Monthly Archives: September 2015

Preventing Falls with Dycem Non-Slip

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The 8th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day (FPAD) is being observed today in the USA – the first day of fall. Falls are the leading cause of injuries to older Americans but they needn’t be. FPAD aims to raise awareness about how to prevent fall-related injuries among older adults.

Every 13 seconds, an older adult is seen in an emergency department for a fall related injury and half of these falls take place in the home. So it is important to inspect your home for fall risks and Dycem Non-Slip can help in many situations:

 

  • Dycem Non-Slip Adhesive Strips can be used to add extra grip on stair / grab rails and provide a visual cue.
Dycem Non-Slip Self Adhesive Tape
Dycem Non-Slip Self Adhesive Tape
  • Dycem Non-Slip Netting can be used under rugs to prevent them slipping, rucking and lifting.
Dycem Netting under rug
Dycem Netting under rug

 

  • Dycem Non-Slip Floor Mats can be placed around the home to provide unbeatable stability for feet during a number of movements such as the transfer from bed to chair.
Dycem Non-Slip Floor Mats
Dycem Non-Slip Floor Mats

Other simple modifications to make your home safer include removing clutter, improving lighting, adding grab bars in the bathroom, adding a second hand rail on stairs, and non slip paint on outdoor steps.

Aside from keeping your home safe, here are 5 more steps you can take to prevent a fall.

Steps to preventing falls
Steps to preventing falls

Through these practical lifestyle adjustments, the likelihood of falls can be reduced substantially.

Stick To it: Dycem Non-Slip in Partnership with the Royal College of Art

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Following last month’s Dycem Hackathon, the Non-Slip team headed to The Royal College of Art to see some of our products and ideas brought to life in an exhibit entitled, On the Frontline.

In association with the Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design, On the Frontline featured design concepts and research focused on the topic of Inclusive Design.

‘Inclusive Design’ is a term which describes the process of developing products, services or systems to benefit all people- no matter their age or abilities and is a founding principle within the Helen Hamlyn Centre.

Research Associate, Julia Johnson, partnered with Dycem Non-Slip last year, and in that time she has developed many new and exciting product concepts for our famous non-slip material.

'stick to it' exhibit
A sneak peek at things to come – the ‘stick to it’ exhibition display.

As part of her exhibit, Julia compiled these new concepts into a visual presentation and created some prototype models, for visitors to pick up and hold, to experience Dyem’s high-grip properties for themselves.

The exhibit also featured images by Sarah Hibbert, who kindly came down to the Hackathon event to photograph the Non-Slip team during the workshop.

The outcome of this project is a catalogue of ideas, products and easy-to-use packaging, taking Dycem into new product areas and applications. Some of these products sit in the home environment, in kitchens and living rooms all providing unique inclusive design concepts.

A co-creation approach has featured materials-based hackathons with user groups and creative teams. The ‘stick to it’ catalogue contains ideas that are inspired by users, experts and the designer herself.

 

Docuemntary Photographs
The exhibition featured a series of documentary photographs of Julia’s research project.

 

It’s been a pleasure to work with Julia and the Royal College of Art’s Helen Hamlyn Centre for Design. Watch this space for the development of products from the ‘stick to it’ portfolio.