Touch Lamp

Everybody needs a grope light. You know, that light that's easy to find and smack the switch when you need light in the middle of the night. Certainly there are plenty of lamps available with a nice easy rocker switch that serve this purpose but nothing is quite as easy for someone with paralyzed fingers than a touch lamp. Unfortunately, they are becoming a little bit harder to find and new bulb technology is causing them to function differently than they used to 10 years ago.

My favorite touch lamp, pictured above, still uses incandescent bulbs. Just a nice, small, 60 W chandelier bulb. The lamp is what controls the dim, medium and bright levels. Built into it is a relay that allows only so much wattage through at each of the three levels. Many touch lamps actually require special bulbs which contain three separate filaments and that is how the three levels of brightness is controlled. I understand that this is necessary for lamps of a higher maximum wattage but thankfully smaller bedside lamps do not need the special bulbs.

In most lamps like this CFL bulbs simply don't work. They only work with lamps that have on and off, not multiple levels of brightness. The bulbs that can either cause a malfunction or cause the lamp to no longer have three levels of brightness are LED bulbs. If you notice when you shop for either CFL or LED bulbs they give their ratings in two measurements, actual wattage and equivalent wattage. Eventually we will become accustomed to the amount of light put out by a 10 W LED bulb but for now most of us need to know that that is typically equivalent to the 60 W incandescent bulb that we all grew up with.

In the case of the touch lamp, where the settings are 20 W output for low, 40 W output for medium and 60 W for high, even on the low setting you have already exceeded the LED bulb's maximum draw. So, using that bulb in this lamp would give me high, high, high and off. There would be no low or medium settings. There is no danger in this case because the bulb will not draw more than it needs. The lamp is not going to try to push an extra 50 W of power through the bulb on what would normally be the brightest setting. However, some lamps that function differently have warnings about not using LED bulbs in them and some LED bulbs on IKEA's website indicate that they are not well-suited for all touch lamps. I used IKEA as an example because that is about the most affordable place to purchase LED bulbs.

I don't believe touch lamps are going to disappear forever but they have been becoming more difficult to find. It may simply be a matter of searching hard to find the right one and, before long, we may not enjoy the ease of waking up to a low or medium setting if on or off are our only options.

Source: Lamp – department stores and online.
Bulbs – most department stores but I have found the best deals at IKEA and dx.com.

Zip Ties, Split Rings, and Paracord

When it comes to dexterity few things are as challenging as zippers. Tiny little tabs designed to be pulled with a pinch between the index finger and thumb. Not quadriplegic friendly.

My simple solution for a lot of years was split rings. I think every keychain in my parents' home was scavenged for this purpose. The fact that my dad had a small collection of keychains help my inventory of split rings to grow quickly. It's remarkable how many zippers there are to benefit from a permanent ring on them. Zippers are everywhere.

The one place that I most wanted my adaptation to be less visible was on the fly of my pants. For that location I chose to use a small black zip tie, as barely visible on the pair of jeans in the photo above. Zip ties like that do wear out in time and a few did break on me, leaving me with a bit of a struggle to do up my pants until it could be replaced with a new zip tie. Thankfully that zipper does not need to be started like on a full-length jacket zipper. I have no secret method to assist in starting a zipper on a jacket. That is simply a matter of trial, error and patience.

Though I still use split rings for a lot of purposes, I have transitioned to using paracord for most of my zipper pulls. There are a myriad of colours to choose from and their flexibility can provide minor advantages over split rings in certain circumstances. I have even begun transitioning away from bungee cord and toward paracord for my pant hooks. The snaps that connect two ends of paracord together to make a pullable tab and loop, like those attached to the yellow and black paracord in the photo above, are cheap and abundant on places like eBay. However, I found the ones I chose to not hold nearly as well as they should. I made certain to make my selection based on the size of paracord I was using, prepare the ends by cutting and melting them and made certain the snap was applied properly, but often it would let go at inopportune times.

The alternative is to simply thread your length of paracord through the zipper eyelet then tie the two lengths in a half hitch, as I have done for the zipper laying immediately to the left of the pouch, the second one to the right of the pink lanyard. A more interesting alternative is to tie an interesting knot in the end and use it as a lanyard, essentially a simplified version of the lanyard I tied to be my keychain. As frequently as we are forced to compromise form for the purposes of function, this is one of those simple places that I appreciate the more decorative look of a diamond knot lanyard over a simple half hitch. I decided to get extra fancy and do a double diamond knot for the longer zipper pull on my camera bag.

Hit me in the comments with your zipper adaptations, if you have any unique methods.

Source: paracord and snaps – eBay. Split rings – dollar store or craft supply store.

Nail Clippers and Nail Files

Ingrown nails are unpleasant for anyone but an undetected ingrown toenail can be a source of Autonomic Dysreflexia and, if untreated, infection for those of us without sensation in our toes or fingers. Healing in the feet and legs of we quadriplegics is reduced because of our diminished circulation so preventative care is much better and easier than treating a problem after it begins. Standard nail clippers usually take care of the majority of the work, that is, when a person is able to effectively use them. I cannot.

For years post injury I would chew my fingernails off when they needed it. This had all sorts of implications from damage to the nail, peeling back further than it should at the edges, as well as sanitary concerns. As well as I could wash my hands, sometimes the underside of the nails just didn't come as clean they could. Thankfully, I found a solution.

The 15 cm x 2 cm nail file pictured above is my simple solution. When tucked in between the palm of my hand and my gloves it is sturdy enough for me to effectively file down my fingernails. I have to get creative with pinning down the finger containing the nail being filed, but that is another challenge solved by finding the right surface or technique to hold the digit steady. I have been fortunate to have someone care for my toenails but I do feel confident in my ability to file them while in bed, should the need arise. I have learned to do my nail filing before laundry day because the pile of dust produced by it inevitably gets on my clothing and skin. Often the irritation it causes on my face makes me itchy for a period of time unless I really scrub it clean.

Before I found the nail files I use now, I used to use a smaller crystal nail file secured to a butter knife with hockey tape. The knife simply served as a longer handle to make it easier to hold in my gloves. These larger files have eliminated that need.

Source: Department stores, drugstores, eBay.

Tongs

When a squeezing action is required to operate a tool such as scissors or, in this case, tongs it requires we quadriplegics to use two hands if we hope to have any type of strength or efficiency with a tool of that nature. When much of your actions at the table or preparation surface require an elbow or arm to be down for balance, and two hands are required to operate tool like this, I feel more like an excavator with a very limited pivotal range for my scoop. It's not that it can't be done, it's just that there are often better tools for the job for us.

In the case of a bowl of salad I find a nice large serving spoon to be more effective for both tossing and serving than tongs could ever be. Still, when that sizzling steak on the barbecue is ready to be flipped I feel bad about giving it a gentle stab with my fork, potentially releasing a few juices, rather than a gentle turning with a pair of tongs.

UPDATE: It was brought to my attention, by dear Heather, that these tongs can be the difference between reaching something or being unable to get at it. Of course, her being a paraplegic, her hands are able to use tongs with the ease of anyone, and that's why she has four pairs. Thank you for informing us, Heather!

Source: Really, finding the right substitute for you most likely available at a department or kitchen store.

Lanyard

You've already seen this lanyard in my post regarding door bumpers to assist in pressing remote buttons. These little well tied loops of rope or cord can be so helpful in so many other ways. Keeping keys attached to something easy to grab a hold of, and easy on the teeth for those times you need to hold on to them with your mouth, is a big deal because the alternative is dropping them. For many quadriplegics, or any wheelchair users for that matter, picking things off the floor can be very difficult. Especially if you already have something on your lap or are in the middle of a snow-covered parking lot.

A lanyard can be homemade, bought cheaply from any discount store, and be almost any length you need to fit your intended purpose. As attractive as the Solomon bar weave is on the upper part of this lanyard, it is the diamond knot that I am most grateful to be able to tie successfully. That knot makes for not just a loop to hold onto but a nicely sized ball of cord to incorporate into a zipper pull, making the challenge of operating a zipper a little bit easier. Here are my thoughts on zippers. While the white part of the cord is illuminated by a camera flash, the green part is because of the glow-in-the-dark material used to make this lanyard. It's a little more expensive than standard paracord but for those times I wanted to be able to find my keys in the dark I'm glad I chose it for this keychain.

The reason I like paracord so much is that when used to secure keys, as shown in the door bumpers post linked to above, is that it is quite easy to detach the keys for those times when you need to separate your vehicle keys from your house keys, such as when leaving a vehicle for service. I prefer this over the quick clasp lanyards that you can purchase in stores because often those clasps are spring-loaded and pivot which makes operating them very difficult, and a danger to a person's lip should you choose to use your teeth and have the clasp snap shut.

In the future we will take a look at other lanyards of the smaller size used to keep smooth and difficult cell phones closer to us and less likely to be dropped on the floor if they slip out of our hands. Because I did not want to be tied down by a lanyard hanging off my phone I chose a very rubbery case and the larger design of the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 for my current phone, which I talk about in the post regarding touch screens and styluses.

Source: Webbed lanyards - Department or DollarStores
Paracord and Premade Paracord Lanyards - EBay and Etsy

USB Flash Drives

USB ports can be frustrating for anyone - lining up the plug with the port, making certain it's facing the correct direction (help us, if it's a vertical port!) - but with paralyzed hands it's even more difficult. A streamlined design, like that of a laptop, makes for a minimal distance between the drive and the desk or table, providing even less surface area available on the drive to grasp. Thankfully, many USB flash drives have a suitable place to attach a lanyard or split ring. Of course, the split ring attached to my monkey's fist self-defense paracord creation is an exaggeration, but made for a more interesting photo.

Either a lanyard or a split ring will assist in easing the removal, but I find the split ring to give me a more solid place to insert my thumb which also helps in sticking the drive in the port. Many USB peripherals do not have ways to make them more convenient for us. But many do. There are a myriad of interesting and unique designs for flash drives and often something as simple as a binder clip can provide a larger handle on almost any USB device.

Source: Split rings are available from any department or hardware stores.
Interesting USB Drives are abundant at online retailers like Deal Extreme, Amazon or eBay.

Shoelaces

When your dexterity is limited tying anything is difficult. I have had my experience with weaving different knots, bracelets, lanyards and keychains using paracord but that is so much different than tying shoes. With paracord I typically have plenty of extra slack to work with, the knot or lanyard is in front of me at the ideal height on a desk or table, and they are typically knots tied tight enough that they will never come undone.

Shoelaces do not have the slack, are not in an ideal position to work on when they're on your floppy and uncooperative feet, and are knotted with the intention of being easily untied for removal or re-tying to snug them up.

Why do we need our shoes tied tight? Because often leg spasms can kick our foot right out of the shoe, properly fitting and tied shoes can assist in reducing foot drop caused by a tightening Achilles tendon, and it can help reduce edema. For these reasons I prefer footwear with a fairly high rise to them. However, hightop sneakers are more of an 80s to mid-90s thing. Hiking boots are usually what I go for when the long search for the right new footwear, that won't bother my feet or cause pressure sores, begins.

I have been fortunate enough to have someone available on a regular enough basis to tie my shoes when they need it. I do not suffer from edema like many people do, and because my feet are well stretched out each day I do not fear foot drop. Because of this I simply slip my shoes on and off each day but have not actively sought out a reliable method for independently tying shoes.

If you have a solution for this I would very much welcome your feedback!

Next week we will look at Velcro which goes far, far beyond a method of securing shoes in its usefulness and helpfulness in strengthening our independence.

Solution: Other than practice and patience, I have none that I can recommend as reliable and adequate.

Eye Drops

It's not that eye drops are necessarily a common need for quads, it's that administering them is difficult to do independently for a few reasons.

First is simply the dexterity needed to control the bottle with two hands in order to squeeze it gently and precisely enough to apply just a drop or two. Both hands are occupied so forget using one, or both, to hold your eyelid open.

Second is the complication of the reduced range of motion in our necks. Many of us have had neck vertebrae fused as part of the treatment after our injury to prevent further damage by stabilizing the neck with hardware. This reduction in our range of motion makes it more difficult to tip our heads back far enough to administer the eye drop. As much as we become good at compensating for lost range by bending at the back or waist, being in a properly fitted wheelchair holds us in an upright position quite well. This struggle to overcome limited range can be eliminated by administering the drops while in bed, but many eye drops call for more than the two times per day when you'd definitely be in bed.

Holding the bottle two-handed, without dropping it in your eye, keeping your eyelid open, all while maintaining your balance is no small task. But practice makes perfect. Of course, I do not take for granted the times my wife has taken care of the application leaving the balance and eyelid to me.

Solution: Look away from the bottle to prevent blinking and back up to a wall or corner and lock your wheels then use the wall to lean on to help with balance. These tricks may help with or without someone else's help.

Krulick's Soap Grippers

Last week's post discussed bath seats and how they have been ineffective for me. This week is another one of those adaptations that just didn't perform as indicated. Very simply, Krulick's Soap Gripper is a split ring, above a suction cup which has a cylindrical stud in it, intended to be pressed into the bar of soap to add to the suction cup's holding ability.

The problem is that the suction cup stops holding as soon as the soap dries and the stud that is intended to press into the bar of soap is too wide across, hollow and flat making it incredibly difficult to press into the bar. If it weren't hollow it could be carved into a point to help get it started into the bar of soap, but as it is I'm not sure an able-bodied person would get it secured to the bar without a struggle. While trying to apply the gripper properly for this photo I dropped it more than a few times, as seen by the flat spot on the soap facing the camera. It wouldn't be so bad to receive assistance affixing the gripper to a bar of soap every so often, but there is another problem.

The split in the ring makes it loose so it falls off my finger very easily, before the soap even gets wet. I know the intent is to fit fingers of all sizes, but falling off that easily makes it little to no help at all. Had I needed to come up with an adaptation for a bar of soap it would involve drilling a hole through the bar and running a bolt through the hole, a washer on each side to make up for any shrinkage due to use. to that I would secure a paracord lanyard to hold it on my wrist or around my neck. That would be all with nylon hardware. You won't get clean with rusty soap.

Of course, liquid soap, maybe with a sponge on a rope, is a whole lot easier than either of these options.

Source: Occupational therapy device catalogues, seniors' supply stores.

Extended Blind Chain

As the winter sun climbs higher each day it also grows in intensity making the desire to open blinds greater as the heat given by the sun exceeds the cold air let in by opening the blinds. How much easier, or simply possible, it is for an individual in a wheelchair when those blinds have an extended cord or chain.

Often the chain is not so short or high up that it cannot be reached but, a longer chain makes it much easier to open the blinds by allowing each longer pull to be more productive than if a person can just barely reach it. The chain in the photo above was one in our home that I forgot to indicate to the blind installer that I wanted it to be longer. Thankfully, it was simple to buy an extension that fits seamlessly with the existing chain, except for the fact that they were out of the gray chain installed with the blinds so I had to settle for white.

Function over form often rules.

Source: Custom blind installers and many hardware stores.

Parking Meters

By now it is no secret that dexterity limitations of quadriplegics are possibly our biggest struggle, directly or indirectly. Putting coins in a parking meter is one of the ultimate tests. I have lost more than a few quality cups of coffee worth of coins to the gutter over the years. Every time I go to the University of Saskatchewan for photography, exercise or whatever other reason, I feel like I am part of a cruel experiment. Why do I feel like this when using the designated handicap parking meters at the University? Because of the way they face.

Follow along with my reasoning, if you will. As you will notice, the coin slot faces the street. If the individual with a disability is driving they cannot reach the meter from the driver's side as they will be on the street. Once they get out, the meter is too far away to reach from the street by wheelchair or walker which means they will need to get up and onto the sidewalk to deposit coins, just like a standard meter. However, the space between the meter and the edge of the curb is only between 30 and 45 cm, between 12 and 18 inches. The photo above distorts this distance because of the wide angle lens I chose to use, but believe me when I say it is less than 18 inches between the post and the curb.

This short distance between the curb requires the individual to back up to the curb to deposit coins while facing the coin slot. This introduces the risk of falling backwards off the curb, regardless of the disability in question. If you add some improperly cleared snow to the equation, creating a cone of snow around the meter's post, you make it even more difficult for the user to get close enough to deposit coins. For these reasons I avoid the designated spots whenever possible. However, with parking at the University being at a premium, often the only spots available are the designated ones.

I would greatly appreciate understanding the reasoning used by the person responsible for designing the meters this way. All of the designated meters at the University are like this so I know that it was not just a coincidence. There are no designated meters or spots around the city of Saskatoon so difficult meters are not a problem. But angle parking, with end spots blocked off by planters or other decorations, which make the use of a van with a lift or ramp impossible, are a problem.

The city of Saskatoon and the University of Saskatchewan used to have pay-by-cell phone but, for whatever reason, it is no more. Other payment methods, such as a card-based system, are enabled but this is useful to me only on a very occasional circumstance when I visit the University so I have not pursued that option.

Despite my criticism of the city of Saskatoon's lack of access, they have done one thing very well. They have implemented an annual $20 fee that provides disabled individuals with a sticker that is adhered to their parking placard which allows a free 36 hour parking limit at any standard meter in the city. Of course, you have paid your $20 annual fee, but the convenience makes it completely worth it at a very reasonable cost, in my opinion. The only thing we need now is for them to make a deal with the University, St. Paul's Hospital, Innovation Place and private lots throughout the city so that we can easily use those, as well.

Parking access varies from one city to another. It may have been costly to park in downtown Vancouver but they had a very easy to use smart phone app that allowed you to pre-enter your credit card information, enter the meter number you are parked at, and choose your length of parking. It also allowed enabling notifications to let you know when your time was running low so that you could apply more time. This was not just for accessible parking, it was for everyone and was a brilliant system that eliminated the need to carry change with you. In Seattle, any accessible parking placard approved in North America provided you with free parking at any meter. Period.

Solutions: Explore the options available in your city for accessible parking, don't be afraid to speak to your city counselor and, when traveling, examine what is available in the locations you will be staying.

UPDATE: Smart meters are finally coming to Saskatoon! This pay system was enjoyed by us during our trip to Vancouver and Seattle in 2013. The option to pay with a card, a smart phone app, and still pocket change, made quicker, easier, more precise and exactly what works well for the disabled community.

Card Holder

Card season is upon us more than ever. That first snowfall outside, as seen in the photo above, happened way too early this year and last year but there is little a person can do except to find favorite ways to be entertained indoors. Any game with cards is a popular one.

There are commercially made cardholders available on the market but I have found that many of them require as much dexterity as holding cards does. Such things as spring-loaded clips or awkward angles where cards sit in fan-shaped slots, both of which are no easier than simply holding the cards with paralyzed fingers.

The cardholder you see on the table was the result of my dad seeing his son struggle with the cards, telling everyone to "hold on, a minute," finding a scrap of lumber, cranking the tablesaw blade to a 45°, running a cut half-deep through it and then slicing the scrap of lumber into two equal pieces. The result was two identical cardholders that I use for any game that requires holding more than about four cards. This cardholder is long enough for at least 13 cards. Occasionally, for games that use nonstandard decks of cards, I wouldn't mind if it were a little bit longer. Usually in those cases cards can be grouped together, though. Length is something to consider if you are having one made for yourself.

Having it sitting on the table allows me to use two hands to pick up and arrange cards and it is easily tipped on its face to conceal my hand, should I need to leave the table for a minute.

This is not a tool exclusive to a quadriplegic. A person with carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, tremors or any other condition affecting dexterity would benefit from something like this and be able to maintain a fluid pace of gameplay.

Source: Custom made. Commercially made devices available at some medical supply stores, through an occupational therapist or online.

Door Bumpers

My original use for these door or drawer bumpers was on the remote starter of my previous vehicle. That remote is not pictured here but it was similar to the right most remote in the photo above. The problem with the previous remote was that it had recessed buttons. The buttons themselves were not the problem. It was that with only four buttons on that old remote one was dedicated to locking, one to unlocking, one to opening the door and lowering the ramp and one to the lifting the ramp and closing the door.. The only way the installers could program the module to start the van was by pressing the lock and unlock keys simultaneously. Because they were recessed this presented a problem for me.

It wasn't that I couldn't do it but I required a surface to set the remote on while I pressed each button with my two thumbs. When I had something on my lap, or no firm surface to rest the remote on, it was difficult. And, when do you need automatic vehicle starting the most? In the winter when it's cold and you don't want to be fumbling with a remote longer than necessary. Self-adhesive door bumpers cut to fit each button was my solution.

It worked but was not ideal because making the buttons that much easier to press made for accidentally unlocking or locking the doors and only once accidentally starting the van. This was also before the time of two-way communication between the vehicle and the remote -- you  now receive notification that your vehicle has started -- so it wasn't until an undetermined amount of time that I realized the van had been started.

Thankfully the buttons on my current remote, pictured left, have just the right amount of tactile resistance and are raised only slightly, requiring a one second press before activating the function. All buttons function as indicated by their symbols but two consecutive presses of the unlock button, with a two second pause between, opens my door and lowers the ramp or picks up the ramp and closes the door. This is a much more convenient way than depending on the door bumpers but they did work when I needed them to.

Source: Department, hardware, and dollar stores.

Door Knobs

Have you ever been trapped behind an unlocked door? Thanks to my paralyzed hands, I have. The rubber palms on The Gloves usually get me out of that bind after a few tries.

Have you ever been delayed behind an unlocked door while you had to set your bag or basket of groceries down to open the door a crack before picking it back up and entering? Everybody has.

This is just one more example where technology as simple as a lever door handle can help everyone out. It doesn't need to be some obvious, ugly modification that sticks out like a sore thumb. It simply needs to be something that works well for everybody and the industry will make it attractive in appearance. Not unlike flat light switches.

Thankfully, both flat light switches and lever door handles are far more common and make the lives of disabled people so much easier while conveniently making other people's lives a little bit easier when their hands are full.

Source: Any hardware store.