Tag Archives: colour contrast

Dycem ‘Does the Magic for You’

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Dycem Yellow Kitchenware
Dycem has a range of applications for the home

For those with visual impairments, Dycem Non-Slip is a fantastic aid to secure household objects in place, making them easy to find and use.

For example, putting a non-slip mat under your alarm clock will prevent it from slipping off the bedside table if you accidently hit the ‘snooze’ button with a little too much force on a weekday morning.

This use for Dycem, along with many others, were mentioned in a recent interview for Infosound– a charity that offers impartial advice to those with visual impairments. The interview featured Lesley Duroe from the RNIB, where she discusses the versatility of the Dycem non-slip range;

“Dycem is a non-slip material, so basically it secures a cup, a plate, anything that you want to make sure stays stable on a tray or a table- it will actually do the magic for you.”

In this five minute interview segment, which you can listen to in full here, they also discuss products such as the reel material, as well as our non-slip cup holders and mats.

Dycem yellow cup holder
Yellow cup holder prevents slips and spills

Dycem product application ideas taken from the interview;

  • For those with blindness or partial vision, a glass of water on a surface can be difficult to see and potentially dangerous if knocked over. Using a Dycem cup holder will not only provide a visual cue, it will also hold your glass in place securely.
  • A non-slip mat is perfect for use on a TV tray, as it holds to both the tray and the underside of your plate.
  • A roll of our reel material can be easily cut to size using just normal household scissors. You could even cut a thin piece of reel material and attach it to a door handle- to provide a visual cue and stable gripping surface.
  • Our non-slip range comes in highly visible colours such as red and yellow. You can also buy products in forest green, lime, pink, silver, blue, black and white, which gives you plenty of options for tying Dycem in with the rest of your home’s décor.
  • Dycem non-slip does not feel sticky to the touch, despite its very non-slip properties. This means that if you’re blind or partially sighted, you don’t have to worry about objects actually sticking to the non-slip material and therefore making objects difficult to pick up and use.
  • To clean any of our non-slip products, simply wash with warm, soapy water, leave it to dry and your Dycem will be as good as new. Alternatively, use one of our Dycem cleaning wipes for instant clean and reuse.

To see the rest of our Dycem range, check out the Dycem shop.

And if you have any thoughts on the benefits of Dycem for the blind or partially sighted, share with us your comments.

Steady as he Goes

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Dycem Noes-over-Toes non-slip Mat
Dycem ‘Noes-Over-Toes’ Mat

This week, we chatted to Chartered Physiotherapist Adam Page about how he uses Dycem products in his line of work –

As a physiotherapist within the stroke setting I have used Dycem’s Non-Slip products with great clinical effectiveness. From dense hemiplegic strokes to mild alterations in an individual’s strength or grip, the non-slip products have been functional to all my patients.

Recently I have been using the Dycem Non-Slip mats during treatment of a 57 year old gentleman whom had suffered a stroke resulting in moderate left sided weakness and mild cognitive changes.

Having been previously very active and mobile, our therapy goal was to maximise his rehabilitation potential by having him up and mobilising with assistance within 7 days of admission.  Such an ambitious goal would by many be considered unrealistic, even unsafe when considering the limited staffing on our wards. However, through the use of Dycem Non-Slip we were able to achieve it.

Maximising the mats bright colour to inform visual attention we placed a number of them on floor as a cue for the patient to place his feet during mobilisation. Whilst two of us supported the patient’s upper limb, the lower limb was secured with use of the non-slip mat. Secondary to reduced strength, a patient’s affected leg will often slip from under them during sit to stand and mobilisation, unless secured by another member of staff. However by simply placing the Dycem non-slip ‘Nose-Over-Toes’ mat under the effected foot, a secure lower limb resulted.

By using a number of mats the affected leg was supported from slipping over the entire distance mobilised. Whilst a number of different coloured mats ensured easy instruction by the therapist for foot position, the alternative texture with its roughened boarder helped to inform sensory feedback during movement.

Easily wiped clean and reused, these non-slip products are of an absolute necessity to any physiotherapist wanting to maximise the rehab potential of their patients.

Are there any other Physiotherapists out there who use Dycem?

What’s Your Colour?

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Dycem non-slip coasters

We caught up with Occupational Therapist Jen to discuss the Dycem colour range and its importance to her clients.

Dycem’s range of non-slip products come in a wide range of colours. New colours are always being considered and developed. “If I had to choose one colour of Dycem for all my clients I would find it incredibly difficult” says Jen. We agree that our silver Dycem mats are perfect for clients who want to be discreet, particularly if they are in a public area.

Some of Jen’s clients use their mats as a visual cue and therefore need to it to contrast with the surface it is placed on.  For example, a yellow mat can be placed on a black counter – or a blue mat can be placed on a white table cloth.

Jen describes how colours are said to affect our physiology and mental state – “The colour red apparently stimulates appetite.  What would happen if we used red Dycem mats or reel material in clinical situations where we are trying to encourage our clients to eat?  Would hospital patients be more tempted by the food if they had a red plate and place mat?

On the other hand, blue and black are said to reduce the appeal of food.  These colours are associated with rotten food and apparently make eating less appealing.  I’m not quite sure where blueberries fit into this theory!

They say that yellow helps with focus and concentration. Perhaps then we should prescribe yellow Dycem products in schools and workplaces?” We loved the great uses Jen came up with.

Certain colours can work better in different situations, which is why Dycem has a variety of colour to choose from.

Let us know your favourite Dycem colour by voting in our poll!

[polldaddy poll=6695640]

Are there any Dycem colours you would like to see in the future? Let us know!

Useful information on colour contrast can be found on the Lighthouse International website.

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