Useful services and external resources, for your care and career.
This is an expanding directory and current community suggestions are not definitive. Know of a service or resource that should be featured?
AccessAble
AccessAble is here to take the chance out of going out. To give you the information and detail you need to work out if a place is going to be accessible for you. We've surveyed 10,000s of venues across the UK and Ireland, including shops, pubs, restaurants, cinemas, theatres, railway stations, hotels, universities, hospitals and more. AccessAble is Your Accessibility Guide. Download our free App to use AccessAble on the go.
[UK-WIDE SERVICE]
Branch Properties
Are you having problems finding an accessible property to rent or purchase for your client? We provide a personal, specialist service designed for those requiring accessible homes and can offer advice and project manage adaptions or modifications. Let us do the hard work, so you don’t have to.
[UK: LONDON-BASED; SERVICES AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE]
Have Wheelchair Will Travel
Surely we cant be the first people to do this? I kept asking our travel agent, the airline and our therapists. We certainly are not the first family with a disabled child to travel to America, but at times it felt that way.
That was when the idea for this website came to me. Why not share all my research and great discoveries with others who are either, planning a trip, or are feeling nervous about giving it a go.'
Julie Jones combines her skills as an ex-travel consultant with her experiences travelling with her family, including her son who lives with cerebral palsy. Have Wheelchair Will Travel has an engaged community with a range of backgrounds, including people living with a disability, therapists, educators, teachers and tourism representatives. This brings a wealth of information and experience to the website and Facebook page.
- Bupa Travel Blog Award: Winner
- Ausmumpreneur Heart & Edge Award: Winner
- ASTW Best Travel Blog: Finalist
Email us: havewchairwilltravel@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/havewheelchairwilltravel
[AUSTRALIA-BASED; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE]
Institute for Sex, Intimacy and Occupational Therapy
We are an education business with a mission to help guide occupational therapy professionals to becoming more competent and confident addressing sexuality and intimacy in their clinical practice.
We offer educational webinars to help clinicians translate knowledge into clinical practice. Through the Institute for Sex, Intimacy and Occupational Therapy, we are building a coalition of sex and intimacy OT champions, to dismantle the restrictive norms around discussing sexuality and intimacy. Join us!
[US-BASED RESOURCE; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE]
Kyndi & Medway Virtual House
A virtual house, showcasing equipment to support independent living. This online tool suggests various objects for every room. The guide includes occupational therapy equipment, support aids and assistive technology. Launched by Medway Council, UK, in 2024.
[UK-BASED ONLINE RESOURCE; ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE]
Let's Talk Makaton
Being able to communicate is one of the most important skills we need in life. Almost everything we do involves communication; everyday tasks such as learning at school, asking for food and drink, sorting out problems, making friends and having fun. These all rely on our ability to communicate with each other.
Makaton is a language programme using signs and symbols to help people to communicate. It is designed to support spoken language and the signs and symbols are used with speech, in spoken word order. With Makaton, children and adults can communicate straight away using signs and symbols. Many people then drop the signs or symbols naturally at their own pace, as they develop speech.
[UK CHARITY; INFORMATION APPLICABLE WORLDWIDE]
Muggi
Muggi is an innovative new product which enables hot and cold drinks to be carried safely in any environment. This unique tray enables up to four mugs to be carried safely in one hand, leaving the other hand free to support the user. Muggi also fits on to walking frames and can be conveniently placed on the lap of wheelchair users. It catches unwanted spillages and features non-slip rubber feet; finger and thumb holds make it easy to carry for young or old hands.
An increasing number of occupational therapists, sufferers of Parkinson’s, arthritis and wheelchair users are finding muggi invaluable in their daily lives. Made from lightweight, but extremely tough Polypropylene, muggi comes in seven vibrant colours blue, grey, red, purple, green, pink, a black recycled material.
MyLiferaft
MyLiferaft is an online place for an individual’s health and well-being information that helps to connect them to you and others in their care circle. All their information is stored safely and easily, allowing only those that they choose to be able to access it.
It’s not just about the facts and figures; they can store information such as “I love a cup of tea with my medication!” or “I’m scared of injections!” This allows those that care for them to know what helps them to feel better, and their care circle to feel better informed to support them.
[UK: SOUTHAMPTON-BASED SERVICE; AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE]
Occupational Therapy Adaptation Conference (OTAC)
The UKs only FREE Occupational Therapy Adaptations Conference and Exhibition Event. The conference focuses on bringing suppliers and OTs together in one place - in different venues across the UK - with one aim: to improve the industry as a whole and provide better value to the end user.
Who should attend?
Occupational Therapists, occupational therapy assistants and support staff, commissioners, people working within housing (surveyors, architects and technicians), occupational therapy students and charities and charitable organisations.
You can see the full details and listings on our website.
Our event is a FREE Event for Delegates and we include refreshments throughout. Each venue holds around 500 Delegates and tickets are available for all of them on our website or via Eventbrite.
[UK-WIDE CONFERENCES]
RAPAEL Smart Glove (Neofect)
RAPAEL Smart Glove is a high-tech rehab device. Starting the training is as simple as wearing the glove, connecting to the “RAPAEL” app and proceeding to play the rehabilitation games.
Neofect
'We will build hope for healthier lives as we provide opportunities of rehabilitation through technological innovation to anyone.
[US-BASED COMPANY - SERVICES AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE]
Remap
Remap is a national charity that works through local groups of skilled volunteers.
We help disabled people achieve independence and a better quality of life by designing and making equipment for their individual needs. This tailor made equipment helps people to carry out essential daily tasks without having to ask for help, or helps them take part in leisure occupations or sports that would otherwise be impossible.
Our focus at Remap is to give people independence because we know how important this is. Many people have a physical impairment of some sort. But your life changes if you have to rely on others all the time. By making a piece of equipment specifically for an individual, tailored to their needs, we can often help them become that bit more independent.
Remap gives disabled people the joy of independence.
We are pleased to give people our equipment free of charge. This is because we are a charity and are not trying to make money. All our running costs are covered by donations and support from charities and our volunteers give their time for free.
[UK-WIDE SERVICE]
SGN Locking Cooker Valve
SGN manages the network distributing natural and green gas to 5.9 million homes and businesses across the south of England and Scotland.
Our free locking cooker valve helps customers living in vulnerable circumstances across the UK retain their independence at home and provides reassurance to carers and relatives. The simple safety device is fitted to existing gas cooker pipework. When the valve is locked, the gas supply to the cooker is stopped and eliminates the risk of the cooker being unintentionally turned on or left on when the carer or relative leaves the house or the room.
[UK GAS NETWORK; LOCKING COOKER VALVE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE]
Special Supplies
Special Supplies was founded with a goal to address the difficulty parents and educators encounter when attempting to find reliable, safe and effective tools for children with special needs. We discovered that, by doing our due diligence to ensure that our products were effective and safe, we were taking a load off the shoulders of those most invested in the well-being of these children.
All of our products are selected by a team of parents and experienced therapists, which helps us ensure we provide the very best in Oral Motor, Fine Motor, Gross Motor, Daily Living, School and Sensory products. Our team is dedicated to providing customers with the best selection of products for children and adults with special needs. Our passion is not only to raise awareness about the issues facing those with autistic and sensory integration needs, but to offer a therapeutic solution at an affordable price.
[US-WIDE SERVICE]
St Wilfrid's Centre
A day centre open to all homeless, vulnerable and socially excluded adults aged 18-65 years old.
We are open Monday to Friday (10am-4pm), with a skilled staff team that offer basic Welfare services, as well as Personal Development activities to promote wellbeing and independence.
Hygiene services - showers, hairdressing, laundry, clothing repair and clothing bank
Hot meals and snacks
Finding accommodation
Somewhere safe to go regularly and meet others
Advice, advocacy and signposting - including benefits, housing and personal advice
Social activities, games and groups
Personal Development Programme - offers a wide variety of personal development activities structured to help facilitate recovery, life-skills & work-based skills
[UK: SHEFFIELD-BASED]
Stiltz Home Lifts
Stiltz Home Lifts give occupational therapists the chance to independently recommend an innovative through the floor domestic lift during in-home OT assessments as an aid for those who need to adapt their homes to help make their lives easier.
The Stiltz Trio+ Home Lift is the only freestanding home lift on the market with no supporting walls needed as the lift travels through the floor on unique and discreet self-supporting vertical rails. The lift is powered by a quiet self-contained motor with no hydraulics required. Stiltz Home Lifts are simple to install and easy to use. Home adaptations can be partially or fully funded depending on the individual’s circumstances, by a Local Government Disabled Facilities Grant.
[UK; SERVICE AVAILABLE NATIONWIDE]
The Able Label
Who are we?
Our clothes are not just any clothes. Stylish - yes... comfortable - absolutely. However, what makes us different is that our high-quality garments have specifically been designed to make dressing easier.
The quality fabrics, discreet adaptive designs, innovative fastenings and hidden extras make dressing easier for those who may suffer from restricted movement or lack of finger dexterity.
The design of the garments has also taken carers' requirements into account so assisted dressing is quicker, easier and safer. Yet when they're being worn, no one would know they were adapted... it's our secret!