Publications

Independent LivingVolume 24 No 2

  published in June 2008

Featured Articles

Grabrails (An evidence-based practice article)

There is a growing common effort of many countries around the world to help older population live longer and more independently. Improving their mobility and safety around their own home environment has become the focus of research and professional practice in the last decade. As a result, many assistive devices have been designed and are recommended for us in transfers and in negotiating changes in level.

In this article the specific assistive features of grabrails and related details on their use and installation will be identified and discussed.

Getting a Lift (guide to mobile hoists)

Mobile hoists reduce the physical effort of transferring a client with a disability and increase the safety of both client and carer during this task

When using a mobile hoist a client is fully suspended in a sling or stretcher thereby eliminating the need for a carer to manually lift another person. Here it is important to note that mobile hoists are designed only to transfer a client and should not be used as a transporting device. If a client needs to be transported over a distance it is advisable to use an overhead hoist or a wheeled mobility item

There are four main components of mobile hoists: base; mast; boom; and spreader bar. Variations in these components result in mobile hoists meeting the needs of a vast range of clients, carers and environments.

Talking Point - Vision Australia Equip. Solutions

Can you pour a cup of tea in the dark without spilling a drop?

Thanks to a special device from Vision Australia, people who are blind or have low vision can do just that. This clever little gadget, known as a liquid level sensor, beeps to indicate when a cup is full. It’s simple yet very effective. Whether it’s helping pour a cup of tea, telling the time or using a computer or listening to a talking book, equipment and assistive technology plays an integral role in enabling people who are blind or have low vision to fully participate in life.

Vision Australia’s Equipment Solutions staff offer advice and demonstrate a wide range of products that can help
people of varying vision levels to manage their daily activities independently. A key part of Vision Australia’s Equipment Solutions is researching and evaluating the wide range of products that might be suitable for people who are blind or have low vision.

5 year Cumulative Index

Five Year Cumulative Index for articles published in Independent Living between 2002 and 2007. Contents include:
1. Architectural Hardware, Home Modifications And Access
2. Beds, Bedding And Accessories
3. Continence
4. Eating, Drinking And Household Management
5. Electronic And Augmentative Technology
6. Lifting And Transferring
7. Mobility, Wheelchairs, Scooters And Accessories
8. Occupation And Work
9. Recreation, Hobbies And Holidays
10. Specialised Seating And Positioning
11. Showering, Toileting And Personal Hygiene
12. Transport
13. General Equipment, Disability, Support Services And Caring
14. For Children