Category: health

O’Sullivans Mobility Aids-Irish Cancer Society-Pink Partner 2016

O’Sullivans Mobility Aids are proud to announce we have partnered up with the Irish Cancer Society as a Pink Partner.

As part of their Breast Cancer awareness month, this October the Irish Cancer society have launched the “Paint it Pink” campaign.
We are delighted to come on board as an official Pink Partner, one of 17 businesses around Ireland supporting the Paint it pink campaign. This is a fantastic fundraising campaign that raises awareness and funds research into breast cancer.

We are contributing €5 from every sale of our walking stick range and €1 from every other sale to this campaign. So whether it’s a wheelchair, mobility scooter or a back scratcher you will be contributing to the Paint it Pink campaign.

We were delighted to be invited to the Irish Cancer Society HQ in Dublin last week for the official launch. RTE’s Miriam O’Callaghan was on duty for the day where she posed with Pink Partners.

Pink Partner

O’Sullivans Mobility Aids Pink Partner 2016

For more information on the pink partners click here!

 

Disability Blogs

Hello we’ve decided to take a novel approach to our blog this week.

We’re going to bring you some of the worlds most popular disability blogs!

We hope you get as much inspiration from some of the most passionate writers in our sector as we do!

Get Mobilized!

Jeff Preston, a PhD Candidate at the University of Western Ontario, drove his electric wheelchair from London, ON to Ottawa ON, over a period of weeks to bring awareness to the lack of accessible transportation in Canadian cities.  Now, he is running for City Councilor with an innovative online and real world campaign, with goals and issues put forward by his supporters.

Ouch! (BBC Disability Blog)

A great program of the British Broadcasting Corporation that explores all things disability. Includes some excellent podcasts that allow you to catch-up when you like.

JJ’s List

A Chicago based activist who knows full well the powerful economic impact of people touched by disability.  JJ’s List reviews the accessibility of businesses across the world.  This website is also a rich resource of video and articles celebrating disability.

Rolling Around in My Head

This top Canadian blog by the fantastic writer Dave Hinsburger has kept me coming back with whit and wisdom, time and again.  Disability injustice and pride clash often in extremely well written posts.

Glenda Watson Hyatt

This activist and author owns her identity, which has been crafted in part by Cerebral Palsy. Resulting from a lack of oxygen at birth, Glenda has cerebral palsy, mostly affecting her muscle coordination, balance and speech. However, labeled as functionally nonverbal and using a wheelchair for mobility hasn’t prevented Glenda from living her life to the fullest.

 

Disability.Blog

Disability.Blog, the official blog of Disability.gov, features weekly posts from subject matter experts who address important topics for people with disabilities, their families and others.

Disabled World

The Disabled World Disability Blogs focus on news and items of interest associated with Disability, Health, Disabled Veterans, Carers and other related topics of interest to Persons with Disabilities, their families, and caregivers, around the world.

Disability Intel

Disability Intel is a great blog with in depth news, analysis and commentary on disability supports, policy and culture.

Enabled By Design

Assistive technology is essential to the disability movement.  Enabled by Design is innovative; the technology and design you can find there is worth learning about.

 

 

Planet of the Blind

This blog by Stephen Kuusisto is a fantastic read and resource.  “Planet of the Blind – It’s Not as Dark as You Think.”

If you’d ever like the chance to contribute to our blog as a patient, healthcare professional, company or just want something discussed.please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Happy reading O’Sullivans Mobility Aids

O’Sullivans Mobility Aids Launch on YouTube 

Hello, it’s been a while since our last blog post describing our trip to Naidex 2016.

We’ve been super busy in the meantime launching our YouTube channel, that you can see by clicking here.

We’ve uploaded a few introductory videos from our trip to Naidex 2016.

Over the next few weeks, we hope to share some tips, hints and advice on various products in the shop.

When purchasing a product, we understand that patients need as much information as possible to make an appropriate purchase.

We hope that our videos will shed some further light on the excellent wheelchairs, mobility scooters and medical beds available in store.
Happy viewing!

Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel!😀😀

Flexyfoot available in Ireland at O’Sullivans Mobility

flexyfoot-logo

 

Everyone here at O’Sullivans Mobility are delighted to announce that we are an official supplier of the Flexyfoot range of mobility aids.

So what exactly is Flexyfoot? Flexyfoot is the future for anyone who needs a walking stick, walking cane or crutches to get around. Flexyfoot is designed to replace the old-fashioned ‘ferrule’.

You may not even have heard of ‘ferrules’ before? Not many people have – it’s sometimes referred to as a tip, cap or rubber stopper and is the brass or rubber bit that covers the bottom of your walking stick or cane.

Flexyfoot can transform your walking aids as it’s shock absorbing and increases grip and more importantly it significantly eases aches and pains.

The benefits of Flexyfoot

With traditional walking aids, tackling uneven ground is a frightening experience; there’s the fear of falling but by switching to Flexyfoot ferrules, you can confidently enjoy a more stable walking experience. Flexyfoot’s patented design works like the suspension system on a 4×4. The flexible bellows absorb shock each time your stick touches the ground so your step is completely cushioned.

 

Flexyfoot provides 50% more grip, which ensures a level of user confidence. Even when it’s wet out or by the side of swimming pool, the anti-slip foot leaves you safe in the knowledge that your walking aid will not fail you.

Flexyfoot provides improved grip and stability on all terrains, particularly slippery and uneven surfaces. Even better than that, the tread of the ferrule can independently rotate through 360°, so full ground contact is still maintained if you have to twist or turn around. The flexible bellows mean your stick will work at any angle while the Flexyfoot rubber tip is always in full contact with the floor.

Relieves pain

One of the core benefits of Flexyfoot is its ability to relieve pain normally associated with using walking aids. Over a prolonged period of time, traditional ferrules can cause excruciating and debilitating pain in the arms, shoulders, wrists, elbows, back and neck.

Flexyfoot’s innovative spring design corrects the body’s walking position by creating suspension for the walking aid, acting as a shock absorber, in the same way the suspension on a bike or car works.

Studies have shown that your wrist receives from one to more than three times your body weight with crutches, a load the upper body was never designed to sustain. Spring loaded or shock absorbing crutches or ferrules can reduce peak handle load by 24% when compared to standard crutches. This means less strain on joints, which in turn could reduce the risk of added complications associated with longer-term crutch use.

 

With our headquarters in Cork, we are Ireland’s leading provider of high quality and affordable mobility aids, home diagnostic kits and PosturePlast. With the help of our unique delivery service we are able to supply all 32 counties the very next day after you place your order. So if you are in Dublin, Mayo, Donegal or Limerick… we’ve got you covered. You can check out our main store at http://www.osullivansaids.ie or give us a call at anytime to (025)24656.

Naidex 2016 O’Sullivans Mobility Aids

Hello guys, we’ve been busy recently expanding our range of products. This week we visited the National Events Centre (NEC) in  Birmingham. The NEC hosts  NAIDEX 2016, the largest mobility and living aid conference in the UK. Naidex is the UK’s largest disability, rehabilitation and homecare event with over 200 exhibitors showcasing their products to more than 9,000 visitors. The event is at the forefront of innovation and as the industry evolves, staying up-to-date has never been more important.

We saw some amazing products including new wheelchairs, profiling beds, power chairs among some other exciting products. In addition, there was a variety of talks from leading healthcare professionals, OT’s, Physios who spoke on the developments in power chairs, wheelchairs, mobility scooters and telecare for those with poor mobility. Here’s a video of the shows highlights.

Exoskeleton

One particularly interesting product we saw was the Exoskeleton from ReWalk Robotics Argo Medical Technologies. A Technology which enables Spinal Cord Injured to Walk Again. ReWalk  is  a  wearable  robotic  exoskeleton  that provides  powered  hip  and  knee  motion  to  enable individuals  with    spinal  cord  injury  to  stand upright,  walk,  turn,  and  climb  and  descend  stairs. The  system  allows  independent,  controlled walking  while  mimicking  the  natural  gait  pattern of  the legs.

ReWalk Personal 6.0
The  new  ReWalk  Personal  6.0  System  is  designed for  all  day  use  at  home  and  in  the  community. It is the most customizable exoskeleton and configured specifically for each user. This precise fit optimizes safety, function and joint alignment.

Check out more from our trip to Naidex 2016 on our social media accounts as well as in a follow up blog.

We’ll be covering wheelchairs, profiling beds and mobility scooters in future demonstrations.

 

Testing Your Mobility Scooter Batteries

Do you have a mobility scooter that is not taking you as far as it used to? Has it been a year or more since you replaced your mobility scooter batteries? If so, it is likely your mobility scooter needs a new set of batteries. However, it is good to know how to test your batteries to ensure they need to be replaced before calling a technician and buying a new set.

Today we will explain how to run some simple tests on your batteries so that you can be sure they are in need of replacement. Before doing any of these tests make sure that your mobility scooter is completely charged over night.

Locating Your Mobility Scooter Battery Indicator

First of all, you will need to locate your battery meter that shows you how much juice your battery has. As you are on the scooter operating it come to a stop with the mobility scooter key still in the on position and look for your battery gauge. The battery indicator can be digital LED lights or an older amp meter with an orange needle.

Now that we have identified where the battery indicator is we can tell how weak the batteries are we can start to run a few simple tests.

Testing Your Mobility Scooter’s Batteries

At a stand-still, take notice of where the battery indicator needle is or how many LED lights you have lit up on your LED meter. It should be fully charged while testing your batteries in this process. While stationary, press or push the levers that make your mobility scooter run. Be sure to be on a flat level surface for best results. If the needle or LED lights decrease rapidly as you begin to move, then your batteries are weak and need to be replaced.

Another effective way of measuring the strength of your mobility scooter batteries is to ride the mobility scooter up a slope grade that is 75% of the mobility scooter capability. A simple 6 degree grade would be ample for almost any mobility scooter. We will want to take notice of how many LED lights or what percentage the needle is on the indicator then ride up the ramp. If your battery indicator is near full and then drops to below half way, this is another good sign that your batteries need to be replaced.

Testing Your Batteries With A Multimeter:

The absolute best way to identify the power left in a mobility scooter battery is to test them. A local mobility scooter store will be able to help you test them if you’re able to find one. If you do find one nearby, hopefully they will be fair with you and offer a good price on a set of new batteries. You might be able to replace them on your own to save some money.

If you have a simple multimeter you can get a good idea of where your mobility scooter battery level is. A multi-meter is a tool used to measure electrical current and continuity in many different type of electrical wave lengths. Mobility scooter batteries are 12 vDC each. Most mobility scooters contain two batteries combined to operate on 24 volts. Using a multimeter set the dial to vDC. Next you will want to locate the charging port and place the red and black leads in to the left and right holes. It does not matter which lead is placed in each hole. You should get a reading of 24-25 DC. Anything below 23 volts is considered to be not good with mobility scooters. Now to test the load you will want to turn the scooter on an operate the mobility scooter with the leads in place as they were. The volts will dissipate as you are riding the mobility scooter. If the voltage drops more than 2-3 complete volts your batteries should be replaced.

At O’Sullivans Mobility Aids we always aim to improve customer satisfaction.

We hope this blog helps you understanding you mobility scooter batteries.

Please feel free to contact us 025 24656, [email protected] or on facebook, twitter or using our live chat option on our website.

 

 

Chair Cushions And Back & Neck Supports

Most of us spend about half of our waking day at work, sitting down, so it makes sense to try to make sure that we are as comfortable as possible during that time. Being comfortable at work will help to improve your productivity and prevent repetitive strain injury and general day-to-day injuries. At O’Sullivans Mobility Aids we stock an extensive rang of cushions, back supports and pillows.

Why Choosing the right Chair Cushion is Important?

Cushions do far more than just provide padding for your buttocks. The help to support your spine and take the pressure off certain muscles. A good cushion can help to stimulate circulation, and make it easier for you to maintain good posture. This will have the knock-on effect of ensuring that your head is at the right angle to look at the screen, and your arms/wrists and shoulders are at the correct angle when typing. Supporting your posterior chain will have a knock-on effect on your whole body alignment. It is also worth noting that you should raise/ lower your PC screen to suit your back.

A Look at The most Common Types of Seat Cushion

There are three main types of seat cushion. The most common choice is the standard seat cushion that sits on the chair itself. There are also lumbar support cushions, and two-piece cushions that include a part for the coccyx and one for the back. Let’s take a look at each in turn.

Seat Cushions

Seat cushions are small, relatively flat pads that are designed to support your coccyx and take pressure off the buttocks. They are designed for people who suffer from sciatica or have pain in their tailbone, and for people who find office chars too hard. They are relatively small and portable, and usually just sit on the chair like a normal cushion, so they could be picked up and moved around if necessary. They can be used on almost any form of chair or seat – in the office, in your car, or while on an airplane.

orthopedic cushions.jpg

Back Support Cushions

Back support cushions sit at the bottom of the chair back and have a convex padded area that helps the spine to achieve a neutral position. They usually have straps that will slip over or velcro around the chair to hold the cushion in place. They come in various sizes, and it is important to choose the right size to ensure that you are sitting in a comfortable posture. Back support cushions can be used with car seats or on office chairs. If they are fitted correctly then they will stop you from slouching, and support your spine, keeping you feeling alert for longer.

harley spine

Full Chair Cushions With Support for Seat and Back

Full chair cushions combine the coccyx support with lumbar support, and sometimes run further up the chair, offering support for the neck or a headrest as well. These tend to be quite big and bulky, and are secured to the chair itself with straps or ties to prevent them slipping. This means that they cannot be moved from chair to chair as easily.

Neck cushions, Pillows

Our necks and shoulders take the weight of our head and upper back resulting in significant stress and strain. Poor posture can result in neck and shoulder injuries, luckily this can prevented by the use of cushions and supports that realign our spine and neck. Pillows are essential when sleeping as incorrectly lying in bed for 8 hours a day can result in  chronic injury.

harley lo line

Tips of Choosing the Best Cushion

There are many different considerations that you would need to remember when choosing a cushion, including the ergonomics, the material, the way the cushion attaches to the chair, and how easily it can be cleaned.

Securing The Cushion

If you have your own private office then you may not mind using a full chair cushion that is tied to the office chair. However, if you move around a lot or do a lot of travelling, something more portable such as a comfort foam seat cushion may be a better option. Many truck drivers have custom seat covers with massage beads on them, which help to prevent deep vein thrombosis. They then carry other cushions for other parts of their job.

Cleaning The Cushion

Some cushions are covered with faux leather and wipe clean easily. Others have removable fabric covers. Some have fixed fabric covers, however, making them harder to clean. If you work in a hot office where people tend to get sweaty then this might be a problem for you. Choose something easy to clean.

Shape and Size of the Cushion

Shape and size matters for two reasons – portability (if you will be using the cushion for travel), and ergonomics. A cushion that is too high for you will make sitting uncomfortable and put pressure on your thighs. One that has too much of a curve in the lower back will make your posture awkward, and is just as bad as sitting in a chair with no cushion. Pay attention to sizing options, and if possible test the cushion in real life before you buy it.

Don’t hesitate to contact us at 025 24656, online using our live chat app or via email at [email protected]

 

Mattresses-Decisions, decisions…#2

Welcome to our second blog on mattresses, here we hope to give you an insight into hospital bed mattresses.

Selecting the most appropriate mattress for each user’s needs is crucial to ensuring correct pressure care and management. When selecting a mattress the user’s skin should be assessed to determine the risk he or she is at from developing a pressure ulcer. This assessment can also identify the beginning of pressure damage.

Casaflex/CasaSolo range

The Casaflex range of mattresses are designed with performance and affordability in mind. They offer highly affordable pressure care solutions for those ranging from at risk to at high risk pressure ulcer development.

  • CasaSolo and CasaFlex mattresses are designed with performance and affordability in mind.
  • They offer highly affordable pressure care solutions for those ranging from at risk to at high risk of pressure ulcer development.
  • High weight capacity to suit a wide range of users • Fire retardant to BS7177:2008 Medium Hazard (Crib 5 Composite)
  • Sewn, vapour permeable and waterproof cover for breathability and hygiene

casa_mattress-800

There are four different mattresses in this range with increasing protection against ulcers:

Single Foam

Single Foam-Castellated Cut

Single Foam-Profiled on both sides

Basic Foam with Visco Elastic Foam Top

Closure Mattresses

The “Closure” fabric has been developed over a number of years to withstand up to fifty times the normal level of contact with chlorine based cleaners (usually specified as 1,000ppm) which can mean a dramatic reduction in the amount of replacement mattresses needed by a Hospital each year.

Closure has been subjected to over 100 washes with and without rinsing, whilst maintaining waterproof and physical characteristics expected from modern mattress fabrics, providing a major breakthrough in the defence against the effects of using high or inappropriate levels of chlorine.

  • Closure mattress covers are PU coated, multi-stretch, vapour permeable and waterproof knitted nylon.
  • High frequency welded seams and double-sided flaps protect the zip closures.
  • Wipe clean covers are impregnated with an anti-microbial agentin the fabric coating, which are resistant to bacterial growth, including MRSA, fungal growth and house dust mite.
  • Light coloured substrate fabric to help identify interior staining. Suitable for profiling and non-profiling bed bases

Prima closure mattresses.jpg

Triflex Mattresses

Triflex is the most versatile mattress for use in all healthcare environments. Particularly suitable for Palliative Care & Nursing Homes. All these mattresses have been specifically designed to be used with our range of Home Nursing Beds. Notably all these mattresses are CE marked and have been clinically tested which is crucial for bed-bound patients. A wedge can also be supplied in big and small sizes to increase comfort and minimise leg ulcers.triflex_bed_ireland.png

  • Excellent clinical outcomes particularly for heels. Case studies show that the healing process of existing sores can be accelerated.
  • There are potential cost savings in nursing time and reduced investment in other equipment.
  • The finest quality high resilient foams used to provide excellent pressure distribution and improve patient comfort.
  • TRI-FLEX provides the resident with a comfortable, static and noiseless mattress which enables them to get a good night’s sleep, whilst relieving pressure from all areas of the body

mattresses

Casaflex Floor Mats

The CasaFlex safety floor mats have been designed to provide added security in combination with the CasaBeds. There are two versions available: one flat and one space conserving folding mat. These safety mats are commonly used with our low beds with a height range commencing 230mm. The safety mat itself has a height of 76mm. If our low beds are used in conjunction with our CasaFlex mattress CS5 (130mm high), the distance between the top of the mattress to the top of the safety mat without compression is 284mm.

For more information on any of these items click here.

 

Things to consider when purchasing a mattress

Getting a good nights sleep is essential to maintaining to your health. In addition, for those who spend long periods in bed due to illness or disability, ensuring the correct mattress is essential for ones ongoing health. An inappropriate mattress can result in poor sleep as well as pressure sores and ulcers.

There are a large number of mattresses but all broadly fit into two categories:

  • Profiling bed mattresses
  • Hospital bed mattresses.

Profiling bed mattresses are similar to those found in regular beds except that they offer much greater levels of comfort and quality to users.

Hospital beds mattresses in contrast are usually very functional and are designed for long-term care bed bound patients. They are usually easily washable and contain an anti-bacterial mattress closure and cover.

At O’Sullivans Mobility Aids we offer a wide range of both profiling and hospital bed mattresses.

Here we break down a series of profiling bed mattresses:

These mattresses come in a range of sizes from 2 Ft 3″ all the ways to 6 Ft”.

Latex foam mattresses are a recent innovation to the market and are starting to become more popular because of their quality and great levels of comfort. Excellent heat reduction and breathable properties, which are more efficient than any other type of foam, allowing the mattress to breathe and keep fresh. Hypo allergenic and anti microbial, the material which prevents dust, mould and bacteria from settling in the mattress.

Pocket sprung mattresses are one of the most comfortable mattresses with an effective design that provides high levels of comfort and support where it’s needed most. They are designed to contour with your body and are constructed of numerous individual springs that move independently, giving an exceptional amount of support and cushioning. A pocket sprung mattress uses these individual springs to respond to everyone’s individual body weight, increasing their usability and comfort

Memory foam has a unique open cell structure that reacts and responds to body heat and weight by moulding to the contours of your body, therefore optimising the support it provides. It is the most effective material for relieving pressure points and used for prevention of pressure sores and has multiple orthopaedic benefits making a huge difference to your quality of sleep. This mattress is made up of 7cm of memory foam bonded onto 15cm of reflex foam.Memory Foam mattresses are the most expensive mattress type in this range.

The pocket sprung foam mattress: part of the mattress is made with superior quality springs providing the familiar bounce of a traditional mattress. A 7cm layer of high density memory foam is added to provide excellent comfort and support, moulding to your body for a comfortable night’s sleep. Owing to the Thermal properties associated with memory foam this provides a warmer option during the winter months. Alternatively you can turn the mattress and sleep comfortably on the cooler side of the 500 pocket spring system, thus providing a firmer support where needed.

No Turn Memory Foam Mattress: Memory foam has a unique open cell structure that reacts and responds to body heat and weight by moulding to the contours of your body, therefore optimising the support it provides. It is the most effective material for relieving pressure points and used for prevention of pressure sores and has multiple orthopaedic benefits making a huge difference to your quality of sleep. This mattress is made up of 5cm memory foam bonded onto 15cm of reflex foam.

Reflex Foam Mattress Code:  Luxurious Reflex mattress, ribbed carefully to work in harmony with your body. The Completely Filler-Free Reflex achieves the most outstanding levels of performance, shape retention and long term durability. Its unique construction ensures excellent mattress ventilation

Here is a guide to mattress firmness:

pocket sprung mattress Soft/Medium

latex foam mattress Soft/Medium

reflex foam mattress Medium/Firm

memory foam mattress Firm

Next weeks blog will discuss hospital bed mattresses.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with regard to any queries,

We are available via live chat on our website, phone 025 24656 and email: [email protected] O'Sullivans Mobility Aids mattresses

Happy Birthday at O’Sullivans Mobility with Bruce Springsteen

This week were celebrating our first online birthday and to thank all our loyal customers who’ve supported us throughout the year, we’ve a special prize for one lucky person. And it’s not the:

  • Free, next-day  nationwide delivery. 
  • Unrivaled customer service.
  • Lowest prices and best value on mobility scooters, wheelchairs and beds.

It’s

**TWO TICKETS TO SEE THE BOSS IN DUBLIN THIS MAY**

o'sullivans mobility aids

JUST LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE AND SHARE THIS POST ON FACEBOOK.

ALTERNATIVELY DROP IN TO OUR SHOWROOM IN MITCHELSTOWN.

Thanks to everyone who’ve supported us we hope there’ll be many more……

We’d also like to offer a 10% discount to our customers when you spend over a €100.

Just enter the discount code  BRUCE anytime this month.

Remember O’Sullivans Mobility and Living Aids Ireland’s Number one mobility supplier of

  • Mobility Scooters
  • Nursing home/ Hospital beds
  • Wheelchairs and Powerchairs
  • Stairlifts
  • Home test Kits

Contact us any time on 025-24656 or [email protected] or on live chat using our website