Equipment that Needs Designing
INTRODUCTION
The Assist Ireland website keeps information on many products that are currently available in Ireland. However, there are still situations when products or solutions need to be designed.
This Information Sheet gives suggestions for equipment that you could consider designing, modifying or adapting. In some cases the equipment is available but not particularly satisfactory, very limited in choice, unattractive or very expensive.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
It is always a good idea to talk to potential users to find out their requirements. When designing equipment for people with a disability, the following points should be considered:
- Disabled people are consumers. The end product must not only be functional, but also attractive enough to blend into the home environment.
- The product should be easy to use.
- The colour and appearance should be aesthetically pleasing and not clinical.
- Materials used often need to be lightweight and hard wearing.
- The final price should be affordable.
Ask the following questions:
- Who will be using the product?
- Where will the product be used?
- What will the product be used for?
- How often will it be used?
- Will the product be used by one person or several people?
- Will it be safe?
- Will it be easy to clean?
- If the piece of equipment is large, how it will be stored when not in use?
- Will the equipment require regular maintenance and if so who will do this?
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT
- An extra strong fridge lock/cupboard lock, eg for an older child with autism who keeps taking items.
- An alarm to signal if fridge/freezer door is left open.
- A corkscrew that can be used with one hand.
- A corkscrew that requires the minimum amount of effort.
- A device for getting casserole dishes out of an oven with one hand or weak hands. (This is especially difficult when lifting something from a low oven up to table level).
- An insulated/heated plate for adults. There are a few with hollow rims into which hot water is poured, but these are plastic and similar to those designed for children. There are also heated trays on which the plate can be placed.
- An ovenproof plate with sections/compartments (microwave and plastic variety are no good for a standard oven).
- An electric can opener with a stand for one-handed users. Preferably, both right and left-handed users should be able to operate it.
- A device to crack a raw egg when a person only has the use of one hand
- A timer which will automatically switch off the cooker hob after a certain length of time (for gas and electric hobs).
- A folding ironing board that has a seat attached to it.
- A lightweight folding ironing board that can be opened easily. This needs a completely different design approach to conventional ironing boards.
- A mechanical device to help someone with limited reach open a top- or side-hung window sited behind the sink or work surface. There are a few available on the market.
PERSONAL CARE EQUIPMENT
- A gadget to help someone use a pump action spray. The only product available at the moment helps with dispensing and is exclusively for inhalers.
- A talking glucose monitor for someone with diabetes and visual impairment.
- A device to help somebody with limited dexterity to administer spray medication, ie GTN Spray, under the tongue.
- A pill reminder that can be programmed to go off more than twice per day. It must be easy to set so that a person with memory loss will not forget how to set it.
- A contact lens applicator and an easy-to-open contact lens case.
- A pill reminder with clock/digital display showing day of the week (for someone with memory impairment).
BATH/TOILET EQUIPMENT
- Device to alert someone with poor sensation or forgetfulness that their urinary drainage bag needs emptying.
- A bath board for a corner bath.
- A bath seat for a corner bath.
- A collapsible raised toilet seat to take with you when you go out.
- A padded raised toilet seat.
- An easy to empty (non-splash) chemical commode.
- A leg rest to keep one leg out of the water whilst in the bath. Needs to fit a range of baths. Especially helpful for older people with leg ulcers.
- A gadget to help people who cannot get their hands above their head, to wash their hair, ie if they have limited shoulder movement.
- A tampon inserter for women with restricted hand and arm movement. There is only one on the market.
- A bottom wiper for people with limited upper limb movement. A few are available but these do not work very well.
- A gadget to put curlers in hair one-handed, or a new type of curler that will achieve the same purpose.
WHEELCHAIR EQUIPMENT
- A device to clean wheelchair wheels.
- An attachment to facilitate pushing a wheelchair on sand.
- A convenient method of transporting a walking frame on a powered wheelchair.
- A device to improve suspension in wheelchairs; only one is currently available.
- A suitcase for a wheelchair user. Must be easy to pack/unpack and transport.
EQUIPMENT FOR CHILDREN
- A twin pushchair to provide postural support for an older child with a disability and an infant.
- A folding/portable supportive toilet seat, designed for a child, with backrest for taking on holidays etc.
EQUIPMENT FOR DISABLED PARENTS
- A baby carrier for a parent who is a wheelchair user.
- A cot for a child with easy-to-open sides so that someone in a wheelchair can easily open them, ie gate sides. There is one on the market but it is very expensive.
- A lifting sling for a disabled parent who is unable to lift a child in the conventional way.
- An adjustable-height, baby-changing table for a parent with a disability. The ones available at the moment are larger, for a disabled child, or wall-fixed and not height-adjustable.
ALARMS/TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT
- A lightweight cordless phone with large buttons.
- A portable voice amplifier for a telephone for someone with a weak voice. One telephone is available which has an amplifying device built-in.
- A portable holder for a telephone receiver for people with limited upward arm movement or weak upper limbs. The device currently available forces the user to hunch his/her shoulders. The device need not necessarily be a shoulder rest but could possibly be attached to a headband for instance.
- A voice/sound activated alarm/autodialling telephone system.
- An easy-to-use mobile phone with larger buttons for someone with poor dexterity / poor sight / learning difficulties.
- A device which pre-records messages to send down a telephone line (a replacement for Claudius Converse).
BEDS, CHAIRS OR SEATING EQUIPMENT
- Bed safety rails with lock which occupant can operate.
- A wooden swing-away tray which can be clamped to a selection of high seat/lounge chairs. Some manufacturers provide ones to go with certain models but there is not one available with universal fittings.
- A riser cushion which could fit into a wheelchair and will help someone to a standing position. It is important to consider the pressure relief and positioning needs of the user/s.
WALKING EQUIPMENT
- A metal framed basket for a standard Zimmer-type walking frame. It must not disrupt the stability of the frame. There are some available attached to rollators.
- A walking stick with a folding, substantial seat higher than 46cm. Those available are either too low or were not originally designed for disabled people and the seat is not very supportive.
MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT
- Device or system which magnifies subtitles or script on the television for deaf and/or visually impaired people.
- Calendar clock that can be set to announce important dates, eg appointments, birthdays.
- Wall clock that indicates whether it is night or day, not just am or pm.
- Tabletop automatic clock/calendar with clear figures that will inform a person with memory loss of the time, day and date. Needs to be reasonably priced.
- Extendable windscreen sun visor for short drivers.
- Shopping trolley that can be transported up and down stairs easily or a device that can be used to transport a shopping trolley up the stairs.
- Device to carry loads, eg shopping, washing etc, upstairs for someone who has to use both hands on the banister.
- Long-handled pooper scooper.
- A voice activated/hands free dictaphone with easy-to-use buttons. A voice activated version is available but the buttons need to be controlled at the beginning and end of dictation.
- A cassette tape/CD inserter for a person with limited hand function. A way of selecting and inserting tapes/CDs into a front-loading system.
- A radio with easy-to-see and easy to use buttons.
- A good quality radio cassette recorder which has large buttons, and button pre-set for stations - for visually impaired people or those with limited hand function. There are a couple of radios or cassette players but the quality of these is fairly poor or they are very expensive.
- A one-handed letter opener. There is an electric letter opener available but a manual one could be less expensive.
- A portable short rise wheelchair platform lift that will lift to a height of more than 1.5-2m, eg to allow a wheelchair user to get onto a stage.
USEFUL ADDRESSES
*It should be noted there is currently no statutory system of registration to either an independent chartered institute or representative professional body for allied health professionals eg occupational therapists, chartered physiotherapists and speech and language therapists in Ireland. This is likely to change soon as the Health and Social Care Professional Bill published in October 2004 sets out a system of legal registration for health and social care professionals irrespective of whether they work in the public or private sector or are self-employed.
Disabled Living Foundation (DLF)(UK charity providing advice and information and a comprehensive up-to-date database of disability equipment available in the UK)
380-384 Harrow Road
London
W9 2HU
England
Tel: 0044 207 289 6111
Email: dlfinfo@dlf.org.uk
Website: www.dlf.org.uk
Ricability(independent research body in UK which produces guides for older and disabled consumers based on professional research)
30 Angel Gate
326 City Road
London
EC1V 2PT
England
Tel: 0044 207 427 2460
Fax: 0044 207 427 2468
Email: mail@ricability.org.uk
Website: www.ricability.org.uk
