Assistive animals are trained to provide for different needs and disabilities, and they can be a catalyst for patient success. These animals can help in various ways, such as:

• Neurological Functioning
• Sensory Support
• Mobility
• Therapy
• Offer Comfort and Companionship

So, What Are the Different Roles of Assistive Animals?

In our lives, assistive animals can enrich many areas, especially for those with a disability or who need the comfort of an animal to maintain a healthy, independent lifestyle. Animals can offer help through their unique charac­te­ristics; for example, dogs have a fantastic sense of smell, whereas horses can be a docile, friendly riding partner. So what jobs do these animals take on?

• Emotonal Support Animals
• Pschiatric Service Animals
• Medical Detection Dogs
• Disability-Assistance Animals
• Guide Dogs
• Autism Assistance Dogs
• Assisted Psychotherapy Animals
• Hearing Assistance Dogs

What do Emotional Support Animals do?

Animals can offer comfort in a way humans can’t. Animals don’t judge, and this quality lends itself to those seeking therapy/­counselling or who need an animal companion.

 

What is the Role of Psychiatric Service Animals?

Psychiatric Service Animals are trained to perform roles that the owner cannot complete or requires prompts to complete. For example, people with an anxiety disorder may have a Psychiatric Service Animal that can predict panic attacks, and it will be trained to give support to the owner pre-panic attack, by picking up on heat rate.

What is the Role of a Medical Detection Dog?

Medical detection dogs use their enhanced sense of smell to detect medication. Scientists are also looking into the use of these dogs to detect illnesses such as Cancer.

 

What do Disability-Assistance Animals do?

For a disabled person, activities of daily living can be a struggle and prevent a person from being independent. An assistance dog can be trained to help the owner carry out ADLs such as transferring, toileting and dressing.

What’s the Role of Guide Dogs?

Guide dogs, one we are all familiar with, are helpful to those who lack vision. They judge special awareness keeping the owner away from danger and guiding them to safety.

 

What Do Autism Assistance Dogs Do?

Autism assistance dogs are typically used for paediatric help as more research has been conducted on the positive effects of children and assistive dogs. However, as you may know, those with autism can have a more polite word for immature mentality, which could mean we see the use of assistance dogs in the days of autistic adults in the future.

Assisted Psychotherapy Animals

Many types of animals can be used in animal-assisted therapy, ATT for short, which includes typical pets such as dogs, cats and guinea pigs but can include cows, birds and dolphins. Depending on the patient and animal, these therapy sessions may be conducted on a one-to-one basis or as a group.

Animal-assisted therapy comes in many forms and is an educational tool helping to learn to care for animals, caring for farm animals, grooming and pet health.

What Support Do Hearing Assistance Dogs Offer?

For people with a lack of hearing or completely deaf, a hearing assistance dog may be placed in their home. They are trained to distinguish the difference between doorbells, alarm clocks and smoke alarms.

 

Tenura Products to Help you Care for Your Pet

Animals are tricky to look after. They have many needs and are a costly expense. The clean-up after a pet is also a constant, but you can use Tenura products to help make life with a pet more effortless.

If you would like to explore Tenura Products to Help you Care for your pet you can via our blog. For example, placing food and water bowls on a Tenura Extreme mat can prevent them from sliding.

Tenura is all about helping people maintain an independent lifestyle. We offer range of effective daily living aids ranging from non-slip bottle openers to non-slip bath stickers. Our products are specially designed to prevent unwanted movement. All our Tenura products are made from non-toxic materials so aren’t harmful to anyone who uses them.

Tenura is looking to expand its colour range and we need your help! We are thinking of introducing some new colours such as black, white, grey, and a fun bright pink but we want your feedback on what you would like to see from Tenura!

Contact us via email and let us know your opinions.

 

National Arthritis Week takes place from the 7^th to the 10^th of October. This year's theme is Let's Get Physical, which is pretty catchy thanks to the Oliva Newton-John song. Let's get physical, physical. The theme is to bring awareness to the importance of exercise for those with arthritis, and it's one of the well-known but underutilised treatments.

Why is Exercise Important for People with Arthritis?

Pain can become associated with particular movements. A person may avoid that motion, meaning that muscle isn't getting used and becomes weaker. This can lead to muscle weakness, and the muscle will need to work harder the next time the movement is repeated. Keeping the joints exercised keeps them in a healthy condition. It helps to prevent stiffness caused by immobility.

Being overweight is a factor in the chances of developing arthritis as you get older as it puts unnecessary strain on the joints. Exercise can help you become healthy and reduce the stress that excess weight puts on the joints.

What is the Best Exercise for Someone with Arthritis?

Low impact exercises and stretches are perfect for those with arthritis as they will avoid causing further damage to the joints and have a possible impact. Focus on the areas of your body affected by arthritis, and find some movements that can slowly increase your strength while also improving the joint's flexibility.

Tenura has recently released a blog that looks at some great hand exercises for arthritis you can do to improve mobility and reduce hand pain.

High-impact exercise could cause further damage and inflammation in already sore joints. Running wouldn't be a good exercise, but a walk or very light jog could be a good start. But it would help if you warmed up first.

How do I start Exercising with Arthritis?

Following a YouTube tutorial may be a good start, or you could find a local fitness class to ensure you get out and remain active. Be sure to tell the instructor of any health conditions you have so they can amend their class accordingly. By attending classes, you increase the chances of sticking to your daily exercises.

We have some more beginner ideas in our Activities in the Sun for People with Arthritis blog, which you can read for further exercise tips.

Can Arthritis be Reversed with Exercise?

Arthritis can't be reversed by exercise is a treatment for arthritis as it can improve the flexibility in the joint, getting good blood flow to the area and reduce stiffness. Exercise can also be a good preventative measure. Being overweight puts a lot of excess strain on joints. Exercise can help you lose weight/maintain a healthy weight.

Does Inactivity Make Arthritis Worse?

It certainly can; immobility will cause the joints to seize up, and stiffness will set in. This stiffness can be painful. Therefore, you should make sure to stand up and stretch at least once an hour.

Bein inactive also leads to weakness in muscles and joints as well as weight gain, which can have detrimental effects on those with arthritis.

 

Tenura hopes you have found this blog helpful. We have also got a special discount code for you, NAW10 (10% discount). We hope you find some Tenura arthritis aids that can help you maintain an independent lifestyle.

We are back for another exhibition year at Rehacare. It will take place between the 14^th and 17^th of September 2022 in Düsseldorf. We look forward to seeing you there. You will be able to find us in hall 5, stand 5G35­/5.

The show promotes the latest products and services in relation to the healthcare industry. The designs companies create are amazing and can be so impactful for the consumers.

You can come to speak to us and discuss the Tenura range face-to-face whilst also getting your own hand on experience with the products. We love introducing the collection of innovative daily living aids to new faces, especially when they can see the versatility the products offer.

There's always so much going on, and I am sure this year will be no different with a selection of forums and lecturers in attendance discussing sport, culture, disability and entertainment.

Bring on Rehacare 2022!

Physiotherapy awareness day takes place on the 8^th of September every year, with a special focus on Osteoarthritis for 2022.

What is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis, which can occur due to injury, hereditary factors, age, weight and gender. It affects people of the age of 45 and is a more prominent condition in women, 12:1. Osteoarthritis affects the joints and can cause tenderness, pain, stiffness and knobbly-looking joints. It can also have an effect on the muscles around the joint, and they can become weaker and waste away due to the lack of movement, likely because of the pain when moving the joint.

 

Can Osteoarthritis Be Cured?

No, it can’t be cured, but there are daily things you can do to help maintain an independent lifestyle and reduce pain. 

• Exercise – you can follow the Tenura guide for hand exercises
• Losing weight – this will put less strain on your joints, lightening the load on your knees
• Medication – seek advice from your doctor for the correct course of painkillers
• Anti-inflammatories – Inflamed areas of skin can be treated with anti-inflammatory

 

What Products Can Help With Osteoarthritis?

Even the NHS website mentions the benefits of assistive devices that can help with Osteoarthritis. We want to add to that list and demonstrate a few Tenura arthritis aids that can help.

Improve Your Writing With Arthritis Aids

If you struggle to write as your wrists and muscles become painful, try a cutlery grip around the pencil or other thin handles objects such as cutlery or a toothbrush.

Get a Better Grip with Silicone Grip-Enhancement

Grip strips and silicone grip rolls are a great way to improve your grip on many objects, no matter their size. Use grip strips around small objects or handles, and the grip roll can be wrapped around larger objects for more grip and control over them.

Stand and Sit With Improved Mobility

Osteoarthritis can affect the knees, which makes standing up and sitting down tricky. You can use a Tenura non-slip floor mat to aid you when moving. The floor mat provides the user with grip and a good foothold to assist with mobility and reduce the risk of slips and falls.

 

Enjoy all the products mentioned above, plus all other Tenura daily living aids at a 10% discount with the code PAD10.

If you want to improve your mobility when in a vehicle, we have outlined some helpful Tenura products that be of great help. Things such as getting in and out of the car can be a pain so let's see if we can help with this issue.

Help Getting In and Out of a Car

Placing a Tenura non-slip floor mat in the footwell and, if required, one just outside of the door, on the floor, can help you get the foothold you need to exit the car safely. Tenura floor mats are anti-slip and reduce the risk of slips and falls.

Improve Car Seat Comfort

Use Tenura non-slip fabric under your car chair cushion so that it doesn't slip whilst you are on the move. If the cushion moves out of place, it could cause further discomfort for the passenger.

Stop Loose Objects Sliding When You're on the Move

Things such as your medication, phone or a drink can slide around the car if you haven't secured them. They can distract the driver, so you should place your loose articles on a Tenura Extreme mat, which means you will have a visual aid, helping you remember where you put your belongings and improving the safety of the journey for all.

Get a Better Grip On Your Seatbelt

By wrapping Tenura silicone grip roll around your seatbelt, you can ensure a better grip. The silicone is grip-enhancing and soft, and it will allow you to grasp the seatbelt better. You can even build up the silicone to make the seatbelt wider and more comfortable to hold.

Line Your Boot to Prevent

The stuff you store in your boot often isn't secured and therefore will move about whilst you travel. This movement can affect the car's motion; however, lining your car boot with Tenura anti-slip fabric can prevent this. Tenura anti-slip fabric will keep your belongings in place, making them easier to remove from the car when you've arrived.

Improve Grip on Car Door Handles

On the inside of the car door, you can wrap Tenura grip strips around the handles to add the soft silicone that's grip-enhancing. This will improve your grip on the handle and make it easier for you to exit the car safely.

 

We hope you have found some car aids that you can use to improve car travel safety. If you require more information about the products mentioned in the blog, follow the product page links or contact us via phone, email or the enquiry form at the top of the website.

Come and see us at the FIME Show this year (July 27-29). We will be at stand U35 in the Platinum Hall! We love this exhibition and come back every year to meet the latest and greatest in the industry. Come and talk to us to discuss the prospects and benefits of working with Tenura.

FIME Shows are great fun and connect the healthcare community, bringing us all under one roof. It’s a leading medical trade fair and exhibition where we come to display ground-breaking products and services, such as Tenura daily living aids. 

The FIME show lets you get hands-on with the products and speak to us face-to-face.

There’s quite the array of speakers this year, from Harvard professors to record-holding athletes. Each speaker imparts useful information that can help develop goals in your personal and professional life.

If you want to explore the Tenura range beforehand, you can via the products page. You can also get in touch for more information you can by phoning, emailing or using the enquiry form at the top of the site.

When you see the different types of grip we use in daily lives, it can help you to create your own exercises to help you stretch and improve hand dexterity, so let's explore some of the typical grips:

• Hammers Grip/­Cylindrical Grip

Holding a hammer, screwdriver, golf clubs, and wheelbarrow handles

• Precision Grip

Holding thin items like a needle or thread

• Hook Grip

Carrying a bucket or pulling a suitcase

• Pinch Grip

Holding a coin, flipping it over to view each side

• Lumbrical Grip

Holding a plate or tray flat on your hand

• Tip-to-Tip Grip

Picking up small items like crumbs, coins or pins

• Spherical Grip

Opening and closing jars

Products to Help you Complete Tasks that Require Grip

We are happy that you are taking time to read this blog to gather some helpful information on grip strength and how it can improve your life in daily tasks. We thought we would round up some products that can benefit those who need to improve grip strength.

Tenura Cutlery Grips

Cutlery handles are thin and can be tricky to grasp if you lack grip strength or dexterity in your hands. So, sliding on Tenura cutlery grips on utensils increases handle size, allowing you to grasp a more comfortable wider handle. You can use Tenura cutlery grips to improve your grip on many items around the home, including toothbrushes, hair combs, pens and pencils. This means you can now brush your teeth and hair with comfort as well as write and draw.

Tenura Jar Openers and Bottle Openers

These two products can help in a myriad of ways, from the primary function, opening bottles and jars, to helping you twist taps on and off and getting a good grip on smooth door and cupboard knobs. Tenura jar and bottle openers help with tasks that require your spherical grip.

Tenura Grip Strips

Similarly to cutlery grips, you can wrap grip strips around handles to improve your grasp on the object. The soft silicone is grip-enhancing, allowing you to get a proper hold of the item and reduce the risk of it slipping out of your hands.

You can use the grip strips on the items listed under cutlery grips, but you can also wrap the silicone around handles that wouldn't fit into cutlery grips. For example, you can wrap the silicone around the handles of walking aids like canes or rollators to improve your grip on the handle. You can wrap silicone strips around knives to ensure you have a safe and secure grip. When completing DIY tasks around the house, you may reach for a hammer or screwdriver, and these can be enhanced with the use of Tenura grip strips.

Tenura Grip Rolls

When carrying a briefcase, bucket or object by its handle, you use the hook grip. To make the grip more comfortable, wrap soft silicone around the handle, building up more of the silicone by wrapping it around a further few times to create a bigger handle and improve your comfort.

Your gardening hobby doesn't need to subside just because you have been experiencing dexterity or grip strength issues. You can wrap grip roll around your watering can, trowel or garden rake handles.

 

Why is Grip Strength Important?

You use the lateral pinch to unlock your home or a cupboard with a key. When playing sports like netball or basketball, you use a lumbrical grip. The types of grip we use are dependent on the situation and fall into two main categories, precision and power. Each grip by design allows you to make a precise action or a powerful movement.

A lack of grip strength can affect many tasks, for example, holding a toothbrush or grasping a knife to cut food. It can impact your ability to lift objects or hold wide bars such as grab rails. You may want to improve your ability to complete these tasks, so below we have detailed a few hand exercise recommendations that you could try. By doing these exercises daily for a short time, you can improve your hand grip and dexterity.

 

Hand Exercises to Improve Grip Strength

There are many exercises you can complete to help maintain your grip. So let's explore a few that are easy to do at home or on the go.

Squeeze a stress ball

This action uses the joints in your hand, flexing them and making them stronger - this movement helps with spherical grip

Pinch the stress ball

To practice and improve more dexterous movement, pinch the stress ball, using the pinch grip

Flex your wrists

Complete small circular motions and then get larger in rotation with each movement. It helps restore your joint mobility whilst also stretching your tendons and other parts of the joint

Thumb Circles

Similar to the above, you make a circling motion with your thumb and fingers, which can improve flexibility. This hand exercise can help you with many grips where the thumb is required, like cylindrical grips and lumbrical grips

Digit Stretch

Stretch your fingers and thumb out, then curl them into a fist, then repeat

 

We hope you have found this blog helpful. Please explore the Tenura products to find ways to improve daily tasks that require grip strength or mobility.

In this blog, we explore the history of Parkinson’s, giving advice surrounding the importance of this awareness month and how you can provide support and get involved. Lets make a difference…

A Brief History of Parkinson’s

The disease was first discovered by James Parkinson, who was an English surgeon. The disease was named after James and his work into its discovery. James Parkinson’s most famous work is Shaking Palsy, which became the foundation for understanding Parkinson’s. His principles were later refined and described by Jean-Martin Charcot and William Gowers. Their efforts helped create treatments and standardise the study.

Thanks to their work, we now have defined characteristics (Parkinsonisms) of Parkinson’s. For example, the loss of facial movements and reduced eye motion known as Hypomimia, or masked face and facial masking. Hypomimia can start as early as stage one and progress as the condition takes hold. It is a misconception that the first sign of Parkinson’s is a tremor, but difficulty sleeping and smaller than usual handwriting are more common.

Another misconception is that Parkinson’s only affects the older generation, but 137,000 people under the age of 50 have early-onset Parkinson’s, which equates to 0.2% of the population.

Their work shaped the specialist roles of healthcare staff that help those with Parkinson’s, which include:

1. Physiotherapist
2. Movement Disorder Specialist
3. Occuaptional Therapist

Each of these key positions will help in different aspects of the person’s life, focusing on rehabilitation and support.

Ways to Support Your Loved One With Parkinson’s

Educate Yourself and Teach Others

It’s essential to have a good understanding of the topic, allowing you to help those in your community or family who have the disease. You can be more considerate and provide better support when knowledgeable. 2021’s theme of Parkinson’s Awareness Day stressed the importance of #KnowMorePD.

Reach Out to Someone with Parkinson’s

Certain individuals with Parkinson’s can become closed off, so reaching out and checking up with them is crucial for their mental health.

Participate in Charity Events and Fundraising

Up and down the UK, there are many events held year-round that you can participate in to help spread information and raise awareness and money for this important cause. There are many fun ways to get involved, catering to various interests, from walks and runs to bake sales and coffee mornings.

Share Information and Resources Around PD

2018’s theme for Parkinson’s Awareness Day, Start a Conversation, asked people to get involved in the observance day by spreading knowledge and information about the topic to inspire others to get involved. Speak to the community, your family, friends, neighbours, local businesses and healthcare teams.

Getting Tips On Parkinson’s Treatments

Parkinson’s Foundation 2019 theme stated that awareness is the ‘Key2PD’. They asked the community to share helpful tips to help those living with the disease. Knowing how others are coping independently with struggles associated with the disease can improve welfare. This information can help healthcare providers see trends in treatments. Make sure to go on social media and see the tweeted tips under the #Key2PD hashtag.

Create Plans to Prepare for Parkinson’s Challenges

This plan is to help improve mindset and mental health, so plan items into the day that will inspire you, such as a walk or a phone call with a friend. If there are certain tasks around the home you need some help with, stick them on the calendar and see if friends or a professional could provide the help required. There’s no need to put off the task fully. Mark it on your calendar and plan for it, which helps to minimise stress. 2020’s theme, #Plan4PD, inspired this tip.

Find Products that Can Alleviate Issues

At Tenura, we have many helpful products for those with Parkinson’s. We listed some of the most common symptoms and some products that can provide help:

Tremors are uncontrollable shakes, often in the hands and fingers, making opening containers tricky. Having a silicone jar or bottle opener can make opening bottles and jars easier as well as providing a good grip on other objects like taps or doorknobs.

 

Impaired posture and balance can increase the risk of slips around the home. Placing a Tenura non-slip floor mat in areas where additional grip is required, such as a foothold near a sofa or at the side of a bed, can help reduce this risk.

Writing style changes, and with Parkinson’s, it often gets smaller due to more limited hand movements and the difficulty and pain of holding a thin pen or pencil. By increasing the width of the pen with a Tenura cutlery grip, you can make writing a more comfortable task for the person with Parkinson’s.

 

If you want to get involved in this year’s Parkinson’s Awareness Day, use the following hashtags:

• #UniteF­or­Par­kinsons
• #KnowMorePD
• #Parkin­son­sA­ware­nes­sMonth
• #Parkin­son­sA­wareness
• #Together4PD

You can also get a 10% discount on the Tenura range, including the products above.

The discount code is: PAM10, and will be valid for one month.

Feel included and relieve the stress by visiting an accessible destination. Tenura has put together a list of the best destinations in the UK that have disability accessibility at the center.

 

Do you fancy staying in an accessible holiday cottage?

Hoe Grange Holidays is highly rated by the disability community. Located in the Derbyshire countryside, the four cottages that make up Hoe Grange Holidays are quaint rustic-style cabins, complete with NAS (National Accessible Scheme) certification. There is a range of aids available, including a profile bed, hoists and shower chairs, all at no extra cost. You can also hire a mobility scooter to explore more of the Derbyshire county. In terms of activities at Hoe Grange, there is a playground, hot tubs and BBQs. Fun for all the family.

Hoe Grange Holidays has achieved the Visit England "We're Good to Go" Mark, which means they abide by all the COVID laws to keep residents at the cottages safe?

 

 

Would you like a fun day out at the zoo; access all areas?

Zoos and wildlife parks are brilliant places to go for a day out, they are fun and informative. You can go on your own adventure and see animals from around the world. The Yorkshire Wildlife Park is situated in Doncaster where you can visit lions and lemurs, camels and otters, plus much more. You can hire wheelchairs, and the whole park has been made accessible with wheelchair-friendly routes, which include ramps, wide doorways and flat flooring.

 

I have visited Yorkshire Wildlife Park and can attest that the zoo, for the most part, is situated outdoors and has wide pathways allowing you to adhere to social distancing guidelines. It is also a great day out.

 

Are you a thrill-seeker looking for an accessible theme park?

Paulton's Park has over 70 thrilling rides and has themed events to entertain you and your children. You can even stay over. The park has thoroughly accommodated for the needs of their disabled guests. For those who are dependent on a wheelchair or mobility scooter, entry is free. The park is designed to be fully accessible, with all paths being flat and wide. They have a queue assist policy to enable guest priority when they are unable to queue due to health reasons. Trained guide dogs are also welcome. All these amazing accessible features should help you have a great family outing.

 

In terms of your safety during the pandemic, Paulton's Park has stated, "robust cleaning and hygiene measures remain in place, this includes additional hand sanitising locations, hand washing troughs, Perspex screens and social distancing markers." on their website. You must also wear face coverings whilst in any indoor attractions.

 

An Excellent Guide to Accessible Places - Euan's Guide

We hope our summary guide to accessible destinations in the UK has been helpful. You should also see Euan's guide as it is an excellent source, providing you with a wealth of information on accessible destinations in the UK. Such destinations include parks/­playgrounds, hotels, supermarkets, restaurants and events. It can help you narrow down accessible destinations by the type of aid you require (e.g. hearing aid or walking stick).

As Helpful members of the public update Euan's Guide, therefore, COVID advice for each destination isn't always available, so I suggest you visit the attraction's website or give them a call for their most up-to-date COVID related information.

 

What daily living aids could I use when visiting an accessible attraction?

A Tenura anti-slip floor mat may be a great daily living aid to take with you as it can provide a foothold when you want to go from a standing position to a sitting position or vice versa.

Anti-slip grip strips when wrapped around the handles of a walking aid. Tenura grip strips can provide a comfortable non-slip surface.

CupCaps can be helpful by keeping spillages to a minimum when out and about. They keep liquids in the container and keep drinks fresher for longer.

You can explore the entire range of Tenura daily living aids here.

If you go to one of these accessible places, please connect with us on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and let us know how it went. We also have a helpful webpage that has website resources for those who are disabled.