Tremor Equipment Web Sites: 

handSteady: www.handsteady.com - handSteady has been invented at the Royal College of Art in London, which empowes people across the world to socialise over drinks without worrying about spilling. 

Montrose Secam: www.montrosesecam.com - If you have a tremor that affects your hand you'll know how difficult it can be to operate a computer using a mouse. The Assistive Mouse Adapter was invented by IBM to address this problem. It works by filtering out the unintentional movements of the hand caused by a tremor. 

Keytools: www.keytools.co.uk - Keytools supplies a range of computer equipment, specially chosen for education or users with special needs. 

StairSteady: www.stairsteady.net - The StairSteady is a high quality handrail with a supporting rail coming off it that slides when pushed but locks when weight is applied. It acts as a support aid when both ascending and descending the stairs. 

Euromobility: www.euromedical.co.uk - Provide a wide range of products from wheelchairs to home assistance products.

Neurological Related Web Sites: 

The Neurological Alliance: www.neural.org.uk - The Neurological Alliance enables charities to work together to improve the quality of life of all those in the UK living with a neurological condition. 

EPDA - European Parkinson's Disease Association: www.epda.eu.com - Promotes international understanding of Parkinson's disease and enables patients and carers to draw on best caring practices worldwide and to develop knowledge and awareness of the medical, social and personal needs of people living with Parkinson's.

Help & Advice Web Sites:

Patients Association: www.patients-association.com - Gives advice on problems relating to health and healthcare via a helpline and message boards.

self-help.org.uk - www.self-help.org.uk - Self Help UK provides a searchable database of over 1,000 self help organisations and support groups across the UK that offer support, guidance and advice to patients, carers and their relatives.

findsupport.co.uk - www.findsupport.co.uk - A free directory that lists self help groups, support groups and charities in the UK. You can browse the groups by category, or search for the group nearest to you.

embarrassingissues.co.uk - Embarrassing Problems and How to Handle Them

Nutrition:

Vitamins and Nutrition Center - www.vitamins-nutrition.org The Vitamins and Nutrition Center provides hundreds of articles on vitamins and nutrition, handy vitamin profiles and information on the latest vitamin and nutrition research breakthroughs.

General Health Web Sites:

Which-Doctor: www.which-doctor.co.uk - The web site which allows you to locate a doctor whose qualifications and specialist interests will meet with your specific requirements.
UK Health Centre: www.healthcentre.org.uk - The UK's leading internet health resources library. 

health6.com: www.health6.com - A comprehensive health directory listing thousands of heath related web sites.

MedicAlert®: medicalert.org.uk - MedicAlert® is a registered charity providing a life-saving identification system to protect and save lives.

Disabilty Related Web Sites:

Disabled Info Site: www.disabledinfo.com - To provide information, help, advice, products and services, for disabled people, their families, friends and carers.

Care & Mobility: www.carenet.co.uk - Equipment for people with special needs.

Disability Rights Commission: www.drc.org.uk - A society whose goal is: "a society where all disabled people can participate fully as equal citizens".

Disabled Students Allowance Sheet available from: www.skill.org.uk/page.aspx?c=10&p=106 - Supplies funds for students to help them in their studies.

Access to Work Scheme - Info available from: www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk - Access to Work (ATW) is available to help overcome the problems resulting from disability. It offers practical advice and help in a flexible way that can be tailored to suit the needs of an individual in a particular job. 

Technology

A standard computer is a powerful tool able to provide access to many essential tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible for people who live with Tremor to accomplish. Examples include writing letters and reading the news without the need to handle a pen or turn the pages of a newspaper. With additional, sometimes specialist, software or hardware a computer's function can go much further, helping with tasks such as verbal communication and environmental control. 

www.bltt.org offers advice on many ways in which technology can help people gain greater independent access to leisure, learning and employment. 

Ability Net - www.abilitynet.org.uk is a national charity helping disabled adults and children use computers and the internet by adapting and adjusting their technology.

Carers

Carers Direct: www.nhs.uk/carersdirect provides information, advice and support for carers. Free phone: 0808 802 02 02

Being a carer brings responsibilities – some rewarding and some frustrating. Carers’ lives can be difficult if they have to struggle to find the support they need. Their lives could be greatly improved with easier access to information, such as how to find local support or get benefits advice.

Carers Direct was launched by the Government as a first-stop shop for carers’ information and includes a website and Free phone number.

The website and helpline provide information to carers about looking after themselves, benefits, emotional support, managing work and caring, and the many other important issues. The website includes a directory of local carers’ services.

Government Web Sites:

NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) is an independent organisation responsible for providing national guidance on promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health.

What do they do?

NICE produces guidance in three areas of health:

• public health - guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention of ill health for those working in the NHS, local authorities and the wider public and voluntary sector 
• health technologies - guidance on the use of new and existing medicines, treatments and procedures within the NHS 
• clinical practice - guidance on the appropriate treatment and care of people with specific diseases and conditions within the NHS. 

The booklet NICE: our guidance sets the standard for good healthcare explains more about NICE and the types of guidance they produce see NICE guidance.

How do they work

NICE guidance is developed using the expertise of the NHS and the wider healthcare community including NHS staff, healthcare professionals, patients and carers, industry and the academic world.

Any questions?

They have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about NICE see linkhttp://www.nice.org.uk/aboutnice/FAQ.jsp

NHS A to Z Help-Direct: www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/help/a-z/ - Comprehensive info on NHS, social services, voluntary sector services & support groups.

Citizens Advice Service

The Citizens Advice service helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers.

Every Citizens Advice Bureau is a registered charity reliant on trained volunteers and funds to provide these vital services for local communities.

Some local councils no longer maintain a Citizens Advice Bureau, but all councils are obliged to offer free legal advice so must offer an alternative. Please check with your council to see what alternatives there are if there is no Citizens Advice Bureau in your area.

Information on benefits and tax credits for different groups of people including: unemployed, sick or disabled people; help with council tax and housing costs; national insurance; payment of benefits; problems with benefits can be found by visiting: www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/benefits.htm where you can find advice and help to the following questions.

Frequently asked questions about benefits 

• What benefits can I get? 
• Help for people on a low income - Income Support 
• Help for people on a low income - the Social Fund 
• Help with health, education and legal costs 
• Benefits and tax credits for people in work 
• Benefits for families and children 
• Benefits for people looking for work 
• Benefits for people who are sick or disabled 
• Benefits for people over sixty 
• Benefits and bereavement 
• Help with your Council Tax – Council Tax Benefit 
• Help with your rent – Housing Benefit 
• National insurance – contributions and benefits 
• Advice in British Sign Language: Claiming benefits 
• Payment of benefits and tax credits 
• Problems with benefits and tax credits 
• Young people and benefits 
• Benefits fact sheets

Complementary Therapies

Your local Library

If you want to read up on complementary therapies, your library probably has some good books on the topic. However, local libraries can help with finding information via the internet and may be able to offer training on how to use the internet; and sometimes the librarian can help you find information on line.

Increasingly, health information is available on the internet. If you do not have access to the internet, you may be able to use it free of charge at your local public library. Your library may also offer training on how to use the internet and sometimes the librarian can help you find information online. Many public libraries now have links to the NHS and other services, so do feel free to ask for local information.

The organisations listed here can provide more information on complementary therapies.

NHS Direct (England and Wales)

Tel: 0845 4647

You can phone NHS Direct any time, day or night, 365 days a year. You will speak to a trained nurse who can help you find out more about a particular complementary therapy.

NHS 24 (Scotland)

You can contact the Health Information Service from 8am to 10pm, seven days a week through the NHS Helpline on 0800 22 44 88. An adviser will tell you where to find more information about complementary therapies with some scientific evidence behind them.

You can also find information about some complementary therapies on the NHS 24 website at www.nhs24.com and NHS Choices website www.nhs.uk

To find links to professional organisations, so you can learn more and find a qualified therapist visit NHS National Library for Health www.library.nhs.uk

Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies (FACT) www.pharmpress.com/fact  is a source of reliable information on the latest research findings. The site is designed for NHS health professionals but it is also freely available to the public.

National Center for Complementary is an American website with a rich source of high-quality information on many different complementary therapies.

Alternative Medicine (USA) www.nccam.nih.gov

The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health www.fih.org.uk will help you find an online guide about various complementary therapies. There are also links to other websites.

If you are interested in the scientific evidence for complementary therapies, visit the Research Council for Complementary Medicine www.rccm.org.uk based at the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital (part of the NHS).  

Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists www.aacp.uk.com. Members must be qualified physiotherapists with additional training in acupuncture.

You can search online for a therapist and you will also see information about acupuncture on the website.

You can find an acupuncturist by looking online British Medical Acupuncture Society (BMAS) www.medical-acupuncture.co.uk Members must be registered healthcare professionals with additional training in acupuncture and you can search online to find an acupuncturist in your area.

Aromatherapy Council www.aromatherapycouncil.co.uk explains what credentials to look for and provides information about aromatherapy. You will also find links to several aromatherapy organisations.

Reflexology Forum www.reflexologyforum.org/index.htm will provide website links to several professional associations, which can help you locate a therapist.

Reiki Council www.reikiregulation.org.uk will provide links to several professional associations, which provide more information and these groups can also help you locate a therapist.

General Council for Massage Therapies www.gcmt.org.uk will enable you to search online for a nearby therapist and you will also find website links to several other professional organisations for massage therapy.

Tai chi classes may be offered at your local leisure or community centre so it is worth checking what’s available. You can learn more about tai chi from Tai Chi Union for Great Britain www.taichiunion.com and find an instructor.  

British Council for Yoga Therapy www.britishcouncilforyogatherapy.org.uk provides links to several professional associations, which provide more information about yoga. These groups can also help you locate a yoga teacher or therapist.