Kent Council To Use Inclusive Disabled Toilet Signs

Swale council in Kent is displaying new public toilet signs to tackle the misunderstanding around invisible disabilities. In response to a nationwide campaign started by Crohn’s and Colitis UK, 11 toilet signs on the Isle of Sheppey and in Sittingbourne and Faversham have been replaced, according to Kent Online.

The new signs include a picture of a male, female, and wheelchair user, and the words: ‘Not every disability is visible.’ They have been placed in public carparks, libraries, parks, and tourist attractions around the area.

Cabinet member Cllr Angela Harrison said: “Crohn’s and Colitis are lifelong diseases of the gut that effect an estimated 500,000 people in the UK, and more than 50 per cent of these have had a negative experience using an accessible toilet. We hope these new signs will create an accessible space for those living with any invisible disabilities.”

Sarah Hollobone, Crohn’s & Colitis UK campaigns manager, welcomed the move by Swale council. She points out the need to challenge perceptions about what disability looks like, adding that one in two people living with Chron’s or Colitis have reported a negative experience when trying to use a disabled toilet.

The charity claims that 83% of their supporters feel more comfortable when visiting places which have the inclusive signs installed. Their mission was originally inspired by the young campaigner Grace Warnock in 2016. Since then, nearly 2,500 branches of the UK’s five biggest supermarkets have changed their toilet signs.

Being confronted about their reasons for using a disabled toilet is a major source of anxiety for people living with Chron’s or Colitis. A survey by the charity reveals that one in two respondents had received negative comments for using accessible toilets, and 29% have been refused access to the facilities because their disease isn’t visible.

The charity is working to raise public understanding and awareness of the condition, and improve the quality of life for those living with the disease.

If you are looking for a walk in shower bath, get in touch today to see how we can help.

Old Age Safety Net ‘Dangerously Weak’

Older people in the UK are being put at risk because the safety net we expect to be there once we reach a certain age has become dangerously weak, a new report from Age UK has now warned.

Estimations from the charity show that there are almost half a million people over the age of 65 who need help with essential daily activities and are living with significant health conditions – but many of these are living alone and have no family or friends to look after or support them.

It went on to suggest that although we may assume that there are care professionals out there who will keep an eye on us when we’re older and still living at home, this is no longer a guarantee because there are now deficits within the country’s health and care services, and the two are fragmented.

Charity director Caroline Abrahams commented: “We need to build up all our community health and social care services once again, gradually fill the yawning workforce gaps in both health and care, and do more to support the family members who step in to ‘hold the ring’ of a system under huge pressure – often ageing partners with their own health problems.”

One way that family members can help their relatives now is to go around their house to see if there are any changes that could be made to ensure they can stay in their homes for longer and are safe while there.

It might be that you have a need for a walk in shower bath or something similar – and if making small adaptations to the property means your friend or relative is able to stay independent for longer, they’re certainly worth doing.

Need A New Bath? Make Sure You Consider Safety

When you look at home renovation magazines or scroll through social media for inspiration on how to renovate your bathroom, you’re likely to see a lot of freestanding bathtubs.

However, while these look incredibly stylish, they’re actually highly impractical. A recent article for Treehugger – which noted that it was International Bath Day on 14^th June – explained that focusing on safety and comfort is far more important when choosing a new bath than picking a tub based on aesthetics.

The website notes that bath design hasn’t changed much in the past few centuries and that in many cases they’re uncomfortable to lie in and difficult to get in or out of.

The article also stressed the safety issues with many modern baths. “The fancy new tubs have no ledge to sit on so they are particularly dangerous, and being away from the wall, no place to put a safety rail,” it notes.

So, if you are looking for a new bath what kind of thing should you invest in? A walk in shower bath could be the ideal option, as it will allow you to enter and exit the tub safely.

You could even follow the example of the Japanese, who shower first to wash and then soak in the tub once they’re clean.

Even if you currently have no difficulties getting in and out of the bath, it’s worth future-proofing your home. Last month, designer Kevin McCloud told the Express that everyone should be thinking about the future when carrying out big renovations to their homes.

He added that this is particularly important if you’re intending to stay in this home for the rest of your life. Among his top tips were to borrow a wheelchair for a day and see how easy it is to move around in your property.

‘Don’t Put Style Before Safety’ In the Home

Many people might put off having a walk-in shower bath installed because they are worried it might not look good in their home, but these days there is plenty of choice to suit all tastes.

There is no excuse to put style before safety, which US website The Daily Commercial says is responsible for many avoidable accidents in the home.

The bathroom is a major hazard area for at-home injuries, and elderly people are especially at risk, with new figures from TheHealthSite showing that one in three women and one in five men over the age of 50 now suffer from osteoporosis.

CEO of Ro-Mac Lumber and Supply Don Magruder told the news outlet that if you want someone to fall over, the best way to go about it is to use ceramic or porcelain tiles in areas that can get wet, such as a bathroom.

It might look beautiful but it can be slippery, particularly some of those more polished grades – and if tiles aren’t installed properly and are completely level they could become a trip hazard.

Instead, Mr Magruder suggests looking into other non-slip flooring, as well as installing ramps if there are irregular steps around the property.

The expert also recommended bearing in mind how you may find accessing parts of your home as you age, even if you are fairly mobile today.

Putting easy-access solutions in place for attics, high-up windows and hard-to-reach light fixtures could save you from injury or difficulty later down the line.

He said that while a vaulted ceiling might look beautiful with that aspirational chandelier, falling off a ladder changing the bulbs in ten years could be extremely damaging.

Advice On Exercise For Arthritis Sufferers

Arthritis can be a debilitating condition that can make it difficult to do even basic daily tasks when it becomes severe.

However, doing certain exercise can help alleviate symptoms and make it easier to live an independent life for longer. The Express has highlighted advice about the best exercise to do if you suffer from arthritis.

Among the options are pilates and bowls, both of which can be beneficial to people who suffer from arthritis.

Speaking to the newspaper, Wendy Davis, from Arthritis Care, commented: “Those with arthritis can benefit from a combination of gentle stretching, strengthening and aerobic exercise – this includes yoga and pilates, or even sports such as bowls or petanque.”

Even low-impact activities like gardening or housework can class as aerobic exercise for arthritis sufferers, she added.

The important thing, according to the news provider, is to make sure you’re doing the right kind and level of exercise for your arthritis – this will ensure it doesn’t get worse.

Making changes to your home, such as by installing a walk-in shower bath and other additions to the bathroom that make it easier to use it if you have reduced mobility, may be another step you want to consider if your arthritis is worsening or becoming severe.

There are a host of other adaptations you can make to your home to ensure you’re able to stay there as long as possible, even if your mobility is reduced as you get older. One council in the UK revealed earlier this year that it’s trying to encourage more elderly people to make use of assistive technology.

Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council is offering people devices on a free 12-week trial, as well as providing training on how to use them.

Is Your Sleep Routine Affecting Your Arthritis?

As you get older there are many aliments that can make life difficult, but there are many steps you can take around your home such as installing a walk in shower bath or bar supports to make daily life easier.

A study has shown how your sleep pattern and routine could affect your health and wellbeing, and that having a set bedtime could possibly avoid muscle and joint pain and some cancers too. A disrupted sleep pattern is common for many of us with hectic lifestyles and it can be difficult to maintain constant routine.

When you experience a broken sleep, it can have a knock on effect on our body clock and in turn affect cells in our bodies. Many of us are aware of the term ‘body clock’ but the exact name for this is circadian rhythm, which sets the tone for how alert and energised we feel each day.

A central clock in our brains manages our responses and keeps us in sync with the outside world, monitoring and responding to any light that enters our eye.

This is called suprachiasmatic nucleus. Most of us will have experienced jet lag and this is our body’s response to being out of sync with our usual routine and our exposure to different light. Our body clocks tick away in every part of our bodies and in the cells of organs, which is why when jet lag occurs this can trigger other symptoms in the body such as mood swings and even constipation.

It is also thought to have a link to issues ranging from arthritis to poor eyesight and even complications related to surgery, according to the Daily Mail.

Significant Breakthrough In Dementia Treatment

Scientists at the UK Medical Research Council (MRC) have made a significant breakthrough that could lead to effective treatment for dementia patients.

The organisation revealed that a team of researchers has identified two drugs – one of which is already licensed for use in humans – that block a major pathway that leads to brain cell death in mice. As a result, these drugs prevent neurodegeneration.

In previous research, the team identified an accumulation of misfolded proteins in the brain as one of the major factors in illnesses like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Their research showed that this buildup of misfolded proteins negatively impacted the production of new proteins in brain cells.

Using an experimental drug, they found that turning this protein production back on was able to stop neurodegeneration. However, when it was investigated further, the drug proved to be unsuitable for use in humans.

Now, two new drugs that restore protein production rates in mice have been identified. One (trazodone) is a licensed antidepressant and is therefore ready for clinical trials. The other is an anti-cancer drug that’s currently being trialled.

Trazodone is already given to late-stage dementia patients, so the team now want to find out whether giving it to people at an early stage of the disease can “help arrest or slow down the disease through its effects on this pathway”.

While this is an exciting breakthrough, it is likely to be at least two to three years before researchers know how effective it is.

Earlier this month, one dementia sufferer wrote an article in the Yorkshire Post about her experiences, and stressed that adapting your lifestyle and habits is essential to make living with the illness easier.

This can involve everything from changing your daily routine, to making adjustments like installing a walk in shower bath to make washing easier.