What our Occupational Therapists say...
The household aids available from Healthcare Pro can help people of all ages and abilities to live more independently, from those who are older and finding simple daily tasks more difficult, to those who need disability aids for the home to help them live better with a health condition.
Household aids are wide ranging, with equipment that comes in all shapes and sizes to help with a variety of everyday activities – from carrying aids and car travel to telephones and health alarms.
Household aids can often be a good idea to help someone stay confidently independent, particular if they are living with:
Disability aids for the home, such as a Home Safety Alert -Pendant Alarm System or Solo Call Bed Sensor Alarm Kit are great for carers who are looking after someone living with a cognitive health condition like dementia or Alzheimer’s as they can help carers keep a closer eye on their patients to ensure they remain as safe, yet independent as possible. Home safety equipment like key safes can also enable carers, family or friends to access your house in an emergency if you fall or have mobility issues which makes it difficult for you to answer the door when someone visits.
For people who enjoy getting outdoors in the good weather, Healthcare Pro also offer a range of gardening tools with long, Easi-Grip® handles that are designed to help prevent pain caused by bending and stretching, whilst also keeping your hand and wrist in a more natural position for additional comfort. A garden kneeler can also offer a sturdy seat or a kneeling pad with arm supports which help you rise and lower, reducing the risk of falling while you maintain your garden.
Feeling comfortable in your own home is vitally important for your mental health as it enables you to feel safe and confident when taking care of yourself. Home mobility aids such as tea trolleys are great for carrying items independently from room to room e.g. taking your evening dinner from the kitchen to the dining room or lounge.
Smaller household aids, which may seem insignificant, can also make your home safer and reduce the risk of falls. Plugs and sockets, for example, can be operated with a remote control, preventing the need for you to reach down, which may possibly cause you to overbalance. A Hand or Foot Mains ON/OFF Switch can also prevent you from trying to reach awkwardly placed sockets, making daily tasks easier and safer.
When it comes to home aids for the bathroom, Healthcare Pro also stock a number of tap turners to make it easier for anyone living with weak grip to turn the taps on and off on the sink or bath. Or for anyone who is likely to forget the bath is running, a Magiplug® will prevent flooding and scalding thanks to its built in pressure plate and colour changing temperature indicator.
Regardless of our ability or age we all use home aids to make life easier. Who could imagine our daily lives without a washing machine, kettle or TV remote control?
If we are older or disabled, we can extend the range of home aids we use to make life easier and to overcome some of the difficulties and barriers we may have. For example, instead of using a standard kettle which may be too heavy to lift and pour safely, we can swap to using a kettle tipper or a hot water dispenser in order to carry on making that all important cup of tea for ourselves and our friends and family.
Healthcare Pro, as part of the NRS Healthcare family, live by their motto of “Putting People First”. One of the most important services Healthcare Pro offer is their free Expert Advice Service – managed by our team of Occupational Therapists (OTs). There are still many people who are unaware that home aids even exist and it’s only when they are older or diagnosed with a health condition that they hear the term used.
The world of “daily living aids” is vast and choosing the right equipment to suit your needs may sometimes seem like a daunting and confusing task. Our Expert Advice Service is there for you to call and get free, expert information from our qualified OT professionals, who are dedicated to finding you the right equipment to help you live independently at home or when out and about. Call 0345 121 8111 and see which of the 4,500 products available on the Healthcare Pro website can help make your daily routine easier.