Interesting products that might be helpful to some people

[only hope]

Very interesting about the Warheads. Wonder if they would also work for nausea. I realize nausea is certainly not in the same category as panic attacks but interesting enough to me I'm going to figure out what Warheads are and where to buy. Also, I'm a terrible sleeper and can't shut down 'the wheels'. Maybe sucking Warheads would help as all kinds of Melatonin do not.

Thank you for mentioning. I'm very sorry about your wife.

Chemo patients are give Lemonheads for nausea in some places so I think there is something to nausea and eating something sour.

 

[SueM in MN]

Chemo patients are give Lemonheads for nausea in some places so I think there is something to nausea and eating something sour.

I've also heard using lemon wedges for nausea from chemo or morning sickness, sometimes even just smelling lemon and not biting it.
I gad 'all pregnâncy' morning sickness and lemon did help a bit

 

[SueM in MN]

Another item that came up on Facebook - Amazon link for bag designed for wheelchair



We just use a regular backpack on my daughter's wheelchair. Her chair is very narrow and most of the ones designed for wheelchairs like this one are too wide.
If you are looking for one, this one has 83% 5 star ratings and 10% 4 star. Plus it has a shoulder strap for when it needs to be removed and carried.

 

[Baytothemax]

I got the tip on here in another thread, but the wedge it is a huge help for getting in & out of doors that don’t have an auto feature. It makes it so I can easily get my ecv in & out of room with no help.

 

[Hippomom]

This is an interesting device that may be helpful for some people who have trouble walking, but not standing.
I've seen several of this device, The Alinker, at Disney World.
It's a non motorized, no pedal walking bike. It meets the Disney size guidelines for wheelchairs - measures 30" wide and 45" long. The only limitation I've seen is that it may not turn very tightly
One was a woman at Animal Kingdom; she had a shirt on that indicated she had MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
I don't know why the other person was using it, but I've seen photos of people with prosthetic legs, MS, CP and other conditions that affect stamina or balance. The first article I saw featured Selma Blair, who has MS.

This is a link to an article about a young woman with cerebral palsy who uses an Alinker.
And this is a photo from her article.

I have one of these if anyone has questions, there is also an Alinker family facebook group where people can get a lot of information.

 

[only hope]

Does anyone know if theres a way to keep the wheelchair cushion cool? I was using a gel grid cushion on top of the one that the chair came with, but it wasn’t comfortable and slightly hot. I then bought this one recently and have used it just once so far (at Epcot). It seems to be much more comfortable but its even hotter than the gel grid one, uncomfortably so despite it being advertised as having a cooling cover. Is there some kind of material I could cover it with to make it cooling or do I need a different product? I avoided memory foam because I read that gets warm.

Also, does anyone know of wicking socks that do not have elastic? I can no longer tolerate socks with tight elastic and am having trouble finding what I need.

 

[mamabunny]

Does anyone know if theres a way to keep the wheelchair cushion cool? I was using a gel grid cushion on top of the one that the chair came with, but it wasn’t comfortable and slightly hot. I then bought this one recently and have used it just once so far (at Epcot). It seems to be much more comfortable but its even hotter than the gel grid one, uncomfortably so despite it being advertised as having a cooling cover. Is there some kind of material I could cover it with to make it cooling or do I need a different product? I avoided memory foam because I read that gets warm.

On Amazon (and other retailers) they sell "Cooling mats" that are for pets, as well as humans (honestly, I might look at the pet mats first) and that might help your situation. They *are* a bit spendy, in part because we are now in the throes of summer weather, but that on top of your cushion might be helpful. Certainly something to look at, to see if it will meet your needs!

Also, does anyone know of wicking socks that do not have elastic? I can no longer tolerate socks with tight elastic and am having trouble finding what I need.

Off the top of my head, I would suggest diabetic socks - those tend to have little to no elastic, and usually wick sweat fairly well.

 

[Flynn's Gal]

Also, does anyone know of wicking socks that do not have elastic? I can no longer tolerate socks with tight elastic and am having trouble finding what I need.

I get SmartKnit socks for my daughter.

 

[SueM in MN]

COOLING VESTS for people with heat sensitivity

Many people with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) have big issues with heat. Because of that, a lot of the best articles and suggestions for dealing with heat are addressed to MS patients. These might also be useful for people with heat sensitivity for other reasons.

This is an article I found about cooling vests. It includes links and also reviews with pros & cons of each.

 

[SueM in MN]

This isn't a product, but helpful information for people who travel by air with power wheelchairs/ECVs.
A link from the FAA about air travel with power wheelchairs. It points out that in many cases, it's preferable to transport a power wheelchair or other powered mobility device with the batteries installed. Whether that's possible depends greatly on the type of battery and whether the installed batteries are adequately protected.

Always check also with your airline and it's a good idea to see if the manufacturer of your device has any information online.
My daughter's power wheelchair is a Permobil. They have a very helpful Travel Support Page. Some of the information is specific to that brand of chair, but much of the information and many of the tips and tools are general and could be helpful to anyone traveling with any mobility device.

 

[SueM in MN]

I have to say I never heard of a power assisted rollator, but @nalababybear mentioned them in another thread.
So, I had to look them up. Here are link to a couple:
Quick N Mobile Wheelator
Smallemon Rollator 3 in 1 on Amazon
Sinceborn Foldable Powered Rollator on Amazon
Rollz Assist

Some of them may be able to have the power operated by someone pushing the user, others might not

 

[SueM in MN]

Walmart has adaptive backpacks with features like different ways to attach to wheelchairs, easy pull zippers, access for tubing. One of their designs is Disney Princess.

 

[SueM in MN]

Kohls also has Adaptive Backpacks from Nike, Jansport and New Balance (no characters though)

Target has Adaptive Backpacks from Jansport and their own brands

 

[robinb]

I got the tip on here in another thread, but the wedge it is a huge help for getting in & out of doors that don’t have an auto feature. It makes it so I can easily get my ecv in & out of room with no help.

I have one and it’s great!

 

[SueM in MN]

This is an interesting product my daughter has used for several years - Billy Footwear
She has 4 pairs of shoes - beach blue, orchid flower pink, blush pink, grey - and a pair of warm winter boots.

The shoes are available in sizes and styles for children, men and women. They have multiple accessibility features, but are not 'medical' looking. They are an example of Universal Design, with features that make them accessible while they are still 'mainstream' and made for everyone.
In fact, they are 'cool' enough looking that we've been asked where she got them by people without disabilities.
The website's About Us page has information on how the company began and a video that shows the co-founder's story and demonstrates how the shoes work.
Accessibility features include:

• the whole front zips open along the side of the shoe and around the toes. This allows the foot to be placed flat into the shoe
• the zipper pulls have a loop so they are easy for children or people with disabilities to tug shut
• ties allow the fit to be personalized without having to retie each time. Helpful for anyone who has difficulty with tying shoes
• additional features for people who wear AFOs or orthotics

 

[LuvOrlando]

Does anyone know if theres a way to keep the wheelchair cushion cool? I was using a gel grid cushion on top of the one that the chair came with, but it wasn’t comfortable and slightly hot. I then bought this one recently and have used it just once so far (at Epcot). It seems to be much more comfortable but its even hotter than the gel grid one, uncomfortably so despite it being advertised as having a cooling cover. Is there some kind of material I could cover it with to make it cooling or do I need a different product? I avoided memory foam because I read that gets warm.

Also, does anyone know of wicking socks that do not have elastic? I can no longer tolerate socks with tight elastic and am having trouble finding what I need.

Socks make my arthritis miserable, I have gone through hundreds of pairs I ended up gifting or donating. I now just get Hanes Men's Double Low Cut Socks 12-Pair Pack, Available in Big & Tall, Black, 12-14 and cut off the thin strip top elastic, started to do this a few months ago. My feet are nowhere near this big but any compression is crippling so this works, the socks tend to roll down a bit and I generally need to switch out a pair by the end of the day because they become quitters but they don't trigger whatever the compression triggers so it works.

 

[LuvOrlando]

A zipper pull thermometer so my family can help me keep an eye on the temp & I can help myself better. I often don't seem feel the temp around me rising and by the time I do it is an avalanche so I mostly avoid heat but this is an assist. I think a bluetooth alarm would help but I haven't seen a mobile one.

I think a regular one with bluetooth in the house or car could make the world safer for anyone who doesn't feel temps correctly, like family could monitor from a distance or alarms could be set.

 

[only hope]

Socks make my arthritis miserable, I have gone through hundreds of pairs I ended up gifting or donating. I now just get Hanes Men's Double Low Cut Socks 12-Pair Pack, Available in Big & Tall, Black, 12-14 and cut off the thin strip top elastic, started to do this a few months ago. My feet are nowhere near this big but any compression is crippling so this works, the socks tend to roll down a bit and I generally need to switch out a pair by the end of the day because they become quitters but they don't trigger whatever the compression triggers so it works.

Creative idea, I bet that will help others! Since I made that post I’ve tried two brands of supposedly non-binding diabetic socks but both left marks on my skin within minutes and were causing pain. Unfortunately in the parks during the warmer half of the year I need socks that are shin high to protect me from the sun. I’ve just been wearing the same 100% elastic free roll-down socks I wear to work since I can’t find anything else, but they are rather warm. It’s still preferable to exposing my skin to the sun though. Wish I could find wicking socks that are truly non-binding and elastic free but it doesn’t seem to be a thing, I spent several hours online trying to find some.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Creative idea, I bet that will help others! Since I made that post I’ve tried two brands of supposedly non-binding diabetic socks but both left marks on my skin within minutes and were causing pain. Unfortunately in the parks during the warmer half of the year I need socks that are shin high to protect me from the sun. I’ve just been wearing the same 100% elastic free roll-down socks I wear to work since I can’t find anything else, but they are rather warm. It’s still preferable to exposing my skin to the sun though. Wish I could find wicking socks that are truly non-binding and elastic free but it doesn’t seem to be a thing, I spent several hours online trying to find some.

What about just adding the things football players wear on their arms for the sun protection part? Those guys have massive arms so I'd imagine you can get loose sizes, lots of kinds but these look cooling or so they say. There are leg ones too but those seem to be compression and it sounds like you don't want that. I have found that athletics as an industry has all the most innovative items for most things, which makes sense since the teams spend so much.
https://www.uline.com/BL_3638/Cooling-Arm-Sleeves?pricode=WC2916&AdKeyword=arm sleeve for sun protection&AdMatchtype=p&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwzby1BhCQARIsAJ_0t5PmlO4qnNa0_lsv02RLcPYu6niVNjGsWQL0QHYYfXmnMozob0AzS9IaArO7EALw_wcB

Maybe something like this
https://www.amazon.com/Cotton-Warme...refix=loose+cotton+leg+warmers,aps,141&sr=1-6
or
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B082Z2T3KT/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_plhdr=t&aaxitk=ffac07c388598952e9f554c11276292c&hsa_cr_id=0&qid=1722772607&sr=1-1-9e67e56a-6f64-441f-a281-df67fc737124&ref_=sbx_be_s_sparkle_sccd_asin_0_title&pd_rd_w=APLwN&content-id=amzn1.sym.8591358d-1345-4efd-9d50-5bd4e69cd942:amzn1.sym.8591358d-1345-4efd-9d50-5bd4e69cd942&pf_rd_p=8591358d-1345-4efd-9d50-5bd4e69cd942&pf_rd_r=JDND4AGDS8BN3481RZX0&pd_rd_wg=KkLXn&pd_rd_r=17b9b4c9-e9d4-4608-a468-25903d538134

If not, even leggings cut down could work, you can probably get cheap loose leggings at walmart to cut down, often items in the nightwear section are much more loose fitting. I know it isn't as easy as one item that does both but any port in a storm will do to me.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you have an iPhone or other smartphone, you can set alarms or reminders for various things.
My daughter needs to be catheterized for urine every 3 to 3.5 hours. She also has medications to take on schedule 3 times a day.
It's very easy to lose track of time, so I needed reminders to keep things on track. After doing the task, I just edit the timer to the next time I need to do it.

The 'game changer' for me was when the iPhone added a feature to label the timers. No more trying to remember what I'm supposed to do when the 2:30 pm alarm goes off.
And, if my phone and Apple Watch are muted, I still get haptic (vibration) feedback when the alarm goes off.