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Choosing Equipment to get Up and Down Stairs
Choosing Equipment to get Up and Down Stairs
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Choosing Equipment to get Up and Down Stairs
Factsheet contents
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If it has become difficult or impossible for you to get up and down the stairs, you face a choice of options: living downstairs, moving to a bungalow or ground floor flat, or installing adaptations, such as rails or a stairlift. The first option may not be practical because, although it may be possible to move a bed downstairs, providing bathroom facilities can prove difficult and costly and the downstairs living space will be reduced. The option of moving is not only costly but may result in the loss of good friends and neighbours when you relocate. Installing adaptations is often the most practical and economical option.
The aim of this factsheet is to provide information on equipment to assist someone getting up and down stairs, and details about the useful features of different types of stairlifts.
For up-to-date product and supplier information, please contact our equipment helpline, open Tuesday to Thursday 10am-4.30pm. tel: 0300 999 0004 (calls charged at your standard landline rate even if you are phoning from a mobile).
Alternatively you can write to our letter enquiry service or contact us via email at email@example.com. To help us give you a concise and informative reply, please provide us with as much detail as possible. Include information on the difficulties you are having and any solutions you have considered, including equipment ideas.
Supply, provision and sources of funding
Provision of equipment
It may be important that you have an individual assessment as there are many factors that can affect what is appropriate for you. For example, stair rails may not be appropriate for installing on the walls in your home or your staircase may be too narrow for you to use a seated stairlift. Thus you may wish to discuss your difficulties with a health care professional before considering purchase of this kind of equipment. You can contact your local social services and ask about an occupational therapy (or trusted assessor) assessment. Find your local social services on the GOV.UK website
Alternatively you can hire a private occupational therapist, a directory is available on the 'College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section Independent Practice' (COTSS-IP) website. www.cotss-ip.org.uk or phone their enquiry line: 020 7989 0681. If you would like a private appointment with a physiotherapist, perhaps to practice stair mobility then you can obtain a list of local chartered physiotherapists who offer private services from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists at www.csp.org.uk or tel: 020 7306 6666. All occupational and physiotherapists on these directories are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The HCPC is responsible for the conduct, performance and ethical behaviour of its registrants. Therapist who do not meet the standards of practice, conduct and behaviour required by the HCPC are removed ('struck off') from the register. You can visit the HCPC website to check the registration status of an occupational therapist.
Information and advice on design issues is available from the Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE) which keeps a database of architects, surveyors and similar professionals with experience of designing for disabled people, and has a number of useful publications and design sheets. (Please see Useful Organisations for more details).
National catalogue prescription scheme
In some areas of the country a prescription scheme for equipment is in operation. There is a 'national catalogue' of equipment that may be provided by prescription although local areas can choose which of these items they will include in their schemes. This is part of the Department of Health's Transforming Community Equipment Services (TCES) programme. There is a small range of grab rails, including newel rails, in the national catalogue that can be provided via prescription. If you receive a prescription for one of these items, you take your prescription to a local accredited retailer who will provide you with the item. Alternatively you can 'top-up' by paying extra for an item that does what the prescribed item would do but offers extra features or perhaps you prefer its appearance. Thus the scheme is designed to encourage choice and control. The national catalogue website grab rails listing can be viewed at https://www.londonconsortium.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=ar... This factsheet will go through a range of equipment and mention when there is a relevant national catalogue specification for that kind of equipment, as it may be provided by prescription.
Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs)
A Disabled Facilities Grant, often referred to as a DFG, may be available for some home adaptations including major adaptations. This can include extensions and structural work to accommodate fixed hoists, stairlifts, downstairs bathrooms, shower units etc. If this type of adaptation is needed, a local occupational therapist (OT) will come to assess your needs and then contact the relevant council departments. Applications for grants should be made via the OT to the local councils.
A means test (including household income and household savings over £6,000) is used to decide how much financial assistance can be provided. Depending on the outcome of the test, the amount of assistance offered can vary from 0-100% of the cost. Disabled children under 19 can get a grant without their parents' income being taken into account. You must own the property or be a tenant (or be a landlord and have a disabled tenant) and you must intend to live in the property during the grant period (currently 5 years). Please note that you may not receive any grant if you start work on your property before the council approves your application (Disabled Living Foundation 2016).
DFGs operate across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Conditions for DFGs will vary according to the country in which you live. For more information on Disabled Facilities Grants, visit the GOV.UK website.
For details of schemes in Scotland see Disability Information Scotland.
Housing associations may provide small fixed equipment and minor adaptations for residents.
Second hand stairlifts
It is possible to save some money by buying a second hand stairlift. It is advisable to purchase from a stairlift manufacturer, or an authorised company dealing in re-conditioned stairlifts who will have checked that the stairlift meets current safety standards, and will provide a guarantee.
The tracking for straight stairlifts can usually be re-sited. The track of a second hand curved stairlift cannot be re-sited in another house. However, with some makes, a new track can be made to fit your house and the second hand seat unit and motor can be used in conjunction with it.
If you are considering buying a second hand stairlift privately, e.g. via the local paper or adverts board, it is advisable to get the original stairlift manufacturer, or company dealing in re-conditioned stairlifts, to assess the stairlift for its suitability for your use in the new location, service it, and, if all is satisfactory, actually carry out the installation. You should not attempt to wire up and install it yourself. Always check that the manufacturer is still in business and/or parts are still available should anything go wrong.
Once the stairlift has been installed, it is advisable to set up a service/maintenance contract with a company who you will be able to call on 24 hours a day if mechanical difficulties arise. Annual maintenance is recommended.
Funding equipment
Stairlifts cost a significant amount of money. The Consumers Association Which? calculated in 2014 that a simple straight stairlift cost on average around £2,000, curved stairlifts can cost £6,000 and secondhand stairlifts around £1500 (Which?, 2014).
Charitable trusts may sometimes provide funding for equipment. A useful resource is Turn2Us a website that allows you to search for organisations that give grants, including for equipment and other services. You can refine / filter your search by specific health issues such as 'physical disability', 'ageing' or 'rheumatism'.
If you're over 60 years of age Charity Search is a free service to help you find a grant-giving charity.
Charities may only give awards in accordance with a predetermined criteria, so it is important that you carefully select the trust(s) you apply to.
Most libraries hold directories of suitable funders in their reference section, such as the The Directory of Grant Making Trusts.
Grants for Individuals is run by the Directory of Social Change and lets subscribers search for grants but is intended for organisations searching for funding for individuals.
You don't have to pay VAT on products designed for disabled people if you have a long term illness or disability, or are terminally ill. Mobility shops may automatically sell you equipment without charging you VAT, but you may have to ask. Individuals with a temporary injury such as a broken arm or hip do not qualify for VAT relief.
For more information on VAT relief please visit GOV.UKs page on VAT relief for disabled people or you can contact the HM Revenue & Customs directly to raise any VAT queries. Their Charities Helpline covers VAT relief for disabled people and can be reached at tel: 0300 123 1073
Try equipment before you buy
If you decide to buy equipment privately it is advisable to try and compare the different ranges first. You may have an equipment demonstration centre near you that you can visit to view and try out ranges of equipment. You will receive impartial advice to help you choose appropriately. However, centres may not display examples of all the equipment in this factsheet. You will need to contact your nearest centre to find out what they have and to book an appointment. Contact details for your nearest equipment demonstration centre can be found on the Disabled Living Foundation's web page Equipment Demonstration Centres in the UK.
Be cautious of sales people who try to persuade you to buy equipment that may not meet your needs fully or is over-priced. Buying from a company that belongs to a trade association, such as the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) may give you some reassurance. BHTA members have signed up to a code of practice governing standards of customer service. (Please see Useful Organisations for more details).
LEIA is the trade association and advisory body for the lift and escalator industry. Its members have signed up to a code of practice which includes measures intended to ease consumer concerns and remove undesirable trade practices. (please see Useful Organisations for more details).
Stair rails
Rails for stairs and corridors
Most staircases have a handrail on one side although this may not extend to the full length of the staircase. Most DIY stores sell handrails which can be used to extend the existing handrail all the way up the staircase if it is required. Adding a handrail to the other side of the staircase will provide more support where needed. Long lengths of rail are available and may also be installed along corridors.
A wide range of finished hand rails are available from DIY chains for you to choose from. A rail can be made of softwood with a 5cm circular cross section. It is recommended that it is run continuously from the bottom to the top of your flight of stairs (including the perimeter of any landings). The handrail should be allowed to continue past the top and bottom steps by 30cm (COT, 2006, DLF, 2014). The height will depend on your needs, often at the same height as an existing banister rail. This is usually between 90-100cm above the pitch line of the stairs (COT, 2006), 90-110cm (NBS, 2013a).
The handrail should have a fixing at least every 100cm and no more than 15 cm from each end. It may require mounting on a pattress or backboard which is then secured to the wall (COT, 2006) (see 'Fixing rails' in our Choosing and Fitting Grab Rails factsheet).
If a stair rail cannot be securely installed to a wall then vertical stair rail supports can be used to attach the stair rail to the stairs themselves. The vertical bars are available with two fixings which attach to your stair's tread and wall string or three fixings which attach to your stair's tread, riser and wall string.
Newel rails
Newel rails are designed to turn through 90 degrees around the newel post (the thick upright post of the banister on staircase landings). They provide a continuous grip as the user reaches the bottom or top of the stairs and turns the corner. They are available in a choice of colour and range of sizes.
Please note that left turning and right turning newel rail models are available. Which one you require depends on which way your staircase turns after the newel post.
There are specifications for newel rails in the national catalogue which operates equipment prescriptions in certain parts of the country (see above) with the codes GR07 Left Handed and GR08 Right Handed.
Provide a bar in front of you for support while you are walking up/down your stairs.
Relies on you having a good grip on the bar
Stair rails which move with you
These are manual rails designed to assist you to maintain your balance whilst walking up and down stairs. You still have to walk up/down the stairs but hold a bar and move it progressively up / down while ascending or descending. If a sudden movement is made, for example you loose your balance, the rail / bar locks in position giving a secure handhold.
If you need help installing stair rails you could search for local competent traders, such as carpenters and handymen, who meet relevant standards at trustatrader.com
In many areas AgeUK run a handyman scheme. For a small charge, and if you are over 60, this scheme may be able to assist with small jobs such as fitting rails. You can use their website to find your local AgeUK service .
Stairlifts are powered lifts mounted on wall or stair fixed tracks which follow the line of the stairs. Straight tracks are available for straight staircases and curved tracks for staircases with a bend/s or curve. Straight tracked stairlifts are significantly cheaper than curved ones. The Consumers Association Which? states that as a general rule, every corner in your staircase will double the initial price of a stairlift (Which?, 2014).
Stairlifts are usually cheaper to install than through floor lifts as building alterations are not normally required. Stairlifts can usually be installed in a day and can be removed if no longer required leaving little trace.
Rechargeable batteries
Most stairlifts have rechargeable batteries that are continually topped up from charging points at the top and the bottom of the stairs. Thus they will operate if there is a power failure. The chair requires re-siting at the charging point and will give a warning bleep if it is in the wrong place. Batteries will eventually need replacing, but should last 3-4 years. It is essential that the power supply is always connected to enable regular recharging, consequently stairlifts are usually wired directly to the electrical circuit of the house rather than pluged in at a socket.
Remote controls or 'Call Stations'
A call station is a unit, which usually has two buttons (up and down) located away from the chair of the stairlift. Call stations are usually found at the top and bottom of the staircase so a user can 'call' or control the stairlift. This allows users to bring the stairlift to them at the top or bottom of the stairs so they can get on it, or a carer may use the call station to operate the stairlift for the user.
'Flip-Up' rail
On stairlifts with a 'flip up' rail the lower section of the rail folds upwards and out of the way to prevent the rail causing an obstruction or tripping hazard. This may be essential if there is a doorway in the wall beside the bottom of your stairs.
Key switch
A key-switch is a small key-operated switch which is usually located in the stairlifts armrest. When the key is removed the stairlift is completely immobilised. This is a useful safety feature if, for example, there are small children in the household who may try and operate the stairlift.
Walking aids
Walking sticks may usually be carried on a stairlift with care, if you use a larger walking aid, it should not be carried on the stairlift and therefore two aids will be required - one at the bottom and one at the top of the stairs.
The following types of stairlift are available:
Seated stairlifts
These tend to be the most common type of stairlift used in a domestic setting. You must be able to sit safely on the seat while traveling up/down the stairs and transfer on and off at the top and bottom of the stairs.
Seat height
Some stairlifts can be pre-adjusted to different seat heights. This assists you to transfer in and out of the stairlift from/to a seat height that suits your specific needs. Being able to choose a specific seat height can also be useful for sliding transfers from/to wheelchairs.
Swivel seat
This means you can swivel the chair at the top and bottom of the stairs. This helps at the bottom of the stairs as you have more room to approach the stairs and sit down. It also helps when you reach the top of the stairs, as if you swivel the chair you are facing away from the staircase when you get off. This makes it easier and safer to get on and off the stairlift, as the chair acts as a barrier if you were to loose your balance so you would not fall down the stairs. A swivel seat is a standard option on most stairlifts, but you can choose between manual and powered swivel seats. With manual seats you need to turn the seat yourself by twisting your body in the same way you turn while seated in a standard office chair. With a powered seat swivel you maintain pressure on the lever or switch which operates the stairlift and the seat is turned automatically by electric motors. Check that you will be able to operate the seat swivel mechanism.
Seated stairlifts transport you up/down the stairs whilst seated so they may be ideal if you have reduced mobility and/or standing tolerance.
If you cannot bend your knees your staircase may not be wide enough for you to use the stairlift
If a powered swivel seat isn't necessary at the moment but could be useful in the future ask whether the seat can be adapted in future. Note: For safety the seat should always be locked in position before sitting or standing from it, regardless of whether the swivel is manual or powered. .
If you will not be able to transfer on/off the seat independently seek expert advice as assisted transfers at the top of the stairs could be very dangerous and should be avoided. Remember that it may also be very difficult for a carer to pass you whilst you are seated on the stairlift at both the top and bottom of the stairs.
Armrests are helpful to push up from when standing, or for support when sitting or travelling on the stairlift's seat. Lift-up armrests will allow more space when the stairlift is not in use.
Stairlifts have a footrest to support your feet whilst in transit. As with the armrests this can be folded up when not in use. Check that you are able to fold the footrest, seat and armrests without bending. Some are linked together so that raising the armrests also raises the footrest, others have power assisted operation. This saves you from bending down to fold up/down the footrest.
View a short demonstration of how to use a stair lift when going up and down the stairs. http://www.dlf.org.uk/stairlift
Standing and perching stairlifts
These can be used if you are able to walk to the stairlift and stand while travelling up and down stairs. These may be chosen in preference to seated models if the staircase is exceptionally narrow or if you have a stiff leg/s and are unable to bend your knee/s when seated. These stairlifts usually have one or two guard rails that you can hold onto during transit.
Standing/perching stairlifts may be ideal if you have a narrow staircase.
You need to stand while the stairlift makes its way up/downstairs so may not be ideal if you have reduced standing tolerance or tire quickly
Perching stairlifts are very similar to standing stairlifts except that they provide a small amount of additional support underneath the buttocks. You will travel in a perched position, i.e. between sitting and standing. These stairlifts usually have one or two guard rails that you can hold onto during transit.
Stairlifts with a wheelchair platform
These eliminate the need to transfer out of a wheelchair and onto a stairlift. Instead you wheel, or are pushed, straight onto the platform.
Although most of the platforms fold up against the wall when they are not in use, this type of stairlift takes up a lot of room on the stairs and many domestic stairs are not wide enough to accommodate them.
Stairlifts designed for external outside use are also available.
Considerations when choosing a stairlift
Your needs:
- if you have a condition that could deteriorate, consider what the best long term solution will be. Although you may be able to use a seated stairlift now, it may be wise to consider installing a through-floor lift so that in future the option to travel in a wheelchair is available.
- are you able to bend your knees sufficiently to travel in a seated position?
- does the lift need to be operated by you, your carer, or both? Remote controls are available to allow users and carers to operate the lift but it will be easier to order these during the initial installation.
- other users of the stairs, e.g. children, pets, visitors with reduced mobility or standing tolerance.
- will you need a special seat with extra support, for a child, or with a harness? If so, seek specialist advice. Moulded seating systems may need to be removed before the seat can be folded.
- which direction do you need to face when seated on the stairlift? Most seats face sideways, but if you have a stiff knee, or a narrow staircase you may need to face forwards to give you more room. Some stairlifts are available with seats which face forwards
Your home environment / dimensions:
- If a standing stairlift is preferred, is there sufficient headroom?
- Your home environment (e.g. doors or thresholds near the staircase, bulkheads or banister rails, radiators near the staircase). If the track for the stairlift cannot continue beyond the bottom or top step of the staircase, usually because it will obstruct a door, some companies can provide a fold-up, hinged rail to overcome this problem. This rail may be manually or electrically operated. Alternatively some stairlifts are designed to work with a lot less room at the bottom of the stairs than others.
- It is advisable that the stairlift covers the whole staircase. If your staircase has a sub-landing at the top, with a few steps to the left or right, some companies may suggest fitting a manual or motorised folding platform which bridges the gap between the top of the stairlift and the landing. This can lead to problems, e.g if the platform is down and someone else tries to walk up the stairs.
- if you have a staircase consisting of two straight flights of stairs with a landing area between them it may be cheaper to purchase two straight stairlifts instead of a curved one as long as you can transfer between them.
- Can other members of the household easily use the stairway when the lift is folded against the wall? This may depend on the width of your staircase.
The stairlift's controls:
- Will you be able to operate the standard controls, usually toggle controls sited on the end of the armrest, or is an alternative method required, for example a joystick?
- Will the controls need to be sited in another position?
- Remote controls allow you to operate the stairlift from the most comfortable position, or for a carer to operate the stairlift.
- Lifts are available with an audible signal to alert people who are blind or have sight loss that the lift is at the top or the bottom of the track.
Second hand and rented stairlifts
A number of companies offer stairlifts for rent / hire, usually charging an initial fee for installation and then a regular monthly sum. Check with the company what the minimum rent / hire period is. These rental stairlifts are often pre-used so your choice of colour and style may be limited. Hiring may be ideal if you are recovering from an accident or operation.
Alternatively it is possible to save money by buying a second hand stairlift, but it is advisable to purchase from a stairlift manufacturer, or an authorised company dealing in reconditioned stairlifts. The company should have checked that the stairlift meets current safety standards and check that they will provide a guarantee.
Please remember that it may be a good idea to look for companies that are members of the BHTA and LEIA (see Useful Organisations).
Arranging quotations
If you intend to purchase privately please consider these tips:
- Always obtain more than one quote, ask for an approximate price and write it down.
- Try to obtain quotes from both a manufacturer and a local supplier for a comparison.
- Ask for brochures to be posted to you and read them, know what you're buying, and prepare a list of questions.
- When arranging a quotation confirm with the company that you will not need to pay for the quotation.
- Confirm with the company that they are the approved distributors for the stairlift / lift they are selling. This is important as, for example, it may determine whether they are able to supply spare parts.
- Read about stairlift features and prioritise what is most important to you
- If possible arrange to have an Occupational Therapist present during the visit. If this is not possible, ask a trusted friend or family member to be present during the visit.
- If possible try a stairlift or lift out in an equipment demonstration centre, a showroom or in the house of someone who already has one fitted.
- Ask who will look after your lift if it breaks down. What are the company's response times? All lifts should have a 12 month warranty but ask about the terms and conditions. You may have to pay extra for 24-hour call-out cover. Are there any maintenance costs, and is there an expensive ongoing contract?
- Ask how many engineers the company has in your area
- Beware of hard sale techniques. Ignore special offers, which only apply if you 'buy now'. Some salesmen/women start by quoting a high price and then offer discounts to close the sale.
A reputable company will quote the best price from the start. Do not feel pressurised into signing up during the visit.
- Ask if the company has a buy back policy and, if so, get it confirmed in writing.
- If you do have to pay a deposit, ask for the company's cancellation policy in writing.
Vertical / through-floor lifts
Vertical, or through floor lifts, may maximise your independence by enabling you to move from one floor to another within your home or a public building. If you use a wheelchair they may make it unnecessary for you to transfer out of your chair and onto, for example, a stairlift.
However, vertical lifts need more space than a stairlift and it is sometimes necessary to make structural alterations to your property. It is essential that the lifts are installed by a qualified engineer, that regular maintenance is carried out, and that lifts are inspected and tested every six months by a qualified lift engineer.
Vertical lifts without a shaft
Vertical lifts without a shaft are commonly used in home environments as they require less structural alterations than lifts with a shaft. Although versions are available that carry a seated or standing passenger, most are used by wheelchair users. The lift car is either partially or fully enclosed and usually travels up and down a wall-fixed track(s). Partially enclosed cars let you see outside and may be more suitable if you do not like enclosed spaces. The doors on totally or partially enclosed carriages are electronically interlocked as a safety precaution so that they cannot be opened when the lift is moving, and the lift will not move if the door is open.
In order to travel between floors a trap door or aperture is constructed in the ceiling/floor which automatically opens and closes. When the lift is on the ground floor the gap in the ceiling is covered by an infill that matches the ceiling of the room, whilst when on the upper level the infill blends in with the flooring of that room.
Vertical lifts with a shaft
Lifts for use in any nursing, residential or public building must be enclosed within a shaft and usually require extensive structural alterations. Shafts are usually made of sheet metal or glass, and therefore require minimal building disruption during installation. They can carry more than one person at a time, either someone standing, someone in a wheelchair or both. They can be accessed via a ramp or recessed into a shallow pit for level access.
Considerations when choosing a vertical / through-floor lift
- For wheelchair passengers lift cars offering level or ramped access will be necessary. If you use a self-propelling wheelchair you should make sure that you can open the lift door easily. Some lifts have doors that can be opened using push button controls
- For seated passengers there is a choice of fixed seats, fold-down seats, perching seats and seats which slide forward to assist access in and out of the lift.
Some companies will fix the seat at the most appropriate height for the user
- Dimensions and house design considerations - it is important that there is enough space for you to approach and enter the lift easily. Most lifts are accessed from the front of the car but some companies are able to offer side door entry.
- Controls - most lifts have push button controls sited within the car. Some companies offer alternative control mechanisms and some can position the controls to suit the user.
Illuminated controls are available and may be particularly helpful for users with low vision.
Safety features
Check the following safety features when choosing a lift, many should be included as standard:
- emergency lowering via a wind-down handle or a battery operated back-up system
- an in car alarm or telephone to call for help
- an overspeed governor
- an automatic door locking mechanism when the door shuts
- smoke and fire detection monitors within the car that will automatically take the car away from the fire and seal the ceiling aperture
- a lockable car door, especially if there are young children in the household
- sensors underneath the car to detect any objects that could possibly block its path, e.g. toys.
Additional features
Most companies are also able to offer:
- grab rails to assist entry and exit
- a telephone
- lights
- a carpet inside the car
Short rise lifts - fixed and mobile
Short rise lifts can be used indoors or outdoors where a change in level occurs, e.g. at a front step or in a split level hallway. They are particularly useful in confined spaces where installation of a ramp is not possible. They may make it possible for individuals using a wheelchair to independently propel directly onto the platform and move between levels without assistance. Some short rise lifts are able to carry both the wheelchair user and carer. Fixed short rise lifts may require structural alterations before installation.
To provide level access, the mechanism of many models has to be sunk below ground level in a pit so that the platform is flush with the ground at its lowest position. Where this is not possible, ramped access to the platform will be necessary. Some platforms lift vertically so they would have to be placed next to, or instead of, steps. Others may have a bridging mechanism so that when they are not in use the steps can be used in the normal way, and when in use, the platform lifts up and over the steps.
Check whether the lift has a back-up emergency battery in case of mains failure. Some models have side support rails.
Mobile short rise lifts
Mobile short rise lifts do not require structural alterations. They may be useful for overcoming a small change in level which does not need to be accessed very often, e.g. into the garden or on to a stage.
The lifts are usually operated electrically, powered by a rechargeable battery, and are accessed via a ramp. The ramp then folds up whilst the lift is in use. Some enable a carer to travel with the wheelchair user.
Check how easy it is to move the lift. Those with larger wheels may be easier to transport.
These are operated by a carer and are designed to climb up and down a flight of stairs with you sat on the device. As they are not attached to the staircase they can be transported and used on different staircases. They are available either as a seated device into which you transfer or as an attachment that fits onto a standard manual wheelchair or powered wheelchair. Some have caterpillar tracks that grip the stairs, and others have a wheel cluster which rotates as you go up or down. They are powered by a rechargeable battery.
Some of the stairclimbers with an attachment onto which a wheelchair can be attached require the wheelchair's rear wheels to be removed when going up / down stairs. These are only suitable for wheelchairs with quick release wheels and a carer / attendant who is confident to remove and re-attach the wheels.
It is essential that your carer is familiar with, and has been trained on using, the equipment before trying to operate it. It is important to consider the staircase, as stairclimbers will only cover a certain depth of tread and only some types of stairclimber can manage curved staircases. In public buildings, carer operated mobile stairlifts can be used for emergency evacuation if approval is obtained from relevant safety officers.
Service and maintenance
Some lift/stairlift companies will not supply their parts to other repair engineers. The lift/stairlift mechanism is a complicated piece of equipment and is subject to a great deal of wear and tear. It is essential that regular maintenance is carried out and that lifts/stairlifts are inspected and tested every six months by a qualified lift/stairlift engineer.
Stair safety
If you have uncarpeted stairs, such as tiled or lino covered communal stairs then slip resistant and high visibility treads, cleats, edgings, tiles and tapes could enhance the grip on your stairs.
It is very important that you have good lighting on your stairs. Some energy efficient bulbs take a lot longer to reach full brightness than others, 'quick start' CFL bulbs are best for lighting your staircase. For more information and to compare bulbs full brightness times visit www.rica.org.uk/content/things-consider-when-choosing-light-bulbs
It is also important that you can turn your stair light/s on when you are downstairs and up stairs. If this is not possible please consider having a switch, a wireless switch or automatic lighting installed. If any rewiring is required this should be completed by a competent qualified electrician. To search for electricians in your area with the required certification (Part P Certification) visit the Competent Person Register http://www.electricalcompetentperson.co.uk/
If you would like to read further advice on reducing the risk of falls on stairs please read our advice on Reducing the risk of falling on the stairs or read advice on the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Home Safety Pages
Useful Organisations
New Loom House
Suite 4.06
101 Back Church Lane
London, E1 1LU
Tel: 020 7702 2141
Fax: 020 7680 4048
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com (and email@example.com)
Website: www.bhta.net
The British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) is the UK's largest healthcare association. Members of the BHTA sign up to a code of practice designed to ensure the public can trust that members will give a good service, and a high standard of behaviour. You can search for members on their website.
4th floor, Holyer House
20-21 Red Lion Court
London EC4A 3EB
Tel: 020 7822 8232
Email: email@example.com
Website: www.cae.org.uk
The Centre for Accessible Environments (CAE) is the UK's leading authority on inclusive design. Their aim is to help secure a built environment that is usable by everyone, including disabled and older people.
Website: www.gov.uk
GOV.UK is the website for the UK government. It's the best place to find government services and information. GOV.UK has a section devoted to providing information on Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs). This grant (providing you meet the relevant eligibility criteria) could be used towards the adaptation of your living environment: www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants
33-34 Devonshire Street
London W1G 6PY
Tel: 020 7935 3013
Fax: 020 7935 3321
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.leia.co.uk
LEIA is the trade association and advisory body for the lift and escalator industry. LEIA aims to ensure its members have the best and most up to date information on safety, standards and legislative matters – supported by professional assistance. Membership covers 95% of the lift and escalator industry. You can search for members on their website.
Website: www.planningportal.gov.uk
Planning Portal is the first port of call for anyone wanting to find out about the planning system in England and Wales. Its aim is to provide a one-stop-shop supplying answers, services and information to anyone involved in the planning process - from home owners and businesses to planning professionals and Government officials.
Further guidance and regulations about protection from falling, collision and impact (Part K): www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/partk/approved
G03, The Wenlock
50-52 Wharf Road
London N1 7EU
Tel: 020 7427 2460
Email: email@example.com
Website: www.rica.org.uk
Rica (formerly Ricability), the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs, are a national research charity dedicated to providing independent information of value to disabled and older consumers. Their reports are based on rigorous research and provide practical information needed by disabled and older consumers. They have a number of articles relating to managing stairs www.rica.org.uk/search/content/stairs
2 Marylebone Road
London NW1 4DF
Tel: 01992 822 800
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.which.co.uk/elderly-care
Which? is a brand name used by the Consumers' Association. It promotes informed consumer choice in the purchase of goods and services, by testing products, highlighting inferior products or services, raising awareness of consumer rights and offering independent advice. Which? have produced a useful using the stairs guide: http://www.which.co.uk/elderly-care/housing-options/using-the-stairs
Draft released December 2014, to be reviewed by December 2017, Version 1.0
References Show references
BSi British Standards (2009) Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people – Code of practice BS8300:2009. British Standards Institution: London - (Type 2)
College of Occupational Therapists (COT) (2006) Minor Adaptations without delay. College of Occupational therapists: London - (Type 2)
Disabled Living Foundation (2014) Trusted Assessor Training Course handbook, Disabled Living Foundation: London - (Type 2)
NBS (2013a) Part M Building regulations - Access to and Use of Buildings. Accessed 5th December 2014. Available from- http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/p... (Type 2)
NBS (2013b) Part K Building regulations - Protection from falling, collision and impact. Accessed 5th December 2014. Available from- http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/buildingregulations/approveddocuments/p... (Type 2)
Which (2014) Buying and installing a stairlift. Accessed 5th December 2014. Available from http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/staying-independent-at-home/guide... (Type 2)
For more information on the Types of Evidence, please visit http://www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/scenario.php?csid=276
If you would like further advice regarding daily living equipment related to stairs could try relevant sections of AskSARA. AskSARA is our free online guided advice tool. AskSARA will ask you questions about yourself and your environment and then offer relevant advice, product suggestions and supplier details.
All rights reserved. No reproduction or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. Inclusion (including any sponsorship) does not indicate endorsement or that any item has been recommended or tested. All information is provided without legal responsibility.
Disabled Living Foundation, Tel: 020 7289 6111, Fax: 020 7266 2922, Helpline: 0300 999 0004 10.00am-4.00pm, Email: firstname.lastname@example.com, Website: www.dlf.org.uk Reg. Charity No: 290069, VAT Reg. No: 226 9253 54


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11th Circ. Wary Of Phat Farm Rival's Appeal In IP Row
Phat Fashions LLC sought injunctive relief and millions of dollars in damages in its suit brought in February 2011, arguing that Phag Farm's use of a similar name and marks on T-shirts infringed its trademark and diluted...
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subset: commoncrawl


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This post is also available in / Esta entrada está disponible también en: Spanish (Español) .
A list of details of the PS4 v3.0 firmware update has come to light. The recent update, released in Japan only to testers in the beta program, brings various new and important online features, such as the YouTube broadcasting and 10-second Twitter clips.
The last major update took place in March 2014, but this new update seems to want to make sure gamers to interact with others not just by sharing their favorite gaming moments, but also to form a big part of the PlayStation community.
Sal Romano at Gematsu posted an English translation of the PS4 v3.0 system update obtained by PocketNews, followed by an official English translation seen on Reddit. Here is a photo of the official translation:
[Sources]: Gematsu: PS4 system software update 3.00 details leaked; Pocket News: PS4バージョン3.00ベータ、ベータテストプログラム参加者向けにリリース; Reddit: PS4 Firmware 3.0 currently beta tested.


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Friday, July 8, 19:00-23:00
St. Bride Foundation, Bride Lane, Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8EQ
Minimum donation £25 and we would most appreciate your generosity.
Dress code:
Dress is cocktail attire and in keeping with our midsummer theme, ladies please wear a 'Kupala flower', or decorative flower.
Ukraine Charity looks forward to seeing you at our 9th annual fundraising event, a midsummer eve celebration to benefit charitable projects in Ukraine. The evening will include a wine reception, Ukrainian cuisine, music, and special entertainment. As always you will have a chance to win unique and valuable prices during the auction and the raffle.
Please invite your friends and partners to join us at this great celebration!
What is Ivana Kupala?
Ivana Kupala is an ancient Ukrainian tradition marking the summer solstice. It is a night of mysticism, romance and magic, full of rich symbolism – including fire burning, fortune-telling, flower twinning, night bathing and fertility. On this night, a woman adorned her head with a freshly-cut floral wreath and sent it flowing down the river. Her romantic fate was played out according to which male picked up her crown. Couples leapt over 'Kupala bonfires,' performed ritual dances, and bathed themselves in the river as an act of purification.


text:
Assess The Strengths And Limit Essay, Research Paper
Assess the strengths and limitations of the view that Don Quixote is a funny book . This quotation is adapted from an article by P.E Russell in Modern Language Review, 64 ( 1969 ).
To answer this essay question, first of all the reasons for supporting the view in the above quotation shall be examined. Secondly, the limitations of regarding Don Quixote as nothing more than comical shall be discussed. Finally a conclusion shall be reached in relation to the issues raised throughout the essay.
For centuries Don Quixote has been a celebrated work for very different reasons. For this part of the essay we must assess the reasons for appreciating it as a funny book by looking at the main examples and types of humour that Cervantes employs throughout his account of Don Quixote s adventures.
Cervantes contemporaries certainly found the book very funny indeed. Felipe III commented on hearing somebody laughing hysterically, aquel estudiante, o esta fuera de si, o lee la historia de Don Quixote. ( quoted from, A Study of Don Quixote, Eisenberg, p.114 ). The King thought that the student laughing was either potty or was reading Don Quixote.
The book is fundamentally a parody of the books of chivalry, which is why it was so comical for cultured readers of its day who despised this genre for its lack of verisimilitude and the fact that it appealed more to the senses than the intellect. This ridicule of books of chivalry is constant throughout Don Quixote. These books were guilty of patent excesses or disparates , for example they were commonly set in fantastical or faraway kingdoms such as North Africa or Asia. Cervantes mocks this fact by setting his fiction in contemporary Spain. His choice of the arid and sparsely populated plain of La Mancha as the place of origin of the adventures of Don Quixote is a clear reversal, to achieve a parodic effect, of what was typical in the books of chivalry.
Cervantes parodies the classic chivalresque hero , who was far too idealised to be authentic, by creating a ridiculous equivalent protagonist for his own book. Instead of being a young, handsome knight, Alonso Quixano is an old man who is physically unattractive. He is enjuto de rostro , has a gaunt face, ( PI,cap 1,p.33 ); he rides an old rozin which is an ordinary horse and accentuates the hilarity of this by naming him Rocinante ( PI,cap 1,p.38 ) as if he is now destined to be ante and claim precedence from all other ordinary horses. His helmet is made half of cardboard and is held on by ribbons (jhjf . Instead of being knighted by a king an innkeeper carries out this task and a prostitute, instead of a virgin, puts on his sword (kjgfThe credentials of our knight-errant are hardly compatible with the dashing young knights of the books of chivalry.
Cervantes protagonist foolishly believes that choosing new names for himself and his horse, lady and friends is sufficient to establish himself as a knight. However his choice of names, in particular his own as Don Quixote de la Mancha are comical. Calling himself a Don is pretentious as he is promoting himself to a higher grade of the nobility from gentleman ( hidalgo ) to knight ( caballero ). However unlike the knights in books of chivalry who were usually from foreign kingdoms, such as Amadis de Gaula, he is from La Mancha. This is hardly an exotic place of origin and of course a mancha is a stain, something quite inappropriate for a knight.
Don Quixote s concept of chivalry is an exaggeration of the already distorted knight-errantry of the libros de caballeria . Chivalry for him basically signifies service to women. However it is not the case that the women actually need his help. For example, Dorothea pretends to be Princess Micomicona whose father s throne has been usurped and has been forced to flee her country. Don Quixote vows to go back to the princess kingdom and slay the giant. Of course the whole story is just a ploy to get Don Quixote on the road to his home village ( ajjh. The use of the name Micomicona itself is a parody of the ridiculous names used in books of chivalry. Another example is when Don Quixote is led to believe by the Duchess that she is Countess Trifaldi, cursed by an evil giant who has caused her to grow a beard. Again our knight gallantly promises to do battle with the giant, but it is all just a practical joke played on Don Quixote by the Duke and Duchess for their own amusement ( aqfjv
The parody of these books continues with Don Quixote s love interest in the story. It was usual for a knight in books of chivalry to fall in love with a woman of similar status. Dulcinea del Toboso is not really an appropriate choice for a caballero . She is in fact a peasant girl named Aldonza Lorenzo who Sancho Panza describes as a moza de chapa , or manly,(nvmn and not really the kind of lady expected to conquer a knight s heart. To add ridicule to Don Quixote s attempts to emulate great knight-errants by having a love interest is the underlying irony that he has never even spoken to Dulcinea and she is completely unaware of his courtship. This is an example of Cervantes using comic irony. All the fearless antics Don Quixote does in the name of his love for Dulcinea, such as the harsh penance he is prepared to endure in the Sierra Morena ( ajdf ) , are without true foundation as she is unaware of his existence.
Another feature of the hilarity of Don Quixote as a parody of books of chivalry is the fact that he does not fight to restore queens to their thrones or help kings repel invaders or for any such noble reasons. Cervantes mocks chivalresque adventure by making Don Quixote remain in Spain which was a peaceful nation by the end of the 16th century. For this reason his hero deliberately seeks out opportunities for combat and forces innocent people to fight. Don Quixote re-creates the real world as it should be seen in books of chivalry as he is loco , insane. Ordinary phenomena excite his imagination and he sees them as something out of a book. The most famous example of this, mainly due to the dramatic vision it conveys, is when Don Quixote seeing windmills in the distance imagines them to be evil giants and attacks them at full speed ( PI,cap 8 ). This kind of action is really pure slapstick humour, which is a reason for the wide appeal of Cervantes book. The pointless battles in which Don Quixote gets involved invariably result in either he or Sancho receiving a good drubbing. This type of physical humour is common of the entremes farces.
If Don Quixote s ridiculous adventures are not the result of crazed hallucinations, ironically he then justifies his antics when he sees things as they really are by deluding himself into thinking that an enchanter is making the situation seem normal. This is exactly what he does after he has been dragged along the ground by the mechanical arm of the windmill. Don Quixote refuses to concede he was hallucinating and claims that the evil enchanter Freston has changed the giants into windmills in order to embarrass him ( PI,cap 8 ). Cervantes constructs this most comical and ironic vicious circle as the reason behind Don Quixote s hilarious exploits.
In Part II of the book Cervantes produces humour through the actions of Don Quixote and Sancho on account of the adventures the Duke and Duchess create to amuse themselves. The trickery involved at the palace is again characteristic of entremes type humour. Sancho is the bobo , fool, who together with his crazy master succeeds is misinterpreting the situations created by the Duke and Duchess and their servants. These made up adventures are parodies in themselves, which further accentuates their humour. For example, one of the giants Don Quixote is meant to fight is cross-eyed (jhhg which just makes the whole situation even more ludicrous and shatters the whole ethos of the chivalresque nature of the situation.
Cervantes develops his protagonist s character as not exactly typical of a knight who took to the road in search of adventures to put ideals of courage and honour into practice. Far from being fearless, Don Quixote is frightened by the noise of water-powered machinery ( PI,cap 20 ). Again reversal is employed to parody the chivalresque hero . Our knight is hardly modest and wants his fame to last forever. Noble knights usually stayed in castles, whereas Don Quixote sleeps in inns and then doesn t pay his bill (jknc , leaving poor Sancho to face the innkeeper s wrath which is not in the least honourable of his master.
When a young lady of the Duke s court, Altisidora, falls in love with him Don Quixote is determined to remain faithful to Dulcinea. However he encourages Altisidora s declarations of love by standing at the window, showing weakness for flattery ( hgggd Therefore, unlike the heroes of books of chivalry who were above the negative characteristics of common mortals, Cervantes parodies this by making his knight lifelike and guilty of the weaknesses of ordinary people in a comic analyses of human nature.
Don Quixote can shift from a heroic manner to one which is common and colloquial. For example he addresses a funeral procession in a haughty tone when he defends his attack on them with the twisted logic of blaming them for looking too much like ghosts ( jhh,h . Shortly afterwards however he answers Sancho with Yo- que diablos se ? ( what the hell do I know! ) in a most banal fashion (nhmc)
Don Quixote even distorts the rules of knighthood to the extent of freeing criminals on their way to serve as galley slaves ( PI, cap 22 ) in a complete joke by Cervantes making his hero the least chivalresque knight possible.
Not only is Don Quixote a burlesque hero, but his history is a burlesque book. The whole narrative is a literary joke. The fictional authors of books of chivalry were wise men and usually Christians whose manuscripts had been carefully and honourably preserved. Cervantes book contains a parodic pretence of historicity as he introduces a Moorish translator, Cide Hamete Benengeli, ( PI,cap 9 ) who is often an incompetent narrator. In this jocular way he presents his book as a historical fact.
The character of Sancho Panza is central to the hilarity of the book. He is particularly representative of saying funny things as he is simple , stupid. The illiterate Panza constantly confuses words and has a tendency to quote folk sayings and proverbs at length which are most amusing. He is hardly an appropriate squire for a knight-errant, agreeing to serve Don Quixote out of pure greed as the latter promises to make him governor of an island .The physical alignment of opposites Cervantes employs in making Sancho fat, stupid and greedy creates a most comical and ironic visual image of the pair.
Cervantes sense of humour is ironical and thousands of examples and types of irony can be found in the book, some of which have been mentioned already such as visual irony.Clearly the fact that the book is a parody makes it intrinsically ironic. One common feature of Cervantes use of irony is contrasting a high style of narrative with absurd situations. For example when he steals a barber s basin he lavishly describes it as being a yelmo de oro , helmet made of gold, and indeed believes it to be the helmet of Mambrino, a very brave character from the book of chivalry Orlando Furioso ( PI,cap 7,p.2 ). This emotive language is in stark contrast to the rather mundane reality that the helmet is in fact a basin.
In addition to irony, Cervantes uses techniques such as puns and other types of word play to make his book hilarious, for example in the choice of names Don Quixote bestows on everyone ( discussed above ). In Don Quixote there are abundant references to the body, especially from Sancho making comments about bodily functions and disgusting odours (hkhg). Also there are episodes where the humour descends to what is basically a dirty joke. An example of this is ( PI,cap 27,p.1 ) when the barber Nicolas borrows an oxtail that the innkeeper uses to hang his comb in to use as a false beard. Some wise-cracks about this are made when the landlady later demands that Nicolas gives her her tail back because her husband needs it!
It is clear from the preceding discussion that there is indeed much strength in the view quoted in the essay title that Don Quixote is a funny book. Indeed in the prologue, through a fictional friend, Cervantes presents his book as a parody of the books of chivalry with the aim of (que ) el melancolico se mueva a risa, el risueno la acreciente.. ( kindling mirth in the melancholic and heightening it in the gay ), ( Prologo, p.18 ). However he also states intention ( que ) el simple no se enfade .. and el discreto se admire de la invencion.. ( to challenge attention from the ignorant and admiration from the judicious ).
This suggests that Cervantes wanted his book to offer more than just comedy. He wanted it to appeal to el discreto and discrecion was a distinctive quality of Golden Age writers. It was a skill of discerning judgement and an ability to relate the circumstances in a harmonious and concordant way. He also states in the prologue that he wishes to please the serious reader, el grave , hinting that he hopes his work to be edifying. In this way he accentuates the absurdity of the books of chivalry.
For this second part of the essay we must examine the limitations of the view that Don Quixote is a funny book . What is discussed in the above paragraph suggests that Cervantes did want to establish limitations to this viewpoint. In contrast to Cervantes contemporaries, who accepted Don Quixote as fundamentally a parody of the books of chivalry, by the 18th century the book was being appreciated and interpreted very differently. It was held to be a classic. The humour of the book was played down as it was considered by many intellectuals to diminish the importance of other themes in the book. Some of the most influential of these shall now be considered.
The romantic approach to Don Quixote originated in Germany in the 19th century. This tradition was serious, sentimental, patriotic and philosophical. The knight s exploits were interpreted to make him a tragic figure whose insanity is often hard to separate from his intrinsic goodness. His consistent fidelity to his ideals, although invariably resulting in failure and causing more harm than good, make him an admirable character. Of course, one of the reasons for Don Quixote s resilience is his insanity, but many intellectuals took this to be a sublime form of madness. He is seen as a heroic figure rebelling against a materialistic world.
There is certainly evidence in the text which suggests that Cervantes is trying to communicate his ideas and feelings about the society in which it is set- contemporary Spain. Often one gets the impression that even though his antics are ludicrous, Don Quixote comes across as morally superior to those around him. For example the behaviour of the Duke and Duchess in Part II in teasing a crazy man and his peasant servant for fun is rather distasteful. They are living in a fantasy world just like Don Quixote, only theirs is the product of the boredom and aimlessness common to their class. Marcela s speech ( PI,cap 14,p.141 ) is again evidence of Cervantes observing the hypocrisy of his society. Her reaction to Grisostomo s poem about unrequited love points out that a beautiful woman cannot be expected to return the love of every man who falls for her. Men like women who are modest and chaste, yet they always try to get the women they desire to make an exception for their sakes and give up their modesty.
Don Quixote s character could even be described as a fairly accurate portrayal of a revolutionary. Our knight sets out to transform the world in accordance with his vision. Just like the fanaticism of real-life religious or political crusaders he can be laughable, even dangerous. For example, when Don Quixote tries to save Andres the shepherd boy from a beating from his master ( PI,cap 4 ), we later are told that because of the knight s interference the master took out his rage by beating the boy even harder ( PI,cap 31 ). However his persistence does succeed in some cases, such as in its influence on Sancho Panza. In various scenes Sancho seems quixotised and takes on his master s mad quest. In the last chapter of the book he begs his master not to die and encourages him to pursue his life as a knight saying el que es vencido hoy ser vencedor manana he who is conquered today shall conquer tomorrow ( PII,cap 74,p.1096 ). It is as if Sancho is confident that his master has an important role as a knight-errant.
Many critics have underlined the importance of the role of perspective in Cervantes tale. This approach stems from philosophical relativism; the truth can only be described in relative terms. E.C Riley stated:
The Quixote is a novel of multiple perspectives. Cervantes observes the world he creates from the viewpoints of characters and reader as well as author. It is as though he were playing a game with mirrors or prisms.
It is clear that Cervantes understood that the truth can be elusive as people can perceive the same thing in a different way. For example at the Bodas de Camacho Don Quixote only sees a pageant whereas Sancho seems only aware of there being a banquet ( PII,cap 20 ). Through this game with mirrors Cervantes skilfully succeeds in maintaining a relative level of verisimilitude but also produces the effect of admiracion and carries his readers away to wonderful and extraordinary experiences.
There are many layers of illusion and reality in Don Quixote. First, there are the knights own mad delusions. Later, his friends play tricks on him and disguise themselves in order to get him to give up his quest and return home ( PI,cap 27 ). The distinction between reality and fantasy is blurred, for example when Don Quixote has a dream in the Cueva de Montesinos one is not certain whether the dream is just another delusion or whether it is a product of his sane alter-ego, Alonso Quixano ( PII, cap 22 )
In addition to these complications in the plot itself, one is constantly reminded that what one is reading is only a text of a historian Cide Hamete Benengeli- an imaginary creation ( PI,cap 9 ). However Cervantes also interrupts the story to comment on the action. For example ( PIUJU Don Quixote is involved in mortal combat, but we are left in the height of suspense until Cervantes finds the missing pages of Benengali s manuscript. The knight and his squire are even made aware that they are not only characters in a book, but also in a bogus sequel ( PII,cap 36 )
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Calif. Appeals Court Backs MDA Preemption Clause
In an opinion published Tuesday, the California Court of Appeal for the Sixth Appellate District held that the preemption provision of the MDA bars state law claims challenging the safety and effectiveness of the now-defunct ancure device, which had received regulatory approval for the treatment of abdominal...
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This term I introduced my students to Nings, Diigo and–for some–moodle. Most already know how to work a wiki and all are fluent with Google Apps. That's a lot of stuff and I expected the kids to feel at least a little confused and frustrated.
And they do.
But their behaviour suggests that their confusion and frustration isn't caused only by the number of tools they have to use. Indeed, they are quite adept at learning how to work any number of new games. I wonder if another part of problem is that they see a computer as a tool that delivers entertainment and not a tool for doing work. I need to clarify that: I think they do see that you can use a computer to produce things–word documents, spreadsheets, PowerPoints and so on. But they don't see that we can use a computer to discuss and publish work. (That wouldn't be surprising because I don't think anyone has yet shown them how to that.)
So now when we talk to our students about new technologies, we divide the tools we're using at IPS into four categories based in function with the idea that this structure might help kids see things more clearly:
Production Tools
Google Apps, Jing, video editors, Garageband etc.
Discussion Tools
Nings, Diigo, IM, email
Publication Tools
wikis (there are other platforms, but these are best compromise of ease of use and sophistication for our grade 6 – 9s)
Administration Tools
Google calendar and moodle edmodo
I realize there is some overlap in the capacities of theses tools. Wikis also make excellent discussion platforms, for example. But my hope is that this structure actually gets us away from talk about the tools and moves us to talk about the function, which I think is more important.
What do you see in your classrooms? How are your students taking up new technologies? How do you deal with gathering up all the output from all the tools?
Since writing this post I've added a fifth category of tools: research tools such as Google and Bing, but also custom search engines, RSS and Twitter.
Perhaps its a question of doing real things with tools. I can give you an amazing hammer but if you have nothing to nail, or no need to use it, why would you bother. And if what you really wanted was a baseball bat, then the hammer isn't too enticing.Similar to our conversation about community engagement: people will show up when the tools are there to do stuff they need to do. So what about thinking more deeply about purpose. What overwhelming need do these students have to use these tools? What about reviewing games?
I wasn't being clear enough. Or maybe I overstated things. I completely agree–there needs to be purpose; and I try my best to give the kids meaningful work–I think it morally wrong to give them busy work. But, on the other hand, it's hard to know what a tool can do just by looking at it. See Dorothy Sayers wonderful essay, The Lost Tools of Learning. She'd say we need both: an opportunity to noodle about with tools, and as we're noodlin', we might as while noodle on something worthwhile. John Seeley Brown also talks about the great value of tinkering–that's his word for it.In any case, I think my students see the prupose, or at least trust me that a purpose is there.But now that I think more on it, I wonder if I'm not hitting up against some deep structural problems. Schools are essentially market economies–students trade papers & projects etc for grade. Morevover it's an economy of perceived scarcity, rather than abundance, and the competition in this market is so fierce that students, even by the age of 11 or so, when we take them in, have an every-man-for-himself way of working. Last year, for example, I ran an experiment in collaboration: I divided the class into two groups and told them to write an essay. They were to write the best possible answer they could to a a question–I can't remember what it was at the moment. The passing grade was 95%, but they were allowed to use any resources they wanted: books, internet, parents, me, any expert they could find, each other etc. Despite the opportunity and the assurance that they could not be accused of copying (so long as they atttributed) as they were allowed to borrow freely, both groups guarded their work jealously for fear the other group would "steal ideas" or "do better." The point of all this, is that I think students' habit is to wrorry about their performance, rather than the creation of knowledge and understanding.If this is the case, then the collaboration platforms would seem strange, maybe even threatening. It would explain the "Why would we want to share?" response I frequently see (and not just in my students, I might add.)
Thanks for sharing these thoughts Brad. I like the way you have broken the tools up into categories by function and I have spent some time staring hard at those categories trying to see how they would fit into a lesson; specifically into the MYP Design Cycle, but no clear picture is emerging (could be I'm exhausted).My guess is that the biggest frustrations are all to do with the Discussion tools. I agree with your comment below, I think the issue isn't just with the confusing array of technologies that we are throwing at them but that we are asking them to do things with these technologies that they don't do naturally face to face, namely share and actively engage in process, not just product.
[…] students and I have come to see a blog as a place to think out loud. It's a discussion tool. I rarely specify length for a blog post, preferring to let the students write until they feel […]
[…] their way onto my laptop and iPhone. But twelve months later, I believe I have a good framework for organizing the web tools for middle school […]
[…] and liberal experimenting, mostly by teachers. But at the end of the year, we have enough data to classify web tools and, more importantly, to draw a reasonably coherent picture of the potential change these tools […]
[…] in the cloud (and everyone should be.) At Island Pacific School, where I work, I've divided web tools into five categories: research, production, publication, discussion and time and task management. I also try to use Alan […]


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Insurance Broker Resolves $4M ERISA Feud With Comerica
A Georgia federal judge dismissed the suit after being informed of the settlement, but said the parties could reopen the case if the settlement is not concluded. The deal comes more than a month after the judge rejected Comerica's motion for summary judgment....
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Whit Stillman on the set of Damsels in Distress
"One of the beautiful parts of doing Metropolitan…the one subject that certain film critics and film journalists do not consider themselves experts in, it's debutante parties. They're experts on absolutely everything else in creation, except for debutante parties. So they allowed us to make a film our own way without saying it wasn't true to life." – Whit Stillman
After a fourteen-year absence, the acclaimed writer/director/producer and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Whit Stillman (Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco) returns to theaters Friday, April 6th with Damsels in Distress, a comedic look at modern-day college life in America. While Damsels in Distress feels like a departure from Stillman's previous films by virtue of being his most comedic thus far, his signature ensemble writing, insightful dialogue, and deconstruction of culture milieus are present in full force. (Check out the LiC review here.) Stillman has once again assembled a remarkable ensemble cast, including Greta Gerwig (Greenberg), Analeigh Tipton (Crazy, Stupid, Love), Adam Brody (TV's "The O.C."), Aubrey Plaza (TV's "Parks and Recreation"), and Alia Shawkat (TV's "Arrested Development"). I recently sat down with Stillman for an in-depth chat in which he took me deep into the process of screenwriting and directing his previous films and Damsels in Distress. Here's what he shared with me about being an Oscar-nominee, the challenges of ensemble writing, and crafting Damsels in Distress.
Jackson Truax: You're one of a very few living filmmakers to have multiple films released as part of the Criterion Collection. How were you approached about adding your films to their canon, and what was your involvement in those releases?
Whit Stillman: The approach is very interesting. I was called up, I think by Peter Becker, to do the commentary track on My Man Godfrey. They needed someone do to the commentary track…and thought of me. Then I ran into him when they did a MOMA screening of Walkabout with a party afterward. He talked about how he was a Metropolitan [fan], because he sort of came from that background in New York. He went to the uber-social school. I went to a less fashionable Westside school; he was in the Eastside Buckley school… I didn't live on the Westside, but I felt I did, because I went to school there.
JT: So very much an outsider looking in, like Tom Townsend in Metropolitan.
WS: Yeah. I feel that there are four identification characters in Metropolitan. The obvious one is Tom Townsend, but then it turns out not really. Because like the Lily [Analeigh Tipton] character in Damsels, Tom Townsend isn't really that great; he's kind of flawed. Then there's the Charlie, sociologist character. There's the Nick, kind of snob character. Most of all, there's the…sweet Audrey character.
JT: Looking back at Metropolitan, after the time that's passed and now watching Damsels in Distress, the monologue given by the Man at the Bar feels like the thesis of that film, as well as your entire career. Do you think there's any truth to that?
WS: It's really kind of upsetting to think about at a certain point, because [of] that whole thing about how failure could come later [in life]. That was definitely the case in my career… Someone reminded me of my tenth anniversary report from Harvard… I was so not proud of what I was doing. I didn't put anything in my college report… I think I…hadn't yet started the script for Barcelona… When I was writing the script for Metropolitan, I was definitely in the Man and the Bar situation. Then I felt that I had licked that. Metropolitan came out and did well. Barcelona did okay. [The Last Days of Disco] did okay. Then I had this horrible unwilling, unwanted hiatus. Then…what Charlie [in Metropolitan] kept insisting, "Failure can come later…" Because the Man at the Bar is talking about people he knew from that background who were successful and then Charlie's in total denial. He wants to be depressed. He wants to be pessimistic. Then his last line in this sequence, it doesn't ring true. He's not going to be cheered up by this fellow.
JT: When you received the Oscar-nomination for the Metropolitan screenplay, did it feel like it was changing your life or your career at all?
WS: It was an odd thing. Because one of my deepest convictions was that the Oscars were nonsense and I hated them. So getting a nomination shut me up for awhile. I had to eat crow. Because I really enjoyed going to the nominees luncheon. It was one of the greatest things. Then I [went] back to years of not being nominated or not [doing] anything. I [went] back to hating the Oscars and hating everything about it. So, it was strange. I guess it's helpful. People can put the films on the map by saying we got a nomination for something way back when. I'm not a big fan of the whole awards psychology. I often think, "What would you rather do, write a funny scene or win an award?" I'd like to write a funny scene.
JT: After you made two well-received films, did you feel the expectation shift when you were making The Last Days of Disco?
WS: We had such a tough time when it came out… We were beaten up pretty badly. We got mixed up with popular culture. We got mixed up with the idea of Disco in people's minds, and that was a problem for us. One of the beautiful parts of doing Metropolitan…the one subject that certain film critics and film journalists do not consider themselves experts in, it's debutante parties. They're experts on absolutely everything else in creation, except for debutante parties. So they allowed us to make a film our own way without saying it wasn't true to life.
JT: When you're creating films in the manner that you do, very independently and off-the-grid, do you feel like you're making films in a manner that's inherently subversive?
WS: I don't know… In a very weird way… It's not subversive at all. It's affirmative and positive and constructive. But because there are so many toxic things in the way people think about life, we try and go against the toxicity and fly above it or beside it or get beyond it. Because there's this eccentric joy we're looking for, and just hopeful that there will be some communication going on in the films. And some levitation.
JT: There's been a lot said and written about how autobiographical or inspired by things in your life your first three films were. How closely was Damsels in Distress inspired by your personal experiences?
WS: It's very strange. Because the first three films are about milieu in places and specifics that are personal and autobiographical. [Damsels in Distress] is not… It's a fantasy utopia of a university life or college life. Yet this is the most deeply personal, because I'm really, really close to the Violet [Greta Gerwig] character. I've been through a lot of the same stuff she went through. A lot of the other characters and situations are coming out of film comedy that I like.
JT: All of your films are examples of masterful ensemble writing, where you have a group of characters in a specific clique in a particular time and place, yet the characters all feel very well-rounded and have their own voice. How do you make sure that all your characters stand out on the page, and make sure they all have their own unique voices?
WS: We got in a good grove in [Damsels in Distress] that way. I think it was a little problematical in The Last Days of Disco, separating the guy characters. They're a group of five guys, they weren't the main characters, they were from the same milieu, and they were all good looking in ways that weren't entirely dissimilar. So that was a little trickier… In this case, maybe it's because we're dealing with some…comic personality types from film, and comic personality types from life. The Rose [Megalyn Echikunwoke] character, this self-confident, opinionated, black woman, maybe with an English background or maybe with a Caribbean background is a character that I've encountered a lot, and I find very amusing and delightful. Heather's [Carrie MacLemore's] character is the…sexy, not very bright girl with goofy opinions. That comes more out of film comedy… That I think helped distinguish the characters. Lily is a realistic character from the real world who represents young people today. Violet is this crazy, eccentric character.
JT: When you're writing characters based on your experiences or that are expressing things that are personal to you, how do you make sure these characters are fully-formed people with these things to say, and not just mouthpieces for your own ideas?
WS: It's, I think the joy of an individual voice. I was completely stymied as a writer of fiction, until I got into the screenplay format, where things don't have to be terribly logical. You can skip around, and characters start speaking and existing as they speak. And somehow, through their talking, they come alive.
JT: Each of your films has a distinct tone. With Damsels in Distress, the tone feels the most satirical. How did you settle on and execute that take on the material?
WS: I don't know if the word I would use would be "satirical." Because, for me, "satirical" always implies a critical, sharp-cutting, [sometimes] political…angle. I think "satire" in the original root means something about, "to cut." I don't think [Damsels in Distress] is cutting comedy. I would say it's more broad humor. It's humorous in the broad sense… This film somehow was easier than the other films. I hope that is not a bad quality of it… Once it was coming, it came more easily. They're a lot of these characters who are broadly humorous who just took charge of their own destiny and their own world.
JT: One of the launching points for Damsels in Distress from a plot standpoint is this group of girls trying to navigate dealing with the depression of their peers. You dealt with similar subject matter in a very truthful and very dramatic way in The Last Days of Disco. What makes that subject important to you, and how did you decide to play it for comedy in Damsels in Distress?
WS: I think it's sort of Topic A in life. How dysfunctional are you going to be? How dysfunctional are you going to let yourself be? It definitely goes with the territory of college students. It's famous and notorious in that way. It's definitely something I went through. I had a crazy, irrational depression the first two-thirds of my freshman year. The reason why Metropolitan was so attractive to me, I think, [was] because the only period that I wasn't depressed in that period, was when I was being offered free champagne at parties in New York. I think that a lot of these problems are developmental, and that if people will be joked out of doing something drastic and irreversible, and humored along until their hormones and body chemicals align better…kids are hit over the head with all these raging biochemical changes in their bodies as they develop. If they can just hang on a few more years, they can come into a safe harbor.
JT: I went to a couple of colleges that resembled Seven Oaks in a variety of ways, so it's easy for me to imagine a character like Thor, who gets into this school without being able to identify the colors. Where did that idea come from?
WS: I don't know where it came from. I think my happiest educational experience was in nursery school when the teacher asked, "How do you get the other colors besides the primary ones?" I answered, "mixed." She said that was right… I was a very retarded student in the early years. I didn't learn how to read until I was in fourth grade. To answer a question successfully was a triumph of my youth. I guess I was thinking, "What if I didn't go to nursery school? What if I had never learned the colors at all?" This whole… precocity obsession, I've seen a lot in baby boomers with their kids, where they just brag incessantly about their kids, and all these little things are just so important to them. So to have a kid skip kindergarten and go straight into first grade would be such a classic boomer bragging thing. The thing is, what is really the importance of precocity? Nothing. Precocity is actually a bad thing rather than a good thing. Because it disqualifies you [from] life with your contemporaries. Everyone else is going to catch up and your precocity means nothing. You're slightly weird and conceited, if you've been precocious.
JT: Analeigh Tipton is incredible in the film, but she's never had anything close to this much screen time. Were you initially nervous about casting her? How did you know she would be able to deliver the performance that she did?
WS: Generally what you see is what you get. In the audition, if they're really good, they're going to be good in the movie, in my experience… She was not only good as Lily, that's the first thing she read; she was very good at it. I also had her read Violet and Heather. She was pretty good at them too. At the beginning of the casting process, you don't have anyone, and you just don't know what you're going to get people for. Or you're going to get a lot of people that can do Heather, and no one can do Violet. So, you have to fill those slots [with] who can do it well. I was very happy with Analeigh. I was encouraged by the fact that she had been cast in these [upcoming] projects.
JT: One of the things that's become a greater aspect of your films as they have progressed are dance scenes, with dance numbers taking on a whole new role in Damsels in Distress. How do you write, direct, and edit these dance scenes to have them further the plot most effectively and give as much information about the characters as possible?
WS: There's just so much blind luck… We had a really good choreographer, Justin Cerne, who…because he had never done any film or even TV…he had no preconceptions about the conditions that he'd be working in. And he was able to work in some really, really tough conditions [and] really informally come up with stuff…and adapt himself to our shooting situation. It was a bit of dream [that] it all worked out that well.
JT: Damsels in Distress deserves to find a huge audience. Is there anything in particular you're hoping they'll be thinking or feeling as the credits roll?
WS: I hope they'll be happy. I hope they'll be smiling, I hope they'll be wanting to learn how to do the dance, the Sambola!
Filed under: LiC Interview


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DIY Rose Water Face Mist
Truth is, sometimes we all need a little mood-booster in our day. If you've ever found yourself wishing for a timeout or reset button, this rose water spray DIY is going to be your BFF. Think of it as a little refreshing pick-me-up. I never knew I loved a good face mist so much before.
With Mother's Day right around the corner, this would make an easy and thoughtful gift for those hard-working mommas in your life. (Just be sure to make one to keep for yourself!)
I think the tag just makes this an adorable gift. Be sure to grab your free printable tags below!
I was inspired to figure out how to make this rose water spray after I had bought a small bottle at Anthropologie. I found my mood being instantly boosted each time I spritzed by face and took in a deep breath. But there little bottle was nearly $20 so I decided to make my own.
To make these, you will need: Distilled water, 100% Pure Rose Water,Witch Hazel, Apothecary Glass Mist Bottle, and a free printable tag (link below).
Once you've gathered your supplies they are easy to put together. Simply fill each spray bottle. Each one should contain 1/3 distilled water, 1/3 rose water, and 1/3 witch hazel. Once filled and sealed, shake and spritz.
Bonus use: Give your face a mist when you want to freshen up your makeup at the end of the day.
You can even keep one in your desk drawer at the office. Instant time out when needed. :)
You can also make mini versions which are perfect for travel or to keep in your purse. I used these Fine Mist Spray Bottle and I loved the ultra fine mist. It feels really refreshing when you spritz on your face.
Will you make your own rose water spray DIY? Let me know in the comments!
4 Comments on DIY Rose Water Face Mist
I love your photos! Plus such a simple DIY! This sparked my interest when I saw it on my feed because just a couple weeks ago I attempted to make homemade rose water and it turned green, so not sure what happened, but this DIY seems a lot easier :)Reply
I saw the ingredients necessary but not the actual recipe with the portions of each ingredient needed for the Rose Water Spray–is that included in the blog?Reply


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