It can be tough to find medical equipment designed for travel. Everything from wheelchairs to mobility scooters is primarily designed without travel capabilities in mind. But what about aids living?
Aids to daily living are small items designed to help with difficulties people develop due to medical conditions. They may seem like a category of items that are easy to travel with and, in most cases, they are. Some aids to daily living, however, are specifically designed to be travel-friendly.
Let’s take a look at a couple of categories of travel-friendly aids to daily living and some products that stand out.
Walking Canes
Canes are one of the easiest categories of medical equipment to find travel-friendly variants. What many people don’t know is that there are also many canes designed specifically to make life easier on trips and vacations.
Nova QT Folding Canes
Nova QT Folding Canes were designed to combine the stability of a quad cane with the portability of a folding cane. The rubber quad tip grips tightly in a small area, offering more stability and balance than a traditional cane tip. QT Folding Canes also feature a folding feature, allowing the canes to fold up to fit in most backpacks, briefcases, or large purses.
QT Canes weigh just one pound fully assembled, barely adding any weight to travel luggage. The canes fit users from 4’11”-6’1” and support up to 300 lbs.
Nova QT Canes are even available in a dozen unique styles, allowing you to choose the style that’s right for any occasion. From bright floral patterns to standard solid colors, QT canes are great for any travel needs!
Nova Folding Canes
If you’re looking for an even smaller travel-friendly cane, standard folding canes from Nova are a great option. These canes are almost identical to the QT folding canes, with one major difference: the quad tip has been replaced with a standard cane tip. This is perfect for people who require less stability from their cane.
The aluminum construction of Nova Folding Canes is lightweight–each cane weighs under one pound fully assembled. The canes fit users from 4’11”-6’1” and support up to 300 lbs.
Like the QT canes, Nova’s Folding Canes are available in over a dozen styles making accessorizing easy.
Nova Adjustable Folding Seat Cane
The Adjustable Folding Seat Cane is an amazing option for travel use as it includes a fold-out seat for those who need quick breaks. This cane is perfect for tours and events that require walking with frequent stops.
Each Nova Seat Cane features an aluminum frame and plastic seat that weigh just 2 lbs. The cane is built for users 4’11”-6’1” and supports up to 225 lbs on the seat.
The seat itself is easy to use–just pull it out, make sure it locks, and it’s ready to go! Two additional supports grant additional stability to the seat, folding in and out with it.
Nova Travel Seat Cane
For those looking for a more comfortable cane/seat option, the Nova Travel Seat Cane features a large canvas seat for walking breaks. The canvas seat is wide enough to provide a comfortable seat for longer breaks on tours or other walking-related excursions.
Weighing in at just 2.5 lbs, the Nova Travel Seat Cane is a wonderful option for travel use. The cane fits users from 4-11” to 6’1” and supports up to 250 lbs (making it a slight upgrade to the standard folding seat cane).
This seat cane folds to a hemi-walker-style cane when the seat is not in use, granting more stability and balance than a standard cane. The two-prongs that touch the ground when the cane is folded offer more stability than almost any standard cane!
Hurrycane Freedom Edition
The Hurrycane has almost become synonymous with travel-friendly canes. Specifically designed to be easy to travel with, the Hurrycane is currently one of the best-selling canes in the world. The Freedom Edition of the Hurrycane is an overall upgrade to the original Hurrycane, offering better construction, better stability, and a longer product lifes-span.
Hurrycanes have one of the best user weight capacities available, handling users up to 350 lbs. The quad tip on the Hurrycane Freedom Edition is one of it’s signature features: a rotating quad tip that offers exceptional balance and stability. The Hurrycane also adjusts from 30.5”-37.5”, making it great for users around 5’0”-6’2”.
The Hurrycane Freedom Edition is available in 4 colors, giving users some options when it comes to customization.
Aids to Daily Living in the Car
Car travel and accommodations for those with special needs can be difficult to find. Things that are second nature to healthy people may be a huge inconvenience for others. Getting in and out of the car, reaching a seatbelt, or reaching the dashboard can all pose problems.
Here are a few amazing products that can help with some of the most common problems people with special needs may face during car travel.
Stander Handybar Auto Grab Bar
Stander is known for making great in-home aids to daily living that are also easy to travel with. The Automotive Handybar is no exception. Designed to fit into the ‘u-shape’ the vast majority of car door designs use, the Handybar is extremely easy to use. Shaped like a hook, the Auto Handybar simply slips into the car door slot and can then be used for balance and leverage.
The Handybar Automotive Grab Bar is the smallest product size-wise on our list, measuring in at just 9” and weighing 1 pound. This auto grab bar will fit in most glove boxes and side compartments, eliminating the need to carry it around in a purse or briefcase.
The design of the Handybar Auto Grab Bar also features emergency protection features. A seatbelt slicer is built into the handle while the hook itself can be used to break windows. Not bad for an aid to daily living!
Stander Car Caddie
While the Handybar Auto Grab Bar fits into most cars, the Stander Car Caddie is designed to fit in any car. A looped rope design allows the Car Caddie to fit over the top of any car door. Don’t worry–the Car Caddie was designed to allow windows to fully close while in use.
The Car Caddie supports up to 250 lbs and promotes independence for drivers. If you can open a door you can use the Car Caddie! The nylon strap on the Car Caddie adjusts from 7”-16” which will accommodate drivers of all heights.
Installation is simple–just loop the Car Caddie around the top of a car door frame and through an open window, adjust, tighten, and lock. That’s it!
Stander Grab & Pull Seat Belt Reacher
The Stander Grab & Pull Seat Belt Reacher was designed for anyone who needs help reaching their seatbelt. While primarily designed for people with disabilities or special needs, the Stander Grab & Pull Seat Belt Reacher is also an amazing option for people with limited mobility due to a recent surgery or procedure.
The Seat Belt Reacher gives an extra 7 inch reduction to the range of motion we use to grab a seat belt. The best part? Unlike most aids to daily living, the Stander Grab & Pull Seat Belt Reacher has no height range or weight capacities. Anyone can use it!
Nova Swivel Seat Cushion
The Nova Swivel Seat Cushion makes transitioning in and out of a car easier and more elegant. Designed to reduce friction, the Swivel Seat Cushion enables users to effortlessly move their legs from inside the car to out (and vice versa).
A 17.5” radius lets the Nova Swivel Seat Cushion fit on most car seats. Add a 1.5” height and the Swivel Seat fits just about anywhere and easily stores in a suitcase or briefcase.
The Nova Swivel Seat Cushion also features some padding for comfort, as users will be sitting on the cushion for the duration of any ride. Combining the Swivel Seat Cushion with the Stander Auto Handybar or Car Caddie makes getting in and out of any car an absolute breeze.
Nova Wedge Car Cushion
Unlike the Swivel Seat Cushion, Nova’s Wedge Car Cushion was designed to primarily aid with discomfort associated with travel. The Car Cushion’s design includes many features designed to aid with comfort:
- Coccyx “U-shaped” cutout to reduce pressure on the tailbone and spine
- Wedge angle encourages pelvic tilt to reduce pressure on lumbar discs and promote better posture
- Convenient carry strap for easy transport
- Breathable, durable fabric cover is removable and washable
The Nova Wedge Car Cushion was designed for the car but is also great for use in the home and office. Hitting two birds with one stone (car and travel capabilities) makes the Nova Wedge Cushion one of the most versatile travel aids to daily living on our list.
Transportable In-Home Aids to Daily Living
Many amenities people with special needs have comfortably installed at home are not available in most hotels or even the homes of friends & family. The products in this list feature variations of standard aids to daily living that are easy to assemble/disassemble and travel with.
These products are designed to function just like permanent fixtures at home. That means safety & construction came before being easy to travel with when they were developed. You can feel safe using any of the products on this list when traveling.
Stander Handy Handle
An amazing product with a very simple design, the Stander Handy Handle grants users with a traveling companion the ability to get up from most seats & beds easily. The Handy Handle is easy to use–one person pulls while their companion holds in place. It’s like a leverage handhold that can be freely moved.
The Handy Handle is extremely light and easy to travel with. Measuring just 4.5”x9.5”, the Handy Handle will fit in almost any large purse or briefcase. Weight capacity for the Handy Handle is 350 lbs, but make sure the person on the other end can handle the pull of larger users.
To top it all off, the Stander Handy Handle is available in 3 colors, letting the more fashion-conscious match luggage with aids to daily living.
My Table Buddy
My Table Buddy is an amazing tool for those who need to do work on the go. The Table Buddy was designed as a table/tray that can be easily moved and adjusted to fit into just about any area.
The table itself measures 20.5”x16.5”, accommodating most laptops and writing implements. My Table Buddy is also a great option for eating–most plates, cups, and eating utensils will fit comfortably onto the tray surface.
Best of all, My Table Buddy folds and easily disassembles, fitting into any trunk or under a bed at a hotel or home you’re staying at. If you need a convenient surface area on your next trip, My Table Buddy is an amazing option.
Nova Padded Swivel Cushion
Like the Swivel Seat Car variation, the Nova Padded Swivel Cushion was designed to make turning in a chair much easier. The Padded Swivel Cushion grants pressure relief for the back and hips while seated.
A 360-degree, rotating, non-skid base turns any chair into a swivel chair making the Swivel Cushion a great choice for transitioning on and off any chair. Comfort was not neglected in the design of the Swivel Cushion: a 2” thick cushion provides support and comfort.
The Nova Padded Swivel Cushion measures 15.25”x2.5”, making it extremely easy to travel with. A 225 lb weight capacity is recommended to allow users to swivel optimally.
Nova Locking Raised Toilet Seat
The Nova Locking Raised Toilet Seat provides the safety and features of a standard raised toilet seat in an easy-to-install package. This makes the Locking Raised Toilet seat a great option when it comes to travel.
The Locking Raised Toilet Seat is available with or without arms depending on the needs of the user. The arms are easy to install and remove, and won’t inconvenience travel. Supporting up to 300 lbs, the Locking Raised Toilet Seat will fit the needs of most users.
Properly installing the Nova Locking Raised Toilet Seat is extremely important! While it fits on most toilets, older toilets may not accommodate the locks. Always make sure any locking/pressure based medical equipment you use is safely installed and secure to use.
Nova Suction Cup Grab Bar
The Nova Suction Cup Grab Bar was designed to provide added support when entering and leaving the shower. Extremely quick installation and setup makes it perfect for home or travel use. The Suction Cup Grab Bar weighs just half a pound, making it ideal for packing in a suitcase on vacation. No tools required!
Proper installation is extremely important when it comes to suction cup-based aids to daily living. Make sure the suction cups are mounted to a flat surface–no grout trails or small tiles! Thankfully, the Nova Suction Cup Grab Bar features a secure suction indicator, which displays green for secure and red for not secure.
Nova Bathtub Grab Bar
For those that can’t use a shower, the Nova Bathtub Grab Bar is a nice option for travel use. The Bathtub Grab Bar weighs 6.5 lbs, making it one of the heavier items on our list. The weight, however, is necessary for safe use–this is one of the sturdiest, pressure-mounted products to assist with bathtime.
The Nova Bathtub Grab Bar features a 250 lbs weight capacity, and will easily mount to most bathtub shapes. Make sure to properly tighten the Bathtub Grab Bar before use! Thankfully, the easy-to-adjust tension knob allows virtually anyone to properly tighten it.
Medical Supplies & More at Oswald’s
Looking for more comfort options? Stop by the store when you have time and check out our huge medical equipment showroom. Hundreds of curated medical products designed for comfort are available and in stock. We’re open 7 days a week, so you don’t have to worry about making it in at a specific time.
Need to buy and ship anything before a trip? We have you covered! We are an official USPS service provider. Buy a particular piece of medical equipment and ship it all in one trip!
If you have any questions about any products, USPS shipping, or anything else, send us an email or give us a call. We’d love to hear from you!