Information and products to help those living with chronic pain, illness or disability
Below are links to things that myself, my family, friends or clients have found useful. It can be difficult to admit you need extra support around the house, at work, at university or travelling. A helpful perspective is that asking for support is a way of actively choosing to improve your quality of life (see my blog about asking for and accepting help here).
I have included links to a variety of services that can provide help and there is a section on useful products too. There are hundreds of products available so I have chosen a few lesser known or more unusual products that I have discovered and use myself.
If you think of anything that is not included on my website that you have found useful, please feel free to contact me.
If you are struggling to manage chronic pain or illness and the idea of adaptations and extra support feels daunting, therapy could be a useful first step. Therapy can explore the obstacles to asking for and accepting help, look at pain and fatigue management techniques and help change how you manage unhelpful thoughts and overwhelming emotions. You can read further about how therapy for chronic pain and illness can be helpful here. If this feels like a step you are ready to take, please contact me and we can book in an assessment.
Useful links
Employment - Access to Work
https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
If you are working (self-employment is covered too), Access to Work provides a thorough assessment to see what adaptations you could benefit from in the workplace. A lot of my clients worry that they do not know what they need but that is what the assessment is for – the assessor will have an extensive knowledge base of what products and adaptations are available. The report explains to your employer what you need, what would count as a reasonable adjustment and if the adaptations are beyond what is classed as reasonable for an employer to fund, Access to Work can fund it.
It's worth applying for this as soon as you can - although they say assessments are done within 12-24 weeks, at the time of writing this the wait was about a year.
Studying - Disabled Students Allowance
https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa
if you are an undergraduate or postgraduate student with a physical or mental health condition, you can get funding for costs related to helping you with studying. I’ve heard excellent feedback about this service and personally when I applied years ago for this support, I was beyond impressed.
Help with Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/
Applying for PIP can be a daunting process. This website contains some great information including how each item is scored, how decisions are made and what to do if you want to appeal.
Travel
Driving:
If you receive the enhanced mobility rate of PIP, you are entitled to choose to have the payments or to use them to lease a vehicle. Their definition of vehicle includes motorised wheelchairs and scooters as well as cars and Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles.
Train:
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/help-and-assistance/passenger-assist/
If you are disabled and travelling by train, you can apply for passenger assistance. It covers a range of different support and there is a centralised app so you don’t need to keep repeating yourself each journey about your needs. I’ve heard slightly mixed reviews depending on the station that you travel from but my personal experience has been extremely positive.
Plane:
https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers-and-public/special-assistance/
Each airline will have their own special assistance team. It covers a wide range of support and with the airline that I have used, I have found that every staff member has been incredibly friendly, that it is a very smooth process and that staff are very accepting of non-visible disabilities too. Each airline will have their own information and will need to be contacted directly but here is an overview of the support available in the link above.
Products
If you are reading this section and think that any of the below items could be useful, I would recommend getting a referral to occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Depending on your health condition, adaptive aids can be incredibly beneficial but can also result in muscle deconditioning if the product is used in replacement of strengthening the right muscles (You can read more about the help physiotherapists provide here). Occupational therapists have an incredible knowledge base about what tools are out there to help with pretty much anything and can provide personalised advice to you (more information can be found here). You can usually get a referral from your GP or you can look into seeing a private physio or occupational therapist.
I have tried all of the below products myself and liked them, but they are not a medical recommendation or a substitute for professional advice. I do not get any commission for any links or products. You may also find the product cheaper on an alternative website or shop.
Portable stool:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Booxihome-Telescopic-Retractable-Lightweight-Gardening/dp/B09DC8ZGST/
This has been a great product for when I need to queue or have been walking around somewhere with minimal seating. It folds flat enough to carry around (it includes a handle) and is easy to pull out and sit on. Depending on your health condition, the only downside I’ve found is it can be a bit heavy to carry around.
Cushion:
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/5664128
I didn’t realise I needed this in my life until I got it! I find sitting on seats without cushions painful and even with comfortable seats, I struggle to sit for a long time. Although this may seem a bit strange to carry around, it’s been a personal gamechanger for reducing lower back and coccyx pain.
Products for the kitchen:
https://www.manageathome.co.uk/pd/stainless-steel-cooking-basket_15945
Cooking basket - If you have pain or instability in your wrists or struggle with strength or co-ordination in your arms, this could be a helpful product. Personally, I’ve found that it takes a bit of getting used to but has been a great alternative to trying to drain a large pan of potatoes or pasta.
https://www.essentialaids.com/household/non-slip-products/dycem-reel-400x2000mm-blue
Non-slip material - A surprisingly versatile product, this can be used to help open things such as jars but can also be used to stabilise anything from a cup of tea to a mixing bowl whilst baking. Buying a reel means you can cut it to whatever size you need and it comes in a variety of colours.
https://www.healthandcare.co.uk/kitchen-utensils/vitility-ez-peeler.html
Peeler - This is a personal favourite! Due to my health condition I struggle with grip, pain and co-ordination and this helps with all three.
Medication help:
https://www.mobilitysmart.co.uk/pill-popper-and-dispenser.html?ff=1&fp=9992
Pill popper - A cheap and simple aid, this can help you get to the medication you need if something such as arthritis or dislocating fingers usually make it a painful experience.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blister-Puncher-Splitter-Tablets-Portable/dp/B0CC5X3DXS
Travel pill popper - This is the same product as above but is a portable version you can pop in your bag for when you need medication out and about.
Extra resources:
When you start to look for products to help in everyday life, you realise that there are hundreds of products out there. The above are only a tiny selection. The following websites are just two of many that can give you more ideas depending on what you need. If you prefer to go to physically look, you can usually find a local mobility shop where you can look at the products available.