May 2020 Independent Eating and Drinking Newsletter
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Less Noticed Impacts of the Pandemic
The Covid-19 pandemic has, by necessity, become the main focus of news. There are so many sub-topics that are all part of what is happening to the world due to the virus and it is difficult to be attentive to all of the problems that are evolving due directly to the virus, but also due to the shutdown that has been required to stop the spread of the virus.
The lockdowns are a perfectly logical way of controlling the spread of the virus. But even with a lockdown there are people who must work and without whose services the country would fall apart. However, there are essential workers who do not feel able to go to work because of the risk that they are being exposed to at work. They are concerned that they may contract the virus and pass it along to their family when they return home from work. The list of essential workers is long and diverse ranging from medical workers, childcare providers, to bus drivers.
Problems exist when essential workers have families and particularly children. As mentioned earlier, many essential workers can potentially be exposed to people who have Covid-19. Because of this risk they are concerned that they may carry the virus home and expose their family to it. For this reason many are isolating themselves from their family when they are not at work. An additional problem that exists for parents who must go to work, is care for their children. Daycare centers are considered essential during the lockdown for those essential workers needing childcare. Yet in a daycare setting it is difficult to maintain space between children, have them keep their hands off of their faces and out of their mouths, and keep toys and equipment disinfected. Inevitably there is some risk for the children and for the staff who care for them.
When an essential worker does not feel able to go to work, the impact can be significant. One quite silent group impacted in this way are disabled individuals who need caregivers to help them throughout their day. For them, to have a caregiver not show up for work can be devastating. Imagine if you need someone to facilitate your getting out of bed, getting dressed, using the bathroom and getting into your wheelchair. All before your day has really started. To not have anyone available is devastating. Typically agencies provide staff to fill these care giving positions, and if someone is unable to work, a replacement person is provided and the service is relatively seamless. However, during this pandemic the number of people who are unable to work has significantly increased and in certain areas of the country there are not enough caregivers to fill all of the time slots needed. In some cases friends or family members can step in and help out. However, family members or friends who are working outside the home cannot help because they may have been exposed to the virus.
As the world swings back into functioning, new problems will occur and solutions will be found but if you have ideas for dealing with difficulties during the pandemic please let us know. (email us at info@mealtimepartners.com)
| Independent Drinking |
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For most individuals, dehydration is 100% preventable. However,
many people with disabilities suffer from some level of dehydration almost
constantly. Mealtime Partners various drinking systems allow many individuals
who are unable to use their hands to take a drink, to drink independently. For
example, the Hydration Backpack with Drinking Tube Positioning (pictured below)
provides hands free drinking throughout the day for those who
sit in a wheelchair and are unable to lift or hold a cup or glass. The drinking
system is quick and easy to set up, the liquid container fits on the back of a
wheelchair and the drinking tube can be positioned to meet the unique
positioning needs of each individual. |
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| Easy to install and remove from the wheelchair to fill or clean. |
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| The Front Mounted Drinking Systems pictured below, can position a variety of cups and drink containers very close to the users mouth for hands free drinking and allows a variety of other drinks to be made available throughout the day. For example, coffee in the morning, ice tea with lunch, a can of soda in the afternoon and a glass of milk before bed. The user drinks from their own container using a disposable straw. Because the straws and most of the containers can be disposed of, or washed in a dishwasher, it is the easiest drinking system to clean. It is available in several lengths of flex-arms and can be mounted on a variety of wheelchairs. |
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Front Mounted Drinking System with
UniTrack Mounting Front Mounted Drinking System on Manual Wheelchair |
| All of the Mealtime Partners drinking systems are available for attaching to manual wheelchairs (i.e., wheelchairs with a tubular handle or other tubular structural components) and for wheelchairs with the Slide-Track mounting rails. For more information about all of our drinking products, click here, or call us at 800-996-8607. |
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Did you know? Did you know that non-slip materials made by Dycem or Rubbermaid are very helpful for providing stability for someone who is sitting? A sheet of the material can be put on the seat of a chair to reduce the likelihood of them sliding forward on the seat. Often, when someone sits on a dining chair with a wooden, plastic or vinyl seat they gradually slip forward the longer that they sit. Over the course of a half hour, many people slip enough to cause their buttocks to be on the front of the seat and their lower back to be curved considerably, causing a slouching position that causes the bottom of the rib cage to push against the stomach. Non-slip materials are also very useful for preventing feet from slipping on the floor, a foot stool, or the foot rests of a wheelchair. Helping the feet to remain stable allows the rest of the body to be better controlled which allows the individual to be more able to perform tasks. |
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