Winning designs enhance lives

By MARY JANE PARK

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 27, 2001

[Photo: Refac Design] This Oxo Good Grips Utility Knife is a winner for safety and comfort.

Clothing designed to minimize the risk of broken hips won the top award at the 13th annual American Society on Aging (ASA) Products for an Aging Society Design Competition.

SafeHip is described as a sort of crash helmet for the hips. It is a girdle-like garment with protective shields sewn into the fabric to redistribute the impact of a fall to surrounding soft tissue, reducing the risk of hip fracture. It is manufactured by Tytex, Inc., of Woonsocket, R.I.

Among older adults, 15 percent to 20 percent of those who suffer hip fractures die within a year of their injuries; more than 50 percent never regain the mobility they had before the break.

The design awards were presented early this month in New Orleans at the first joint conference of the ASA and the National Council on the Aging.

Second place went to Refac Design of Edgewater, N.J., for its Oxo Good Grips Utility Knife. It has a non-slip, easy-to-hold handle that reduces fatigue, especially for people who have limited hand strength. Its safety features include a blade-retraction button positioned to avoid inadvertent opening and blades that can be replaced without other tools.

[Photo: Siemens] The Crescendo Hearing phone has a large, lit number pad, adjustable volume and a light to indicate rings.

Other awards went to the Universal Bathroom systems, outfitted with movable fixtures and panels to accommodate a wide range of users (not yet commercially available); the ComforTemp Axillary Thermometer, which displays accurate body temperature within three seconds of being placed against the underarm; and the Siemens Crescendo Hearing Phone, which has readable backlit numbers and adjustable volume and light to indicate rings for the hearing-impaired.

The design competition is sponsored by MatureSmart of Atlanta, which specializes in products for older people.

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