Mobility Equipment Supplies

Pain is a common health problem, which afflicts 50% of people around the world at any given time. However, even though acute and chronic pain can both be debilitating, chronic pain is one of the major causes of mental and physical disability, commonly misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated.

Pain sufferers frequently feel frustrated and depressed and consider their lives as an endless misery.

Pain is an unpleasant, emotional, and sensory experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.

Pain is not a just a mere perception or a one-dimensional entity but a multidimensional complex problem with many attributes. Acute and chronic pain can happen to any person of any age or gender.

Chronic pain is a multifaceted medical problem that affects all aspects of a person’s life. Patient involvement and education are important components of a pain management program.

We know that there are physiological shifts in chemicals that bring about some changes in the nervous system and the brain. This in turn leads to changes in the neurotransmitters that perpetuate the pain. We feel in some ways that the nervous system can only generate pain instead of the usual mixture of discomfort and pleasure. And we are not really sure why this happens to some people and not to others, although, we know for sure that emotions and stress play a role in this.

Most experts define chronic pain as pain that continues beyond two months. In actuality, chronic pain is determined more by our response to pain.

When most of our waking hours are spent trying to control or endure the pain, when we cannot work any longer because of it, when our relationships are torn apart by the stress of it, we have developed the chronic pain syndrome.

Patients are often frustrated with the way doctors treat them. Nevertheless, they need the expertise of a doctor to make the right decisions regarding treatment.

The first thing you need to find out on your way to recovery is to find out what kind of pain you have and to find the right health care provider.

A physician who has a comprehensive knowledge of pain and empathy would be the best choice. Many specialists are well trained in techniques of pain treatment, but if they do not really understand what you are going through as a person, you are missing out on a vital element in your recovery.

Once you have found the right health care provider, get your pain under control. Get into physical rehabilitation to recover your functional abilities. If need be, utilize some support aids.

Use some type of communication therapy, like counseling or group therapy, to help you get over the emotional scars left by the pain.

Then, get back to work or at least go back to doing the things you used to enjoy.

For people beyond their 50s, aging gracefully is often a challenge. While bones and muscles begin to deteriorate as we grow older, these have more to do with inactivity than aging.

Usually, at this age, people change in lifestyle and they start spending more time at home or under the close supervision of caregivers. Thus, the consequences are rapid muscle deterioration and increase in fat deposits.

Unexpectedly, cardio exercises alone are not as successful in older people as compared to those who are still at their prime. Once we reach 50, we must combine exercise with a balanced diet. An ideal combination of cardio exercises and healthy meals will make sure that we maintain flexibility of muscles and slower weight gain.

Unless you are stuck on a wheelchair, you should try to have an active lifestyle by doing some simple activities. Gardening, playing golf, or walking regularly are some of the easy ways to keep you active.

A good and balanced diet is important for all age groups. You cannot remain fit and fat free unless you take proper care of what you eat. Go for nutritious, fiber rich food as much as possible. Avoid eating fast food and junk food as much as your grandchildren should.

You can easily stretch yourself whenever you get the time. Simple activities help a lot in maintaining flexible muscles and strong bones. Even if you have limited walking abilities there is always a way around that. Proper walking equipment, like the ones available at DoAbility UK, can help you become active again.

We get our supply of vitamin D in two ways: from the food we eat and from a hormone our bodies make when we stay under the sun. There are only a few food options that are naturally rich in vitamin D, that is why the biggest dietary sources of it are fortified food and vitamin supplements.

Good sources of this vitamin include breakfast cereals and dairy products, both of which are fortified with vitamin D, as well as fatty fish like salmon and tuna.

For most people, the best way to get enough vitamin D is by taking a supplement, although the level in most multivitamins, which is usually 400 IU, is too low.

Fortunately, some manufacturers have begun adding 800 or 1,000 IU of vitamin D to their standard multivitamin preparations. If the multivitamin you take does not have 1,000 IU of vitamin D, you may want to consider adding a separate vitamin D supplement, especially if you do not spend much time in the sun.

The body also manufactures vitamin D from cholesterol, through a process triggered by the action of sunlight on the skin. This is actually the reason why vitamin D is also referred to as the ’sunshine vitamin’.

Yet, some people do not make enough vitamin D from the sun. These people are those who have a darker skin tone, who are overweight, who are older, and who cover up when they are under the sun.

Correctly applied sunscreen reduces our ability to absorb vitamin D by more than 90 percent. And not all sunlight is created equal: The sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays, the so-called ‘tanning rays’, and the rays that trigger the skin to produce vitamin D are stronger near the equator and weaker at higher latitudes. Hence, in the fall and winter seasons, people who live at higher latitudes, such as in the northern part of the U.S. and Europe, cannot make enough vitamin D from the sun.

Many of the body’s organs and tissues have receptors for vitamin D, which helps ensure that the body absorbs and retains calcium and phosphorus that are critical for building bones. Vitamin D also reduces cancer cell growth and plays a critical role in controlling infections. Several promising areas of vitamin D research look far beyond its role in building bones.

Several studies link low vitamin D levels with an increased risk of fractures in older adults, and they suggest that vitamin D supplementation may prevent such fractures, as long as it is taken in higher doses.

The latest evidence comes from a combined analysis of several fracture prevention trials that included thousands of elderly people, most of which are women. It was found out that taking at least 800 IU of vitamin D supplements per day reduces hip and non-spine fractures by 20 percent.

Vitamin D may also help increase muscle strength, which in turn helps in preventing falls, a common problem that leads to substantial disability and death in older people. Taking 700 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day lowers the risk of falls by 19 percent, but taking only 200 to 600 IU per day did not offer any such protection.

Nonetheless, if you have been neglecting your vitamin D requirements and had a bit of a fall, you may visit DoAbility UK for all your mobility equipment needs.

You have a wonderful family and a great circle of friends until one day, something very unfortunate happens to you. You get into an accident and you find out that you can no longer enjoy life as you used to.

In an instant, everything seems to be falling apart. You dreadfully think that you might no longer be in a position to support your family financially; that you could lose your job; and that simply, all your dreams can crumble into pieces.

Disability may come in many forms. Some disabilities have to be faced from birth; others are developed during a personal course through life. They can manifest suddenly, or gradually develop over the years.

An unexpected disability is really hard, and initially, you can accept it. Nonetheless, with a few changes you can still live your life to the fullest.

1. Give yourself time to come to terms with your disability.

The whole world is upside down and you are in the middle of it, believing life will never be the same again, with you just being miserable fighting your disability. You might lose your friends because you will no longer be able to socialize as you used to. But this is also the time to find out who your real friends are, who will be there to support you no matter what. Allow yourself time to let all the negative emotions go away. It is good to know that there are people who you can talk to, and counseling might be appropriate at this time.

The process of accepting your disability can be a long one. But you should soon start to realize that feeling sorry for yourself will get you nowhere. You still have a life that you can enjoy. Now is not the right time to dwell in the past. Concentrate on the things that you still can do in the future. Consider all your strengths and the qualifications you have. Seek the help of a career consultant who will be more than happy to help you find a suitable job you might still be able to do despite your limitations.

Thinking positively is no easy matter but it is important to be enthusiastic about life again. There are only two choices for you to make. You can stay depressed and complain about your disability for the rest of your life, or you can try to make the most of your life.

The important point to realize is that a disability is not a punishment for something wrong you have done.

2. You are not alone.

There will be times that you might want to share your problems with your friends but you do not want to bore them with it. At the end of the day if you recount to people how hard life is treating you, they will only tell you how much harder their life is. Rarely will you come across somebody who understands and will be willing to listen to you. Aside from that, you have to find those who can share their own problems with you. It is therefore advantageous to join support groups.

It is important to appreciate those who organize these support groups and put disabled people in contact. Enjoy the support of your friends but only to enrich your life. Do not get stuck in complaints about your misfortune. Surround yourself with people with whom you feel great. Avoid people who are distracting you from achieving your goals. Just be yourself. Do not listen to criticisms.

You are not on your own. There are others with similar problems you can join forces with. Use the support of others who are in a similar position as you to improve each others’ lives. It is alright to complain about your condition in the short term, but in the long term, concentrate on the positive. Feeling sorry for yourself will take you nowhere.

3. Nurture yourself.

The only person you can always trust is you. I know it sounds funny but you will always be in your own company. You can either cheer yourself up or make yourself miserable. But first and foremost, you need to take care of yourself and keep yourself as healthy as possible.

You cannot always cure your disability but you can learn how to live your life the best possible way. There is so much you can do to help yourself feel better. Try and find something that you enjoy. Develop an interest or a hobby. Praise yourself for any little achievement you have, no matter how small. If it helps, put your favorite poem on the wall, or any positive quote to remind you every time you pass by it.

4. Concentrate on the present, do not dwell in the past, nor worry about the future.

The present is the most important part of your life. Take a moment to reflect on how you feel. Meditation techniques are beneficial because they help you discover who you are. That is not an easy matter in today’s extremely stressful society.

As a result of your disability, you might have less power to influence matters in your life now. Worrying only makes our worries come alive. Do not worry about what could go wrong in the future. Just let anxiety go, and allow reality to happen instead. Do not believe things will always end up badly.

5. Try to eliminate stress from your life.

We should try and live in harmony with everybody else. This might not always be easy. If you are angry with somebody, take a few deep breaths and explain calmly to the person why you are angry and what you would like the person to do instead. Do not swear at anybody or accuse them of being an idiot. The response you will be getting would be less hostile.

Social contact and support from members of organisations and communities can help contribute to happiness in great amounts.  Sending and receiving positive thoughts to and from others can help you live a stress-free life.

6. Get yourself a mobility equipment.

Mobility equipment can make you feel less incapable of doing things on your own. These are available at online stores like DoAbility UK.

Risk assessment provides a useful framework when tackling accidents caused by falls, slips, and trips. Here is a five-step approach for this:

1. Look out for anything that may cause an accident. It could be objects lying around the floor like toys or rubbish; a wet floor; or basically, the proverbial banana peel that can cause people to slip.

2. Identify and decide who is at risk. It could be young children, the handicapped, or the elderly.

3. Take preventive measures, like doing repairs or renovations, making sure the area is regularly cleaned and cleared of any obstruction.

4. Keep a record of what you have changed. Now this one is a bit of a stretch to expect at home, but for commercial establishments and public places, it is certainly necessary.

5. Continually monitor your living space or work area. This is more of a continuation of the first 4 steps. It would not be effective if you just stop at recording and do not follow through, so there has to be constant monitoring.

Now here are more practical tips to prevent the incidence of falls:

- Keep pathways clear. Arrange your furniture in a way that it allows easy movement, and not serve as an obstruction. Clean pathways and remove any unnecessary clutter, like boxes, loose wires, and telephone cords, from high-traffic areas. Make pathways that are wide enough for plenty of people to use to avoid possible collision.

- Provide ample light. Make sure areas like hallways and stairways are well lit. Have flashlights and rechargeable emergency lights handy in case of power outages.

- Safeguard stairways. Keep stairways in good repair. Make sure all stairways have sturdy railings and that steps have a non-skid surface.

- Secure rugs and flooring. Secure loose rugs and carpets with tacks or a slip-resistant backing. Repair frayed carpet and loose floorboards. Avoid small throw rugs as much as possible.

- Keep your bathroom safe. Install grab bars in your shower or bath and near your toilet. Use non-skid mats in the shower or bath.

- Keep necessities handy. Store supplies, clothing, dishes, food, and other everyday items within easy reach.

You can improve your general well-being, and help reduce the risk of trips and falls by keeping yourself active and healthy. A good way to make your muscles stronger and to improve your balance is to have a regular exercise and a proper diet. You do not have to go to the gym to remain active. Simple tasks, like gardening, regular house work, and walking can boost energy levels and improve coordination and balance.

Exercise is very important for older people since they are more prone to falling.

For all your mobility equipment needs, check out DoAbility UK today.

I am no stranger to minor accidents at home and outside. Slips, trips, and falls happen to a lot of people of all ages, from all places, and in all walks of life. These would sometimes lead to injuries which would require hospitalization, or at least a visit to the nearest doctor.

What a lot of us do not realize is that these falls happen to patients in the hospitals and medical facilities, too. There is nothing worse than injuring a person who is already sick, and the cause of such injury is the person who is supposed to be taking care of the patient, like the doctor or nurse. It is like adding injury to an existing injury.

Patient safety has been constantly one of the most pressing challenges in the health care industry, and a significant part of patient injuries come from falls while confined in the hospitals and nursing homes. Reducing harm from falls is becoming one of the top priorities of hospitals and health care organizations around the world. Patients, regardless of age, fall. While certain risk factors are common in younger people, falls are most likely to occur in older patients and they are much more likely to experience serious injuries.

A significant number of falls result in injury, or even death, costing millions per annum for immediate health care treatment alone, not to mention the additional costs of rehabilitation and social care. In addition to these financial costs, there are additional costs that are more difficult to quantify. It not only includes the obvious distress, pain, injury, but also loss of confidence and independence to the patient.

There are lots of researches and reports around the internet on patient safety, specifically on how to reduce harm from falls, but it seems that there is not one single guide for all. What is apparent is that non-profit organizations from countries like the UK, Sweden, Australia, Canada and the USA are at the forefront when it comes to these initiatives with The Institute for Healthcare Improvement IHI in Cambridge, Massachusetts providing the main thrust. In the UK, there is Patient Safety First Campaign sponsored by the National Patient Safety Agency, the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and The Health Foundation. In Australia, there is the Australian Patient Safety Foundation. While in Canada, there is the Canadian Patient Safety Institute.

The approaches are varied, localized, and sometimes isolated depending on the case. But what is common is the need to recognize these harms, identify patients prone to falls, record, monitor, and measure these incidents to be able to come up with actionable plans. These are for more organizational solutions though. Ultimately, it all boils down to the care and dedication given by our doctors, nurses, and caregivers that would spell a big difference.

Accidents do happen but a lot of them can also be avoided with the right actions and presence of mind. For those that cannot be avoided totally, there are ways to reduce the harms and risks brought about by these accidents. While this is easier said than done, it is doable with a little effort and good luck.