Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Grab Bars For Restrooms

Grab bars for restrooms should not be an optional decision. Their amazing use and ability to blend in with the environment makes them great for anyone, disabled or not. They are a security requirement for almost all new construction and remodeling. As people turn out to be older it becomes more difficult to bath. A primary trigger of injury for that elderly is falls in the bathroom. The bathtub, shower and toilet would be the primary areas of concern and bars and handrails will provide the additional safety and support to assist people preserve their balance. Grab bars for restrooms will provide everyone with extra security, not just the elderly or individuals with disabilities.

Handicap bars for restrooms are considered an integral component from the restroom simply because they supply safety and security for all users. They are absolutely obligatory for the physically disabled and are component of ADA regulations. Typical applications consist of public restrooms, public shower rooms, hotels, hospitals, wellness care services, nursing houses, residential houses, wellness clubs, assisted living services, independent residing apartments, and commercial office environments.

Grab bars for restrooms are an essential safety function but they also can add to the sophistication and elegance of the restroom. They convey the picture of issue for that user with heavy duty chrome-plated metal or stainless metal. They're rust resistant and could be mounted horizontally or vertically or in other configurations. Some configurations include vertical floor-to-ceiling poles for greater assistance. These durable and functional support systems are ergonomically designed for any comfy and safe grip. Some bars and handrails are covered with a corrosion resistant nylon gripping area. This nylon gripping surface offers a sleek, non-slip surface that maintains a stable temperature regardless of variations of heat or cold in the drinking water or restroom. And these nylon surfaces are also free of any sharp area irregularities that would be regarded abrasive.

Grab bars for restrooms are constructed from heavy gauge 304 stainless steel tubing. The diameter is usually 1 or one and one fifty percent inch and the bars and handrails can be mounted in either a concealed or exposed method. The ADA has specific load requirements that practically all bars and handrails meet or exceed. Additionally, the ADA demands a safety clearance among the wall and also the bar or shower handrails of 1 and 1/2 inch. You can find multiple configurations available for bathtubs, showers, stalls, and toilets. Custom made configurations also can be created for clients. There is a range of mounting kits available with most having three 3/4" diameter mounting brackets with rubber gaskets to guard walls.

The maintenance and cleaning of grab bars for restrooms is generally a simple procedure but there are several points to avoid. Most grab bars for restrooms are made from stainless metal which is really a reduced carbon metal that's comprised of a minimum of 10 % chromium. The chromium gives stainless steel its rust and corrosion resisting ability however it does not make it impervious. Stainless steel can be broken by corrosion or discoloration by harsh cleaners along with other unique problems. Generally, users should avoid using chloride cleansers, cleansers containing salts, bleach, and muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid) which is commonly utilized during tile and concrete installation. Concentrated soap residue and drinking water, with a higher iron written content, can also discolor or leave a rusty residue. Get in touch with iron resources for example metal wool ought to be avoided simply because little bits of metal can impregnate the stainless steel and start to rust. The best technique of upkeep is repeated washing with a mild soap and drinking water.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Shopping With A Disability

I used to enjoy visiting our local shopping mall with my family because we knew we could stroll around eating an ice cream while looking in the windows until one of us saw something that grabbed our fancy. We would then venture into the shop in search of the desired item. Once inside it would be a case of walking sideways in order to negotiate the narrow aisles between all the clothing, shoes and other displayed goods. It wasn’t a problem then but it sure is now.

I have been in a wheelchair for a few years now and what used to be an enjoyable visit has now become a nightmare. The aisles in most stores can be negotiated with care and precision but to actually get between the racks to select a specific item is next to impossible. I have had my wheels get caught in amongst items of clothing, ridden over shoes left on the floor and driven into other browsing customers with embarrassing regulatory. Needless to say that any visit to the change room is completely out of the question. Few if any shops will allow me to take items home on approval, so the items must be paid for and then returned for swapping or credit if they don’t fit or are not required for what ever reason.

To venture into a store that sells crockery, art, glassware or appliances is fraught with danger. The aisles are packed to well past capacity and the danger of knocking something over with the added risk of creating my own domino effect on the fragile goods being displayed or run the risk of undermining the base of a displayed stack of toasters, steam irons etc and being crowned by a flying appliance is very real.

So what is the solution, besides shopping online or from mail order catalogues? I can enter the store and wait by the door for service or I can sit there and get extremely frustrated and angry while I get sideways glances from the shop assistant who is too terrified to approach me to offer assistance just in case I should bite him or her. The second option is more likely to happen in busy stores but does also happen, with lazy staff, who prays that I will just go away if they ignore me. It has become necessary to create a scene on the odd occasion where I “throw my toys out of my cot” with instant service being offered from every shop assistant within hearing distance.

Once the purchase has been made the bought article has to be carried on our lap while we handle the steering joystick and get all of us safely back to the vehicle.

Needless to say that any attempt or desire on my part to go on a shopping spree, fizzles out like a wet fire cracker as soon as I think back on how happiness, turned to anger to disappointment to frustrated irritation and inevitably choose to rather keep my cool and save my money by staying at home and asking someone else to make the purchase on my behalf if I really need the item.

Not the best solution but at least I remain sane.

Shopping like many other activities is no longer an enjoyable exercise.