Disabled Living

Month: November 2019

Preparing to Travel with an Autoimmune Disease

Autoimmune disease is an extremely broad category of medical conditions, which makes offering helpful advice across the board thwart with difficulties. There’s close to 100 different disorders listed in medical literature include well-known examples such as Type 1 Diabetes, and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The shared thread that ties them all together is that they involve the body’s immune defence system malfunctioning in some way so it turns against our own bodily functions, or is else triggered by things in our food or environment.

Apart from that, the causes, symptoms and treatments vary greatly from condition to condition. So, when it comes to travelling with an autoimmune disorder. Here are some things to bear in mind.

Travel may well cause autoimmune disease symptoms to flare up

Travel, and flying in particular, has been widely linked to worsening symptoms of autoimmune conditions. Our immune systems are sensitive to fluctuations in hormone levels, and when things are kept in delicate balances, the emotional and physical exertions of flying can be enough to trigger immune responses you don’t want.

Advice on how to keep stress levels to a minimum while travelling include things like taking food with you so you can stick to normal eating routines, and also planning plenty of rest into your itinerary.

Get the right travel insurance

Managing your condition while abroad will vary according to which disorder you suffer from. But one general principle that applies whatever particular disease you have is planning ahead in case you need medical attention while you are away.

This includes things like looking up emergency numbers and local doctors, pharmacists and hospitals before you travel. But it also means taking out the right kind of travel insurance which will cover the costs involved should you need medical help.

Whatever specific condition you have, it is vital that you take out appropriate autoimmune disorders travel insurance from a specialist provider. These types of policy will schedule in specific cover for your condition and any treatments related to it, giving you the peace of mind of setting off with travel insurance that fully meets your needs.

If you would like to feature on Disabled Living’s blog please email: info@disabledliving.co.uk.

This is a sponsored post.

November 15, 2019
How to Keep Warm and Healthy This Winter with a Disability

This post has been written by Aimee Knight on behalf of Willowbrook Mobility Direct who feature in our Disabled Living Supplier Directory. If you have a disability, you could be more prone to illness, especially in the winter months. Therefore, it’s so important to stay warm and healthy when the colder weather sets in.

Keeping your home warm is paramount in the winter months.

Firstly, it is essential to get your boiler fully serviced before the cold weather sets in. This will ensure that it won’t stop working when you need it the most!

Once you are certain that it is in order, it’s worth setting your heating to a timer to ensure that your living room will be the perfect temperature all day and that your bedroom will be heated in time for when you go to bed.

If you have limited mobility, we recommend keeping your living room temperature at around 21°, and your bedroom temperature to at least 18°. This will help to prevent common illnesses such as colds.

Have you ever considered the fact that upgrading your living room chair could keep you warmer throughout the winter months?

Riser recliners are the perfect addition to any home for many reasons, particularly during the colder months. Firstly, keeping your feet raised can help to keep you warm. This is because the air is cooler at ground level, and thus the more they’re raised, the warmer they will be!

As well as this, most riser recliners, including ones from Willowbrook Mobility are manufactured with the option of an in-built heat and massage system. This is perfect for those who have limited mobility and tend to sit in the same position for long periods. Not only will the heat warm you up, but the massage system can help to improve your circulation too, giving you that extra warmth!

Want to find out more about how our riser recliners can help to keep you warm this winter? Click here to request your free brochure today!

Once you have taken the steps to keep your home warm, it’s time to take the steps needed to keep yourself warm too.

Of course, during the winter months, it is important to only leave your home if it’s completely necessary and not too cold, particularly if you already suffer from a health condition. If you do have to leave your home, it is important to ensure that you take extra precautions to keep warm.

Layering up your clothing is proven to be much more beneficial than wearing one thick jumper. This is because thin materials such as wool, cotton, and fleece help to maintain body heat. However, getting one layer of clothing on your body can be strenuous if you are a wheelchair or a mobility scooter user. Therefore, we recommend wearing thermal clothing underneath your every-day clothes to preserve your body’s heat.

A vast proportion of heat leaves your body through your neck and head, therefore wearing a hat and a scarf is extremely important too. This is a great way to keep warm if you’re feeling chilly in the house too!

It is also worth investing in a hot water bottle or an electric blanket to help to keep you cosy in bed. However, you should never use both at the same time – this can cause electrocution!

Not only is it important to stay warm in the winter months, of course, it’s important to stay healthy too!

As per any time of the year, it’s important to ensure you continue to eat a healthy, balanced diet, particularly in the cold months. One hot meal per day and plenty of hot drinks can help you to keep warm as well!

Immobility can make you more vulnerable to infection, so we recommend that you still exercise as much as you possibly can. Even if this means just getting up to stretch your legs or turning on some music participating in some chair-based exercises to keep your blood flowing.

A form of exercise that is recommended if you have a disability is swimming. Not only is it a great cardiovascular work-out, submerging into water over 30C makes it easier for your blood to circulate too! Your muscles are relaxed, pressure is alleviated from joints and muscles and pain can temporarily be relieved.

Learn more about Willowbrook Mobility Direct in our Supplier Directory.

November 12, 2019
The Links Between Abi Rehabilitation and Sports and Social Life

Sarah Jones, Senior Associate at Clarke Willmott LLP, attends our In the Dock with a Expert Witness workshop. We recently spoke to Sarah to hear all about the ‘Boots, Balls and Brains’ event discover the links between ABI Rehabilitation and sports and social life.

About ‘Boots, Balls and Brains’

For football fans, those interested in rehabilitation, social media and social lives of anyone who works with, supports or lives with an acquired brain injury… we have a wonderful and different event happening in Southampton this month called ‘Boots, Balls and Brains’.

This is a joint event hosted by Clarke Willmott solicitors and Outer Temple Chambers which will also raise funds for Saints Foundation with a unique day of interactive lectures and information at St Mary’s Stadium, home of Premier League Southampton FC. The day will be focusing on the links between ABI Rehabilitation and sports and social life, by offering expert advice on the practical ways leisure time activities can be a vital component of and motivator towards the rehabilitation of those affected.

Headline speaker Dr. Magdalena Ietswaart of the University of Sterling will be speaking about her much debated research into the effects of repeatedly heading a football and will share her thoughts on Brain Health in Sport: Neuroplasticity, Football Heading and Dementia.

Dr Richard Maddicks, neuropsychologist, talks about the risks of social media and Internet usage for injured clients.

Additional presentations will come from Susie Quinlan at ILS on the use of therapeutic activities from a case manager’s point of view and Anita Pascoe of West Country Case Management on the practical implications of social media in the world of case management.

Beneficiaries of the work of Saints Foundation will speak about their own positive experience of sport and ABI, with the support of Saints Foundation personnel. Legal teams from Outer Temple and Clarke Willmott will provide the latest legal updates.

Incredible value at only £50 per head for the day (a reduced rate of £25 to delegates from other registered charities), with all proceeds going to Saints Foundation, the event is a must for all neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, occupational therapists, SALTs, case managers, support workers and sports scientists or anyone with a professional interest in ABI, rehabilitation and sport and social media.

More information

Please visit the link for more information and to sign up: https://www.clarkewillmott.com/events/boots-balls-and-brains/

November 6, 2019
Disabled Living’s 122nd Annual Meeting
Last month we commemorated Disabled Living’s 122nd Annual Meeting at Yang Sing Cathay based at Intu Trafford Centre. Throughout 2018-2019, Disabled Living continued to work together to provide information and advice for disabled people, their families and carers to help them achieve optimum independence and self-determination.

Chief Executive of our charity, Debra Evans, explained that it’s been a very busy year for the team, as we continue to develop our services and introduce exciting new partnerships. She added:

“We have so many talented, knowledgeable and experienced staff members who we want to nurture and provide them with the support to continue their ongoing professional development. It is important we have the right staff, sat in the right seats on the ‘Disabled Living Bus’, in order to be innovative and remain financially stable.”

A few highlights
- Available office space at Redbank House resulted in a new client ‘WeMindTheGap’. The team got to know the young women involved throughout the duration of the course.
- BBUK were pleased to launch their ‘Just Can’t Wait Cards’ – available for people who have a medical condition and need to access a toilet urgently.
- Our Disability Awareness trainer, Chris Cammiss, delivered Access Audit training at The Foreign Office.
- Kidz to Adultz launched their fabulous Kidz to Adultz Magazine where celebrities have been featured such as Olly Murs.
- The development of Disabled Living’s monthly newsletters and e-bulletins resulted in an increase of circulation and acknowledgement of how useful the resource is to them.
We were delighted to have Joshua Wintersgill join us at this year’s Annual Meeting

Joshua is the Founder and Director of easyTravelSeat. He gave us an insight into growing up with Spinal Muscular Atrophy from 18 months old and being a wheelchair user ever since the age of 10 years old. Using his innovative skills, a couple of years ago, Joshua launched Able Move to make boarding planes easier for disabled people. Since Joshua won the ‘Great British Entrepreneur of the Year (South West) Award’, he secured a brand license with easyGroup, reforming as easyTravelSeat as it’s known today. His work continues to inspire all, and we wish him the best of luck with his aspiration to be a Paralympian in the future.

Joshua gave a very moving speech about the challenges of living with a neuromuscular condition but turned them into motivations. We look forward to hearing his seminar at Kidz to Adultz North on Thursday 14^th November at EventCity.

Katie recently joined our marketing team, and this was the first Disabled Living Annual Meeting she attended. We asked her what she thought about the event…

“Being new to the charity, it was clear to see that the team and trustees are very passionate about the work they do for Disabled Living. It was great to hear about all the amazing achievements that the charity has been a part of over the year and meet some of the trustees who have helped to make this happen.”

We would like to thank all staff, trustees, partners and volunteers who helped us to have another great year, yet again. Also, a big thank you to our President, Kui Man Gerry Yeung OBE DL and his staff for being as welcoming as always at his restaurant. We think the food gets tastier every year!

All of our teams – Equipz, Training, BBUK, Redbank House and Kidz to Adultz Exhibitions are feeling optimistic for the year ahead.

Take a look at this year’s Annual Report for more details.
November 4, 2019