Seating
School chair
Often the simplest of modifications to a piece of equipment can provide immense benefit to a client and their families. An eleven year old boy, who has cerebral palsy, attends a mainstream primary school and had outgrown his Kelly chair. The solution was to modify a standard padded classroom chair with adjustable legs. On the end of each leg a small metal ski was attached that enabled the chair to be easily slid into position.
Ref T7-530
Modified School Chair
A primary school girl of short stature was using a classroom chair that was too high and too deep for her. The school chair was modified by adding a backrest which reduced the depth of the seat. The length of the plastic piping supporting the new backrest can be shortened as the child grows. A box structure was made for a footrest and it and the chair were mounted on a base. Two holes were drilled in the top of the footrest to accommodate the front legs of the chair. The height of the footrest can be reduced as the child grows by cutting down the box height. The complete unit can be moved around by the school girl without any assistance as the base slides easily across the carpet. Ref T0/640
Support System for Desk Chair
A man who has Parkinson's disease leans to the right side in his desk chair and is unable to correct his posture. Available harness supports are not strong enough to prevent him falling out of the chair, and he cannot put them without assistance. A wooden side support was made for the right side of the desk chair and this can be easily removed and also used on his armchair. This support prevents him from falling over when he leans to the right. Secondly, a metal plate was attached to the back of the chair to provide sufficient strength to hold a wide webbing belt in place against body pressure when it lists to the side. The belt is fastened to the metal plate with Velcro with simple clip on/off fasteners on each end that are fastened in front. Ref T0/588
Saddle Seat
A school boy had outgrown a kitchen stool which had been previously modified for additional support. The original style no longer gave him sufficient support or comfort, and he was unable to pull the stool in close enough to the kitchen bench. A saddle seat was selected as the basis for the new stool. The saddle shape provides the boy with a comfortable sitting position, better balance, and encourages correct posture. The pommel keeps his legs apart and positions his feet for greater stability. A swivel base was fixed under the saddle so he could swivel out and get on and off the stool independently. A wooden tower style mount and a raised foot block complete the piece of furniture and have been designed to ensure a consistent sitting position at the bench. Ref T1/005
Raised Seat for Travel
A client who has multiple sclerosis has trouble raising herself off a standard seat. The raised stool she uses around the home is heavy and not portable. She needed a chair that she could use whilst out at restaurants, or when camping. It needed to be raised and have armrests to provide support when she lowers or raises herself. It also needed a footrest and a small side table, and had to be portable and lightweight. A standard aluminium ‘director’s chair’ was used. The legs were extended and made height adjustable. A foot rest and a removable rigid backrest was fitted. Castor wheels were added to two of the legs to allow the chair to be towed when folded. Ref T7-506
Stop Office Chair from Swivelling
A school chair was modified to stop it swiveling for a young boy with muscle weakness. A rod was bolted on to the under side of the seat which slides into a metal cylinder attached to the chairs legs, holding it in the forward facing position. The chair height is still able to be raised and lowered as necessary T7-447.
Supportive Insert for Seat
A chair at a facility for people with Huntington’s Disease did not have enough side support and the residents were slipping forwards and sideways, stopping them from eating independently. TADVIC made a seating insert using heavy duty foam covered with nylon PVC fabric. The insert is made from 7 individual pieces which can be replaced separately if required. Pieces are secured in place on the seat via Velcro fasteners. The wedge shaped seat tilts the user back firmly into the base of the seat. The insert provides the user with back, hip, arm and lateral supports. T9-049
