Venturing Into The World of Technology To Monitor Health and Well-being and, Support Participation In Physical Activity, Exercise and Sport.
Measurement Month is a Global screening campaign to identify those with high blood pressure.
High blood pressure kills 10 million people every year and only 50% of people are actually aware that they have it. Last time we explored this process of screening and treatment for High Blood Pressure and then applied the same principles for those living with LTHCs and in particular those with Pituitary Conditions/Addison’s Disease*
Now we delve deeper and look at ways to support our health as we move forward. Focusing on products and services that allow us to live safely and effectively, taking into consideration what our medical conditions require for good management. Then combining technology and aids that allow us to access exercise, open spaces and sporting opportunities.
For this one we have enlisted the support of one of our Disability Sports Ambassadors Donna Cherie Robinson to look at what she utilises to access, deliver, support and inspire those with LTHCs and Disabilities to accomplish their own personal goals and those of others we aim to support.
Monitoring Our Health Through Apps & Technology
Street Tag is available to Download on IOS and Android. It’s a free child and family friendly mobile app that uses virtual tags to encourage communities and families to become more physically active and boost mental health. You can collect points assigned to virtual tags all-around your community. The app monitors your movements and converts them to Street Tag points. These points add up in real-time on your school or community leaderboard, with prizes to be won at the end of each season. Including things like Amazon vouchers, gift cards, sports equipment, and lots more. Simply download the app, create a team or join a local leaderboard, earn your points and keep your fingers crossed!
Apple Health
The Apple Health App aims to help organise important health information that is easy and secure to access in one place. With anything Apple related products there are always new ideas and features as technology progresses. For example there are new ways to share data with your loved ones, a metric to assess your walking steadiness and risk of falling, plus a trend analysis to help you understand changes in your health. Sadly the benefits may be elusive to some due to the cost of the required piece of technology. In many cases these may be the people who actually need this kind of support more. But for anyone who can access this it comes with great reviews and is easy to utilise. Functions include;
Step counters
Sleep monitoring
Cycle Tracking to monitor your menstrual cycle, symptoms and fertility windows
Incorporates data from other devices and apps
Overtime it monitors trends in blood glucose, heart rate and respiratory rates.
If you use these parameters in your everyday lives then this could be a good investment for your health and well-being.
FitBit
The many FitBit watches and devices offer an alternative to Apple. They work in a similar way but you’ll need a watch or tracker first. There is a really big price range to suit most needs. Functions and capability will vary across the watched you can select from and what you wish to monitor. Simply download the app and connect with your phone. Then you can monitor things like;
Heart Rate
Menstrual Cycles
Stress Levels
Sleep logs
Relaxation breathing activity,
Apps such as alarms, timers, Spotify, music, the weather and games
Up to 20 exercise monitoring modes
How close you are to your 150 minutes of exercise each week
Food and drink consumption
Daily steps and importantly a Medical ID app.
You’ll also receive a weekly summary email to show all your statistics. There is also the option to upgrade to Premium but this comes at a cost. It allows access to things like oxygen saturation levels, additional clock faces, access to more apps, exercise challenges, mindfulness, meditation and more detailed health reports.
Wheelchairs
Wheelchairs are available via the NHS if you meet the criteria. In some cases a voucher may be issued that can be used to purchase a chair. These will be set up for everyday life and should enable you to be safe and comfortable around everyday living in the first instance. Secondly, they will allow users to access the main requirements of life like sport and exercise where it can be adapted.
If you want to have a chair for a specific sport tor exercise then these are usually required to be fully paid by the individual, or you may be able to get funding through a sporting charity such as Wheelpower, who provide some opportunities themselves and have this handy Funding Guide. Before diving in thinking you want to access a specific sport It’s worth contacting a club. They often have chairs that are spare and you can try. Ensure you want to participate in that sport before purchasing something specialised. Then do it carefully as chairs made specially to fit will be non-refundable. You can purchase standard chairs through companies such as EPC Wheelchairs who stock Tennis and Basketball Chairs.
Equipment
Wheelchair specialised shoes are available through many companies such as Piedro UK for those who need them, especially those who utilise callipers, have diabetes, use wheelchairs or other aids which make normal shoes difficult to wear. The NHS Range are provided for people with certain conditions such as Cerebral Palsy. Worth checking with your medical team to see if you are eligible as they are very expensive to purchase.Orthotics Uk also provide the same kind of shoe, including footwear for Wheelchair Users. Again these are very expensive and require an assessment to ensure that you get what you really need.
Nutritional Support
Complan can be utilised by anyone. However, the range of both mix-at-home powder drinks and Complain original have been designed for adults who suffer from low appetite or cannot get all the required nutrients, vitamins and minerals from their current diet. These are not intended to be a staple diet but to work alongside a varied and balanced intake of food throughout each day. There are many options to try and these are often recommended by medical professionals. The range of options available has increased and includes ‘on the go drinks’ which exist to support metabolism and energy release. Note these do not include the full range of nutrients that the powder based mixtures do.
You can view the full Product Range to find the right fit for you. Venture into the Recipe Book for ways to incorporate Complan into your diet through a range of breakfasts, lights meals, pasta dishes, puddings and drinks. Theres also a handy Where To Buy guide, although many supermarkets and chemists stock the various products. A simple but effective and tasty addition to any diet to ensure a full range of nutrients are absorbed. If you are using the powder then the basic powder form is better value but the shake mixes are handy to take to with you.
Storage of Medications
Addisons Disease Self Help Group have some great options for storing your medication if you have Addison’s/Pituitary Insufficiency or other condition requiring this kind of storage. This includes the Adult Injection Kit which consists of a;
Plastic carry box with handle-secured lid
Vinyl label Emergency injection kit o
Retracting needle integrated safety syringes/VanishPoint® syringes
Syringes suitable for Solu-Cortef (2mL) or hydrocortisone sodium phosphate (1mL)
Disposable Amp Snaps (for opening glass vials)
Concertina-folded photo instructions for Solu-Cortef© and hydrocortisone sodium phosphate, prepared with the ADSHG's lead endocrine nurse adviser.
These are brilliant for taking out with you or to have in the home. Just make sure loved ones know where to find them and how to use them to help you! Also let people you may work, socialise or exercise with know in case of an emergency.
This is an example of a targeted storage container which is fantastic. There are many more out there. The best examples can usually be found via your health charity linked to your medical condition.
If you need a generic one then you could consider a weekly box of storage. The ‘PuTwo Pill Box’ with 7 Days of storage has 28 Compartments comes in bright colours and you get two Pieces so you can make up a spare set for emergencies which is really important, especially if you are going on holiday or there is a bank holiday weekend and chemist/Doctor Surgeries are closed. They sit in a nice deep tray and the daily part can easy be stored around the house or in a bag. You can purchase these and many others from various sites. These particular ones cost just £8.99 from Amazon.
These of course are just a few things that can assist you with health monitoring, access to exercise, maintaining good nutrition and storing those all important medications. There are many more out there waiting to be found! Thank you again to the fantastic Donna for helping theTime To Heal Team with the content of this blog. We hope you find this useful in managing your health condition as much as possible. Let us know if you have any other great ideas that we can pass on!
All Important Links
Apps - Street Tag
Apps - Apple health
FitBit
EPC Wheelchairs - Tennis & Basketball Chairs
Wheelpower - Funding Guide For Sports Wheelchairs
Piedro UK - Specialised Footwear
Piedro UK - Specialised Footwear - NHS Range
Orthotics - Specialised Footwear
Orthotics - Specialises Footwear For Wheelchair Users
Complan Product Range
Complan Recipes
Complan - Where To Buy Guide
Addisons Disease Self Help Group - Adult Injection Kit