Every person in the world wants luxurious life and so in order to lead a very luxurious life every person work from day to night. The people across the world want luxury in all aspects of life and bathing is no exception and so they go for handicap bathtubs. The bathroom of the people is well decorated with all types of decorative pieces. There are also bathtubs in the bathroom which adds to the comfort of the people. The use of such bathtubs is mainly used for remodeling the bathroom. The bathroom has to look very stylish and charming. The remodeling of a house or a bathroom does not mean the rebuilding but rather it means replacing the things from one place to another.
The handicap bathtubs are of great help to the people as these tubs are deeper than the other tubs. These tubs do not slip as well and moreover you can easily take a bath in these tubs and enjoy bathing. These tubs are safer than any other bathtubs as they have easy entry as well as exit. The people with a little mobility mainly use these types of bathtubs wherein they can relax as well. These bath tubs are very hygiene and they can be found in the market very easily and their cost starts from $3000 to $6500. These bathtubs provide all the people with the ease to bath without the assistance of others.
Walk in bathtubs not only helps to make a bath comfortable but it can also be used as one of the most effective ways to relax and take some rest from the day's hard work. A rest after a long day is always very relaxing and is much needed. These types of tubs are very handy for the people who have problems with their mobility as well. It is also useful in our day to day life as well.
There is handicap shower tub that provides the immovable people a great satisfaction as they can bath like the normal people. This creates a very strong feeling in them and so makes them happier. This type of a bathtub is neither smaller nor bigger but it is of the same size. So such bathtub does not draw any type of dissimilarity amongst the other types of tubs. But the tubs are deeper than the normal ones and so there is less risk of any accident. Moreover a person can very easily enter and exit out of the bath tub.
Such bathtubs are not only used by the patients but are also used for decoration. Now-a-days many people use such bathtubs in order to decorate their bathrooms and make them look luxurious. Again on the other hand such bathtubs are very relaxing and people love to use such tubs. So the use of this type of bath tub is not limited to a type of people but it can be used by most of the people across the world. Add a handicap shower chair so you will not have to stand for long periods.
Handicap Bathtubs provides luxury in life of handicap people. For more information on Handicapped bathtub visit the provided links.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
Bathtubs for Disabled
Choosing bath tubs for the handicapped is a very important task. You will need to take a lot of factors in consideration when purchasing the bath tub. Accessibility and safety will often be your main points of concern. The features that you will need in the bath tub will be determined by the nature and severity of the handicap as well. These handicap tubs are designed to allow for easy access, they are higher and deeper then regular bathtubs, but they usually have a seat where the patient can sit. This makes it very easy to enter and exit the tub and prevents slipping or needing to bend down to recline in the tub.
Walk in bathtubs can promote healing and usually include many features comparable to jacuzzis and hot tubs. Whirlpool features, massage sprays, and hydrotherapy can convert regular bath time into a time of intense therapeutic sessions that can help promote healing and relax stiff muscles. There are also showerheads that are affixed to the edge of the walk in bathtub that will allow you to easily take a shower while remaining in a seated position. Add some shower grab bars on the walls near the bathtubs for added safety. These bathtubs have given freedom and convenience back to many people who for whatever reason were unable to bathe by themselves.
Safety features and design are the key to choosing the best bathtub for your needs. Locking gates, power seats, and easy access and exit points are features that will ensure your bathing needs are met in safety, comfort, and ease of use. These bath tubs were designed with the needs of the handicapped in mind and are created to meet the safety concerns of those who have limited mobility. They come in a wide variety of sizes and depths allowing for a wonderful bathing experience, which may be hard, to obtain by those who have medical needs.
Price ranges vary in walk in bath tubs, but they are typically very comparable to the cost of a hydrotherapy whirlpool tub. They cost between $3,000-$6,000. However, if you are purchasing the tub due to a medical condition or a handicap, it is possible that your insurance or Medicare may help cover the cost. You should contact your agent or caseworker to find out if this is a possibility. These bath tubs have revolutionized the way handicapped and the elderly take care of themselves and has given many the freedom to bathe without needing additional assistance.
Learn more about walk in bath tubs and options available when looking for a handicap shower tub at http://www.bathtubtherapy.com
Walk in bathtubs can promote healing and usually include many features comparable to jacuzzis and hot tubs. Whirlpool features, massage sprays, and hydrotherapy can convert regular bath time into a time of intense therapeutic sessions that can help promote healing and relax stiff muscles. There are also showerheads that are affixed to the edge of the walk in bathtub that will allow you to easily take a shower while remaining in a seated position. Add some shower grab bars on the walls near the bathtubs for added safety. These bathtubs have given freedom and convenience back to many people who for whatever reason were unable to bathe by themselves.
Safety features and design are the key to choosing the best bathtub for your needs. Locking gates, power seats, and easy access and exit points are features that will ensure your bathing needs are met in safety, comfort, and ease of use. These bath tubs were designed with the needs of the handicapped in mind and are created to meet the safety concerns of those who have limited mobility. They come in a wide variety of sizes and depths allowing for a wonderful bathing experience, which may be hard, to obtain by those who have medical needs.
Price ranges vary in walk in bath tubs, but they are typically very comparable to the cost of a hydrotherapy whirlpool tub. They cost between $3,000-$6,000. However, if you are purchasing the tub due to a medical condition or a handicap, it is possible that your insurance or Medicare may help cover the cost. You should contact your agent or caseworker to find out if this is a possibility. These bath tubs have revolutionized the way handicapped and the elderly take care of themselves and has given many the freedom to bathe without needing additional assistance.
Learn more about walk in bath tubs and options available when looking for a handicap shower tub at http://www.bathtubtherapy.com
Managing Disability
Disability made easier
22 Tips on how to do it
After years of experience I can still never say that I have arrived and know everything about disability or how to cope with or combat it. One thing I have learnt is that disabilities vary vastly from person to person, even if diagnosed with the same disease, disability or condition (we won’t pursue the other synonyms in this article. That is an article on its own.)
I was once told by a very wise doctor that the reason for my sudden and unexplained falling was that I was tripping over my own pride. You see pride was getting in the way of me using the numerous aids at my disposal in order to avoid these sudden mishaps. Once I overcame my pride and removed the perceived stigmas attached to these devices, I fell less often, until eventually I parked my stubborn backside in a wheelchair. Hey Presto ----------- no more falling.
Some tips to help cope with disability without buying handicapped equipment ………
* Ascertain the problem e.g. (can’t open jars or bottles etc)
* Seek the solution on the net on sites for disabled and disabled aids and equipment or get someone to open the problem container for you, then decant the contents into manageable containers.
* Use an 8mm dowel stick approximately 1 metre or shorter in length with rubber cap on both ends (use thick rubber bands wrapped around and glued if necessary). Useful to get to light switches, TV buttons, front door bells, set alarms, stretch for papers on desks, pushing or pulling tool, backscratcher. (NO it’s too thick to serve as an ear bud for itchy ears). Anyway I was told never to put anything smaller than my elbow into my ears.
* Eating utensils too thin in the handle. Use short lengths of 12mm new garden hose to slip over the handle. Makes handle easier to hold. And can be removed for washing of both, utensil and hose. To avoid contamination soak handle in mild bleach solution.
* Bend the front of a fork or spoon to the left or right at 45 degrees, pending if left or right handed, makes for easier self feeding.
* Use a bowl instead of a plate. You won’t have to “chase” your food around your plate so much.
* Can’t pick up cups and glasses. Use clear PVC tubing of desired diameter (similar to medical tubing used in drips etc) also used by canoeists. Available at most hardware stores. Cut to desired length (longer than conventional straws) can be easily cleaned by washing and soaking in mild bleach and water solution. Can be carried in wheelchair bag.
22 Tips on how to do it
After years of experience I can still never say that I have arrived and know everything about disability or how to cope with or combat it. One thing I have learnt is that disabilities vary vastly from person to person, even if diagnosed with the same disease, disability or condition (we won’t pursue the other synonyms in this article. That is an article on its own.)
I was once told by a very wise doctor that the reason for my sudden and unexplained falling was that I was tripping over my own pride. You see pride was getting in the way of me using the numerous aids at my disposal in order to avoid these sudden mishaps. Once I overcame my pride and removed the perceived stigmas attached to these devices, I fell less often, until eventually I parked my stubborn backside in a wheelchair. Hey Presto ----------- no more falling.
Some tips to help cope with disability without buying handicapped equipment ………
* Ascertain the problem e.g. (can’t open jars or bottles etc)
* Seek the solution on the net on sites for disabled and disabled aids and equipment or get someone to open the problem container for you, then decant the contents into manageable containers.
* Use an 8mm dowel stick approximately 1 metre or shorter in length with rubber cap on both ends (use thick rubber bands wrapped around and glued if necessary). Useful to get to light switches, TV buttons, front door bells, set alarms, stretch for papers on desks, pushing or pulling tool, backscratcher. (NO it’s too thick to serve as an ear bud for itchy ears). Anyway I was told never to put anything smaller than my elbow into my ears.
* Eating utensils too thin in the handle. Use short lengths of 12mm new garden hose to slip over the handle. Makes handle easier to hold. And can be removed for washing of both, utensil and hose. To avoid contamination soak handle in mild bleach solution.
* Bend the front of a fork or spoon to the left or right at 45 degrees, pending if left or right handed, makes for easier self feeding.
* Use a bowl instead of a plate. You won’t have to “chase” your food around your plate so much.
* Can’t pick up cups and glasses. Use clear PVC tubing of desired diameter (similar to medical tubing used in drips etc) also used by canoeists. Available at most hardware stores. Cut to desired length (longer than conventional straws) can be easily cleaned by washing and soaking in mild bleach and water solution. Can be carried in wheelchair bag.
*Ask for assistance if you sincerely need it during shopping. Do not let your pride prevent you from getting things done.
* Wheelchair bag hanging on back of chair to carry equipment. I use a cloth bag from one of the supermarket chains. (wee bottle, eating utensils, drinking tube, change of undies, nappies if required, etc Each item in its own Ziploc bag to avoid contamination)
* A bag can also be hung under the seat behind the legs to hold things like cell phones, spectacles, tablets, medicine etc. if you can lean forward, or fit it somewhere else more suited to your requirements.
* Weights for exercising can be tins of food instead of barbells, socks filled with sand or beans to desired weight, bungee cord attached to chair or wall or door frame for neck, arm and leg exercises. I use one that was a luggage strap for my car.
* Extend your door handles with flat wood of appropriate width a length glued on with epoxy glue. The longer the handle the more leverage and less strength required. Also attach a loop of cord around handles for easier opening towards you as you reverse your chair. Vary the length to suit your needs. Cord loops are also handy for fridges, cupboards, drawers etc. Same can be done with window handles. Push with stick pull with loop. With a lot of useful aids the aesthetics go by the board unfortunately but I’d rather struggle less than have it pretty and useless.
* Fit a thin cord or string or even fishing line through the hole at the end of difficult zips. Loop to desired length. Tuck into the top of pants when the zip is closed.
* Thread elastic of correct thickness and colour to shoes instead of shoe laces
* Men, make a small hole at back of the shoe and thread loop of strong thin cord through the hole. Tuck the thread into shoe once on. Sorry ladies nowhere to hide the thread for you. It shouldn’t irritate you if you use a wheelchair.
* Raise a comfy chair by standing it on ash or cement blocks. It’s easier to slide off the chair than get up from the lower position.
* Don’t use a kettle to heat water for tea or coffee boil required amount in microwave. Quicker and lighter.
* When sitting in a wheelchair at a table. Try sitting at a corner with the table leg between your footrests and legs, and the point of the corner towards your stomach. You can get closer to your plate, cup or glass.
* Wrap and glue stiff paper around a favourite pen or pencil with surplus piece extending off the pen in a glued together flap. Now pinch flap between thumb and index finger and teach yourself to write all over again.
* Wear your glasses (spectacles) around your neck on a cord loop. Attach to glasses using rubber bands. Will be with you when you need them. Hands free.
* Attach a PVC pipe 50mm dia or smaller, of desired length to the side of your chair once you’ve closed the bottom, (can use any strong plastic bag or packet and glue or elastic bands to do that). Use as a “quiver” for scratching pointing stick and other required long tools. Fix to chair with adjustable hose clamps.
* Attach a mobile alarm panic button to your chair or wear one around your neck, so that help can be summoned in case of emergency.
* Join disabled (or any other synonym) groups and ask questions. There are amazing people in the disabled fraternity with brilliant cheap workable ideas. Seek and you shall find. Don’t, and you will forever struggle.
* Wheelchair bag hanging on back of chair to carry equipment. I use a cloth bag from one of the supermarket chains. (wee bottle, eating utensils, drinking tube, change of undies, nappies if required, etc Each item in its own Ziploc bag to avoid contamination)
* A bag can also be hung under the seat behind the legs to hold things like cell phones, spectacles, tablets, medicine etc. if you can lean forward, or fit it somewhere else more suited to your requirements.
* Weights for exercising can be tins of food instead of barbells, socks filled with sand or beans to desired weight, bungee cord attached to chair or wall or door frame for neck, arm and leg exercises. I use one that was a luggage strap for my car.
* Extend your door handles with flat wood of appropriate width a length glued on with epoxy glue. The longer the handle the more leverage and less strength required. Also attach a loop of cord around handles for easier opening towards you as you reverse your chair. Vary the length to suit your needs. Cord loops are also handy for fridges, cupboards, drawers etc. Same can be done with window handles. Push with stick pull with loop. With a lot of useful aids the aesthetics go by the board unfortunately but I’d rather struggle less than have it pretty and useless.
* Fit a thin cord or string or even fishing line through the hole at the end of difficult zips. Loop to desired length. Tuck into the top of pants when the zip is closed.
* Thread elastic of correct thickness and colour to shoes instead of shoe laces
* Men, make a small hole at back of the shoe and thread loop of strong thin cord through the hole. Tuck the thread into shoe once on. Sorry ladies nowhere to hide the thread for you. It shouldn’t irritate you if you use a wheelchair.
* Raise a comfy chair by standing it on ash or cement blocks. It’s easier to slide off the chair than get up from the lower position.
* Don’t use a kettle to heat water for tea or coffee boil required amount in microwave. Quicker and lighter.
* When sitting in a wheelchair at a table. Try sitting at a corner with the table leg between your footrests and legs, and the point of the corner towards your stomach. You can get closer to your plate, cup or glass.
* Wrap and glue stiff paper around a favourite pen or pencil with surplus piece extending off the pen in a glued together flap. Now pinch flap between thumb and index finger and teach yourself to write all over again.
* Wear your glasses (spectacles) around your neck on a cord loop. Attach to glasses using rubber bands. Will be with you when you need them. Hands free.
* Attach a PVC pipe 50mm dia or smaller, of desired length to the side of your chair once you’ve closed the bottom, (can use any strong plastic bag or packet and glue or elastic bands to do that). Use as a “quiver” for scratching pointing stick and other required long tools. Fix to chair with adjustable hose clamps.
* Attach a mobile alarm panic button to your chair or wear one around your neck, so that help can be summoned in case of emergency.
* Join disabled (or any other synonym) groups and ask questions. There are amazing people in the disabled fraternity with brilliant cheap workable ideas. Seek and you shall find. Don’t, and you will forever struggle.
Wheelchairs-Transportation-Insurance
Wheelchairs, Transportation and Life insurance
The determination to stay mobile has had it’s trials and tribulations since being advised that I have a disease called Inclusion Body Myositis.
I have been a very wobbly walker for the past eight years or so and progressed from wobbly unaided to wobbly aided over this space in time. My first walking stick was one I inherited from my mother in law.
I am still convinced in my own mind, that she knew I was going to need a stick at some stage, and that is why she left me this dance with death walking stick. She had prepared this stick for me, for having the temerity to marry her darling daughter.
The damn thing had a will of it’s own and would suddenly go off at a tangent, just when I needed it’s support the most. The resultant sprawl onto the deck would leave me severely damaged in spirit and body. I would lie there in pain while I convinced myself the sounds in my brain were not the sniggers of my dear old mother in law but really just the ringing in my ears from the impact with the floor. After a couple of these incidents I decided to inspect the suspect stick more closely, only to find that the rubber tip had worn through and the protruding wood was the reason for the sudden falls. Nobody can convince me that she did not sit there gleefully rubbing away at the stick tip until the wood was slightly exposed. Short of sending this stick for forensic tests I could not prove that my mother in law had somehow contrived the suspect wear of the tip. I will carry it with me to the grave that the old darling had a good giggle every time I landed flat on my face. I only felt slightly better after using the thing as kindling for a summer barbecue.
Then came a wheeled handicap walker. Also left to me by mom in law, needless to say, but the contraption was closely inspected before I condescended to use it. Yes, you guessed correctly.
Somehow she managed to change this help aid into an instrument of torture that would trip me up at unexpected times. I’m sure that she even coached the dogs on how to get me to trip over them or my own feet. The difference between this walker and the stick was that, now I would fall and become entangled with the metal framework, landing up in positions with a strangely contorted body wrapped in and around the framework. I was fast becoming a wobbly walker with a phobia about falling. At a guess it could be called fallaphobia or crash landing a phobia but it is actually called --- Basophobia or Basiphobia- Inability to stand. Fear of walking or falling. Use which ever grabs your fancy.
Decisions, decisions ---- walk or wheelchair?
Well, once I had climbed the mountain of pride I could see myself maybe using a wheelchair when we went out. But, only, when we went out. Definitely not all the time.
You see, wheelchairs are for disabled people and I’m not disabled. I could still flop into the front seat of the car at this stage and the wheelchair would have pride of place in the rear. The first time I flopped backwards I misjudged my space and whacked my head on the roof of the door frame as I flopped into or onto the seat. I was convinced that my head had been opened like a toilet seat and it took a lot of reassurance from my wife to convince me that my head was still intact and that what was left of my brains was not splattered all over the driveway. I took a deep breath and mumbled something about mothers in law and vendettas before being securely strapped in with my safety belt. That came very close to being the last time I would venture out but after many threats, pleas and shaking of heads I was cajoled into trying again. Everything went swimmingly until I fell the last time and after spending four months flat on my back it was decided that I would be safer in a power wheelchair.
Now there was a transportation dilemma all over again. How to get me out?
We sold the van and bought an APV Renault Kangoo with the idea of riding the chair up an aluminium portable handicap ramp into the back. Once there, the chair was to be secured to the floor with tie down straps.
Theoretically this was easy. All the sums concerning head room etc were done and the ramp was purchased. Somewhere along the line here, I seemed to have lost my nerve and I kept putting off the trial run with fake back ache or headaches or any other ailment that I could contrive to get out of the attempt to pull an Evil Knevil stunt in my driveway.
Eventually after continual nagging from my wife and kids I conceded and the day of the test of my courage arrived.
Eventually after continual nagging from my wife and kids I conceded and the day of the test of my courage arrived.
The vehicle was parked in the correct place and the ramp was put in place. To me it looked like people were asking me to ride up the vertical face of a precipice. The ramp was probably at a 40 deg angle and the possibility of tipping over backwards loomed hugely in my brain. The off chance of me steering the chair off the edge was also very real. Blankets and sponge mattresses were strategically placed and I drove up to the foot of the ramp. It had been previously decided that I would not charge at the slope just in case I missed it altogether. The faith that everyone had in my driving skill was rather disconcerting to say the least.
I readied myself mentally and physically and had my son standing behind me in case of a backward tip. Engage gear and ready steady go. I took off up the ramp like a scalded cat, fortunately realising that we had not measured the entrance height and ducking my head just in time to avoid decapitation. We had measured inside but did not think or see that the roof bulged as roofs do. The entrance height was a good ten centimetres lower than the roof.
The main instigator, had all this time, stood with her hands over her eyes, in a “hear no evil see no evil” posture and I will reluctantly concede that my eyes were tightly shut as well. Success !! we had managed it without serious mishap.
Everybody was happy until we realised that the chair could not be turned around inside the car and in any event the ramp was so steep that it would have been dangerous to go down forwards. Then with shrieks of mirth and with my son practically rolling on the ground with laughter I was informed that I would have to reverse down the ramp.
Problems.
I could not twist my head far enough to see where I was going and had to rely on directions interspersed with giggles to get me out of my predicament. Then with my heart thumping in my chest and gallons of sweat pouring down my face, I negotiated the reverse manoeuvre and arrived at the bottom without falling off or tipping over backwards.
Now we have all the systems and routines in place it is still nerve wracking, but, with practise it has gotten easier each time.
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