Blog posts of '2017' 'November'

Daily living aids no longer have to look like stereotypical healthcare products.

Gordon Ellis and Co. have designed a range of healthcare products that fit in with the rest of your home. Instead of plastic, they are made from bamboo, giving them more style and additional benefits over hardwood and plastic products.

Interesting Facts about Bamboo:

- Bamboo is a renewable resource, it takes just 5 years to regrow once it has been cut, so there is much less impact on the        environment that wood which can take over 50 years.

- It is an organic product that doesn’t require fertilisers or pesticides to grow, so it helps to keep extra chemicals out of the environment and away from the Bamboo.

- It is extremely durable and resistant to water and swelling.

- It is more scratch resistant that most wood types, making it more long lasting.

- Bamboo has anti-bacterial qualities making it a hygienic product that is extremely easy to keep clean.

Because our Bamberry Range is made from Bamboo, it can be multi-functional and used around all rooms in your home and by other family members.

Products we offer in this range are:

Furniture Raisers – These are available with both 9cm and 14cm raises, and can be the perfect addition to your sofa, chair or bed. They are not intrusive and fit neatly underneath your furniture to look like part of the leg.

Transfer Boards – Ideal for people with limited mobility or strength, these boards make it easier to move from a wheelchair to a car, bed or chair. Available in both 24inch and 30inch straight boards, or the curved board which has been designed to fit around the arm of a wheelchair.

Step – Because it is made from bamboo, this step can be used throughout your home. Helping to halve the height between a larger step, making it easier and safer for you to get in or out of a bath/bed, or stepping down to a lower level in your home. Due to the antibacterial properties and resistance to water, the Bamberry Step is perfect for bathrooms. 

Our Bamberry Range comes in our brand new retail boxes making them perfect for the Trade. The boxes feature informative descriptions, along with lifestyle images to show how the products will look in the home.

If you would like more information about our Bamberry Range, please contact us.

Why might you need a raised toilet seat?

Whether you’ve recently had a knee or hip replacement, or just simply like struggle to bend down to sit, it can be quite embarrassing to ask for assistance when using the toilet.

Just like raising furniture, there is a simple addition you can make to your toilet which will help minimise excessive bending and over balancing. Raised toilet seats are easy to fit and can be removed if no longer required, after surgery or when moving house.

There are an abundance of raised toilet seats on the market, from a 2inch raise with arms to a 6inch with matching lid. So when choosing a raised toilet seat you need to ask the following questions:

Which height seat do you want?

In most cases, the knees and hips should be at the same height when sat on the toilet seat. A seat that is too low can be uncomfortable and more difficult to stand up from, so it’s important that you get the correct height.

To get the perfect position:

1. Measure the distance between the floor and back of the thigh, just behind the knee. This is the recommended seat height.

2. Measure the current height of the seat, and subtract from the first measurement.

3. The difference between the two is the measurement of raise required.

Occupational Therapists normally complete this assessment to ensure the correct seat height is given.

They normally come in 3 sizes; 2inch (5cm), 4inch (10cm) and 6inch (15cm).

Is a lid required?

Lids are a great way to keep bacteria and smells kept within the toilet. If the toilet seat is going to be used long term, then a lid will help it blend in better within the bathroom, making them look just like a regular toilet seat.

Are any attachments required?

Attachments can be anything from a toilet lids to splash guards or built in arms.

Splash guards - These help to prevent splashing and accidents which can sometimes happen when sitting to use the toilet.

Built In Arms - Instead of buying a separate toilet aid, there are raised toilet seats which have built in arms to assist when rising from the toilet.

Smaller aperture for children - If children are going to be using the raised toilet seat, seats with smaller apertures are available.

How simple do you require fitting to be?

Raised toilet seats have different brackets and fittings depending on the model. Some seats completely replace the seat and use the original fittings in the same holes on the toilet frame, others are simply installed onto the pan without removing the original seat.

These are the easiest seats to fit, they have brackets which fit onto the side and the front of the seat with rubber grips that secure the raised toilet seat to the pan. This type of fitting can usually fit a wide variety of toilet shapes and sizes, but check with the model first to ensure it is the ideal fit for your toilet.

Where possible you will want to go for one that has hidden fixings to minimise on bacteria and make the seat more hygienic.