support to families with a disabled child in critical need.

With the support of specialist suppliers such as Theraposture, who provide paediatric care beds and cots through the service, the charity can move very quickly, generally getting equipment in place within 72 hours. The service is free to families, and gives a breathing space while arrangements can be made for meeting equipment needs on a long-term basis.

You can see more here

 

It's that time of year again! The Stelios Awards for Disabled Entrepreneurs are open for applications.

A top prize of £30,000, and £10,000 each for the four runners-up is not to be sneezed at.

Run jointly by Leonard Cheshire Disability and the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, the awards have been recognising business excellence since 2006.

More here, including how to apply

  

Independent Living website subscriber, Mercado Medic, has a crisp, clean new website of their own, tailored to be more accessible for all users.

An informative layout helps users locate a local assessor/dealer of the Mercado Medic range, while a new blog section advises on topics including access to work and disability equipment in general.

The site links with their new social media platforms, and new re-sellers are being added all the time, making it easier for users to obtain an assessment.

Check it out here!

 

Legoland – the most-visited children's theme park in Britain has just widened its welcome, by installing fully accessible, assisted Changing Places toilet facilities.

The bright, cheerfully decorated space complements the existing provision of disabled toilets in each of the WC blocks around the venue.

More details here

 

Don't forget that you can apply to join the Independent Living Facebook group, if you would like to spend more time discussing these themes with other interested people. 

There are various ways you can get in touch with us: email me; visit our Facebook page and leave a message there; or if it's short and sweet, Tweet!

Previous newsletters are archived here.

If you are reading a copy of the Independent Living newsletter that has been passed on to you by a colleague or friend, why not sign up for your own free subscription – it's quick and easy, and won't lead to your inbox being bombarded with other stuff!

Until next time, all good wishes,

Frances