Category: disability

O’Sullivans Mobility Aids Launch on YouTube 

Hello, it’s been a while since our last blog post describing our trip to Naidex 2016.

We’ve been super busy in the meantime launching our YouTube channel, that you can see by clicking here.

We’ve uploaded a few introductory videos from our trip to Naidex 2016.

Over the next few weeks, we hope to share some tips, hints and advice on various products in the shop.

When purchasing a product, we understand that patients need as much information as possible to make an appropriate purchase.

We hope that our videos will shed some further light on the excellent wheelchairs, mobility scooters and medical beds available in store.
Happy viewing!

Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!😀😀

Things to consider when purchasing a mattress

Getting a good nights sleep is essential to maintaining to your health. In addition, for those who spend long periods in bed due to illness or disability, ensuring the correct mattress is essential for ones ongoing health. An inappropriate mattress can result in poor sleep as well as pressure sores and ulcers.

There are a large number of mattresses but all broadly fit into two categories:

  • Profiling bed mattresses
  • Hospital bed mattresses.

Profiling bed mattresses are similar to those found in regular beds except that they offer much greater levels of comfort and quality to users.

Hospital beds mattresses in contrast are usually very functional and are designed for long-term care bed bound patients. They are usually easily washable and contain an anti-bacterial mattress closure and cover.

At O’Sullivans Mobility Aids we offer a wide range of both profiling and hospital bed mattresses.

Here we break down a series of profiling bed mattresses:

These mattresses come in a range of sizes from 2 Ft 3″ all the ways to 6 Ft”.

Latex foam mattresses are a recent innovation to the market and are starting to become more popular because of their quality and great levels of comfort. Excellent heat reduction and breathable properties, which are more efficient than any other type of foam, allowing the mattress to breathe and keep fresh. Hypo allergenic and anti microbial, the material which prevents dust, mould and bacteria from settling in the mattress.

Pocket sprung mattresses are one of the most comfortable mattresses with an effective design that provides high levels of comfort and support where it’s needed most. They are designed to contour with your body and are constructed of numerous individual springs that move independently, giving an exceptional amount of support and cushioning. A pocket sprung mattress uses these individual springs to respond to everyone’s individual body weight, increasing their usability and comfort

Memory foam has a unique open cell structure that reacts and responds to body heat and weight by moulding to the contours of your body, therefore optimising the support it provides. It is the most effective material for relieving pressure points and used for prevention of pressure sores and has multiple orthopaedic benefits making a huge difference to your quality of sleep. This mattress is made up of 7cm of memory foam bonded onto 15cm of reflex foam.Memory Foam mattresses are the most expensive mattress type in this range.

The pocket sprung foam mattress: part of the mattress is made with superior quality springs providing the familiar bounce of a traditional mattress. A 7cm layer of high density memory foam is added to provide excellent comfort and support, moulding to your body for a comfortable night’s sleep. Owing to the Thermal properties associated with memory foam this provides a warmer option during the winter months. Alternatively you can turn the mattress and sleep comfortably on the cooler side of the 500 pocket spring system, thus providing a firmer support where needed.

No Turn Memory Foam Mattress: Memory foam has a unique open cell structure that reacts and responds to body heat and weight by moulding to the contours of your body, therefore optimising the support it provides. It is the most effective material for relieving pressure points and used for prevention of pressure sores and has multiple orthopaedic benefits making a huge difference to your quality of sleep. This mattress is made up of 5cm memory foam bonded onto 15cm of reflex foam.

Reflex Foam Mattress Code:  Luxurious Reflex mattress, ribbed carefully to work in harmony with your body. The Completely Filler-Free Reflex achieves the most outstanding levels of performance, shape retention and long term durability. Its unique construction ensures excellent mattress ventilation

Here is a guide to mattress firmness:

pocket sprung mattress Soft/Medium

latex foam mattress Soft/Medium

reflex foam mattress Medium/Firm

memory foam mattress Firm

Next weeks blog will discuss hospital bed mattresses.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with regard to any queries,

We are available via live chat on our website, phone 025 24656 and email: info@osullivansaids.ie O'Sullivans Mobility Aids mattresses

How A Power Wheelchair Can Benefit Your Life

So what can a power chair do for me?

  • Have you ever wondered if a power wheelchair can actually be beneficial to your life?
  • In this article users will see how an electric wheelchair can benefit your life and also give you a further look into why you should purchase a power wheelchair if you have not already.

The Benefits of Power Wheelchairs

With such a large selection of power wheelchairs available with different options and features, some may say to themselves, how a mobility scooter can benefit your life?

One benefit all electric wheelchairs provide is comfort for users that have a hard time standing up or walking for long periods of time. Using a power chair will help users find an easier way of transporting themselves.

A great secondary option to avoid constant standing or walking when traveling is owning a vehicle lift. With a vehicle lift installed on your vehicle, you can bring your electric wheelchair almost anywhere traveling.

Another great example is the benefit of owning either a foldable or travel power wheelchair. Folding power wheelchairs are normally designed to be extremely light and easy to store away by simply folding up and travel power wheelchairs are usually very light and easy to break down into smaller parts, making them very easy to assemble or disassemble and store away for travel purposes.

These options help make it very easy and beneficial for users looking to use a power wheelchair while traveling away from home. Both styles of power wheelchairs take up little room when storing away making these power chairs very beneficial for users that cannot afford a vehicle lift or for those that plan on traveling on a cruise or by plane.

Another great benefit of handicap power chairs would pertain to the full size or heavy duty models. These types of models tend to weigh a lot more than travel or folding electric wheelchairs and because of this they usually have more power. Full size power wheelchairs tend to have great reliability and drive range allowing users to go to a much further distance helping users who may need to use a electric wheelchair to get around town and they’re depending on there chair to take them where they go.

They are also designed to provide more comfort and space due to more arm space and there larger seats for users to sit in. Another great benefit of both full size and heavy duty power chairs is the fact that they can support an above average sized body weight supporting in some cases almost double that of travel or folding power chairs. For example some models can support up to a 600 lb weight capacity and are equipped with seat width options between 20″ to 30″ making it great for users that are fit to users that are an above average size.

Another benefit of a power chair for those that look to get around very quickly, is the speed of mobility power-chairs with speeds going as fast as 8 mph. Users not only feel insured about there power chairs performance but also its unique style and looks. Overall you will find after using a power wheelchair for the first few times that it is a more convenient and beneficial piece of machinery to use when trying to get around.

In case you would like to view our wide selection, all of our power wheelchairs are available to view online. If you can’t find a power-chair that meets your specifications, contact us via phone (025-24656), email info@osullivansaids.ie or try our new live-chat option available 7 days a week.

Tips for wheelchair and Scooter Users

 

  1. Remove loose carpets and rugs. Especially if you have hardwood or tile floors, loose floor coverings can be a frustrating obstacle for wheelchairs and scooters. Removing them obviously doesn’t cost anything, and it can make a big difference in your ability to easily navigate your home.  Alternatively, an adhesive backing can be used to hold rugs in place.

 

  1. Move furniture to accommodate your mobility device. This seems obvious, but many people don’t know just how much room is needed for their mobility device.  As a general rule, arrange furniture to allow at least a 32-inch path and 5-foot turning radius.  Some furniture might need to be removed altogether to accommodate this.

 

  1. Tie strings to your door handles. To allow a wheelchair or scooter user to more easily pull a door closed while passing through doorways, add a 36-inch string to each door handle in your home.  This comes with little to no cost, and it makes a big difference.

 

  1. Raise your tables and desks. To bring some tables and desks to above knee level, it might be necessary to place furniture coasters or blocks of wood under their legs.  Whatever you use, just be sure the table or desk is sturdy and can’t easily be knocked off its footings when you’re done.

 

  1. Spruce up your device! One thing that can be challenging to get used to when first using a mobility device is the difficulty in carrying items and manoeuvring at the same time.  To help with this, equip your wheelchair or scooter with accessories to help carry everything from books and clothes, to drinks and medical necessities.

 

 

So, there you go! Some changes that will make a huge difference in your ability to get around your home in a wheelchair or scooter, that won’t break the bank or cause a lot of disruption.  As always, if you have questions about equipment you have purchased or are considering, contact the team at O’Sullivans Mobility Aids.

Bed-Grab-Rail

Having trouble getting up and out of bed?

We spend nearly a third our life in bed, so getting the right bed for you is a critical to getting a healthy nights sleep and preventing unnecessary injury.

With a loss in independence, more and more time can be spent in bed. A poorly fitted bed can lead to further loss in mobility and independence as well as pressure sores.

Thus getting the right bed and supports is critical. Here we discuss a range of accessories for beds.

Having problems setting up or lying down?

Lifting pole 

lifting pole dublin

Lifting Pole

Lifting poles (or pull handles) are designed to make moving around, moving into semi-lying or getting in and out of bed easier. The majority have a floor standing cantilever gantry, although some are wall- or bed-attached. If freestanding, care should be taken to ensure that the base is positioned properly under the bed, otherwise the gantry frame may tip over. A handle hangs from the gantry and when adjusted to a suitable height, some people with enough strength can safely pull on it. The user does need to have fairly strong upper limbs and good abdominal control.

Lifting poles are usually not suitable for people with painful arms, painful shoulders, limited overhead shoulder movement or abdominal weakness.

Consider the following:

  • A moulded handgrip may be more comfortable to hold and an adjustable length strap provides greater flexibility.
  • Ensure that there is enough room for the base to slide under a divan bed and, where possible, fasten it to the bed headboard for greater stability.
  • If the person also uses a mobile hoist for transfers, ensure that the lifting pole base does not prevent the hoist from being correctly positioned under the bed and that the overhead arm does not obstruct the lifting boom of the hoist.
  • Some models dismantle for transporting, which may make it possible for someone to take the lifting pole on holiday.

is the most popular model of lifting pole that we stock, it is a Days patient helper and further info can be found here.

Rope ladders

Rope ladders either fit onto the footboard, the bed frame or the two feet at the end of the bed. They have rungs that the person pulls on to help him/herself into a sitting position.

Ensure that the ladder is safely and securely fixed in place and that the first rung is within reach of the person lying on the bed. Take care as those with plastic rungs may be slippery to hold. A retrieval line pinned to the bedclothes is sometimes needed if the rope ladder slips to the floor during the night.

Grab Rails

Bed grab rail

Easy grip Bed grab rail

The various types of grab handles on the market are either wall-fixed, bed-fixed or floor-fixed. They are used to pull on by someone to help sit up or turn over in bed.

  • Some are fixed in one position, whilst others lock into a choice of several positions. Some of the static models could obstruct part of the bedside, making it difficult to get in and out.
  • Floor fixed rails may be difficult to install if the floor is made of concrete.
  • Ensure that bed-attached models are securely fixed. Some are tucked under the mattress and only rely on weight of the person to secure them in position.
  • Ensure there is no risk of entrapment within the rail, at either end of the rail or between the rail and the mattress

At O’Sullivans Mobility Aids we offer a range of bed grab rails that are lightweight and do not require any equipment to install. Click here for the short or long bed grab rails

Backrests

Bed Backrest cork

Bed Backrest

These have a wooden or metal frame. The angle of the supporting surface can be adjusted for use under the pillows to provide the person with support in a sitting position. A headboard is essential to prevent the backrest from sliding backwards. Most fold flat for storing.

Having trouble transferring out from bed?

Transfer Boards!

These are smooth surfaced boards, tapered at either end to assist sideways transfers. They can be used independently or with help to slide in a sitting position from the chair onto a wheelchair. It is easiest if the mattress surface and the seat height are at the same level.

Curved transfer boards are useful when transferring onto chairs with fixed armrests, as they make it possible to transfer around them.

Some boards have additional transfer systems incorporated into them. One board has a transfer disc which moves within a central slot; another has an integral roller which the person sits on and slides across the board.

Similar transfers can be made using a low friction roller and a rigid, padded bridging device.

We stock a various selection of moving and handling equipment, simply click here

So there you have it, a selection of mobility aids that will help you getting in and out of bed.

If you have any queries don’t hesitate in contacting us at info@osullivansaids.ie or on (025) 24656