The View from Where I Sit

Category: Dealing with Disability series

  • ‘Home Automation for Physically Disabled People in the UK’

    CareFree Smart Homes began from a desire to enhance the lives of people with disabilities. As a disabled-owned company, we recommend all of our products to anyone disabled who is looking to utilise technology to enhance their level of independent living. During an interview with CEO Josh Porritt, this is what he said:

    1. What is a Care Free Smart Home?

    A CareFree Smart Home is one that provides the occupants with useful automation and voice controlled features that make it easier to control their home.

    2. Are Care Free Smart Homes wheelchair accessible? How?

    Products available at CareFree Smart Homes can help wheelchair users by enabling them to do more from their chair without having to move around as much or stretch for switches.

    3. Are Care Free Smart Homes digitally accessible? How?

    CareFree Smart Homes is all about technology. Whether you want to control your home whilst you’re there, or somewhere completely different. We have a website and are available on all major social media platforms plus live chat and WhatsApp.

    4. Do Housing Corporations know about your company?

    We are open to working with housing corporations and welcome them to contact us.

    5. Are Care Free Smart Homes legal?

    All our products and services comply with the law.

    6. When did you start Care Free Smart Homes?

    CareFree Smart Homes was incorporated in July 2022 and began operating in September 2022.

    7. Does a Care Free Smart Home, work without Wifi or Internet connection?
    Sort of, at the moment. The ability to control your smart home without an internet connection is becoming more and more possible every day. There will come a time where every smart home accessory can be controlled independent of an internet connection.

    8. You say that you like solving problems. Which problems arose for you to start building Care Free Smart Homes?

    It’s often difficult for disabled people to navigate properties, whether it’s fully adapted or not. As a disabled person, I understand this problem first hand. Coupled with the fact I’m obsessed with technology, I’m ideally placed to advise on how smart technology can be used in the homes of everyone, including disabled people.

    9. How do you build Care Free Smart Homes?

    Whilst there’s a broad range of smart products available, we focus on providing products and solutions that are ‘plug and play’. We believe that ‘plug and play’ products, if they can’t be installed by the purchaser, are suitable to be installed by family members, friends, carers, handymen, and for certain products, a short visit from an electrician

    10. Do you eventually wish to go global/international?

    At this time we are focused on establishing our name within the United Kingdom and making life easier for as many people as possible through use of technology.

    For more information about his company, you can check out his website at: Home Automation For Disabled Persons | CareFree Smart Homes https://www.carefreesmarthomes.co.uk/

    Seen by Josh Porritt at 14:35

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    Write to Josh Porritt

  • Where did the term ‘Handicap’ come from?

    You might have heard that the word originated from disabled veterans in England during King Henry VII’s reign (15th-16th century). Unable to make a living for themselves after war, they were forced to take to the streets with their “cap in hand,” begging for coins. King Henry VII made it legal for disabled people to beg because he didn’t think they could hold down jobs. Disabled individuals, therefore, became known as “handicapped”…It turns out, though, that this is not true.

    In contrast, “Cap in hand” actually refers to taking one’s hat off as a sign of respect, such as when listening to the national anthem or entering a building. This has been a custom since 1565, when people took their “caps in hand” to show subservience to certain individuals like judges. The phrase eventually took on the meaning “to humbly seek a favour.” It is still in use today, such as when referring to asking a boss for a raise, “cap in hand.

    Now in the late nineteenth century, the term “affliction” began to disappear and people started using the term “handicapped.” “Handicapped” arose in the context of evolutionary theory, the world was being reinterpreted as a place of struggle, of competition, in the midst of industrial expansion and growing commercialism. It arose in the context of an economy that was fiercely competitive and where people were increasingly seen as competing individuals.

    The term “handicapped” originally comes from a game called “Hand in Cap,” which is a game of chance in which every person would have an equal chance of winning in each succeeding game that you played. Later it was applied to horse racing. You would handicap a fast horse by hanging stones on it to slow it down. It began, then, in the late nineteenth century to be applied to people with disabilities, and it always occurred in the phrase, “handicapped in the race for life,” or “handicapped in the struggle for existence”. It was very much tied to the kind of competitive, social-evolutionist worldview that was obvious in the late nineteenth century. And that was the term that was used through much of the twentieth century until fairly recently, when the term “disability” began to replace it.

    The interesting difference between “affliction” and “handicapped” is that “affliction” was not something you should overcome. While an “affliction” was a spiritual burden to be borne with faith and lived with as best as possible, in submission to God’s wisdom, a “handicap” was a condition to be conquered, an impediment to worldly success that had to be overcome. Thus twentieth-century success stories about disabled people are most often stories of “overcoming.”

    ‘Handicapped’ is a word which many disabled people consider to be the equivalent of ‘nigger’. It evokes thoughts of being held back, not in the race, not as good, weighed down by something so awful we ought not to speak of it.

    However, “handicapped” is not universally offensive; while many disabled people do take offense, many others don’t care if it’s used, and some even prefer it. (Of course, “disabled” is seen by some as a negative word, too, with some people preferring “less abled.”)

    There has also been some attempt to “take back” the word “cripple” and use it in a positive sense, such as with the talented comedian, and sufferer of Congenital Muscular Dystrophy, Ally Bruener and her “I laughed at the crippled girl” comedy act; her definition of “crippled” being: “Something so awesome, it’s debilitating. Opposite of ‘lame’.”

    Inclusive communication and the proper use of specialist terms is important to me, especially as an upcoming journalist and Politician. It should also help to encourage mutual respect and self-respect. Furthermore, it will also continue to change our worldview on people with various exceptionalities and how we treat them.

    http://www.disabilitymuseum.org

    https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/12/origin-word-handicap/

  • What is Accessibility?

    The International Symbol of Accessibility, that white stick figure in a wheel chair on a blue background, was developed in 1969. It was borne of a contest held by the International Commission on Technology and Accessibility, which was won by Susanne Kofoed of Copenhagen, Denmark. Kofoed’s original design didn’t include a head (probably because she was trying to keep the figure unisex) so it wasn’t used right away; but once the head was added, it became quite popular.

    The Commission chose the blue background simply because it provided a nice contrast with the white stick figure, making the symbol easily visible on all kinds of surfaces. That said, the little stick figure might change some time in the future, as some parties are arguing that not all disabled people use a wheel chair and the figure needs to be more representative of other disabilities.

    This is a good start for disability representation and wheelchair accessibility. I hope the little stick figure changes in the near future so that it can change our worldview on medical conditions and the general outlook on life for people with different exceptionalities.

    https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/12/origin-word-handicap/

  • Television Coverage at the London 2012 Paralympic Games

    If I had to rate the amount of TV Coverage given to the London 2012 Paralympic Games overall, I would give it a five. As I have viewed various newspaper websites, I have noticed the complaints of interested viewers expressing their disappointment of not being able to watch the Paralympic Games on channels like Cable Vision.

    Since I was apart of the Bermuda media team, I was right in the middle of all the excitement. As London was the host country for the Games, I think that Channel 4, and many other British channels really did a great job in televising the Paralympic events and athletes. It was really well supported, well attended and an overall success.

    As someone with a physical challenge, I find this personally disheartening as many Paralympians, like Jessica Lewis, have worked extremely hard to get to this platform and it seems as if only a few people care.  They’ve firstly had to overcome their disability before overcoming the challenge of mastering a sport. Comparing Paralympians with Olympians, I think that the Paralympians had just a bit more courage and determination to compete at such a high level in sport. They refused to let people take pity on them, and refused to let their disabilities stop them from competing at such an advanced and sophisticated level.

    I’ve had the wonderful privilege of witnessing the Games for myself and it was phenomenal. Just to see these Paralympians give it all they’ve got is amazing. I think it’s a shame that some either didn’t know or don’t even care about what’s going on in this part of the sporting world.

    For those who wanted to watch it and were unable to, you missed out. I saw wheelchair users doing track and field, sitting volleyball, the partially sighted doing judo, swimmers with either no arms and no legs or one arm and no legs as well as the blind doing long jump. They’ve all done an outstanding job.

    I personally and strongly feel that both the Olympics and the Paralympics should have received equal TV coverage, regardless of whether the public feel it is important or not, because it shows equality and fairness. These Paralympians are doing extraordinary things to outshine their physical challenges. They have put hours of blood, sweat and tears into preparing for various events, just like their non-disabled counterparts and it should be recognised!

  • How to become a Disability Confident Employer and Why?

    Here in the UK, we have ‘The Disability Confident Scheme.’ The Disability Confident scheme helps employers recruit and retain great people, and to:

    • challenge attitudes and increase understanding of disability
    • draw from the widest possible pool of talent
    • secure high-quality staff who are skilled, loyal and hard working
    • improve employee morale and commitment by demonstrating fair treatment

    It also helps identify those employers who are committed to inclusion and diversity in the workplace.

    The scheme has 3 levels designed to support employers on their Disability Confident journey, these are:

    • Disability Confident Committed (Level 1)
    • Disability Confident Employer (Level 2)
    • Disability Confident Leader (Level 3)

    All employers join the scheme at Disability Confident Committed (Level 1), and progress through the levels to achieve the one that’s right for their organisation.

    For more information about signing up for the Disability Confident scheme, and how it can help your business check out the detailed guidance on gov.uk.

  • MENTAL RESILIENCE WORKSHOP UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY: FIBROMYALGIA AND MENOPAUSE

    MENTAL RESILIENCE WORKSHOP UNDERSTANDING YOUR BODY: FIBROMYALGIA AND MENOPAUSE


    Ebony Ambassadors CIC Mental Resilience Workshops on Zoom was a huge success and well attended.
    The FIRST SPEAKER was QUEEN ESTHER OSAKWE, A Community activist, founder of Life improvement consults, Miss Commonwealth for Africa 2021/2022 as well as Project Manager for Ebony Ambassadors (voluntary role).
    Esther’s history is one that will inspire you. She was born with Spina Bifida Occulta (hidden) which she only discovered when she was a teenager. She was sexually abuse at a young age and deeply wounded by the trauma she experienced so much so she rejected herself, her roots was severely depressed and very combative in nature.
    However, despite having survived sexual abuse, homelessness, domestic violence, shame and trauma that comes with having a child out of wedlock, and then a failed marriage, Esther proved what it means to be mentally resilient as she strived against all odds.
    She is currently dating and lives alone with her three daughters.


    The SECOND SPEAKER was ANTONIA ADEBISI ADEBOWALE who is women development specialist, health champion for women, and a Mary Kay independent Consultant. She said during her speech that “Her past does not define who she is”. She reminds herself of who she is no matter what she goes through.
    She was originally diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, in 2015. When Antonia got diagnosed, she was scared.
    Fibromyalgia is an invisible and chronic illness that causes pain, fatigue and trouble in sleeping. It can cause depression, whole body is sensitive to pain, migraines and brain Fog.
    Actual cause of Fibromyalgia is not yet known and there isn’t a particular cure for it yet. Although there has been some link between Fibromyalgia and stress.
    We were encouraged to go to the doctor, to get checked if we notice any change in your body. Regular check-ups will help you to understand what is happening when you sense change in the body or experience symptoms you are not familiar with.
    She also spoke on symptoms to look out for during pre- Menopause and Menopause as well as what to do to help reduce the stress that come with it.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RRw6Xd1oVA

    http://www.ebonyambassadors.org

  • ‘Through the Roof Charity’

    Did you know that, there are 1 billion disabled people living in the world today, and 12 million in the UK (18% of the population)? Statistics show that globally a disabled person is more likely to live in poverty and isolation and to be a victim of crime and discrimination.  They are less likely to be in employment and have less access to education, transport, appropriate housing and the internet (Office of Disability Issues).  The cost of bringing up a disabled child is three times greater than bringing up a non-disabled child (Scope). 

    Through the Roof is a registered charity that exists to ‘transform lives through Jesus with disabled people’.
    The charity’s name comes from the Bible account where some men break through the roof to help their disabled friend meet Jesus according to Luke 5. We recognise that every person is made in the image of God and has inherent value and worth, which includes people who have personal experience of disability.

    “they went up on the roof and lowered the paralysed man on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus”-Luke 5

    Many of our dedicated trustees, staff team, volunteers and donors have personal experience of disability and seek to make a positive difference to the lives of disabled people and their families by:

    • Providing life-changing opportunities for disabled people
    • Equipping the Christian community to fully involve disabled people

    We achieve these aims by delivering three activity programmes:

    Through the Roof is part of the Churches for All network. Follow this link to find out more about CFA. 

    According to the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization, “90% – 95% of the world’s disabled people never hear the Gospel“. It is vitally important that our churches and ministries include them.

    This ministry is the brainchild of Joni B. Eareckson Tada. She is an international author and speaker and the founder and Chief Executive of Joni and Friends International Disability Centre in the USA.  We are privileged at Through the Roof to be an affiliate of JAF since being founded in 1997, after Joni’s European speaking tour in 1994.

    At the age of 17 a diving accident left Joni quadriplegic and in a wheelchair. She founded Joni and Friends in 1979 to provide Christ-centred programmes to families with disabled children, as well as training to churches. Joni and Friends serves thousands of families with disabled children through Family Retreats, and has delivered over 100,000 wheelchairs and Bibles to disabled people in developing countries, as part of their Wheels for the World programme, which Through the Roof UK ‘imported’ in 1997. Joni’s lifelong passion is to bring the Gospel to the world’s one billion disabled people. What a great way to Deal with Disability in the Church!

    Joni survived stage 3 breast cancer in 2010, yet keeps a very active ministry schedule. She and her husband Ken were married in 1982 and reside in California.

    You can learn more about Joni’s ministry at www.joniandfriends.org or can write to her at response@joniandfriends.org.

  • ‘Pressure Ulcer Prevention in a Pandemic’


    “Pressure ulcer prevention and management is an art as well as a science.

    Different people with similar conditions need different care and that care should be holistic and tailored to the individual.”

    Linda Nazarko OBE Consultant Nurse West London NHS Trust

    Before the pandemic, I never got home visits, because I’m not bed-ridden. Previously, only people who are bed-ridden got home visits. Nowadays, I’ve been getting home visits from carers and district nurses, since the pandemic. I even received my Covid-19 vaccination, Astra Zeneca, by way of home visits.

    “Pressure ulcers remain a concerning and mainly avoidable harm associated with healthcare delivery.”

    National Pressure Ulcer Prevalence and Quality of Care Audit, November 2020

    I became a PURSUN researcher during the pandemic in 2020. I used to attend annual Spina Bifida Clinics before the pandemic from 2013. However, since the pandemic, I’ve had no success in booking Spina Bifida Clinics, due to the surge and resurge of Covid-19 cases. In addition to the PURSUN research, the Spina Bifida Clinics also help me to improve the way that I take care of myself.

    “The overall prevalence of PUs recorded, in terms or proportion of patients with 1 or more PUs, was 9.04%…The audit sought to understand not just the number of pressure ulcers that were present, but the care that was being delivered to the patients to prevent pressure ulcers occurring….Findings regarding implementation of preventative actions vary considerably between organisations and even between sites within organisations. Identification of these areas is important to the individual organisations as it allows them to focus quality improvement efforts into the areas that may make a difference.”

    Stop the Pressure: National Pressure Ulcer Prevalence and Quality of Care Audit 2020

    By December 2020, concerns about foot amputation were being raised by District Nurses, Tissue Viability Nurse and Podiatry. Since then, I’ve been wearing splints and callipers to protect my feet from any further damage. My feet have been x-rayed and scanned. I’ve also been prescribed antibiotics for my infected heel bone. Before the pandemic, I used to order and pick up my prescriptions from the Lloyds Pharmacy but ever since the pandemic they’ve been delivered to my house.

    I received assistance from my sister with groceries because online shopping was fully booked during the first three months of the pandemic.

    She stayed with me for three months but then had to leave after that because I was at risk of losing my Housing Benefit under assisted living, if she stayed any longer. Carers have been restricted on admission. There is more chance of emergency admission to the hospital.

    “A phased approach will be used to develop Pressure Ulcer surveillance in the NHS.. Clinicians with responsibility for Pressure Ulcer reporting (most likely tissue viability nurses) will need to ensure their organisations are aware of and prepared for the new surveillance system. As part of this, systems will need to understand the difference between surveillance reporting and clinical incident reporting. The purpose of surveillance reporting is to capture the full incidence and prevalence of Pressure Ulcers across a system to drive quality improvement at organisational level. The purpose of clinical incident reporting is to support learning from mistakes so action can be taken to keep patients safe.”

    A new national Pressure Ulcer Surveillance system using The Model Hospital System, November 2021

    Pressure ulcer prevention in a pandemic taught me how to:

    • network with colleagues who are working to improve the measurement, reporting and prevention of pressure ulcers and harm
    • Reflect on national developments and learning including learning from Stop the Pressure: National Pressure Ulcer Prevalence and Quality of Care Audit
    • Learn from outstanding practice in pressure ulcer reporting
    • Implementing the new national Pressure Ulcer Surveillance system and learning from pilot sites
    • Change the way you view pressure ulcers – eliminating the focus on a voidability
    • Developing effective training and education of frontline staff that will empower frontline teams to take ownership for improving care processes and preventing pressure ulcers
    • Understand how you can reduce pressure ulcers and harm from pressure ulcers
    • Improve sustainability in the reduction of pressure ulcers during Covid-19
    • Understand plans for a new national pressure ulcer data system to support quality improvement
    • Understand the factors that increase the risk of pressure ulcer development, and explore effective risk assessment tools
    • Develop a better understanding of pressure ulcer prevention at the end of life
    • Reflect on a case study in reducing pressure ulcers in Covid-19 patients
    • Improve Nutrition and Hydration
    • Learn from Clinical Negligence claims related to pressure ulcers
    • Ensure you are up to date with the latest evidence and definitions
    • Self assess and reflect on your own practice
    • Supports CPD professional development and acts as revalidation evidence.
    • group approval for revalidation purposes

    “We continue to have a challenge with patients developing pressure ulcers, and also a challenge with having some standardisation and consistency of care. There is considerable variation of about what happens in practice, in particular, underuse of evidence based care and overuse of ineffective interventions.”

    Jacqui Fletcher OBE Clinical Lead, The National Wound Care Strategy Programme, November 2021
    http://www.healthcareconferencesuk.co.uk
  • NORTH AND WEST YORKSHIRE ASBAH COMMUNITY CONFERENCE

    NORTH AND WEST YORKSHIRE ASBAH COMMUNITY CONFERENCE

    After 50 years of service, The North and West Yorkshire ASBAH had their first ever Community Conference. It was held on the 16th of October, at Hollins Hall Hotel, Golf and Country Club in Bradford. This was a day planned especially for people in the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus communities to come together and celebrate. There was lots of information on continence care, PIP and DLA form advice, education, and pressure ulcer prevention and cure.

    During the first workshop, I joined the PURSUN Group from Leeds, to do a presentation on Pressure Ulcer Prevention and Cure. It was very good to meet Delia Muir and share my experiences on the subject.

    Heather Chapman was at the ASBAH Charity conference, talking to wheelchair users about nutritional therapy by Wheely Therapy. Nutritional therapy is the application of nutrition science in the promotion of health, peak performance and individual care.

    Nutritional therapy practitioners use a wide range of tools to assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to an individual’s symptoms and health concerns. This approach allows them to work with individuals to address nutritional balance and help support the body towards maintaining health.

    Nutritional therapy is recognised as a complementary medicine. It is relevant both for individuals looking to enhance their health and wellbeing and for those with chronic conditions wishing to work with or ‘consult’ a nutritional therapist in collaboration with other suitably qualified healthcare professionals.

    I also learned about SEND. This presentation workshop was about guidance on the special educational needs and disability system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, which started on 1 September 2014. The questionnaire that the presenter gave out, was a very good teaching tool.

    Additionally, there were stalls and activities for the children. There were free prizes and charity merchandise on display as well. One of our sponsors, Irwin Mitchell, provided bags with freebies inside too. They also support the SHINE Charity.

    Dr. Kate Wildig was the guest speaker who ended the whole conference. North and West Yorkshire ASBAH has a good support group. Use It!

    https://fb.watch/fgJu3S12UL/

    https://form.jotform.com/katyravenasbah/conference-registration-form

    https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-and-west-yorkshire-asbah/

    https://www.nwyasbah.org/nwyasbah

    https://www.carefreesmarthomes.co.uk/group/disability-diary/discussion/b86d1cfe-90c2-42e7-9229-e3043c3b46cc

    http://www.wheelyhealthy.co.uk

    https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/send-code-of-practice-0-to-25

    https://www.hollister.co.uk/en-gb/products/ostomy-care-products

    https://www.irwinmitchell.com/?ref=google&infinity=ict2~net~gaw~ar~353754706478~kw~irwin%20mitchell~mt~e~cmp~MEC+Brand+HV+Irwin+Mitchell+Exact~ag~Brand+-+HV+Core&&ds_lpt_start&ds_lpt_end&gclid=CjwKCAjw-rOaBhA9EiwAUkLV4hbptkb2WjS1oL5NWyP1zEv8oaEMV66IqQXjPXb8DbSqSlgIv38NDxoCl8IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

    https://www.bbuk.org.uk/adults/adults-resources/
    https://theelitevenueselection.co.uk/?fbclid=IwAR0ZkWVptOo3R3Op17iYaqol5fZ5lsQ8b-9Nc8cqAgOD8A1lVR1P088UJdI

  • Web accessibility, what does it all mean?

    Web accessibility, or e-Accessibility, is the inclusive practice of ensuring there are no barriers that prevent interaction with, or access to, websites on the World Wide Web by people with physical disabilities, situational disabilities, and socio-economic restrictions on bandwidth and speed.

    Misconception #1: web accessibility is about disability.

    It’s not. Web accessibility is about universality. It’s about making something that can be used by as many people as possible. Different environments, different devices, elderly, different cultural backgrounds, non-English speakers and impaired abilities. 11.2 million people in the UK, are registered as having a disability. Eighty-three percent of disabled people acquire a disability during their working life.

    Disabled people in the UK are estimated to have the spending power of at least eighty billion per year. The majority of disabilities are not visible. Less than eight percent of disabled people use a wheelchair. We need to make our websites easy to use for everyone, including the hearing impaired, those with limited mobility, those with reading difficulties and anyone using hand-held devices.

    So why do we do it?

    By making your content more accessible more people in more locations can read your information and they will understand it more easily.

    After all, you want everyone to get your message, right?

    Accessibility is also a legal requirement under the Equality Act of 2010.

    Misconception #2: web accessibility is not my problem.

    It is. Web accessibility is everyone’s responsibility. We’re all in this together what you do makes a difference.

    So what do people need?

    People need information that is easy to read that works on different devices and that is easy to navigate. It also needs good design and colour contrast, images and graphs that are described well, has video captions or transcriptions, has documents and attachments in a format that can be used by everyone everywhere. Remember what you do at the start makes it easier at the end and your content gets published faster.

    Misconception #3: web accessibility is hard.

    It’s not. Web accessibility is easy to learn.

    For more information about accessibility visit http://www.abilitynet.org.uk.