Moving table top
Margaret has Motor Neurone Disease, and was keen to be able to move her plate away and access her communication device independently following a meal.
The solution was inspired by a Lazy Susan type device that may be found for kitchen cupboard organisation .
The Challenge
Margaret needs assistance with many aspects of day-to-day life. Her son lives with her and she has carers who help her with a variety of tasks through the day. Margaret wanted to be able to move her plate away after meal times and move her tablet communication device nearer in order that she could use it. Margaret accesses her tablet using a stylus type tool. She has tried numerous tables and configurations of tables and chairs around her room but none were ideal.
Margaret was referred by her community Occupational therapist, Ellis. Ellis felt that some form of large “lazy Susan” would work, but this was not available commercially.
The solution
As there was no local panel, the request was taken by the Dumfries Panel and allocated to Graham and Catherine Wylie.
They made a table which fitted into Margaret’s home, and had a rotating top which enabled her to move her plate away/or to her and to choose to use her communication device or get a drink from her table. They bought the overbed table from a local charity shop and the other materials were sourced locally- either from stored materials/hardware shops. The device did solve the problem although needed some adaptation from original device.
Graham and Catherine considered safety and stability of the table, and ease of use for carers as well. It was important that Margaret could use the recline element of her chair while the table was in situ and it was also important that it was not too big for the room.
The benefit
Margaret said that she was pleased with the table and felt that it helped her- it had potential to allow her to access her tablet much more easily which hopefully will allow her to access more activity/reading/games etc along with communication.
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