Developed in conjunction with Occupational Therapists, AAT’s new Universal Seating System means just one system simplifies stairclimber prescription and re-issue.
It adjusts quickly and easily to safely support clients with the top-selling S-Max Sella stairclimber, whatever their requirements, initially AND as they change over time. It improves safety on stairs for users young and old.
The System features a core range of four sizes of back panel with adjustable lateral, hip and head supports and harnessing and two sizes of seat. The seat depth is also adjustable, meaning the client has appropriate and comfortable support whether child or adult, and, from the carer’s perspective, constancy for the stairclimber’s centre of gravity and balance point.
This flexibility means almost any user from infant to adult up to 100kg/ 15st can be safe and supported on stairways without the need to prescribe and purchase/fund numerous different accessories for each person.
It also enhances the equipment’s ability to adapt to the client as their needs change without funding of additional accessories.
The adjustability of the System extends the stairclimber’s already proven ability to be re-issued/re-prescribed to another client.
Further, because it is quick-release design, the Universal Seating System can be easily removed and the stairclimber folded compactly down and away when not in use. This frees often limited space within the home for daily living and occupations. It leaves the stairway unrestricted for the other members of the household.
The Class 1 Medical Device certified Sella is Britain’s top-selling stairclimber. The German-engineered machine is itself adjustable- handle height and climb speed- to suit individual operator preference. It is light weight so easy to manoeuvre, not just up and down the stairs but onwards throughout the home with no need to transfer from the Sella.
The Sella can be used on almost any staircase, without need for installation. With the number of Sellas already sold to local authorities (almost every Council in the country has at least one), OTs have a practical, fast and cost-effective way to manage the risk of stairs.
"The Universal Seating System/Sella combination is transforming prescription of stairway access already,” says Peter Wingrave, AAT Director.
"It’s great for OT’s: it means they can manage the risk of stairs for almost anyone with mobility issues- fast: the kit falls within Equipment Stores’ ambit so no need for the delay of DFG funding. It’s portable, so no need for installation. Its flexibility means that it’s quick and easy to re-prescribe to another user. Plus, our nationwide team will support the OT in assessing the client, carer and environment, and train the carer(s) to ensure the set-up is correct for all involved.
"It’s great for the users: it makes staircases safe for the client. It’s easy for the carer to use. And it folds away when not in use.”
To arrange a free assessment, contact AAT via LiveChat on the website www.aatgb.com, fill in the form on the website: https://www.aatgb.com/s-max-sella/
email sales@aatgb.com or telephone 01978 821875.
With any equipment, there’s always the worry about whether it will work for you/ your client. That’s why we offer a free, no obligation assessment, so you and they can ‘try before you buy’…our highly trained experts can make sure the Sella works for you, your loved one, AND your stairs/ person, occupation, environment. If it doesn’t, we will be honest and tell you. Mobility and safety is paramount.
And, depending on your financial circumstances, you may not even have to buy one: if eligible (contact your Occupational Therapist), you can be supplied with one by your local Council: there are already 3500+ Sellas on Council “books’ so if one’s available, you could get it within days!
Sella is not fixed in any way to your home. That means it makes life easier- and safer- for you and your loved one. They only need to transfer onto the Sella from wherever they are in the home, and stay there to destination. No intermediate transfers on or off. No risk at the top of the stairs. It can even go outside! #freedomrestored.
What’s more, it folds down compactly: Sella can be stowed away in a cupboard when not in use or popped into the boot to open opportunities away from home
So there’s no worry about the strength of your walls to support it. No fixing to the walls, floor which impacts on you with mess, redecorating etc. It also means no delay waiting for a survey and installation. You achieve greater freedom of movement within days!
Sella is fully adjustable, for operator and passenger.
When we initially deliver and train you/ your client in its use- all part of the process- we set the back height to suit , so you/ they feel comfortable and fully in control at all times.
For the passenger, we again set it up to ensure they are perfectly comfortable, safe and supported. And, as their needs change, we can alter the seating and support options to make sure their comfort and safety is assured going forwards.
Sella has been designed and engineered to accommodate almost every common staircase configuration. Its dimensions and construction means it can climb and descend even narrow stairs, stairs with twists, stairs with turns- it can even navigate spiral staircases!
Sella has an impeccable safety record stretching back more than 20 years. Our comprehensive training means you are fully equipped to operate it. It’s designed to automatically pause on each riser to provide you with time to ensure continued, constant control. You can even stop it along the way. And we offer a range of annual service & maintenance packages, which we execute at your home, so you are never without it.
So book your free no obligation assessment now: https://www.aatgb.com/s-max-sella/
More than 700,000 people suffer from pressure sores in the UK, with 180,000 new cases each year. According to the BMJ, 4% of the total NHS budget goes on treating them(2)!
Yet many could be avoided. Using cushions is accepted as one of the most effective ways of preventing and managing them.
But choosing the right cushion is critical.
The Stabilo vacuum posture support cushion removes all the inherent issues of using a conventional cushion.
Its vacuum technology means, once the correct, appropriate shape is formed- which takes a matter of seconds- it holds that shape firmly yet comfortably without pressure points- for days. Carers can easily create the correct form themselves, but, unlike conventional cushions, they do not have to keep re-plumping it.
Stabilo’s innovative neoprene covering does not ruck, providing pressure-free support. It is also breathable and wipes clean.
The array of shapes and sizes means there’s a Stabilo cushion for every scenario, be it a small forearm support through to a full-size mattress.
Stabilo supplier AAT is so confident in the cushion’s ability to play a pivotal role in pressure sore prevention that it is offering a free, no obligation demo/assessment. This can be booked at https://www.aatgb.com/posture-cushions/.
ENDS
(1) https://www.nationalwoundcarestrategy.net/pressure-ulcer/
(2) https://bmjopenquality.bmj.com/content/8/3/e000409
Latest sales data shows that now, not only has almost every Council in Britain purchased at least one of AAT’s stairclimbers, but increasing numbers of Occupational Therapists are ordering units specifically for stores, so the equipment is already available when clients are struggling with stairs.
AAT believes the success is attributable to a number of factors.
These include that provision of a Sella quickly manages the risk for a client with reduced mobility- not just on the stairs but by reducing the number of transfers involved when moving around the home, and the versatility of the Sella- it suits clients and their carers of all ages and sizes and can accommodate almost every staircase design.
“With Sella’s ability to either fit to a wheelchair or include a seat plus the bespoke range of accessories that ensure any client is safe and correctly supported and positioned, it is now the ‘go to’ option for OTs to make stairs safe- as our sales figures reflect,” says Peter Wingrave, AAT Director
“The extent of availability coupled with Sella’s versatility and proven track record for safety means OTs are increasingly confident in its prescription, knowing that each Sella can be re-allocated again and again over its lifespan. This takes a huge pressure off budgets and re-housing.
“They also trust that we properly assess the client and the environment, free of charge and without obligation, and know we will only proceed if it is right. enabling clients to continue to live- and safely access- their homes very cost-effectively. No other stair access product delivers so many benefits in one.”
Details of AAT’s Sella stairclimber, including how it works videos, and the ability to book a free, no obligation assessment, can be found @ www.aatgb.com/sella.
With most of those children living in homes with stairs, there is an ongoing problem of what to do when the child becomes too big to carry.
We're highlighting one answer that manages the risk of stairs, without the emotional stress/trauma to the child- and parents- of the ‘quick fix’ of moving the child’s bed downstairs.
With its range of accessories, our S-Max Sella stairclimber (stairclimbing wheelchair) gives unrivalled safe and supported transfer up and down stairs, without any disruption or alteration to the home, therefore enabling the risk to be managed within days. That combination cannot be achieved with any other accepted alternative.
We are the only company that supplies stairway management solutions that has developed a bespoke range of accessories for paediatrics. The options mean that a toddler can continue to use the S-Max Sella safely, and be correctly and well-supported in the equipment, right through to their teens- and beyond, with no major expenditure. It puts the needs of the child first and foremost.
All that is needed is re-assessment and appropriate harnessing and/or support accessories- or adjustment to the accessories made.
Our accessories have been developed as a result of in-depth consultation with Occupational Therapists and parents, and ensure optimal comfort, support and safety for everyone involved in the stairway transfer process.
And, unlike alternative stairway transfer solutions, when the child no longer needs the S-Max Sella, it can be re-prescribed/ re-issued to another disabled child, achieving best value and use of resources.
Peter Wingrave, AAT Director, observes, “There comes a point as a child grows that it becomes unsafe to carry them up and down stairs because of their size and weight, and the strain that puts on their carer. If the child experiences an episode of tension, spasm or similar on the way, the risk is even greater, especially when you consider staircase design- with newel posts to catch limbs, possible turns with narrowing risers. According to RoSPA(2), there are already 43,000 cases every year of people being admitted to hospital through falls on stairs. It’s an accident waiting to happen!
“Everyone in the social care sector has a duty of care to manage that risk and take steps to make an everyday ‘occupation’ of going to the bathroom, to bed, safe. Prescription of S-Max Sella is the fastest, least disruptive answer.”
Full details of the S-Max Sella, the accessories plus support material including ‘how it works’ video, testimonials from parents etc can be found @ https://www.aatgb.com/s-max-sella/.
https://www.rospa.com/campaigns-and-fundraising/current-campaigns/safer-stairs
https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9602/CBP-9602.pdf
George’s parents, Peter and Karen came across the infinitely variable Grande vacuum posture support cushion.
The husband and wife team run a successful business specialising in photography of children with special needs. They were commissioned by the Grande’s UK supplier, AAT GB, to undertake a shoot of the disability equipment in ‘real-life’ situations.
Says Karen: “It was great for us as parents to get to try out loads of products, some of which we had never heard of before. I do feel that this is a common issue with disability aids and products, there are so many on offer and out there to people, it is a matter of finding them that is the issue.”
As George is unable to sit unaided, Karen and Peter are always looking for ways to properly and correctly support their son so he can sit more freely without the constraint of a wheelchair. The Grande was a perfect solution.
In essence a mattress-sized beanbag, the Grande can be infinitely adjusted and moulded into shape and quickly fixed by removal of the air inside via a pump.
The process can be done by Peter and Karen, at home, whenever required. This ensures a constant, perfect fit, without pressure points.
There is no need for re-assessment, the delay of a new form being ordered nor risk of there being a minute variation in the new shape which makes it uncomfortable/unuseable – as is typical with fixed mould systems.
Lightweight, the Grande can be easily moved around the home to where needed.
Karen adds,” We laid George flat on Grande on his plinth in his recreation room. He was extremely happy and looked very comfortable: It moulded to George’s shape beautifully. And we could then further adjust the Grande on the plinth to allow George to lay on his side comfortably.
“Many a times when George was younger, Peter or I would lift him out of his chair and prop him up on the sofa with cushions for family film time just to have him sat with us on the sofa watching a film. When the Grande was set up on the sofa, George was sat in a lovely upright position looking very comfortable and chilled indeed! More importantly, really happy.
“The Grande is a perfect way to resolve all of those issues we had in the past when wanting George to join us for movie time. We also enjoy family game nights and often sit on the floor around a board, so it would be a great way to have George join in on the floor with the action.
“I really loved the concept, set up and versatile use of the Grande, for George it would be a fantastic piece of equipment which can be used around the house in many different ways for a number of years.”
AAT offers free, no obligation assessments of all its disability aids. The Grande is part of a whole range of vacuum posture cushions to improve sitting, lying, bathing and corrective postural support.
Full details, and an online form to book your assessment, can be found here: https://www.aatgb.com/grande/
There's a quick, cost-effective way to overcome the issue of steps in and out of the property. It makes the whole home environment- and the wider community beyond- visitable and accessible.
Providing someone with a stairclimber removes the risk of steps.
It simultaneously avoids the time delay, cost and visual impact of installing a ramp, lift or of rampscaping. And it means they can go beyond their immediate home environment.
Our S-Max stairclimbing wheelchair can either be attached to the wheelchair, or be supplied with an integral seat (S-Max Sella).
The carer simply controls the direction and speed of ascent/descent to transfer the person with mobility issues outside.
Most local authorities already have AAT stairclimbers within their equipment catalogue.
Unlike the alternative means of addressing external access, the stairclimber can be re-allocated without any modification to the home. So you achieve best value and use of budgets.
Because there is no visual alteration to the home, it could also make the client safer, reducing their risk of being a victim of doorstep crime(2).
“Occupational therapists know that the environment they are adapting does not start at the front door, it starts with the area around the property- a holistic approach.
"And we all know the benefit to our mental health & wellbeing of being able to get outside into the fresh air,” says AAT Director Peter Wingrave.
“The DFG legislation was updated specifically to include access to a garden where it was ‘reasonable and practical’ to do so.
"What’s more reasonable and practical than a stairclimber? Our stairclimber is probably already available, and can be provided and set up for the client within days- for <£1000 if a re-issue.”
AAT’s S-Max Sella is already proven to provide external freedom: https://www.aatgb.com/case-study-no-more-stuck-in-the-basement-family-gatherings-restored-s-max-liberates-mel-and-phil/
More details of S-Max, including video on how it works and how to book a FREE, NO OBLIGATION assessment can be found on AAT’s website: https://www.aatgb.com/s-max-sella/
Carers know too well how what suits one day may not work another. But the conventional, often fixed mould, systems do not allow the scope to vary the system, even minutely, to maintain that correct, comfortable stabilising position without pressure points.
AAT’s unique vacuum posture cushions do allow that scope.
Now, the company has taken the needs of its users a stage further. It has undertaken in-depth research to add a new accessory to its Stabilo vacuum posture cushions- in essence advanced bean bags, that work by removing the air via a pump within to fix the precise shape needed.
This enables the carer personally to infinitely adjust the contours exactly as needed to retain pressure-free posture stabilisation, at home, without any delay nor cost.
The new accessory is an even better electric pump, that removes the air inside each cushion even quicker than before, to fix the shape of whatever vacuum posture cushion is being moulded, from arm rest through seat cushion to mattress.
The time required to reconfigure, by the carer, at home, now takes seconds.
Further, the pump has been carefully selected to operate whisper-quietly, avoiding the possibility of noise triggering an episode.
“So often, it’s the seemingly little things that make a big difference to daily life- even something as small as re-shaping a cushion. Being able to instantly and infinitely adjust a cushion, quickly, at home, without cost and without risk of adversely impacting on the one we care for, matters,” says Peter Wingrave AAT Director.
“The alternative usually is seeing them sit in discomfort or pain, and wait days and weeks to be re-assessed, a new mould ordered and delivered. That is traumatic for all involved and brings the risk of pressure sores or ulcers.
“Changing the pump may seem small, but it will make a huge difference to daily life for our users, enabling them to effect change quietly, discreetly, in seconds.”
The 12V pump is an optional extra with the small vacuum posture cushions but comes as standard with the larger Chilli Bean seat and Grande mattress.
AAT’s trained assessment managers train carers on correct re-moulding and fixing of the cushions as part of the purchase.
More about Stabilo infinitely variable vacuum posture cushions, and booking of a free no obligation assessment can be done by visiting www.aatgb.com and selecting posture cushions from the drop-down menu.
We are seeing a 20+% year on year increase in sales over the past five years.
And we are seeing a growth in re-issue of the equipment to occupational therapy clients beyond the person for whom the equipment was initially purchased.
The upturn is due, we believe, to growing understanding of the role our stairclimbers can play in managing the risk of falls and reduced mobility on stairs. And the speed with which we can deliver, thereby facilitating hospital discharge whether as a short, medium, or long-term solution.
More equipment out there, and more equipment being used, means more equipment needs to be serviced, and more people need to be trained on its use.
“With thousands of S-Max Sella units already in daily use across the country, many of which have been in use for 10 years or more, we believe we have a duty of care to support our clients so that our stairclimbers/ stairclimbing wheelchairs continue to help people return to or remain in their home and for the S-Max Sella to build on its proven, impeccable safety record,” says Peter Wingrave, AAT Director.
“Alongside that, with the continuing increase in sales, we have growing demand for training. We are training OTs in the role stairclimbers can play in empowering people to remain at home and/or to expediate hospital discharge. We are training the care givers in the safe operation of the equipment. And we’re setting up the equipment to the personal needs of each recipient and their carer(s).
“We’re committed to doing it right, and without delay. The only way we can do that is to expand the team to match demand and spend all the time someone needs to ensure they are comfortable prescribing or using S-Max Sella.”
Full details of the S-Max Sella range of stairclimbers- the established #1 stairclimbing wheelchair brand in the UK and the only one supported by truly nationwide sales, service & support- plus how to book a free, no obligation assessment, can be found @ https://www.aatgb.com/s-max-sella/.
Adopting a policy of funding recyclable equipment could simultaneously address the multiple facets of:
- enabling people (young or old) to remain safely in their own homes,
-avoiding their admission into residential care,
-providing short or long term support to facilitate hospital discharge
-stretched social care finances and
-managing the risk of falls by preventative measures.
Importantly, the comparative low capital cost of buying just one stairclimber (stair climbing wheelchair), that can be used over its lifetime by numerous people, achieves best value.
With our S-Max Sella typically providing a practical working life of 12 years, its annual cost- including re-issue to an average three people during its life, equates to less than a typical week of residential care(1).
“Mobility- with its associated issues of getting up and down stairs and falls- is possibly the biggest single reason why social services have to find- and fund- a solution, whether it’s a home adaptation or someone going into care,” says Peter Wingrave AAT Director.
“Even acknowledging a stairclimber is not a solution in every case (albeit in our experience being the answer in 95% of cases where stairs are a problem), its provision can be a disproportionately significant step in easing the financial constraints being faced by Councils up and down the country.”
Full details of AAT’s S-Max Sella and re-issue facility can be found on its website www.aatgb.com.
With our innovative re-issue capability, one of our stairclimbers can help support multiple clients in need of social care to address mobility and difficulties with stairs in- and outside- their home. Full set-up to each recipient and training is provided.
ENDS
(1) http://(https://www.ageuk.org.uk/information-advice/care/paying-for-care/paying-for-a-care-home/Residential care cost of £800/week S-Max Sella purchase price £4650, re-issue x 3 £3000/ 12 years= £637/annum.
