MERU is a UK charity, part of the Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation (QEF), that creates and provides assistive products for disabled children and young people. MERU products are designed in response to requests from families and professionals. Along with QEF the charity also operates loan and hire schemes for some products, ensuring that families on all income levels can access the benefits that MERU products provide.
One of MERU product ranges is a selection of popular, high-street toys that have been specially adapted to operate with switches such as MERU’s Button Switch. The Toys can encourage children to develop the motor skills for more advanced switch control and help to establish an understanding of cause and effect. The MERU switch-adapted range includes a wide variety of toys, including a Scalextric car racing which allow children to play alongside siblings or other family members.
MERU also offers a unique service where families can send in their own battery-operated toys to be adapted for free by MERU’s dedicated group of volunteers. To take advantage of this service, simply head to MERU’s website and follow the links to the Toy Adaptation Service. The charity asks for £10 to cover the return postage of the toys with a courier.
In addition to toys MERU also designs and manufactures a range colourful, accessible products including arm guides such as the Groovz and mounting solutions such as the ever-popular Flexzi products to position iPads, switches, and cameras. The Flexzi range now includes a special fitting to enable an Xbox adaptive controller to be positioned for optimum user access. Flexzis can be attached to wheelchairs, desks and bed frames and can be adjusted without tools, making them a great, flexible option for the mounting and positioning of lightweight devices.
One of MERU’s flagship products is the Bugzi, a mini powered wheelchair designed specifically for children from as young as 11 months old, giving children autonomy over their movement, often for the first time in their lives. Bugzi uses the miniCAPS seating system which boasts a range of supportive features to seat those with complex conditions. It can be used with either switches or a low-profile MERU Moozi joystick, mounted on a tray for maximum flexibility of positioning. Using a Bugzi enables children to experience independent mobility whether simply to develop cause-and-effect skills or to learn control skills for future powered wheelchair .
Bugzi is available to children all over the UK via MERU’s free loan scheme, operated through a network of partner satellite centres. Bugzi is free for families to loan for as long as they need it, once they have finished using it, the Bugzi is refurbished and issued to another child. The life time cost of a Buzgi, including an assessment by a therapist for each child and review, build of the Bugzi, three lots of refurbishments including parts, courier to collect and deliver to each child is £6000. We do ask the families to pay £100 deposit, which is refundable once Bugzi is returned.
Email: info@meru.org.uk
Web: www.merushop.org
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