Angled armchair raisers

A stroke patient in her early 80s was suffering back pain because she couldn’t sit far enough back in her armchair. The height of the chair had been adjusted, but there was no support at the front to stop her sliding forward as the seat cushion became compressed, so her occupational therapist referred her to Remap. We made new chair raisers that were 20 mm lower at the front than the previous ones and 40 mm lower at the rear, so the seat cushion was slightly tilted and the lady could sit back in comfort. We also installed a cloth covered foam bar to support the front of the chair and prevent her from sliding forward.

Auto-injector holder

A diabetic client had a stroke that left her without the use of her right arm. She was supplied with an Omnipod auto-injector on condition that she was able to use a hypodermic syringe to charge it with insulin. However, the Omnipod is small with a curved top, and has to be held upside down while being charged, which was a problem. We made a small resin block a little smaller than a pack of playing cards, with a non-slip rubber pad stuck to the base. A recess was machined 2 mm larger than the Omnipod in each direction, with a finger cut-out to allow the charged Omnipod to be removed. Pieces of Sugru self-curing rubber, kindly supplied by the manufacturer, were pressed into the four corners of the recess. The Omnipod was wrapped in clingfilm and soaped so that it would not stick, then pressed into the block upside down, leaving Omnipod-shaped impressions in the Sugru.

Thus adjusted, the recessed block holds the Omnipod steady while the client fills it with one hand, without assistance. The Omnipod has an adhesive pad so that it can be stuck to the client’s skin, leaving her free to take part in more or less any activity, including swimming, while being auto-injected for up to three days according to a pre-arranged schedule.

Camera mount for wheelchair

A keen photographer was left paralysed on his left side following a stroke. Now dependent on a wheelchair for mobility, he could not hold or operate his camera successfully. We adapted his wheelchair to receive a camera mount, which allowed him to use his camera with one hand and continue his passion for photography.

Games to improve concentration and dexterity

An occupational therapist at Wycombe Hospital, who also served on the Remap South Bucks Panel, was looking for ways of improving concentration, attention and dexterity in stroke patients. A Remap engineer made this colourful suite of games designed to enhance grasping power and the ability to move objects accurately from place to place. The bright colours are particularly helpful for people left with blurred or limited vision following a stroke.

Reversing mirror for wheelchair

A stroke left a lady client confined to an electric wheelchair and with very limited arm movement, especially on her right side. Because she could not see over her shoulder, she had difficulty reversing the wheelchair in the confines of her house without crashing into things. She contacted Remap, and we mounted a cycle mirror onto the wheelchair using the flexible “gooseneck” from a table mounted microphone and a simple clamp. The client can alter the mirror position by simply bending the mounting.

Model door for assessing accessibility

Stroke patients discharged from hospital often suffer from reduced manual dexterity and find it difficult to operate the locks and security devices fitted to their doors when they get home. To help assess whether patients might face such problems, occupational therapists at Amersham Hospital asked Remap to construct a working model of a door, complete with a range of full-sized locks, latches, handles and a door chain. As a result, OTs can now seek pre-discharge assistance from Remap engineers, who can provide individual adaptations before or coinciding with the patient’s return home. The door can also be used in rehabilitation, allowing patients to practice using locks and handles.

Leg lifter for stairlift

Rosemary from Amersham suffered a stroke and was unable to lift her right leg onto a stairlift footplate or to hold it there while the stairlift was in motion. We designed a leg lifting device with a cushioned bar that rests across her left thigh and another that goes under her right thigh. Rosemary moves a lever to the left to raise the bar on the right, lifting her right leg using the bar on the left as a fulcrum; this action also moves a curved bar across her right shin. Pushing the lever forward moves the shin bar to gently bend the right knee, bringing her right foot onto the footplate and allowing her to keep it in position by flexing her left ankle to adjust the fulcrum. Rosemary can now use the stairlift on her own, giving her independent upstairs access.

Walking frame stabiliser: video

Nora at Abbeyfield Princes Risborough suffered a stroke that affected her balance using a walking frame. Worried about falling down stairs while crossing landing to lift, she became increasingly confined to her room. Remap installed a stabiliser linking her frame to the wall opposite the stairs, so she can now get the lift downstairs confidently in the knowledge that the walker is secured.

The fully story is here.

Walking frame stabiliser

Norah, a resident in her early 90s at Abbeyfield Supported Sheltered Housing, Princes Risborough, was in the habit of going into town on her own to visit the library. Then she suffered a stroke that affected her balance and her confidence in getting around. Norah’s room is on the first floor of her home. To gain access to the outside world, or even to the communal dining area and day room on the ground floor, she has to cross the landing at the top of a flight of stairs to access the lift. Using a wheeled walking frame, and with impaired balance, she was increasingly worried that she may fall down the stairs. She began to spend more time alone in her room. An occupational therapist at Wycombe Hospital referred Norah to Remap, whose engineers were able to come up with a solution.

To stabilise the walker, a tubular runner was mounted on the wall opposite the top of the stairs, and two sprung ball-end shafts were fitted to the frame, one on either side. Norah simply feeds the end of the appropriate shaft into the runner and can cross the landing quickly and confidently in the knowledge that the walker is secured. She can now eat and socialise with fellow residents again, and has resumed her trips into town. Norah said: “This gadget makes it safe for me to walk across the top of the stairs and has made a world of difference. It’s 100% successful.”

Watch video here.

Pan stabiliser

Following a succession of strokes, father-of-two Andy lost the use of his right arm. Determined to cook for his family one handed, he was initially unable to prevent pans from sliding dangerously all over the cooker. We fashioned a horizontal frame to prevent sliding, attached to two perpendicular “goalpost” style restraints to stop pans rotating during stirring.