NATIONAL COMPANY MARKS WORLD ARTHRITIS DAY

To mark World Arthritis Day (12th October 2011), a leading British bathing solutions manufacturer has teamed up with the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) to help people understand what it really is like to suffer with arthritis, a condition that effects over 10 million people in the UK both young and old, 680,000 of which have rheumatoid arthritis.

National company Care in Bathing, which provides a range of bathing solutions for people with limited mobility, asked a selection of people to wear a specialist suit to simulate the stiff, aching limbs and unsteadiness that arthritis suffers endure. Additionally, poor eyesight and hearing that goes hand-in-hand with getting older, was also experienced by the team.

The specialist suit uses scratched goggles and ear muffs, a neck brace and arm and leg inserts to restrict movement in a bid to show people how surprisingly difficult life can become after a certain age or for those with arthritis which can hit at any age.

James Clarke, European Sales and Marketing Manager of Care in Bathing, said: “We all take it for granted that we will live forever and be as strong as we were when we were younger.

“We thought it was important to open people’s eyes and show them that actually, having age-related limited mobility or arthritis is harder than they think. It means even making a cup of tea, going upstairs or climbing into the bath is a problem – often having critical safety implications such as slipping over.

“Old age creeps up on us all, and takes us by surprise, no matter who we are, we will not be immune to its effects. Equally, as arthritis affects young and old, it’s important to appreciate the difficulties sufferers face as well as those of their carers.

“That’s why we wanted people to know how difficult it can make day-to-day living – and why it’s important to take the concerns of people with limited mobility seriously.”

Care in Bathing took the innovative suit to its showroom in Redditch where staff from the company and NRAS endured what life is like with limited mobility, sight and hearing.

James continued: “I had no idea how hard it was when I tried on the suit to do even the easiest tasks like bend over and pick something up. It took forever and was very frustrating. It really made me sympathise with arthritis suffers and people with limited mobility. They really get on with it so well without complaining.

“We are committed to helping people live independent and safer lives at home and therefore, working with NRAS is just one of our ways in demonstrating this commitment. Care in Bathing has pledged to give the charity 10 per cent of sales taken on World Arthritis Day, 12th October, and the money will go towards helping people further.”

According to statistics, around 70 per cent of all 70-year-olds have some form of arthritis, with nearly 72 per cent of these fulfilling the legal definition of being disabled. Rheumatoid Arthritis, which can strike at any age, affects around 1% of the population, affecting 3 times more women than men. For some it starts very gradually and for others very rapidly, but for all it is potentially disabling and is a lifelong condition.

Clare Jacklin, from NRAS added: “It’s really hard to get the concerns of those who suffer with Rheumatoid Arthritis into the public arena. It’s human nature to believe that we’ll carry on regardless with a clean bill of health but it can strike us at any time.

“We’re delighted to be working with Care in Bathing to try to highlight these concerns in any way we can because we feel being prepared can help.”

For further information about Care in Bathing’s range of Walk-in baths and Easy-Access showers, please call 0845 680 0291 or alternatively log on to www.premierbathrooms.co.uk and request a free brochure. For further information on NRAS visit www.nras.org.uk

Care in Bathing has been helping customers bathe safely for 25 years. Our Walk-in baths and Easy-Access showers are produced to the highest safety and quality standards, ensuring Comfort, Safety and Independence.

Care in Bathing
Hewell Road, Redditch, Worcs., B97 6BW
01527 67711
Debbie Smith (Real Ideas)

This release was published on openPR.