
Coat Maid
Our client, Cora, is a very determined, independent lady who lives alone and wants to be able to continue to go outdoors for shopping, walking and other exercise which supports her mental well-being. Unfortunately she has such arthritis in both her shoulders that she cannot put her coat on by herself. She needs someone to help her with this and that restricts her freedom. Cora would like to be able to independently put her coat on so she can go out as and when she wants to.
Her Occupational Therapists have tried various dressing techniques and use of a standard dressing stick however these have been unsuccessful due to Cora’s very limited movement in both shoulders. Cora needs to have both her arms down by her side, the coat put on behind her and then pulled up on to her shoulders.
The solution
Gerry Fisher of the York panel was asked to come up with solution. Steel legs from a used stacking chair, were adapted with a selection of balanced levers which raised the coat (or any similar garment) as Cora sat down. Once the coat was at the correct height, Cora releases the coat holding mechanism using a modified bicycle brake system located to Cora’s right at seat level.
The solution required a mechanism to simulate a person assisting someone to put their coat on. This meant the coat had to rise whilst being held with a “fingers and thumbs” type of arrangement, and to move forward slightly at the top, only being released by Cora when her shoulders were in the garment.
The system is very adjustable in height and angle, the seat section has a 20 kN gas strut beneath it to soften and slow down the seat motion (up and down). When Cora alights from the seat section it returns to the higher position automatically and the coat holding mechanism can be reset manually with minimal effort.
The benefit
Cora can now put on coats, cardigans and a dressing gown on her own – something which she has been unable to do for 18 months.
The fact that she can undertake these tasks on her own means she can now go out at any time she pleases and this is paramount to her feelings of independence and well-being.
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excellent job