Interesting products that might be helpful to some people

[Evita_W]

A zipper pull thermometer so my family can help me keep an eye on the temp & I can help myself better. I often don't seem feel the temp around me rising and by the time I do it is an avalanche so I mostly avoid heat but this is an assist. I think a bluetooth alarm would help but I haven't seen a mobile one.

I think a regular one with bluetooth in the house or car could make the world safer for anyone who doesn't feel temps correctly, like family could monitor from a distance or alarms could be set.

DH just got a Pixel 8 Pro and it has a thermometer built into it that can do body and object temperatures and compared to our most accurate thermometers, it is amazingly accurate. As for ambient temperature, I am sure there must be an app that can measure that given all of the sensors and audibly and visually alert when too high.I am thinking probably something like Tasker combined with these sensors would likely do it.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Great you have that but I don't know that a new phone is in the budget, I am thinking about something I could just tag along.

If not a digital thermometer maybe a cuter version of this, like maybe even an image just made up of the color changing stuff that would work like a mood ring where you can say, "Whoops, the ladybug turned red I need to find AC and an icy drink now."

 

[Evita_W]

I’m not necessarily saying a new phone is needed, I am just wondering if your existing phone may have a temperature sensor on it that could be leveraged somehow. Looking the App store, there does seem to be a fair number of temperature apps. DH just tested one and it does appear very accurate so far. The one he found uses the sensors that monitor your phones temperatures and some clever AI to figure out the temperature.

I mean you would need to find the one that fits your needs the best, but just a thought that might help.

 

[smartlabelprint]

If your chair has tube framing on the bottom, these lights can help make your chair less invisible. Also if your chair has tube framing at the top and no handles, these bike handlebars work both as a place to hang bags and if your chair has manual mode, as push handles for shorter distances. Not terribly comfortable for the pusher for long distances but if you just need a 5mn stretch break its fine.

I think it was the same company, maybe someone else. It was a bike spokes light sold at target. It was a led tube of lights basically. I threaded it around the bottom of our stroller wagon for visibility.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Does anyone know if theres a way to keep the wheelchair cushion cool? I was using a gel grid cushion on top of the one that the chair came with, but it wasn’t comfortable and slightly hot. I then bought this one recently and have used it just once so far (at Epcot). It seems to be much more comfortable but its even hotter than the gel grid one, uncomfortably so despite it being advertised as having a cooling cover. Is there some kind of material I could cover it with to make it cooling or do I need a different product? I avoided memory foam because I read that gets warm.

Also, does anyone know of wicking socks that do not have elastic? I can no longer tolerate socks with tight elastic and am having trouble finding what I need.

Target had a cooling pet mat for $25 this summer.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Does anyone know if theres a way to keep the wheelchair cushion cool? I was using a gel grid cushion on top of the one that the chair came with, but it wasn’t comfortable and slightly hot. I then bought this one recently and have used it just once so far (at Epcot). It seems to be much more comfortable but its even hotter than the gel grid one, uncomfortably so despite it being advertised as having a cooling cover. Is there some kind of material I could cover it with to make it cooling or do I need a different product? I avoided memory foam because I read that gets warm.

Also, does anyone know of wicking socks that do not have elastic? I can no longer tolerate socks with tight elastic and am having trouble finding what I need.

Target had a cooling pet mat for $25 this summer.

This is an interesting product my daughter has used for several years - Billy Footwear
She has 4 pairs of shoes - beach blue, orchid flower pink, blush pink, grey - and a pair of warm winter boots.

The shoes are available in sizes and styles for children, men and women. They have multiple accessibility features, but are not 'medical' looking. They are an example of Universal Design, with features that make them accessible while they are still 'mainstream' and made for everyone.
In fact, they are 'cool' enough looking that we've been asked where she got them by people without disabilities.
The website's About Us page has information on how the company began and a video that shows the co-founder's story and demonstrates how the shoes work.
Accessibility features include:

• the whole front zips open along the side of the shoe and around the toes. This allows the foot to be placed flat into the shoe
• the zipper pulls have a loop so they are easy for children or people with disabilities to tug shut
• ties allow the fit to be personalized without having to retie each time. Helpful for anyone who has difficulty with tying shoes
• additional features for people who wear AFOs or orthotics

View attachment 881881

Kids shoes are 30% off at target right now. I got high top Billy shoes in multiple sizes for my kiddo with suresteps braces.

 

[SueM in MN]

Copied from another thread

I meant to post this the other day and I'm sure people who use them already have a good place they are getting them, using them for a different reason than me, but just thought I'd share what I use. I bought these at Cabelas or Bass Pro I can't remember. They were in the area where firearms, hunting and the like are at. It's also where I bought my slimmer noise reduction headphones.

For rides now that have short bursts of loud noises on our last trip in 2022 I incorporated these foam ear plugs. While not a perfect fit it worked better than my prior tactic and allows me to enjoy the rides more. I used it on our Silver Dollar City trip several months after the Disney/Universal 2022 trip, most especially when we did the train attraction which has gun shots briefly.

These are considered "women" sized (and yes pink was the only option..) but kids could likely use them. They are meant for smaller ear canals which I have and is likely the main reason noises hurt as smaller ear canals cause the sound to be amplified.

Next to them are the ear plugs my husband uses (for sleep only when needed) and those are just standard adult sized.
View attachment 886016

Also, First Aid did/does have foam earplugs - pretty plain, but good in a pinch.

I've read that Baby Care, at least in Magic Kingdom, now stocks ear protection for sale. I don't know what brand/type

 

[SueM in MN]

I was reminded of this company, Glacier Tek, by a Minneapolis news story about keeping cool at the Minnesota State Fair.
I have not used them, but have seen comments from people who use them (a lot of MS patients use them).
Their products use phase change packs that provide cooling to around 60° F as they change back from a solid to a liquid. The packs are not frozen - they can be recharged in a refrigerator, with cold water or with ice water.
Their products include cooling vests in adult and child sizes, dog vests and cooling mats/pads.


COPIED FROM THE PRODUCT USE PAGE:

How are the GlacierPacks charged, and how long does it take to charge them?
GlacierPacks can be charged using a freezer, refrigerator or container of ice water - basically anything colder than 59° F. GlacierPacks can be charged in just 20 to 30 minutes by submerging them in ice water until they become solid. They can be charged in a freezer in about an hour or in a refrigerator in several hours.

How long does the Cool Vest stay cool?
The GlacierPacks maintain a cool, constant 59° F (15° C) temperature for up to 2½ hours.

Do the GlacierPacks "sweat" or feel wet when used?
No. Because GlacierPacks operate around 60 degrees while ice is 32 degrees (or lower), there is a much lesser effect.

Well, how much do the GlacierPacks “sweat” or feel wet when used?

Our Glacier Tek design reduces any sources of condensation to a minimum. GlacierPacks are renewable and contained so that they will not undergo any evaporative process, which typically adds to condensation. The local temperature difference created by cooling packs will still encourage sporadic condensation to form, but at far less of a rate than ice would lead to. The pockets on Glacier Tek vests are also designed to absorb that limited condensation. The end result is that most users will not feel moisture unless they are handling a cooling pack directly.

If air is not passing directly over the vest, will it still cool effectively?

Glacier Tek vests use PCM cooling packs, which do not rely on airflow to work properly. This allows them to be worn underneath jackets and other apparel without performance being affected negatively.

 

[LarsoftheJungle]

Our own Intercom worked at Disneyland!
My 6yo is autistic and I have auditory processing difficulties, so the general noise at Disneyland was a little daunting. I was wondering if I could set us up with noise canceling bluetooth devices that would allow us to talk to eachother and shut the other sounds out. We spent a week going to our wifi-having local museum after school everyday testing a few different apps and headsets and this is what worked best for us: My iPhone + an old iphone on Disneyland's wifi, 2 skype accounts, my apple airpods (w/ active noise canceling) and these passive noise canceling bluetooth ear muffs for him: https://www.walkersgameear.com/blue...LVDoXcATRfViLUwcK0_aem_4QUsjRMLTdWuHAdwYEAMLQ

We weren’t on it all the time, but we did “switch to coms” at various points in the day when we wanted to retreat from the sounds or he got tired of having to face me for me to hear him. The main drawback was getting it set up was stressful for me - it was hard for my brain to juggle calling one phone with the other phones, making sure both airpopds/headsets were on and connected to the right phone (we were using one of my old ones still logged in as me so they were both trying t connect to both devices all the time), plus his needs, plus the environment. But once we were both on the Spyke call in our respective ears…it was heaven!

 

[SueM in MN]

I don't have any personal experience with these, but I've heard good things about them.
Calm Strips fidget tools for anxiety and focus

They have removeable/reusable stickers and also carry tags (like keychains).

 

[iuki]

When flying with a folding electric wheelchair, e.g., a Falcon or Airhawk, airlines require that you remove the batteries and take them with you on the plane. I found a tripod case that works great. I use a towel wrap the two batteries to keep them from banging against each other and place them in the case. Ordered from Amazon.

I also use an adjustable collapsible mesh cup holder that you don’t have to remove from the chair when folding the chair. Also got it from Amazon.

 

[ZJ5/9D47]

Does anyone know if theres a way to keep the wheelchair cushion cool?

Do you have that vinyl fake leather that always seems to get hot in the sun? I made my own covers for the seat and arms out of PUL fabric. Waterproof and has a soft cover that absorbs a little sweat so not sticky. Perfectly cool after hours in the Florida sun too. That’s only for solar radiation though and not body heat.

 

[only hope]

Do you have that vinyl fake leather that always seems to get hot in the sun? I made my own covers for the seat and arms out of PUL fabric. Waterproof and has a soft cover that absorbs a little sweat so not sticky. Perfectly cool after hours in the Florida sun too. That’s only for solar radiation though and not body heat.

Not sure what material the cushion i bought is, supposedly it is cooling material. I ended up buying a cooling blanket meant for dogs and putting on top of my cushion.

 

[VPachex]

If you have an iPhone or other smartphone, you can set alarms or reminders for various things.
My daughter needs to be catheterized for urine every 3 to 3.5 hours. She also has medications to take on schedule 3 times a day.
It's very easy to lose track of time, so I needed reminders to keep things on track. After doing the task, I just edit the timer to the next time I need to do it.

The 'game changer' for me was when the iPhone added a feature to label the timers. No more trying to remember what I'm supposed to do when the 2:30 pm alarm goes off.
And, if my phone and Apple Watch are muted, I still get haptic (vibration) feedback when the alarm goes off.

View attachment 882850

Hi! I have to take a lot of medication and these have changed throughout the years, for me a game changer was the App Medisafe ( I have the free version and it’s really complete) you can have several family members or even pets at your care, Each with their own virtual pill box, you can adjust from when to when each compartment covers (example my “night” compartment goes from 20:00 to 4am the next morning) you can have preset alarms for your daily medication or you can enter us a reminder whatever medicine you just happen to need to take as a reminder that you took it, There are some options that are not available in my country, but I know that you can feel your prescription and it reminds you when you have to refill it. It seems really practical! Now you can also track stuff like temperature and other things like doctor appointments.
I swear I don’t have any deals or anything to do with them, but I use it with me and my cats as dependants.
What I find useful is that you don’t have to remember to set on the alarm again! Sometimes when I stop the alarm I accidentally set it off, with this I don’t.
I hope it helps someone!

 

[andystamz]

Hi! I have to take a lot of medication and these have changed throughout the years, for me a game changer was the App Medisafe ( I have the free version and it’s really complete) you can have several family members or even pets at your care, Each with their own virtual pill box, you can adjust from when to when each compartment covers (example my “night” compartment goes from 20:00 to 4am the next morning) you can have preset alarms for your daily medication or you can enter us a reminder whatever medicine you just happen to need to take as a reminder that you took it, There are some options that are not available in my country, but I know that you can feel your prescription and it reminds you when you have to refill it. It seems really practical! Now you can also track stuff like temperature and other things like doctor appointments.
I swear I don’t have any deals or anything to do with them, but I use it with me and my cats as dependants.
What I find useful is that you don’t have to remember to set on the alarm again! Sometimes when I stop the alarm I accidentally set it off, with this I don’t.
I hope it helps someone!

Thank you for the info. I take10 different meds, so this sounds helpful!