25 May 2022
Holiday season is almost upon us, which means many people are already longingly browsing glossy holiday ads and dreaming of sandy beaches. Getting away when you have a disability or chronic illness may feel like a pipe dream, but there are plenty of mobility and independent living aids available to help make life that little bit easier on holiday.
Lots of people use daily living aids at home, but did you know there are many products which are designed to be portable, easy to assemble, and handy to use when you’re away from home? Here, we give you a rundown of 10 mobility and daily living aids that we think may help with some of the challenges posed by going on holiday or having a day out.
Let’s dive straight in there with the humble yet essential commode.
If you or your loved one find using a standard toilet difficult, the idea of struggling with a hotel toilet could cause you to feel anxious. This travel friendly commode is perfect. It folds away easily and will fit into a car boot with your luggage as well. The comfy backrest also doubles as a carry handle.
Having a portable commode means you can keep it wherever you like, for example, next to your bed, so you don’t have to scramble round in the night in an unfamiliar environment.
A day out or holiday often causes our schedule to go a little awry; we may get up late, eat meals at different times and generally live a little less time orientated. Certain health conditions such as arthritis, MS, heart disease or epilepsy often require someone to take multiple pills through the day to relieve their symptoms or reduce the chance of their condition worsening. A pill reminder tool is a great help. There are many versions, all of which are portable and easy to pop in a bag. Some can even fit in your pocket.
Depending on your budget, you could opt for an electronic pill reminder device that locks away pills until a pre-set time, or a simpler organiser, available with or without an alarm reminder.
If you tire easily or find it difficult to get around, a wheelchair may help when you’re out and about, even if you find you don’t need one permanently. If you’re living with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome or multiple sclerosis for example, using a wheelchair when you need to could help you enjoy more of the day as you need to expend less energy walking.
The Ultra Lightweight Aluminium Wheelchair comes in a self-propelled version, which is a great option if you want to be able to push the large wheels around yourself to get where you need to go. If you have a family member, friend, or carer with you, and pushing the wheelchair yourself isn’t an option, you may benefit from the attendant controlled version instead. Both styles fold up really compact and are great for occasional use or travel. The seats are padded and comfortable, but we recommend using a pressure-relieving cushion as well, if you’re sitting still for an extended period of time.
It’s great fun touring around in the car, exploring new towns, or taking in the countryside views, but getting in and out of a vehicle can sometimes be difficult if you have mobility problems. The Handy Bar is a really useful piece of kit as it provides an extra handgrip for you to pull yourself up from sitting to standing, while also helping you keep your balance.
The Handy Bar can fit most cars. It slots into the inner frame of the car, in the door latch, and is super strong, supporting those weighing up to 25st (158kg). It also has a special seatbelt cutter and window smasher, in case of an emergency.
If you have grab rails installed in your home, you may find it difficult to manoeuvre round your holiday accommodation without them. A portable, suction style grab bar is a great solution, which thankfully does not require you to drill holes in the walls of your room!
A Suction Grab Bar fits easily in a suitcase or bag, and can be installed in seconds onto appropriate, solid walls (ideally on smooth, flat tiles) with no mess. The grab bar is held in place with a vacuum created by the product’s 2 suction cups. There’s little chance of attaching it incorrectly, since the bar features two coloured indicators which show up green when the rail is correctly installed.
If you enjoy holidaying or travelling alone but want to keep in touch with family and friends while you’re away, a mobile phone will help you stay connected and get emergency assistance if needed.
The Doro 780x Simple Mobile Phone has a small number of buttons to avoid confusion and can be used to contact up to 4 people by voice call, using the programmable memory buttons. There’s also an ‘SOS’ button, designed for you to press if you are in need of urgent assistance e.g. you’re lost, feel ill, have a fall, etc. The SOS button automatically texts the 4 chosen numbers stored in your phone and sends them an emergency message with your GPS coordinates. Such an easy to use phone will bring peace of mind for you and those at home that you can get help when you need it.
Wherever you’re going on holiday, you need to keep hydrated – especially if you’re bound for sunnier climes or if the longed-for summer is heating up in the UK. Staying hydrated is really important for health, and for someone who may take multiple medications, or have a chronic condition such as dementia, kidney disease or diabetes, even slight dehydration can cause less-than desirable and potentially dangerous symptoms.
Getting a really big bottle that holds plenty of fluid (preferably water) like the Hydrant Drinking Bottle is a great idea to help you keep track of your fluid intake. It features a long suction tube which is ideal for people who have limited upper limb mobility or swallowing difficulties, who find lifting and sipping from a standard cup challenging. There’s a big handle which hooks over your hand or a chair/wheelchair, so you can keep the drink close to hand, and it holds 900ml of liquid. It also comes in a ‘sport’ type version, without the tube, and with a slightly smaller 500ml capacity.
Many people enjoy eating out on holiday, but if you find using standard cutlery difficult, you may worry about eating in public. Many health conditions such as arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke etc. can cause issues with gripping, coordination, hand strength or tremor, which may in turn make eating a meal difficult. Kura Care Cutlery is designed to look like ‘normal’ cutlery, but has thicker, shaped handles to make gripping easier. There are finger indents to help control the cutlery when eating, and the spoon is large to reduce spillage.
Lazy beach days, sticky sun lotion, and being outdoors in the blazing heat means we shower more in summer than any other time of the year. If you have balance problems, are unsteady on your feet, or find it difficult to stand for long periods of time, then using a shower could be risky for you and increase the chance of having a slip or fall.
A shower chair is a convenient and comfortable way to shower without worrying about wobbling with some that fold up compactly and are therefore ideal for travel. Shower chairs are height adjustable to suit you, and you should set it so you can place your feet firmly on the shower base/floor.
A rollator is a wheeled walking support, which generally comes in a 3-wheeled or 4-wheeled version. A rollator is a great option to consider if you’re able to walk but have a healthcare condition that causes you to find balancing difficult, are at risk of falling, or experience regular fatigue. A rollator could help you get around much more easily, both at home and on holiday. Our 3-wheeled versions feature a bag or basket on the front, so you can carry your belongings easily. A 4-wheeled version gives greater stability and an integral seat, where you can stop for a rest if needed.
We hope some of these daily living aids will be useful for you and help you to enjoy your days out this summer. There are thousands of other daily living aids available that may prove beneficial if you have a disability or chronic health condition, to help make your holidays more accessible.
If you find something about travel or daily life challenging, and are unsure how daily living aids could help, check out our buying guides or speak with our Expert Advice Service.
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