Modified Stair Lift
20th December 2023
This client was unable to reach the lever of their stairlift which put them at risk of falling down the stairs. Their Occupational Therapist asked REMAP to adapt the lever, so the client could stay safe.
20th December 2023
This client was unable to reach the lever of their stairlift which put them at risk of falling down the stairs. Their Occupational Therapist asked REMAP to adapt the lever, so the client could stay safe.
20th December 2023
The client rides with Riding for the Disabled and had problems getting onto her pony. She asked REMAP to make a bespoke mounting block, so she could mount her pony unaided.
19th December 2023
The client’s OT contacted REMAP, because their sofa was very low, and she was struggling to get up from it.
24th February 2021
A very active and independent lady in her 90s, has to have “Nutria” line feed overnight. But to open the feed, you have press down & twist to break the seal, and she lacks the strength and dexterity to open them herself.
Her granddaughter comes once a month and opens a month’s supply for her. Obviously this puts her at risk of infection, as the feed is no longer sterile when she uses it.
Remap was asked to produce a device to hold and open the feed packs, so that she could manage this task herself.
16th February 2021
A Paediatric Occupational Therapist contacted us with the following challenge:
A child with Cerebral Palsy has a tiny tracks electric wheelchair: https://www.tinytrax.com/
The wheelchair seat is 45cm off the ground, so slightly too high for her to sit straight into on her own, and she is getting too big to lift. A step to go in front of the wheelchair would be ideal, allowing her to transfer independently into her wheelchair. However, because the gap between the wheels is narrow (only is 33cm), there is no “off-the-shelf” product which will fit; most bath steps seem to be at least 40cm wide.
The OT asked us to make a wooden or plastic step with a non-slip top: 31cm wide x 70cm long x 14cm tall. Strength and stability were important, as the child needed to turn around on it.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the OT offered to do contactless collection from the Remap Engineer, and deliver to the client.
12th February 2021
Referral received from Phoebe’s Occupational Therapist as follows:
“Phoebe requires full time mechanical ventilation to support her breathing. She has a significant scoliosis and her right upper limb has lost movement in the shoulder and elbow joint. She is able to use her right hand functionally. Her left upper limb is unaffected.
Phoebe is due to start Reception in September this year. She has found it very difficult to independently push her equipment (ventilator mainly) around. Therefore, an adult is always very close by, carrying the heavy ventilator plus other essential bits in a bag. We have been exploring different ways of enabling Phoebe, however, she has found all options tried too heavy to push herself. We have had an Oxygen trolley donated by Cerebra – designed to carry O2 and has space for a ventilator as well. It has also been further adapted by Remap to allow for more storage of equipment, however, Phoebe finds it too heavy/cumbersome to push herself.
Cambridge Remap volunteer (who is familiar with Phoebe’s case, see CB1957) passed information onto Mum regarding an adaptation made to a Marcy Walker https://schuchmann.co.uk/product/marcy/ also on Makeability: https://www.makeability.org.uk/project/18189/childs-walker-with-ventilator/
In discussion with Mum and Phoebe’s Physio, it was agreed that this adaptation to the Marcy walker was very likely to be successful in enabling Phoebe some independent movement away from her carer when she starts school, considering the outdoor base and how compact it is.”
A Marcy walker was ordered from Shuchmann, and in light of the COVID situation, the OT arranged for the walker to be delivered directly to the Remap engineer.
A. Original Marcy Walker as received from supplier:
12th February 2021
The client worried about the open staircase outside the bedroom. Her husband has Parkinson’s, and she was worried about him falling during night-time bathroom visits. They needed some form of safety barrier to prevent falls, particularly in the dark / low light.
They had considered a standard child stair-gate, but there is a bar at the bottom when open, which could be a trip-hazard during the daytime / when the gate is open.
4th January 2021
The client’s daughter contacted REMAP, reporting that her Mum has arthritis and cannot switch on her electric toothbrush, nor can she grip a manual toothbrush.
17th April 2020
The Occupational Therapist contacted us saying:
“Somebody from Remap previously made a fantastic stand to attach this child’s overnight tube feed to his profiling bed. This attached into the existing socket on the bed-frame at the head end of the bed (please see photo). Unfortunately he has started pulling on the tubes when it is positioned near his head, and is currently having to sleep at the opposite end of the bed because of this. Would it be possible for the design to be revised to allow the feed stand to be attached to the foot-end of the bed?”
17th April 2020
The client’s named nurse told us “This 4 year old client is fully ventilated (24hrs) via a tracheostomy, and requires a suitable trolley, to enable them to move about easily whilst attached to the ventilator. The trolley needs to support the child’s mobility whilst carrying the ventilator, providing age-appropriate independence during waking hours.” Below is a photo of the trolley supplied, before modification:
24th February 2020
The client had a Stroke, affecting right side of the body. He had bought a static exercise bike, but was unable to use it as his right affected foot turns inwards due to stroke, touching the panel of the bike while he was trying to use it. The client’s daughter found an adaptive pedal online, but the Neuro Rehab Physio was unsure if this pedal would work, and asked Remap to investigate.
14th February 2020
An electronically controlled, motorised camera mount was created and fixed to the client’s wheelchair to help her film videos for her YouTube channel. A toggle switch attached to the arm rest controls the motorised mount, allowing the camera to be rotated slowly in either direction whilst filming. Prior to this project, the client would hold and control the camera position manually, leading to difficulties with filming and often ending up in her dropping and breaking the camera. The case study was covered by BBC Look East (West), see accompanying video.
The client is a vlogger who regularly creates and uploads videos on YouTube about her day to day life for her community of subscribers. She uses a digital camera to film the videos, which she often films whilst seated on her motorised wheelchair, both indoors and outdoors. The client would hold and turn the camera manually which would make filming more difficult and often result in her dropping and breaking the camera. The challenge was to provide a solution that would allow the camera to be held and rotated more easily during filming, whilst avoiding the risk of the camera being dropped.
10th February 2020
Philippa is unable to tolerate pressure in the palms of her hands, making it difficult to hold or grip cutlery. Off-the-shelf equipment does not offer a suitable solution. The OT had made a cutlery holder that fits around the back of the hand, using thermoplastic splinting material, and the client’s special melamine-handled fork and spoon were being fixed temporarily to this with Velcro. This was not satisfactory because the fixing was loose, the Velcro was not washable, and the thermoplastic was impossible to wash in warm water because of its low softening temperature. Philippa was therefore continuing to be fed by a Personal Assistant.
10th February 2020
The client has Cerebral Palsy affecting all four limbs. She mobilises in a powered height adjustable wheelchair. She is weight bearing with support and uses a Mini Lift 125 for transfers.
She previously had work done on her old Mini Lift by REMAP many years ago, to raise the Mini Lift platform, so that it was level with her wheelchair footplates for ease of transfer. Unfortunately, the wooden step which was made for it quite a few years ago had become rotten, and the anti-slip coating had worn away and lifted, becoming a risk to her whilst using it.
This was an urgent request, as the client relied on this piece of equipment several times a day, and it had become dangerous.
10th February 2020
The OT reported: “A child with Developmental delay and Ataxia resulting in a picture of ‘Ataxic Cerebral Palsy’ Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia, attends special school and requires supervision when mobilising, as she is unsteady on her feet. She has reduced safety awareness. She struggles to transfer into her wheelchair at the end of the school day due to its height, but finds this easier with a broad step. The step needs to be broad for her to safely turn around on, due to her unsteadiness. However, the space between the front wheels of her wheelchair is relatively narrow and as a consequence it is difficult to position a step close enough to the wheelchair. She would benefit from a T-shaped step, with a narrower part to position between her wheels, and a broader part for her to turn on. This would allow the step to be positioned much closer to the wheelchair.”
(The photo below shows the original step used, with an unsafe gap between the wheels.)
10th February 2020
The School OT reported: “An eleven year old boy with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), global developmental delay, and hypotonia, demonstrates some sensory processing issues, and finds it difficult to remain seated in class, which is impacting on his function and safety within the classroom. He currently has a Breezi chair, which he attempts to rock. The risk of him tipping the chair backwards has been managed by fitting skis and a foot-board to the base, but now throws his weight sideways, putting him at risk of tipping to the side. Tom is able to tolerate the sitting for periods while he is occupied and distracted by a task, but when he starts to rock the chair it becomes distracting to the class, and puts him and staff at risk of injury. He may benefit from the provision of anti-tip stabilisers to fit to the sides of his chair, to prevent it rocking or tipping from side to side. Unfortunately the chair manufacturer does not make anything suitable.”
10th February 2020
The Occupational Therapist asked for “Some form of adapted seat that fits over a normal toilet, with back support, and harness to provide stability whilst seated. It needs to be light, & able to fold away into a carrying bag.”
However, it transpired that the client already had two existing toilet chairs that fitted onto brackets securely fitted to WC. Both chairs were made by Rifton, an American company, and both had been discontinued, with no available spares.
The older one was small, light weight and the back folded down. This was the preferred chair for travelling.
The newer chair was larger, heavy and bulky even when folded down. It had a purpose-made portable frame for travelling use and designed with special clips. The smaller chair was not designed to fit onto the portable legs, but directly onto the toilet.
10th February 2020
A client with bi-lateral wrist fractures had insufficient strength to turn on the bathroom tap (standard tap-turners don’t fit this unusual tap design).
The tap is a lever tap, which has to be pulled out for “on”, pushed in for “off” and moved back and forth for temperature.
As it’s in a bathroom, the solution needs to be hygienic and waterproof.
The client requested a long lever, but the proximity to the wall was a limiting factor.
10th February 2020
Client with bi-lateral wrist fractures has aching arms when using the laptop, and needed something to support the weight of both plaster casts.
10th February 2020
A child with Epilepsy, Global Developmental Delay and Feeding problems is fed at night via PEG feed.
The feeding stand in her bedroom is currently balanced on her bed, and keeps falling over. This affects its function, and also disturbs the parents sleep/rest overnight. It needs to be positioned securely.
10th February 2020
Child with significant lower limb weakness is not able to stand up from the floor independently. She requires assistance for steps.
The bath is in a lowered area 25cm lower than the bathroom floor. The OT requested a Platform/step between the bathroom floor and bath to reduce/level the step. They were supplying a bath lift, so the step would enable her to walk across and sit on the seat
10th February 2020
The client had had recent surgery, preventing him from being able to transfer independently by standing following a surgery. This meant that he was having to be lifted by mum or hoisted at school.
School had tried to use a Molift lifter which would be ideal has it would enable him to continue standing, but they found that he was “windsweeping” (i.e. his knees go toward the left), which made him at risk of falling. So the School OT asked for blocks to be fitted onto his Molift, to keep his knees in position when standing. They asked that the modifications be easily removeable, so that the Molift could be used by other children in future.
10th February 2020
A child who used a wheeled walker at School for mobility wanted to be able to collect his lunch from the canteen and take it to his table as all classmates do.
The client’s OT asked if we could enable the client to carry his lunch tray on his wheeled walker. It needed to be easy to fit and remove, as it was only required at lunchtime.
10th February 2020
The client broke a hip 6 months previously, and has resulting Neuropathy in his feet, and uses a wheeled walker. He needs to be able to see his feet in order not to trip. However, he likes to be able to take his meals and cups of tea etc from the kitchen to the living room independently. He uses a tray on his wheeled walker, but this prevent him from seeing his feet, and so is a trip hazzard.
His wife asked whether we could make a clear tray for his wheeled walker, so that he could retain some of his independence.
Copyright 2024. All Rights Reserved