Crutch Caddy

No More 'Can You Get My Crutches?' with Crutch Caddy

By Beau O'Donohue, Crutch Caddy

II realized the need for this product while working as a volunteer in the Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Ward at the St. John of God Hospital in Ballarat, Australia. In my first days there I found that crutches were always propped up in the nearest corner or lying dangerously on the floor where they slid, needing valuable hospital staff to retrieve or replace them for patients constantly. The situation in the physiotherapy room with six patients at a time, all with the same crutches but different heights, was a constant mix up as the crutches were all placed together in one corner. Also, patients were uncomfortable touching other patient's crutches.

Early models of the Crutch Caddy have been in constant use at St. John Of God Physiotherapy Department for the past 6 years. At that time, I even made the epic voyage from Australia to the US and took my early prototypes to the Abilities Expo in New Jersey, in retrospect rather prematurely, just to see if I had a product worth continuing with. The interest was positive and I developed several contacts there, all of which have probably grown tired of waiting, as the development journey has taken much longer than I envisaged then. But we're ready now and planning to have the Crutch Caddy available in the USA very soon. But more about the Caddy and the need.

So Many Crutches, So Few Places to Safely Put Them

At present in rehab wards, patients with hip or knee replacements or serious leg injuries require valuable nursing staff to retrieve crutches, hold them ready for the patient to exit the bed, walk with them to the bathroom to hold the crutches again while waiting for the patient. This procedure is then repeated back to the bed where, after use, the crutches are once again placed in the nearest corner. With a Crutch Caddy the crutches are standing upright next to the patient's bed whereby the patient can exit the bed and slip their arms straight into their crutches, walk to the bathroom, place them into another Crutch Caddy and once again reverse the procedure back to bed, without help, safely, feeling independent and freeing up busy healthcare staff.

But I think the Crutch Caddy is more important for home use, particularly where people live alone and need help with their independence. A Caddy next to their bed, in the toilet, bathroom, kitchen or next to their favorite chair. Wherever, it is going to be a help. Being 'Glow in The Dark' is a necessary safety feature as well.

From a safety and convenience aspect, crutches are standing ready for you to slip your arms into and not, in the usual position, propped up in the nearest corner or lying dangerously on the floor. At present, anyone with serious leg problems, amputations and hip or knee replacements, need to learn to extricate themselves from a seated position by holding both crutches in one hand and lift themselves out of the seated position with the other, all with one usable leg. This is very difficult, even for the fittest, but particularly for people who are weak, frail or elderly. A Crutch Caddy will be that other pair of hands.

When about to sit you need to have both hands free to locate the chair, correctly position yourself with the back of both legs against the chair, then slowly lower yourself, safely. Not getting it right can cause damage to the new hip or knee. I have seen and heard firsthand, orthopedic surgeons and physiotherapists holding back patients from returning home because they live alone, without a caregiver to help them. So they are retained longer in valuable hospital beds when they just want to go home.

Giving flowers is a lovely 'Get Well' gesture, but giving a Crutch Caddy is giving them a hand, for as long as needed.

Distribution enquiries for the USA are welcome. For more information, visit us at https://crutchcaddy.com.au.