Category: Uncategorised

Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries or SCI occur when there has been damage to the spinal cord due to compression, stretching or tearing. The resulting loss of sensation or physical function can take many forms and are dependent on the position of the injury, and the severity of the damage. Symptoms can range from muscle weakness and minor loss of sensation in lumbar injuries, to the most severe quadriplegia in cervical injuries resulting in complete paralysis of limbs and sometimes even limited respiratory function.

Most spinal cord injuries are caused by traumatic injury, most commonly road traffic or sporting accidents. These incidents, by their very nature, are sudden and unexpected and the rehabilitation can be harrowing for patient and caregiver alike. As well as the emotional adjustments and the ongoing therapies, there must be modifications made to the patient’s home to accommodate their altered abilities and needs. A comfortable and functional environment, such as choosing the right seating for spinal cord injuries, is key to fostering independence and recovery.

Choosing the Right Seating for Spinal Cord Injuries

One of the most important things to determine in seating considerations is the needs of the patient. Whether a person’s needs are profound or mild, they can deepen. Conversely, while spinal injuries are normally permanent, there can be improvements in function and ability through therapies. It is therefore advisable to ensure that whatever chair is prescribed, it can be adjusted to meet any new challenges and changes in postural needs. In addition to the individual’s needs, there can be many different symptoms and complications associated with spinal cord injuries, from ongoing pain and swollen feet to pressure sores and altered temperature regulation. The chair must offer some relief from these issues if they arise.

If a person is to spend an extended period of time in a chair, it will need to provide a high level of support. Careflex and Kirton chairs come with both a manual and motorised “tilt in space” function which allows for release of pressure points and fully adjustable back and head rests for postural alignment, minimising the incidence of pressure sores and helping with lymphatic drainage and swelling. Both chairs offer a high degree of personalisation with a full range of accessories to provide whatever degree of support an individual needs.

With over 30 years of experience working with healthcare professionals, Felgains FormAL has seating solutions for every need. From the Careflex Hydrotilt care chair for those who simply need a little support, to the Kirton Duo care chair or Smartseat Pro chair for those with more profound limitations Felgains FormAL will work with you to find the solutions to your seating requirements.

These cushions are specifically designed to provide pressure relief for those who have high levels of pressure care needs.  The cushions will reduce the risk level of pressure sores developing for people who are spending long periods of time sitting in chairs or wheelchairs. The cushions will help significantly, to improve comfort and positioning, through pressure redistribution.

Why do you need a cushion?

The right cushion is extremely important and can help a person’s quality of life. The cushions help with supporting and positioning the patient.  Considering blood circulation, maintaining constant body temperatures and spreading the weight of the user through the largest surface area of the seating and cushion is vital, to ensure the risk of pressure sores is reduced.

A pressure care cushion will help with the integrity of the person’s skin.  If the cushion is not specifically designed for pressure area care then this could impact on the person’s skin which will lead to pressure sores.

When is a pressure care cushion needed?

• When the user has limited mobility and is sitting for long periods of time
• The current chair and cushion is already unsuitable for the person
• There is no ability for them to reposition themselves
• There is no postural support
• The body is not correctly loaded through all the seating surfaces.

Different types of pressure cushions 

There are different types of pressure cushions such as air alternating, gel and foam based cushions.

The range is shown below:

Anatomic Foam-Gel Cushion

• Anatomically shaped memory foam
• Increased level of support and pressure distribution
• Low to medium level pressure care
• Four way stretch
• Wipeable cover
• Non slip base

Sizes available: 16″ x 16″, 17″ x 17″, 18″ x 18″
Size Info: SWL 100kgs

Align Gel Overlay Cushion

• Low profile cushion
• Minimal effect to chair dynamics
• Medium to high level pressure care
• Sealed gel water proof
• Four way stretch
• Wipeable covers
• Non slip base

Sizes available: 16″ x 16″, 17″ x 17″
Size Info: SWL 100kgs

Align Anatomic Foam Cushion 

• Anatomically shaped memory foam
• Increased level of support and pressure distribution
• Low to medium level pressure care
• Four way stretch
• Wipeable cover
• Non slip base

Sizes available: 15″ x 15″, 16″ x 16″, 18″ x 18″
Size Info: SWL 100kgs

Align Gel Contour Cushion 

• Increased level of support and pressure distribution
• Air holes for increased air circulation
• High level pressure care
• Complete cushion and cover machine washable
• Four way stretch
• Non slip base

Sizes available: 16″ x 16″, 16″ x 20″, 18″ x 18″, 18″ x 20″
Size Info: SWL 130 kgs

Get in touch with us at Felgains FormAL today, so we can help you find the most suitable pressure care cushion for you.

Occupational Therapy (OT) focuses on helping people of all ages perform daily tasks, which have become difficult to do.

OT practitioners help disabled children fully participate in school activities, they help injured people recover skills and support older aged adults who suffer from cognitive and physical changes.

How can Occupational Therapy Help Patients with Parkinson’s Disease?

Parkinson’s is one of the main diseases successfully managed through occupational therapy. People with Parkinson’s Disease experience fatigue, problems in communication and high anxiety levels. These are the main problems that are handled by occupational therapists.

An occupational therapist can help by teaching the patient different relaxation exercises and techniques to lower the energy expenditure used to perform simple tasks.

If the patient has problems with communication, the therapist will use customized strategies and apply a holistic therapeutic approach. Because Parkinsons disease causes chemical changes which control and balance mood, patients suffer from increased anxiety levels. Therapists can help by teaching the patient several coping strategies to reduce stress.

Parkinsons disease also severely affects the mobility and limits the movements of patients with Parkinson’s Disease. Usually, therapists recommend that patients avoid talking when they’re moving to guarantee that they focus.

A different strategy recommended to patients is touching a solid object to help in balance when their standing or walking. To prevent falls, therapists recommend paying full attention and focusing on walking. Occupational therapists also teach patients how to change direction without sudden turns to increase stability.

Cognitive changes caused by Parkinson’s disease limit the patient’s ability to learn how new products operate. So, a seating system that is modular, will ensure familiarity.

Therapists highly recommend the FelgainsFormAL Hydroflex because it’s an easily adjustable seating unit, uniquely designed for patients who have mobility problems.

Patients with Parkinson’s disease also experience difficulties with sit-to-stand transfers from chairs, bed-sides etc. Therapists can apply efficient strategies like using appropriate verbal cues and recommending equipment to help in transfers such as riser recliner armchairs, chair risers, rising beds etc.

Occupational therapists may suggest special posture and correct lighting for patients when they’re eating and drinking, to prevent distractions.

Occupational therapists can also recommend changes in relationship dynamics to maintain a normal environment within the family as much as possible. They recommend that patients should continue working and become a link between the patient and the workplace.

Conclusion

If a family member or close friend of yours has Parkinson Disease, make sure you contact a professional occupational therapist.

You should always seek the help of a specialist to achieve the best therapeutic results. You’ll make their life much easier and speed up recovery.

Seating for dementia needs to offer security and safety for the user.  An experience of security and safety in the chair will lead to a more relaxed sitting period. This will help them become more able to adjust to the support and care given.  Having the right seating can help with providing the user with a sense of calm and serenity due to being comfortable and having a sense of  control. By having this sense of calm from the right seating solution it will help with every part of the body feeling supported. This support given from the chair,  feeling feedback from the chair and feeling their bodies feel safe will give a sense of knowing ‘where they are’ due to the secure feeling it gives, providing reassurance.

Choosing the Right Chair

Specialist seating for those suffering from dementia is an invaluable tool in ensuring that all potential needs are met and unnecessary discomfort is not suffered. Whilst a dementia diagnosis may clarify some aspects of what is happening to you, a beloved family member, or a client, the disease manifests in a variety of ways in different people. As such, a one size fits all approach is unsuitable when trying to find a seating arrangement.

Think about Colour

Bright colours can be very beneficial to people suffering from dementia as this can give them stimulation and help with sensory pathways.  Due to the change in the altered perception of colour to those suffering with dementia, it is key to think about colour, suffers can be less able to distinguish between unsaturated colours such as pastels.

The use of colour contrasting can be used in different ways to assist with the design and ease of use of products. High contrasting colours can be used to draw attention to something important as this helps highlight this item, which will help with being able to find items. Low contrast colours can have the opposite effect if there are things you do not want residents or loved ones to be attracted to then using low contrasting colours can assist with this.

Finding the Right Balance

Dementia frequently causes balance issues which can result in the patient slumping to one side. This often leads to the development of more serious injuries and long-term pain from pressure sores and ligament damage. As such, specialist seating for dementia sufferers must provide the necessary support to prevent its users from slipping forward, leaning to one side, or putting unnecessary strain on joints or ligaments. Lateral back support is crucial and depending on the individual’s specific needs and progress of their illness can be minimal or extensive. As in the Careflex Hydroflex, postural requirements can and should be easily alterable; as the user’s condition changes the level and location of support needed alters.

The Importance of Fit

Everyone needs support that not only suits their illness but their lifestyle. As such, it’s important to make sure that the chair used can properly fit the height and weight of the person using it. Seating for dementia sufferers need to distribute their body pressure over the biggest area and promote neutral joint positioning to ensure that comfort is maintained. There are also medical benefits to this approach including reduced risk of neuropathy and improved circulation. All these benefits can however only be achieved through ensuring that the user’s chair is built for their body type.

Who’s in Control

A variety of controls are available and depending on the level of cognitive function that the user has these can be used by them or the caregiver to control and adjust the chair. It is at times necessary to ensure that no one but the primary caregiver has access to these controls for the patient’s safety and as such seating for dementia sufferers can have controls which can only be accessed remotely by the caregiver.

Choosing Materials

Depending on the progress of the condition, someone may be using specialist seating for dementia periodically or frequently. As such it is important to pay attention to the materials used in the chair. Materials which permit little air circulation are more likely to cause an increase of temperature affecting the user’s body temperature which will lead to moisture build up and in time skin damage and potentially pressure sores and injuries. Specialist seating therefore has to be made from easy to clean and breathable materials in cases of extended use or incontinence.

With the right chair, the difficulties of dementia become somewhat reduced ensuring greater comfort for those suffering from it. Beautiful and practical designs are available to create a comforting and nurturing home environment as well as a safe place of care.

To view our products best suited to those with dementia:

Hydrotilt – https://www.formalmedical.com/product/hydrotilt/

Align 3 – https://www.formalmedical.com/product/align-3-chair/

Hydroflex – https://www.formalmedical.com/product/hydroflex/

Sometimes looking for the right chair for your loved one or your patient it can be difficult to decide on what is best for them and their care needs. We have put together a list of what to consider when choosing the chair for an elderly person:

How does the person transfer into and out of the chair and bed? 

Are they still standing or is some assistance needed via a carer, standard frame of a full body hoist? 

This is important to consider when choosing a chair for an elderly person, the way in which the person transfers from their chosen aid (hoist, still standing and stand frame) is important to the chair you will choose. A chair like the Hydrotilt has a porter mobility base allowing efficient hoist access which assists both user and caregiver alike, thus reducing the demands on manual handling procedures. Reducing manual handling can help reduce damage to the elderly person such as friction and shearing and direct pressure. Transfer methods may vary for each individual, depending on the mobility constraints that they have. We provide multiple seating solutions that can be tailored to specific needs of the elderly person in need of postural support.

What is the sitting balance of the person? 

Can they sit upright for a length of time or do they tend to lean to one side of the chair?

The sitting balance of the person will impact the choice of a chair as it will need to be suited to the persons own sitting balance.  Some seating systems have integral supports to maintain alignment when sitting for longer periods of time.

What is the person’s skin integrity?

The person’s skin integrity should be a vital part of your decision when choosing a chair. The skin is the largest organ of the body and can be damaged quite easily, this is why care and management of this shouldn’t be overlooked.

If there is a history of pressure damage it is advised to take the precautionary measures to treat this and aim towards purchasing a chair that will help benefit this medical issue.

What is the size of the person/weight?

The size and weight of the person will need to be considered. It would be advisable to look for a chair that has adjustable sections so that the elderly person is able to fit comfortably in the chair. Also, the person’s weight will impact on the chair they are able to look at, so make sure you consider minimum and maximum weight requirements.

What is the environment like?

Is there enough space for moving and handling and the seating system along with ensuring effective use of the chair such as the tilt in space?

Does the chair need to go into a lift, to get to the next floor?

The ability to move the chair would be an important factor if there is not enough space or the chair needs to be moved a lot or be put into lifts. This would be a requirement for care homes where the chairs need to be versatile. The FormAL chairs are equipped with wheels for maximum manoeuvrability. If a lift is a concern then this can be addressed by FormAL and find a seating solution to fit in the lift for the patients.

Is the person incontinent?

If incontinence is an issue then it is suggested to look for a chair that is easy to clean for hygiene and infection control. Also, look for a chair that is easy to manoeuvre the person out of, ensuring that it is easy to clean any accidents.

Is the chair to be used indoors only or outdoors too?

Knowing where the chair is to be used is a great point to know before choosing a chair for an elderly person. The requirements for a chair that needs to be used outdoors as well as indoors will vary to a chair that is for solely indoor usage. Perhaps looking for a chair with durable wheels and the ability to be used on differing terrain would benefit usage outdoors.

You can book an assessment or contact us for an informal chat with one of our experts to help significantly improve the long-term health and quality of life for a family member, friend or patient in need.