GenInv – Health and Wellness

Many people would love to be out and about more and remain active, but can no longer remain standing or walking as long as they used to. Just because you have some mobility issues or limitations does not mean that you still can’t remain active and be involved in many of the activities that you love. Today’s wheelchairs and scooters come in many different shapes and sizes. Many of these are very lightweight and portable, so that you can quickly and easily fold them up and fit them in t

he trunk of your car. This way your wheelchair or scooter is readily available whenever it is needed.

As mentioned earlier there are many different types of wheelchairs to choose from. Here are a few things to consider when picking out the right wheelchair for you.

Self-propelled Wheelchairs
Manual or self-propelled wheelchairs usually have large rear wheels and are set in motion and propelled by the person sitting in the wheelchair. Since these chairs are propelled by the occupant they have

large rear wheels so that you can easily reach these while sitting in the chair. Wheel sizes normally range from 20-26 inches in diameter, but the most common sizes are normally 22 or 24 inches. The rear tires have circular hand rims that the user pushes in order to move the wheelchair forward or backwards. Many of these chairs are very lightweight and can be easily folded up and fit in the trunk of your car. Someone who is a skilled user can easily control the speed and direction of their whee

lchair with very little effort. Consider buying a pair of wheelchair gloves to protect your hands if you are using this type of wheelchair.

Motorized Wheelchairs
If you are willing to pay more, and want the independence of being able to cover a little more territory by motoring around, a motorized wheelchair may be just what you need. Lightweight, portable models are widely available, and many of these chairs can be quickly assembled or disassembled and stowed in the trunk of your car.  These are great for someone who is able to walk quite well, but maybe doesn’t have the endurance that they once had. Again, once at your final destination or at the mall, you can quickly assemble your wheelchair and off you go. For someone a bit more active and who loves the outdoors, they even make heavy duty motorized wheelchairs. These chairs normally have larger motors and special frames that compensate for rougher surfaces and inclines. They also have larger wheels, suspensions and drive options that provide a reasonably smooth ride even over rough surfaces. Of course these types of chairs are a bit more pricey, but if you love the outdoors and the freedom that these chairs provide, then it can be well worth it.

These are just a few types of wheelchairs to consider, but hopefully this article gives you a small glimpse at the wide range of options that are now available. With all these options, there is no reason to be stuck at home and miss out on many of the activities that you enjoy. Find the right wheelchair for you so that you can remain active and involved in the lives of your children and grandchildren.

For more information on portable wheelchairs click here.

In Britain, a Debate Over Care for the Elderly [removed]//

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LONDON — Every Tuesday, Janet Isobel Bishop walks the few blocks from her rented one-bedroom apartment in Notting Hill to a painting course, followed by tai chi lessons. The classes are paid for by the British government, just like the weekly one-hour visits she receives from a caregiver, who also helps her clean her home.

Enlarge This Image Jonathan Player for The New York Times

Janet Isobel Bishop says ho

me help would let her stay in her London apartment. A proposal before Parliament could give it to her.

Related

›› Times Topic: Elder Care

Clutching her walking stick, Mrs. Bishop, 85, says she would never move into a nursing home because she resents “people knowing exactly where I am all the time.”

Yet ever since six months ago, when she was trapped in her bathroom, unable to walk, for about an hour until a neighbor heard her screams and summoned help, she has wanted addit

ional support at home. But she cannot afford to pay for it. Her three daughters have full-time jobs and can visit only on weekends.

Governments across Europe are struggling to cope with the needs of rapidly aging populations at a time of shrinking revenue.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is facing a tough election, probably this spring, has pledged free home care for elderly people with “severe care needs” in England and Wales, regardless of a person’s financial situation. The change wou

ld be a fundamental shift from the country’s traditionally means-tested system.

But the plan is already proving controversial because it would require additional spending when Britain is under pressure to substantially cut its record budget deficit.

The government estimates that 400,000 people would be eligible for free home care, at a yearly cost of £670 million, or $1 billion. That would come on top of the £15 billion the government already spends each year caring for the elderly in England, including people like Mrs. Bishop.

Most of the care for the elderly is still provided by relatives and friends, while state-financed care is available only for those with low incomes. As a result, many pensioners are forced into poverty or into selling their houses if they move into a nursing home.

In Europe, there is a growing consensus among lawmakers that such a system creates “perverse incentives” by discouraging saving, said Jon Glasby, professor of health and social care at the University of Birmingham.

In the Netherlands, people can insure themselves against future care costs; in Germany, taxpayers are required to pay a percentage of their income into a fund that later covers their costs.

Mr. Brown’s plan, which is being debated in Parliament, will come to a vote before October. If it is approved, free care could soon become available in Britain and be a first step toward creating a national long-term care system for the elderly alongside the health care system, which has provided Britons with free medical care for 60 years.

Mr. Brown’s government said the changes would make the system fairer and reduce some of the cost and the strain on hospitals and nursing homes.

Some “older people in hospital linger when their treatment has been completed because the services they need to return home — nursing care, rehabilitation and simple domestic support — are difficult to organize or simply not there at all,” Mr. Brown said in a speech last month.

But some lawmakers called the policy proposals a ploy intended to win votes before the general election. Skeptics also raised concerns about the costs of free care, pointing to Scotland, where some home care has been free since 2002.

Scotland offers the service to about 55,000 people but has been under pressure to curb or scrap it as costs have spiraled.

Those costs rose to £358 million in 2009, up 11 percent from a year earlier and almost triple the £125 million a year originally earmarked to support the service, according to Scottish Parliament figures. An auditor’s report suggested costs could reach £500 million in two years.

Jenny Owen, president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, an industry group, accused the British government of “significantly underestimating the true costs involved” and estimated costs would be twice the original forecast of £670 million.

The local authorities in England, which — unlike in Scotland — are expected to p

Finding a care home
You have a right to choose which home you move into. So you will probably want to find out what homes there are in your area and visit a few to get an idea of what they are like.
As a first step, try asking around – perhaps friends or relatives know of a home with a good reputation. But remember, although a personal recommendation is a good starting point, homes can change, and what suits one person may not suit another.

There are different was of finding out about

care homes in your area:

›› Contact your local care standards authority – they can give you information about the homes registered in the area.

›› A charity Counsel and Care provides information and advice on finding a home and what to look for.

›› The Elderly Accommodation Counsel (EAC) has a comprehensive database of care homes in the UK.

Who are care homes run by?
Care homes can be run directly by local councils; voluntary organisations (reg

istered charities or religious bodies); or privately (by individuals or companies on a commercial basis).

Homes run by voluntary organisations may have special rules about who they can admit. For example, some homes are for people who have served in the armed forces, or for people from particular ethnic groups or religions.

Who regulates care homes?
Care homes are registered and regulated by the following care standards authorities:

›› the Care Quality Commission in England

,

›› the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales in Wales,

›› the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care in Scotland and

›› The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority in Northern Ireland.

In England, a three star rating system was introduced in May 2008. If a care home is given a rating of zero (0) it means the quality of the care provided is poor; if the care home is awarded a rating of one star the quality of the care provided is adequate; if the care home is awarded a rating of two stars, the quality of the care provided is good; and if the care home is awarded three stars, the quality of the care provided is excellent. The frequency at which a care home is inspected depends on how many stars the care home is awarded.

In Wales, care homes must be inspected at least once every year, although they can be inspected more often if it is felt necessary.

In Scotland, care homes are inspected twice a year; and in Northern Ireland, care homes are inspected twice a year.

After each inspection an inspection report is produced, containing information about how the care home operates. You should be able to get copies of these reports from your care standards authority (or health and social services board in Northern Ireland). See the Useful contacts page for details.

What kind of care do you need?
Care homes have to be very clear what level of care they provide and how they will meet each resident’s care needs.

All care homes should be able to give you help with personal care if you need it – this could include help with washing, dressing and going to the toilet.

If you are extremely frail or unable to leave the bed, or have any sort of medical condition or illness that means you need a lot of attention from a doctor or nurse, you will probably need to look for a care home that can provide nursing care. This type of home should have a qualified nurse on duty 24 hours a day.

Finding a home for someone with very specific care needs, for example someone with severe dementia, can sometimes be difficult. If you can’t find a home that provides the sort of care you, or your relative or friend needs, ask your local council to help; it has a responsibility to find a suitable home for anyone it has assessed as needing a care home place.

The Alzheimer’s Society can give advice to people with dementia on what to look for in a care home and also give information about suitable homes for someone with dementia. Other specialist groups, such as the Parkinson’s Disease Society can offer specialist advice and guidance.

Wheelchair lifts provide accessibility for handicapped, disabled or aged persons. They are easy to use and provide safe transportation making it possible for the handicapped to move independently. People decide to install wheelchair lifts in their homes for the convenience of their dear ones who may be handicapped and are on wheelchairs most of the time. There are various models with different features available in the market, one should check out the different types before choosing a h

ome wheelchair lift and decide on the best one to purchase.

The Right Wheelchair Lift to Select

Choosing the right wheelchair lift depends on several factors such as what the wheelchair user’s needs are and which all places in the home he/she needs access to, automatic or manual operation, affordability, space requirements, size, height and weight of the lift etc. The lift should be in compliance with ADA guidelines and other standard codes. The wheelchair platform lift should be able to

withstand at least 500 pounds or more taking into consideration the weight of the wheelchair and its user. One should also check whether it is compatible in his home, installation requirements and whether any alterations are required. They also need to plan whether to purchase a wheelchair lift to be installed permanently or a portable one.

Buy from a Reliable Manufacturer

A wheelchair lift is not something that can be brought easily and cheaply. A lot of time and investment is needed befo

re deciding to buy the right wheelchair lift for residential purpose. There are several firms manufacturing wheelchair lifts and choosing a home wheelchair lift from one of them is going to be a difficult task. However it is imperative to choose the firm that offers quality products and services and which can be trusted.

Medical scooters are an important item among modern medical equipments. These vehicles are constantly being upgraded with additions of useful features. Recently, a jet powered mobility scooter has been launched. It is significantly faster than existing medical scooters and hence helps save a lot of time.

Medical scooters are also called mobility scooters and are mostly used by handicapped persons and elderly people. These scooters come with three as well as four wheels and people buy

ing them select them according to the degree of steadiness required. Earlier, these vehicles were heavy and unmanageable by most riders. But the implementation of superior technologies has produced lighter models which are very easy to operate.

Modern mobility scooters are of two types -

›› Electric models and

›› Gas powered models.

Where electrically powered models are concerned one doesn’t need to worry about the fuel. This model has become highly popular

in America because of its environment friendliness. The batteries provided with these models can hold charge for about 8 to 10 hours and can be used for travelling a distance of up to 25 miles at the rate of 8 miles per hour. The gas powered models have similar features and can be used for travelling long distances.

These vehicles can have additional attachments like weather cover, in-built charger for charging mobile phones and iPods etc. One can also get attachments that will aid in driving

such as side reflectors, rear reflectors, durable bumper, changeable turning radiuses and a basket for carrying objects. Like normal scooters, mobility scooters also have horns, turn signals, headlights and hazard lights. These vehicles also have digitized tiller that helps in controlling movement.

The four-wheeled models are generally preferred for outdoor use. These vehicles offer greater stability as well as more space. Quality medical equipment vendors also have medical scooters that can be disassembled into four to five parts. These pieces can be put together easily and thus one can carry the vehicle along during long tours.

There are many vendors that sell medical scooters, EasyMedOnline is among the reputed ones that offer high quality vehicles at affordable rates as well as guarantee on quality. EasyMedOnline offers different types of medical scooters. Do visit their website to detailed information about available products. You can read the client testimonials to get honest feedback on the products and also purchase the products online.

If you are going to buy a wheelchair it is better you do some research rather blindly going and buying a wheelchair. It is always a good practice to make sure you take all the efforts in find out which wheelchair suits you needs before you invest your valuable money on any of the models. Wheelchair reviews are your best ally in helping you find the right wheelchair is which worth your money and to make sure you money is not wasted by buying one which is of low quality. A considerable am

ount of quality wheelchair reviews can be much better than an advice from friend or relative or even a doctor.

Finding right wheelchair reviews is no rocket science; in fact it is quite easy. A matter of about 5 to 6 wheelchair reviews would be sufficient for you to draw to a conclusion on which is the best wheelchair. This a much better and an objective way than taking a decision based on persons opinion. These wheelchair reviews are written by experts who specialize in wheelchair manufactur

ing so their opinions do matter a lot.

In the internet there are loads of reviews it important for you go through the right reviews. In fact people say that find wheelchair reviews is much easier finding a wheel chair, such is the amount of reviews in the internet. So you must take so time to drill through various web sites to find the right sites. The easier approach is to search of the models you have in mind and find if there are quality reviews about them. You can easily search for them i

n search engines like Google, Yahoo etc by typing the model followed by the word “review” or “reviews”. This would fetch you good comprehensive reviews.

There might also be wheelchair reviews in the websites of vendors from who you are planning to buy the wheelchair from. There is no harm in going through these reviews but you must keep in mind that you do not totally depend on that as they might not necessarily be the honest reviews which might help you finding the right wheelchair. It is always better to rely on independent wheelchair reviews as they might not have any affiliations to any particular model. If you are looking for wheelchair reviews in the wheelchair manufacturing company’s websites it is better to look for the wheelchair reviews by consumers. It would give you a clear picture if the consumers are satisfied or not.

Also before going for a wheelchair be 100% sure if a wheelchair is necessary for you. There might be cases when people injured in the leg and would only be temporarily required, in such kind of cases it is better for you to go for a model which is not too expensive all be it if the features are less, as you are going to only use it for a short while.

You must only go for a wheelchair only if you are satisfied that you have gone through enough number of wheelchair reviews and your mind is clear about which wheel chair you want. In case if you are not so confident there is no harm taking that extra bit of time to go through some additional wheelchair reviews before coming to a conclusion.

For those suffering from limited mobility problems, the solution lies in a power wheelchair. It helps a person move around at his own will and he can also control the chair with the power controls. If you are also leading a busy lifestyle and need to travel frequently, then you can opt for a power wheel chair. These are folding chairs which can be easily disassembled and packed into the back of a car. Nowadays you will get specialized ones which are technologically advanced and have man

y features. These can cost you as much as $30,000.

One of the lightest versions is the foldable manual wheelchair. These are lightweight chairs and can be folded to a very small size. However not everybody is in a position to maneuver a manual wheelchair and may be requiring a powered one. These are heavy but you can also find a wheel chair which can be easily disassembled and packed into the car or the airplane. These can be detached from the motor and then folded up. Then you can carry the m

otor separately and the rest of the chair in a different pack.

When disassembled, the heavy versions of the powered ones weigh around 80 pounds, while the lighter versions weigh around 60 pounds. Travel wheelchairs are not specifically designed to carry heavy weights but you may find a suitable heavy duty wheelchairwhich can carry sturdy individuals. The highest capacity travel chairs are able to carry around 300 pounds of weight.

Travel rules for travelling in an airplane

If you are trave

ling in an airplane, then it is important that you know about the rules and regulations of carrying your power chair. You can call the airplane helpdesk and inform them that you would be traveling with a wheel chair. Then they will also be informed about your arrival and help you to check in your wheelchair. You can also ask them for help to retrieve your chair once you have reached your destination. As a precautionary measure on your part, you must always carry sufficient batteries or a suitable charger when you are travelling so that you do not run out of power.

If you require a travel power wheelchair and you are looking for more information online, you may visit easymedonline.com.

If you are wondering what a disability scooter is, it is similar to an ordinary scooter but is specially designed for people who need assistance in moving around. Designed for extra convenience that offers mobility and independence to these people, disability scooters are an essential and popular vehicle amongst many people. These mobility scooters give you the freedom to ride long distances and walk small distances if necessary. The Lichfield District Council has recently pleaded the m

obility scooter users to be more careful while using the pavements since there are many pedestrians and wheelchair users using the pavement too.

The mobility scooters have been designed in such a way that they have two rear wheels right below the seat. A flat platform is built right above the rear wheels which extend till the front part of the car. Here you will find another column where the steering wheel is placed. This steering wheel column is known as the tiller and you have to understand

how it works, so that you can learn how to use it. The tiller controls help in steering forward or reverse and even determines the speed of the scooter. These controls work differently in each model and are in the shape of either a paddle or a switch.

At times there is one wheel in front rather than two wheels. These mobility scootersare available in an electric version, but you may also find a gasoline powered one if you look for it. The electric ones have rechargeable batteries which you nee

d to know if they are powerful enough for your travels. You will need a pack of high powered batteries if you are travelling up and down slopes of any type. Another advantage of these scooters is that they have automatic braking which means that you will have to use the controls properly to make the vehicle move. Once you use the controls properly, you will be able to move the vehicle. You will also have to learn how to use the controls effectively, like gradually pressing or releasing the controls which helps in increasing or decreasing the speed.

These scooters are generally small in size and can accommodate weights up to 250 lbs. these are ideal for people who do not want to walk longer distances and is used as a quicker way to cover distances. If you want to know more about these disability scooters, you may visit easymedonline.com.