Disability Newsfeed for Disabled People, Parents, Carers, Occupational Therapists and AHPs

As technology evolves so does the ability to provide greater access into vehicles for those with limited mobility. And, as a leading provider of disability vehicle lifts and access products Vapor Ricon will be showcasing its full range at this year’s Mobility Roadshow. Located on stand H2-56, Silverstone Circuit, 26-28th May, the team at Vapor Ricon will be on hand to discuss the latest innovations in supporting disabled people and their carers with a range of products designed to be user and passenger friendly making travel simplistic and hassle free. Michael Dickinson, sales manager for Vapor Ricon said: “Mobility Roadshow is a great exhibition dedicated to providing its visitors with the latest news, technology and products.  We will be showcasing our full range of products which offer wheelchair users the freedom and safety to travel within their own, and other vehicles. “Our stand will include a specifically designed demonstration vehicle which shows our renowned K series l

Frances George, Specialist Physiotherapist, talks us through how the  Mustang Walker  with Lewis who has Cerebral Palsy, and how it has helped his independence.  http://bit.ly/1pX6otA The Mustang is a walking aid for disabled children and youngsters, who need supplementary assistance with their daily walking. It  provides excellent and snug support for the upper body whilst also keeping the child’s pelvis gently supported. The upright, slightly forward leaning position stimulates the walking function and encourages the child to participate in daily activities. The Mustang can be used by children with Cerebral Palsy and others with lack of balance and impairment of their motor function. The Mustang is developed as a basic anterior walker but can also be used as a posterior gait trainer, depending on the child’s level of ability. It i s available in four sizes and suitable for children and young people. Our new  interactive workbook  for the Mustang is now available on our web

The Supersport makes a real statement. Its looks borrow many design features from the motorcycle industry. But the Supersport doesn't just give you bags of style, there's plenty of substance too. It's a really rugged scooter. All the comfort and stability of a big scooter plus the reliability of a thoroughbred with a proven 20 year track record. Available exclusively in Black and Chrome it's really something special - you'll get no shortage of admiring looks. The Supersport's operating lever allows an amazingly smooth finger tip control of speed forwards or in reverse. You can crawl at a snails pace, an inch at a time or accelerate to the top speed of 8 mph in no time. Release the lever and the Supersport automatically slows bringing you to a comfortable stop and applies the parking brake. The positive steering and impressive turning circle allows the driver to negotiate almost any obstacle, be it in the high street or on a country ramble. Go to the beach or

John Jenkins MBE, 68 from Wallingford, is a retired Team GB disabled swimmer and table tennis star that now owns a rugged Top Gear winning Breeze S4 so he can continue enjoying outdoor pursuits in rural Oxfordshire. John has used a wheelchair since the age of five when he was diagnosed with Polio. Nevertheless this condition has not stopped him from living a life full of achievement. He completed a successful 25-year career in IT fulfilling several senior positions at blue chip corporations such as IBM and ICL before setting up his own business. Outside of work, John has always led an active lifestyle with a love of sport and outdoor pursuits. In addition to fly-fishing in many countries around the world, John competed at the top level of wheelchair table tennis and swimming for over 10 years - representing Great Britain at the 1984 Paralympics. He also represented his country at several World Championships in both sports achieving a bronze in Breaststroke. Since retirement from compet

Lauren, 11, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, uses an Etac Cross 5 wheelchair that offers multiple options for improved sitting positions and manoeuvrability. Lauren, an engaging pre-teen, was diagnosed at 4 months old with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and has a history of epilepsy, currently under control with medication. Lauren happily splits family time between her mum Ann’s house and her dad Kevin’s house that he shares with partner Nicola and her children, Tom and Harry, age 10 and 12. The extended family are extremely supportive of each other and determined to provide ideal care for Lauren’s requirements. When Lauren broke her leg falling from a swing in 2015, Kevin took a month off work and he, Nicola and Ann worked together to provide Lauren with vital support in both homes – including carrying her to upstairs bedrooms and endeavouring to maintain a normal routine for Lauren, which is so important to her. Following this difficult period, Lauren is now happily 90% recovered and the fam

X:panda is a highly adaptable modular seating system that can be configured to meet a range of postural requirements and to accommodate growth. It is available in 4 sizes and is best suited for babies from 5 months old through to young adults with Cerebral Palsy at GMFCS level 3- 5, who present with strong extensor spasticity, asymmetry or developmental delays. It can help children who might typically have pelvic asymmetry, hip migration or tight hamstrings. All sizes are available with individual growth in width, depth and back height. This extends the life of the seat and accommodates the greatest range of sizes in comparison to other chairs on the market. The x:panda features patented recline adjustment, tilt in space to 30° and a dynamic back with gas springs that can be set to control range of movement or can be locked. The seat offers optimum support and comfort for the child and can be mounted on a number of bases. Find out more in our x:panda workbook  http://www.r82.co.uk/me

TGA, the UK leading mobility scooter specialist, has supplied a new  Breeze S4 mobility scooter  to Strathclyde Country Park so that visitors with restricted mobility can access this popular Scottish beauty spot. Local resident Annie Purcell suggested to the council that a mobility scooter should be available at the park. She lives with mobility difficulties and felt that with a comfortable scooter available to hire, herself and other people with walking difficulties could discover newfound freedom in the Park. The model selected by Strathclyde Country Council was the 8mph Breeze model from TGA - famous nationwide for its high profile appearance on BBC Top Gear. Its renowned off-road capabilities were highlighted during the show when it was the first to reach the top of a rugged mountain in the Brecon Beacons. This robust, reliable and comfortable mobility scooter is now for hire at the Strathclyde Country Park and compliments the existing range of all-ability bikes. It has been

A demonstration of how to convert the R82 Gazelle PS standing frame from a supine position to a prone position. Our new interactive workbook takes a detailed look at Gazelle including different positioning options, a current case study being undertaken into abducted standing, transferring to and from Gazelle using a hoist and details on postural support options and accessories. http://www.r82.co.uk/media/423585/gazelle_work_book_march_16.pdf

Frances George, physiotherapist at Humberstone Park Special School, Grimsby has been working with Lily Mae (4 years) who has had a dislocated left hip since birth as well as other health issues. Lily Mae had no independent sitting balance and was in supine position at 30° off upright. She started using Gazelle at home over Easter, standing upright to 85° for periods of 15 minutes increasing in recent months to 1.5+ hours daily which can be split into different sessions. Following a further tendon release in September, Lily Mae will use the Gazelle to maintain further hip abduction and hopefully improve her MP. For further information on the Gazelle PS please read our interactive workbook http://www.r82.co.uk/education/workbooks/gazelle-ps/or visit our website http://www.r82.co.uk/

To date, the DIY SOS Big Build ‘Homes for Veterans’ Special was the most ambitious construction challenge to be undertaken by this building renovation TV programme. It involved the redevelopment of a whole dilapidated terraced street in Manchester so homes could be provided for injured servicemen and women. Lamin Mennah, disabled ex-Guardsman and his family were grateful recipients of one of these new accessible homes which included an assistive Windsor 2 bath donated by  Gainsborough Specialist Bathing . This two-part special DIY SOS received significant press coverage as the extensive two-week build was visited by HRH The Duke of Cambridge and HRH Prince Henry of Wales. BBC production, in association with the charity Walking with the Wounded, aimed to provide 62 new homes for injured military veterans and their families. The majority of the structural renovations for the whole street were completed during September 2015 and several residents, including Lamin, were presented with

Frances George, Specialist Physiotherapist, MSc, BSc, HPC, MCSP, explains hos to achieve the correct standing position for walking. http://bit.ly/1pX6otA The Mustang is a walking aid for disabled children and youngsters, who need supplementary assistance with their daily walking. The Mustang provides excellent and snug support for the upper body whilst also keeping the child’s pelvis gently supported. The upright, slightly forward leaning position stimulates the walking function and encourages the child to participate in daily activities. The Mustang can be used by e.g. CP children and others with lack of balance and impairment of their motor function. The Mustang is developed as a basic anterior walker but can also be used as a posterior gait trainer, depending on the child’s level of ability. The Mustang is available in four sizes and suitable for children and young people. For further information please visit http://www.r82.co.uk /, email via http://www.r82.co.uk/contac

Gazelle PS is a prone and supine standing frame with modular support components to address different standing needs. Clinical evidence shows that standing in a high degree of abduction can lead to better formation of the hip joint and significantly reduces hip migration in children with Cerebral Palsy. The Gazelle can offer up to 30 degrees of hip abduction in each leg.  R82 UK's new  interactive workbook takes a detailed look at Gazelle including different positioning options, a current case study being undertaken into abducted standing, transferring to and from Gazelle using a hoist and details on postural support options and accessories. 

Lily Mae is a delightful child who lives with various health issues including Cerebral Palsy (CP) and a dislocated left hip. These conditions result in Lily Mae requiring specialist equipment to support her in achieving a sitting or standing position. She has limited head control and transfers require the assistance of an adult. Like Lily-Mae, children who are significantly delayed in their ability to stand, and require the use of supportive equipment, are at greater risk of developing hip problems such as hip subluxation and dislocation. A standing frame which supported hip abduction was sought to support, maintain and improve Lily-Mae’s hip position by Senior Physiotherapist, Frances George. Frances supports Lily Mae at her school, Humberston Park Special School near Grimsby, Lincolnshire, where a programme of hip abduction has been initiated using the  R82 Gazelle PS . This ergonomic and versatile standing frame, that offers prone and supine support, has helped Lily Mae achieve si