Archive for the ‘Technical Aids’ Category

Technical Aids for Quadriplegics Part XIV

Sunday, January 13th, 2019

 

Schlüsselhalter “Carbocage” wie für uns Tetras gemacht

Es ist für uns Tetraplegiker äußerst schwierig Schlösser auf und zu zu schließen, insbesondere wenn es nicht möglich ist Daumen und Zeigefinger zusammenzudrücken.
Das müssen nicht unbedingt Türschlösser sein, es könnte wie bei mir auch um ein Vorhängeschloss der Kellertür handeln.

Schlüsselhalter Carbocage


Video mit mehr Informationen auf das Bild klicken

Mit diesem Schlüsselhalter habe ich meinen Frieden mit der Wohnungstür gemacht. Er besteht aus 2 stabilen Carbonplatten und funktioniert wie ein Schweizer Taschenmesser.
Mit verschieden langen Schrauben bekommt man maximal 16 Schlüssel hinein einfach festgeschraubt.
Der Schlüsselhalter- Carbocage ist mit seinen ab ca. 30 € nicht der günstigste, ich habe ihn aber schon lange in Benutzung und möchte nicht stundenlang fluchend vor meine Wohnungstür stehen. Man bekommt ihn bei vielen Onlinehändlern

Addendum Technical Aids Tips and Tricks LX

Friday, March 2nd, 2018

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

Addendum Technical Aids Tips and Tricks LIX

Thursday, February 22nd, 2018

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

Wheelchair Tuning Part XXXIX

Sunday, July 30th, 2017

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

(Deutsch) Rolli-Exkursion Mallorca 2017

Sunday, June 25th, 2017

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

(Deutsch) Haushalts Tipp

Monday, March 6th, 2017

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

Technical Aids Tips and Tricks LVIII

Thursday, February 23rd, 2017

Frontpage

Each person in a wheelchair knows that feeling when faced with a steep staircase in a single family home and don’t know how to get up to the first floor or down to the basement, because rarely is there an elevator.

The installation of a wheelchair monorail is even possible in narrow stairwells.

Have you seen this in action?

You attach two straps of the rail on the front of the wheelchair (Rolli); at the rear you hang the rods over the two sliding handles of the Rolli.

You are pulled up by motor and float like a little angel through the stairwell .

The reel or track of the cable can be easily mounted in any stairwell..

You will be able to get up and down on your own by remote control.

This device is build by the Högg Company, Högglift.ch from Switzerland.

I have learned that the company LeOba in Reutlingen www.leoba.de, also builds such lifts.

He has his monorail now 8 years in use.

Translator BW

Not planned and ever so reluctant!

Thursday, February 16th, 2017

Frontpage eigude wheelchair blog

WHAT A WAY TO START THE NEW YEAR 2017!

In October 2016 I had to be transported to the hospital on a stretcher, my wheelchair in tow.

For days I had been lying in that hospital bed when my wife visited and tried to take a seat in my wheelchair. It was placed as usual at the head of the bed. Strangely, it would not move despite the released brakes.

It appeared that a nurse had placed the hospital bed by accident on one of the wheelchair brakes. The brake lever extension reached about 5 cm beyond the wheelchair and must have been in the way. When we learned that the frame had been damaged and there were no more spare parts available for this old wheelchair, I was close to tears. All the special parts and modifications: Speedy Electra/Bike, Stricker Bike, Mini-Trac, Free-Wheel, mountain bike wheels and – most importantly it fit on to the loading system of my car! Not to mention all the other special equipment (see older posts). What we have been through together… 500 blogs on the www.eigude.de by now!

There I was – dwelling on my total economic loss! After eight years we had built quite a relationship (sniff)!

Damage report was written, lots of phone calls were made. I spare you the details.

About three weeks later the clinic insurance asked to see invoices. Well, I had none because the wheelchair had been issued by my health insurance. They could not produce any papers either and since it was so old simply suggested to get a prescription for a new wheelchair. It would be handled between the insurances, nothing more required on my part.

On December 24th my first Christmas present arrived in form of a reimbursement confirmation for my supposedly new wheelchair. I was pleased!
Two weeks ago it was ready for pick-up at the sanitary supply store. We immediately switched a few parts over from the old one to the new Rolli (took 2.5 hours). The next day I already had to fill air in the tires and the day after I finally had a flat. The first flat tire in nine years!

Now look at what I have to get around with (click here).

Translator BW

Simply Great Part VIII

Tuesday, February 14th, 2017

Frontpage

As previously reported, in October a new front door got installed (see older blog.) The new door now has a 3 cm high sill, even though it was known that I am a wheelchair user. I ordered and paid for a power remote control to open the door, but still was not able to make it to the entrance by myself. The floor at the entrance used to be leveled.

OK, this was totally my fault! How could I order an electric door opener without mentioning that I would like to leave the house once in a while, duh ;) Contract properly fulfilled. Set six!

After only seven weeks the electrical door opener eventually started working – just in time for Christmas, yay!

Such quality work I have experienced quite often in recent years. Are there really no more professionals? Have they become an extinct species? I maintain that our former service team still consisted of highly professional people!

Since the manufacturer of the door did not provide anything to overcome the threshold (this would be unthinkable in the USA), I had to order a fitting aluminum plate on the Internet.

My former colleagues immediately agreed to prepare and drill for installation. It looks so simple, but it really isn’t. The difficulty lies in the detail. During the briefing I already felt like being back at work – before the accident in 2007; we certainly spoke the same language.

Within a week they had those plates properly installed – couldn’t go/roll any better!
Never was I put off or did have to call after them – they just did it!

During the installation in record time I almost cried tears for joy! Everybody knew exactly what they were doing and they also brought the right tools along.
Thanks again, you guys are great!

You see, they are still around, those professionals! Only to find them is harder than a scavenger hunt at jungle camp.

Also many thanks to all my neighbors for their approval to allow me to do all these necessary modifications – in particular the installation of the stair lift and the rail at the house in 2008 (see older blog.)

Now I am only waiting, actually since May 2016, for a light to be installed next to the ramp at the front door. Meanwhile I have changed electricians. Maybe the “enlightenment” is going to happen this year 

To read all the articles of the “Just great series” . click here.

Translator BW

Technical Aids for Quadriplegics Part XIII

Thursday, January 12th, 2017

Frontpage

We Quadriplegics (Teddys) Love Tootpaste Tubes!

Every morning starts with the spirited bite into the screw cap.

As long as the tube is still full you can manage to get something out most of the time, even without finger function. However, at some point you don’t need coffee anymore for breakfast because proportional to the decreasing amount of toothpaste left in the tube the blood pressure rises.

You all know those plastic clips for sealing bags (see older post).a>

Now with this clip I can get a pretty good grip of the tube.

After removing the screw cap from the tube place it on the sink and squeeze it with one hand.

No need to empty the tube at once ;-) .

Translator BW

Technical Aids Tips and Tricks LVI

Thursday, January 5th, 2017

Frontpage

Wie HOW DO I (WITHOUT FINGER FUNCTION) PREVENT MY SMART PHONE FROM FALLING DOWN?

I never go anywhere without my smart phone, not even in my own apartment.

What could really happen there?

t happened a few years ago in my office that I rolled over a 220 Volt extension cord and got caught in it. The cable got wrapped around the wheels and I could not move forth or back. I was only a few centimeters away from both my phones, mobile and landline. I felt like a ship that ran aground! It took me about 2 hours to free myself. Waiting for the “flood” might have helped I.
Since I am not able to pick up a phone from the floor I should certainly avoid letting it fall.

When sitting in my wheelchair I always have a smart phone on a key chain around my neck. A few times I did have to dial 911.

We punched two holes in the cell phone case, one to attach the key chain and the other one to insert my index finger for support because I cannot entirely hold the phone on my own.

You all know those smart phone pockets, the ones that joggers wrap around their upper arms.

Take such a pouch and shorten the sling so it fits around your forearm.

Now you can operate your smart phone with the other hand without the risk of it falling to the floor.

Translator BW

Technical Aids Tips and Tricks XXV

Monday, January 2nd, 2017

Frontpage

Wheelchair auxiliary snow chains

A creative Berliner

has mounted tie-wraps to his bicycle tyre so that he can better ride on snow and ice.

Self-made tie-wrap wheelchair snow chains

This probably works with wheelchair tyres as well.

He also rides on Schwalbe Marathon tyres, like most of the wheelers.

Have a look yourself, ingeniously simple and cost-efficient!

Link: Video at Spiegel-Online

Just try it out and write a comment.

In Frankfurt there is no snow anymore, so I can’t test it!

Thanks to Hajo for the info.

However, I wouldn’t ride across the parquet floor any more. :-)

Read this old blogpost and exchange in winter right and left wheelchair tyre if necessary:

Link: Running direction of “Schwalbe” tyres

I assume no liability for this tip!

Translator BL


Technical Aids Tips and Tricks XXIII

Thursday, December 22nd, 2016

Frontpage I have introduced in an older blogpost

remote-controlled electrical sockets

as useful technical aid. I am using these things for years to switch my

Christmas Tree lighting

on and off. Since a couple of weeks my living room lamp gets switched on by a ghostly hand. I think it’s quite funny, a neighbour is probably using the same frequency!

Translator BL

Technical Aids Tips and Tricks LV

Tuesday, December 13th, 2016

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

Technical Aids Tips and Tricks LIX

Tuesday, November 22nd, 2016

Frontpage

Empty detergent bottle to be used as “One-Hand Salt Shaker”

The topic of how to get through winter in a Rolli has been on my mind for quite a while (see earlier articles).

In one of these former articles, I advised putting salt in front of your car before the snow arrives, so that the wheelchair would not slip away while getting in and out.

I always salt my wheelchairramp (ski slope) at the front door at the same time.

One can easily imagine how “professional” it looks when a wheelchairdriver balances a bucket full of salt on his knees and tries to spread it on the driveway. This really does not work well!

One thing’s for sure, the seat cushion on the chair as well as other “sensitive parts” will no longer freeze.;-)

After years of research the Rollinator team finally found a solution.

One-Hand Salt Shaker

(special wheelchairdriver)

 

The One-Hand Salt Shaker stands out with its ergonomic form, which allows the user to aim more accurately when spreading the salt using only one arm.

You can pretty much modify any empty liquid detergent bottle. However, I advise against those XXL-supersize bottles because of the excessive weight. During laboratory trials wheels burst and users got thrown out of their vehicles (just kidding).

To fill the salt shaker, a proven method is simply rolling a newspaper, advertisement, brochure etc. to make a quick funnel. ;-)

To prevent the salt shaker from dropping you could attach a key chain to the handle and hang the bottle around your neck as some sort of a trophy – but don’t get strangled… !!!

The special One-Handed Salt Shaker is also 98.74 % pedestrian and walking frame user friendly.

Translator BW