Stop Things from Sliding

Jan-Feb-March 2001
Jerry Bodine, an ORS Counselor from Galesburg, Illinois sent in this low tech solution.

He writes, "I work with a customer who has cerebral palsy.  As she types, her spasticity causes the keyboard to move about and slide around the desk.  It makes it difficult for her to hit the keys and entering information takes longer than it should.

I purchased a roll of the rubberized, mesh type, shelf liner material.  We cut out a piece slightly larger than the keyboard, put it on her desk top and then put the keyboard on the material.  The keyboard stopped moving about on her desk and allowed her to input faster, without the frustration of repositioning the keyboard.  Also, there was plenty of material left over to be put under other "slippery" items such as her telephone, answering machine, etc."

 Materials 

Roll of rubberized shelf liner (RubberMaid is one brand name, there are several generic types too.)

 Cost 

$3 or less

 Other uses 

Put it on the seat of a wheelchair, (or any chair) to reduce slipping.  Writing pads won't slide around if you put a piece of the shelf liner under it.  It works well to keep plates and glasses from slipping when you use it as a place mat.  It can also be used as a jar opener.  Try using it under anything you want to keep from moving.

 Note 

We've tried it under rugs and the results are mixed.  It doesn't seem to work well when you use it to keep an area rug from sliding when it's over carpeting.  It works a little better on tile or linoleum, but it's still not as slip resistant as the products made especially for keeping area rugs put.
Let's stop reinventing the wheel. Share your low-cost idea or adaptation with us.  Send a material list, directions, a picture (if you can) and cost.  We'll share your idea with our eight thousand readers and give you the credit. 

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Eye Patch Alternative

April-May-June 2001

 Materials 

• Paper tape or electrical tape
• Baby Oil (if needed)

 Cost 

• $3 or less

My name is David Beutel and I am a physical therapist at Rockford Memorial Hospital.  I am also a patient who survived a motor vehicle accident with a severe traumatic brain injury a little more than two years ago. I have cranial III nerve palsy of the right eye that caused double vision.  To correct this condition I wore an eye patch over my
right eye . . .  it was very uncomfortable to wear.

So, on my own, I decided to place tape over the right lenses of my glasses, which took the place of the patch.  It corrected the double vision.  It also gave me peripheral vision out of the right eye, (which the patch could not do).  I used black electrical tape at a cost of about fifty cents a roll.  

When I had eye surgery, I had to take the tape off the glasses.  I found that baby oil removes the residue easily.  It costs about $1.50 a bottle.  

Unfortunately, I still have double vision if I do not look
straight ahead or even if I move my neck a few millimeters.  So I still use the glasses with the right lenses covered. I have also used paper tape to put on the glasses of acute care patients with similar conditions with great success.  Paper tape does not leave a residue.

 Hint 

It is a good idea to clean glasses with cloth since paper products scratch newer anti-glare coatings.  Some of my patients need help trimming off the excess tape to match the lens' contour.

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Sculpey

July-Aug-Sept, 2001 

This idea comes from an IATP workshop participant.

Sculpey is a soft and pliable polymer clay. It works and feels like ceramic clay, but does not dry out when exposed to air. 

Users can shape it into any form and then bake it in a regular oven or toaster oven at 275°F (130°C) for 15 -- 30 minutes (depending on the size of  the piece).  Once it cools, it can be sanded, drilled, carved, and painted with water based acrylics or glaze. It comes in 40 colors.

Sculpey comes in a variety of mixtures including regular, liquid translucent, superflex, premo and glow in the dark Sculpey.  Some remain flexible after baking.  Below are just a few ideas of how you can use Sculpey.

 Cost 

About $11.00 for a combo pack of 6 colors.

 Ideas 

• Make large handled kitchen utensils or flatware.
• Shape it around a pen/crayon or other writing device to make it easier to hold. (Remove the item before putting it in the oven.)
• Make a custom molded typing stick.
• Create a base to hold an object (Glue rubber maid shelf liner on bottom so it doesn't slide.)
• Enlarge the holding surface on a Braille stylus.
• Make an easy-grip toothbrush handle, custom molded to a person's hand shape and size.
• Many, many more.

For more information on Sculpey, visit their web site: www.sculpey.com. 

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