Aids for Independence
Disability aids for mobility, independence, and self-belief
Nobody gets a trophy for walking. No one goes around celebrating his ability to walk - except for those who have experienced disabilities, of course. From the simplest walking stick to the most hi-tech motor scooter, disability aids provide the important things patients lose from disability - mobility, independence, and self-belief.
Mobility
In our own homes we are king - or should be. And nothing can be more frustrating than not being able to fully enjoy one's home because of a disability.
Disability aids can help patients perform day to day functions of toileting, bathing, and dressing. Grab rails, shower chairs and stools, raised toilet seats, and anti-slip mats are simple, practical tools that can make daily living more manageable. You need to be able to move around any corner of the house, so place grab handles on entrance doors and steps, install a stair lift, or simply rearrange pieces of furniture so that wheelchairs can be more easily negotiated from room to room.
Independence
Nobody wants to lose their independence. The loss of one's ability to be independent is one of the biggest reasons for a disabled or elderly person to be angry, discouraged, and sad. It is difficult to suddenly be unable to do simple chores after years of living a normal life.Aids can help people take care of themselves and continue to be independent.
For instance, an independent person must be able to feed him or herself and make their own meal. There are kitchen utensils with larger, soft, handles for people who find it difficult to grasp or grip objects. There are also specially designed kettles and teapot tippers, and of course, all sorts of electronic gadgets for chopping, slicing, mixing etc. for meal preparation. Things like "knorks" make eating one-handed much simpler.
Remote controlled washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers are the most subtle disability aids but make life so much easier.Self-belief
As a person becomes more mobile and independent, he or she begins to believe in themself again. Disability aids may not fix a broken bone but they can definitely restore a crushed spirit. With modern technology and gadgetry, it seems as though to every known disability there is a clever invention (or ten!) to aid the sufferer.
