In 2021, Tenura participated in the Purple Tuesday campaign. Our goal for the campaign was to make the website more accessible for disabled individuals. We are continuing with this initiative in the coming year. We also helped to spread awareness and key information about some causes close to us and our customers:

• World Occupational Therapy Day 2021
• Global Arthritis Day 2021
• International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2021

More products from the Tenura range are now available in cardboard cartons as we move away from plastic packaging and towards eco-friendly alternatives, and 2022 will be no different. You can read about our eco-friendly initiatives in the ‘Fixing the Plastic Crisis’ blog.

 

We enjoyed watching the fantastic Paralympians competing at the Tokyo Paralympics and created a blog looking at ways to make sports more accessible for the disabled. We are excited to watch the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games in 2022. 

 

Our Opening Times

You may be thinking of purchasing some Tenura products in time for Christmas. Tenura order cut off before Christmas is December 22nd at 1pm for expedited, December 23rd at 3pm for standard services, subject to stock availability. Should you require your products over this period, please get in touch with us as soon as possible to arrange this.

 

Our services will be limited over the festive period. Tenura US’s opening times are below:

 

December 24th – Closed

December 31st – Closed

December 27th – Open with reduced capacity

December 28th – Open with reduced capacity

December 29th – Open with reduced capacity

December 30th – Open with reduced capacity

December 31st – Closed

January 3rd – Business resumes as normal

 

 

If you want Tenura US updates, you can subscribe to our newsletter or follow our social media accounts to stay informed on opening hours and other helpful information:​

• Facebook
• Twitter 

We hope you have a Happy Christmas and New Year. See you in 2022!

I can safely say that 2020 was not the year we were all expecting! Luckily 2021 is in sight.

For me, 2021 holds a wealth of opportunity, and I will hopefully get to see more of my friends and family (of course, as and when the government deem it safe). Staying connected with my friends and family in the coming year is going to be one of my main focuses, and I believe this to be in line with that of the UK population. We have all missed out on seeing family during milestones such as birthdays.

During this time, please keep in your mind, relatives or friends who are struggling to live independently and may require your assistance from time to time, check up on them and make sure they are doing well, this is what Christmas is all about. We know it can be challenging to spread the Christmas spirit when barriers such as lockdowns are in play. However, these people are a part of our community and deserve the utmost care.

2021 in terms of Tenura is another full year of helpful videos, and continued commitment to deliver our high-quality products inter­nati­onally, to help everyone worldwide who hasn’t yet discovered the wonders of Tenura.

Fingers crossed we will see you at one of the exhibitions we plan on attending. However, it is too early to give any more details on the whereabouts, as we know, from our 2020 experience, these details are subject to change. Subscribe to the blog to stay up-to-date (and receive a 10% off discount code).

As for our opening hours during the Christmas period, they are as follows:

Date	Opening Times
Thursday 24th December	Close at 12:00
Friday 25th December	CLOSED
Thursday 31st December 2020	Close at 12:00
Friday 1st December 2020	CLOSED
Monday 4th January 2021	OPEN + FULLY OPERATIONAL

If you are going to make a purchase and would like it in time for Christmas, we suggest ordering before the 23^rd December.

From the bottom of our hearts here at Tenura, we wish you all the best for the new year, and we hope that Christmas goes as well as it can, even if we can’t be with our loved ones, we can connect with them in other ways.

Now is a time to reflect, reminiscence and create goals for a joyous new year. Let us know your aspirations for 2021 by connecting with us on our socials (Facebook and Twitter)

Enjoy Halloween with the assistance of Tenura products! We want everyone to have a fantastic Halloween, which is why we have teamed up with MazeWebMedia to produce the latest Tenura video.

Watch the video, as it’s filled with exciting and innovative ways you can use Tenura products to make your Halloween accessible to all and avoid any weeping witches or sad skeletons during your festivities.

Tenura Bottle Opener

Enjoying classic autumnal drinks such as dandelion & burdock or pumpkin spiced lattes is easier when you can twist off the bottle cap with ease, all you need is a Tenura bottle opener. The silicone has grip-enhancing properties meaning less strength is required to open bottles.

 

Tenura Jar Opener

Twisting open jars full of treats or in this case, Nutella, is much easier if you use a grip-enhancing Tenura jar opener.

 

 

Tenura CupCaps (Drinks Cover)

Tenura CupCaps creates a seal around the top of your drinks container. The seal stops liquid from escaping, helping you to avoid spillages. Another great feature of Tenura’s drinks cover is it prevents debris from entering your drink, as you can see in our Halloween video.

 

Tenura Non-Slip Mats

When doing Halloween crafts such as carving a pumpkin or tucking into a Halloween themed feast, Tenura mats can be a great help. They protect your tables from marks, they’re easy to wipe down and are non-slip which keep objects securely in place, helping you avoid slips and spillages.

 

Tenura Utensil Grips

Carving a pumpkin is a staple of Halloween, but for people who have hand impairments, it can be incredibly tricky and unpleasant. However, if you slip Tenura utensil grips onto your cutlery/carving knife, they create a larger handle which increases comfort and grip.

 

Tenura Grip Rolls

You can cut Tenura grip roll down to size to create bespoke non-slip surfaces, for instance, in the video, we have wrapped Tenura grip roll around the handle of a butter knife. The user experiences increased grip qualities of the handle and therefore, has more control over the knife, making your Halloween activities safer for the disabled and elderly.

 

We hope you have found this blog helpful and that you can now celebrate Halloween regardless of age or disability. You can watch more Tenura videos via our YouTube channel.

You can tag us and show how you have put Tenura products to use this Halloween via social media (Facebook and Twitter), we can’t wait to see your scary pumpkin carvings.

Occupational Therapy Day will take place on the 27th of October 2020; it's an internationally recognised observance day that highlights the importance of hard work but also mental and physical wellbeing. This event celebrates the outstanding work of occupational therapists globally through their efforts to re-train and develop the human brain.

We, at Tenura want to thank Occupational Therapists globally for your contributions to our community and people’s lives.

What is Occupational Therapy?

A form of healthcare, occupational therapy (OT), is about rehabilitation via training and therapy; these techniques help patients attain the skills necessary for everyday life and to renter the workplace. Often a person requires OT if they have a physical or mental problem (impairment may be better than ‘problem’) that is currently impacting their life/ability to work.

The role of an occupational therapist is vast and includes developing everyday skills, like:

• Motor Skills (The action/movement of muscles – to walk, stand and balance)
• Life Skills (Cooking, cleaning and getting dressed
• Social Skills (Handling rejection, rewards, and social interactions positively)
• Cognitive Skills (Problem-solving, decision making, and other brain-based skills)
• Coordination (Minimises the risk of injury while also promoting exercise

People of all ages can seek an occupational therapist for several reasons. A person may need the help of an OT for help regarding birth injuries or defects, sensory processing disorders, autism, rheumatoid arthritis, and other such physical or cognitive difficulties.

To help patients, an OT may suggest you purchase certain types of occupational therapy equipment for the home. At Tenura, we have many home aids that can be beneficial to patients, for instance, the Tenura kitchen pack. Occupational therapy equipment for the home can range from small gadgets that help with menial tasks such as opening a jar, to larger disability aids such as grabrails and adaptive technology.

What is an Observance Day?

Observance days, also known as awareness days, are scattered throughout the year. United Nations General Assembly is one of a few organisations that creates the calendar, taking into account recent and historical events that need national or even global humanitarian reflection. We can all learn from our mistakes and successes for a positive future.

How Can you Participate in Occupation Therapy Day?

You can register to participate in the International Day of Occupational Therapy by arranging a volunteering activity. Over the years, there have been many ways to experience World OT day, including setting up information stands, television appeals, social media campaigns, all to spread the OT message. This year's message is to "Reimagine Doing" which reflects the actions OT community as they help and reimagine the best ways to assist the people in society who need it most.

Tenura has a special discount to help you celebrate Occupational Therapy Day 2020. We are offering a 15% discount on occupational therapy equipment for the home, specifically the Tenura kitchen pack, which contains three helpful aids for the elderly, disabled and other people who need assistance.

You can stay on the pulse of the International Day of Occupational Therapy 2020 by following the hashtags:

• #OTDay2020
• #WorldOTDay2020

You can also follow these awesome accounts on Twitter:

• @thewfot
• @promotingot
• @TenuraUS

Don’t forget to tag us in your OT day celebrations!

To help advocate for World Arthritis Day 2020 (10.12.20), we thought it would be a great idea to answer some of the most commonly asked questions surrounding arthritis.

Can Arthritis be Cured? / Can Arthritis be Treated?

Currently, a cure is not known for arthritis. However, there are many treatments available that can decelerate and help minimise the pain and other symptoms surrounding arthritis. If you believe you or someone you know has arthritis, seek a doctor’s advice immediately.

To treat arthritis, you can use prescribed medication. There are some lifestyle changes you can make too, such as spending more time in the sun, as Vitamin D helps maintain healthy bones and allows the autoimmune system to work correctly. Sunshine is especially helpful for those with rheumatoid arthritis which is often caused by an autoimmune response in the body. You can read more about this in our "Activities in the Sun for People with Arthritis" blog.

There are various operations doctors can perform depending on the type of arthritis and its severity, with the well-known being, joint replacement surgery. During this surgery, a prosthetic joint replaces an arthritic joint.

Can Arthritis Spread?

Rheumatoid arthritis is currently perceived to spread via a person’s blood vessels. If a person has rheumatoid arthritis their arthritic joint releases synovial cells contained in the synovial sac (the sac lubricate joints to avoid friction and wear), these cells travel around the body, affecting other joints-according to a study at the Kerckhoff-Clinic, Germany.

Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis does not spread through the body. Due to this, a person with osteoarthritis may overcompensate, heavily using other joints to remain balanced and mobile. Overcom­pen­sating can cause those other joints to have excess stress put through them, which can be damaging, and this is why it is crucial to seek a doctor’s advice as soon as symptoms of arthritis occur.

What does Arthritis Look Like?

Arthritis can cause edema (swelling) in the affected areas, along with red-ish skin. In acute cases, joints are misshapen, so much so, the affected area takes on a new shape resulting in a crooked finger or toe. Knobbly abscesses can contribute to the malformed appearance, these abscesses are the body trying to protect itself, as the joints wear down, the body attempts to regrow the bone, and it doesn’t always grow in the shape it once was. Another indication of arthritis is small mucous cysts that develop on the hands.

What does Arthritis Feel Like?

Initially, it is said to feel achy, similar to a burning sensation which comes and goes depending on your activity level. In the later stages, the pain tends not to subside and remains in the affected joints. Around affected joints, the skin may be warm to the touch due to inflammation caused by irritated joints. Joints tend to become stiff and seize up, which is why the NHS recommends exercise.

How can you Participate in World Arthritis Day 2020?

We are glad you asked, there are many ways you can support World Arthritis Day. You can raise awareness and spread knowledge through your family, friends and social media. You can participate in local healthcare organisation’s charity events, appeals or fundraisers. Perhaps you could start a fundraiser yourself or participate in a fun run.

One of the ways Tenura will be supporting World Arthritis Day is through our marketing channels. We will be posting helpful information all month regarding Arthritis and Tenura arthritis aids. You can learn more about Tenura arthritis aids through our blog.

A quick low down of some helpful arthritis friendly Tenura products:

Tenura Non-Slip Coasters and Anti-Slip Mats

Non-slip coasters and anti-slip mats provide a place to rest things such as mugs and plates, the silicone grips onto the objects which keeps them held in position. A person with arthritis may find these anti-slip mats to be helpful, as you can use them in conjunction with the silicone jar and bottle openers to open containers with one hand, allowing you to use the less arthritic hand.

 

Tenura Silicone Jar and Bottle Opener

Jar and bottle openers enable you to open containers with ease. Tenura silicone has grip-enhancing properties that allow you to get a firm grasp of lids. For a person living with arthritis, these openers can be a great help as pain, swelling, or other flare-up symptoms can make objects a struggle to hold.

 

Tenura Silicone Cutlery Grips

Arthritis can cause reduced movement in your hands and fingers that makes holding onto cutlery difficult. By sliding Tenura cutlery grips onto utensils, you no longer require the full motion used to clutch cutlery as the surface area is now greater.

 

Tenura Silicone Non-Slip Grip Strips and Rolls

Create bespoke arthritis aids using Tenura grip strips or rolls. You can cut Tenura silicone down to the size and shape required. Many of our customers who live with arthritis use the grip strips around handles of cupboards, pans, DIY and gardening tools, to mention a few. Tenura silicone is both a non-slip material and grip-enhancing, which is why it is perfect for use on handles, you can get a firm hold without the risk of things slipping out of your hands.

All the products listed above are made from Tenura silicone, which means they are:

• Antimicrobial (prevents bacteria harbouring)
• Washable by hand or dishwasher (withstanding temperatures up to 250°C)
• Non-toxic (safe to use in all environments)
• Latex-free

To stay up-to-date with all the events and activities during World Arthritis Day 2020, you can follow the hashtags:

• #WAD20
• #WorldA­rt­hri­tisDay
• #ArthritisDay
• #Arthri­tis­Da­y2020
• #Cure­Art­hri­tisWAD

And follow us on our social media channels; Facebook, Twitter and YouTube and don’t forget to tag us in your World Arthritis Day activities.

Videos are a great way to showcase products, which is why we have teamed up once again with MegMazeMedia to produce our latest installment, the Jar and Bottle Opener video. In this video, we explore uses for Tenura jar and bottle openers, you know, besides opening containers.

Sit, back, relax, and enjoy the show.

As you can see at the start of this video, Tenura jar and bottle openers are in our eco-friendly packaging, an initiative we are pushing across the whole Tenura daily living aid range.

We manufacture Tenura jar, and bottle openers from 100% antimicrobial silicone, which gives Tenura silicone many advantageous properties. Their primary use is likely within a kitchen, to open tricky jars and containers, which is why they are antimicrobial, meaning bacteria and germs can’t harbour on the surface, which is fundamental in areas that require a high level of hygiene. Another terrific benefit that follows on from them being antimicrobial is that no cost-saving additives such as phthalate plasticisers are in their construction, meaning they are also non-toxic.

For people living with conditions such as arthritis that can result in weakened hand strength, Tenura jar and bottle openers can be a simple yet effective daily tool. Their compact size means you can take them to your workplace or a restaurant, wherever you may need this helpful gadget.

Tenura Jar Openers

Jar Openers have many great uses. From the video, you can see they work well when turning doorknobs or other large containers that can be slippery or tough to open. Tenura silicone jar openers allow you to gain purchase on smooth surfaces. The following were excellent examples in the video:

1. Twisting Doorknobs
2. Opening Jars
3. Opening large containers with twist-off caps

Tenura Bottle Openers

For smaller containers/­objects, Tenura offers the silicone bottle opener. Having a smaller version of the jar opener can help you gain purchase on items like bottle tops. In the video, we explore some great uses for this Tenura product:

1. Opening milk bottles
2. Turning taps
3. Opening pill bottles
4. Opening small containers with twist-off caps

Tenura silicone is easy to wash. Just like in the video, hot, soapy water is enough to get Tenura daily living aids clean. Tenura products are also dishwasher and autoclave safe up to 482°F. Sadly, some of our competitors cannot say the same. Please note that the non-slip, grip-enhancing properties return to Tenura silicone once dry. Tenura silicone is easy to wash. Just like in the video, hot, soapy water is enough to get Tenura daily living aids clean. Tenura products are also dishwasher and autoclave safe up to 482°F. Sadly, some of our competitors cannot say the same. Please note that the non-slip, grip-enhancing properties return to Tenura silicone once dry.

Both are available in red, blue, and yellow. They are available to purchase from our website: Tenura Bottle Opener | Tenura Jar Opener

We hope you enjoyed watching Tenura’s video. You can see more of our product videos via our YouTube channel. Let us know in the YouTube comments section any innovative uses you have used your Tenura jar and bottle openers for, we hope to hear from you soon.

Tenura are once again exhibiting at Rehacare at the Messe Düsseldorf in Germany this year.

The international trade fair for rehabilitation, prevention, inclusion and care will play host to 700 exhibitors from 40 countries and many, many more visitors looking to learn about the latest technologies and products within their respected fields.

From the September 18^th through 21st, Chris and Stuart are looking forward to welcoming visitors to our stand located in Hall 5, stand number 5G35/5. They are there to answer any Tenura related questions you may have, whether they come from the perspective of wholesale/­commercial end user or reseller.

We’re really excited to once again be exhibiting our brand at Rehacare.

If visitor entrance vouchers are required to come and see us, you can obtain them by completing our contact us form, or alternatively get in touch with us by phone or live chat and we will be more than happy to assist you.

For those who reside in California, the Proposition 65 Law is very familiar in day to day life. However, other states may not be aware of this regulation. Tenura would love to bring some light to this situation, and inform our customers of the benefits of using Tenura over other companies.

To start off, California’s Safe Drinking Water & Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, known as Proposition 65, states that businesses must provide warnings when exposed to certain chemicals that are known to cause cancer, birth defects, and reproductive harm. The state of California closely monitors the list, and ensures that if these chemicals are used and customers are not told of the composition, there could be serious fines for that company’s actions. The state can charge up to $2,500 per day, when a business does not inform their consumers of potential health risks.

What Are These Chemicals?

The Chemicals that cause these types of life altering issues are called phthalates. Companies will add these chemicals into plastics to make them flexible. They are banned and restricted in numerous parts of the world, including Europe and the US. Right now the list contains six chemicals, but you would be surprised as to what these chemicals are going into! Here are some examples:

• Binders
• Lunch Boxes
• Handbags
• Raingear
• Gloves
• Garden Hoses
• Ink / Pigments
• Medical Devices
• Perfume / Nail Polish

How Are You Exposed to These Chemicals?

1. Breathing in Phthalates that are in the air and dust
2. Consuming Food contaminated with Phthalates from packaging
3. Undergoing Surgeries / Medical procedures that use devices containing Phthalates
4. Absorbing Phthalates through the skin by touching end products
5. Transferring Phthalates from hand to mouth, from touching the end products

What is Tenura Doing to Make a Difference in Your Health?

Tenura offers a wide range of independent living aids. We have something for all areas of the home including worktops, trays, handles, and tables. Unlike numerous manufactures, Tenura daily living aids are made entirely from silicone. This means they are non-toxic and chemically harmless. There is no worry about phthalates within our products, as with the use of silicone, we don’t need them.

Tenura’s main goal is take care of the little things by helping people maintain an independent lifestyle. Not only do we supply materials for adults, but children as well. That is why our chemical composition is so important to us. We are here to help people become and stay independent. We know that with our silicone based daily living aids we can do just that!

If you would like a copy of our Proposition 65 Statement, please give us a call or use the contact us form and a member of our sales team will be in touch as soon as possible.

In modern day life it is virtually impossible to avoid plastic, but with the growing epidemic of plastic pollution, it is in our best interests to minimise the amount we use.

Plastics harm the environment by seeping into soil and water, degrading our beaches, killing wildlife, choking our oceans and killing millions of marine animals each year.

There is now a huge campaign to reduce the plastic foot print by governments, environmental groups and worldwide supporters.

We are part of the problem and now need to be part of the solution.

Our problem is that we live in a throw away culture and urgency is needed to move away from this lifestyle involving single use plastic.

Even If we make little changes in our day to day life, that can help to reduce our own plastic footprint.

Together we can have a huge impact in reducing the plastic footprint.

Below are a few pointers to go plastic free at home.

Plastic Bags

Purchase reusable bags made from durable, environment friendly materials that will last time and time again.

Plastic Bottles

Refillable, glass water bottles are much better for the environment and yourself.

Plastic Straws

Skip a straw or buy a reusable metal one.

Shop Local

Local farmers markets are ideal for plastic free shopping; as most items are displayed loose and likely to accommodate your needs. Most food presented in these markets hasn’t travelled great distances to get to you, therefore the carbon footprint is low.

Buy in Bulk

Reduces the amount of plastic packaging.

Reusable Party Cutlery

The amount of single use party ware we throw away in our lifetimes would add up to a considerable amount.

 

Recycle When Possible

This will give your used packaging the best chance of being disposed of correctly to reduce the pollution created from waste.

The ‘Attenborough Effect’ has sparked a rise in beaches around the UK having a big clean up. With a rise in 18 beaches since last year being awarded for their litter free sands. Over the past 12 months, this movement has led to a 53 percent reduction in single-use plastic.

Large fast-food and coffee franchises such as McDonalds, Starbucks and Sheetz are leading the way in the eradication of their single-use plastic straws as well as offering reusable cups.

Certain Supermarkets are also taking action to reduce plastic packaging on their products by creating plastic-free aisles so consumers can buy products loosely, or bring their own containers.

The UK has also banned products containing microbeads within the last year.

What Effort is Tenura Making?

Here at Tenura we are making the move from plastic to cardboard packaging, starting with our jar and bottle openers. By 2020, the entire Tenura range will be packaged in cardboard retail boxes.

Cardboard is a very durable material, which allows products to withstand long transportation times. It prevents moisture from accessing goods within the packaging and prevents them from becoming damaged.

Cardboard is biodegradable and recyclable, with it also being more easily and widely recycled than any other material. In addition, it would create lighter packaging so this would also reduce the emissions used when transporting.

For more specific information on our new cardboard packaging, or to place an order, you can contact the Tenura sales team via phone or live chat. Alternatively complete our contact us form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Tenuras latest addition to the daily living aids range is self-adhesive non-slip silicone reels. This material is our faithful non-slip silicone with an added bonus of a strong self adhesive backing, allowing it to be applied to an area as an effective semi-permanent non-slip surface. This will not only provide excellent non-slip properties, but will not damage any items placed upon it.

The adhesive backing was an additional feature people have enquired about online, at meetings and exhibitions. Now we at Tenura are happy to make this available and supply an inexpensive, self-adhesive non-slip surface.

This material can be used in many domestic and industrial applications such as in tool boxes, workbenches, breakfast bars or side tables, both at home or desks in the office. It can also be applied to handheld objects to increase grip and comfort. Self-adhesive silicone reels decrease the risk of spills and prevent stains from objects resting on its surface. Thanks to the easy peel away backing, this material can be applied quickly and neatly, creating an aesthetically pleasing non-slip surface.

They are highly versatile. This is due to the ability of being able to cut pieces to specific sizes using scissors, making them ideal for when a non-slip surface is required.

The aforementioned cut-to-size versatility makes it perfect for areas where multiple or specific shape applications may be needed.

Like most of Tenura silicone non-slip and grip aids, Tenura self adhesive non-slip reels can be cleaned with a simple combination of hot water and soap, but will lose all non-slip properties whilst wet. Once dry the materials non-slip properties will return, so we recommend allowing the surface to dry properly before using it.

Tenura self-adhesive non-slip reels are 3.2ft x 7.8” giving you a large amount of material to work with for your money. They are 0.011” thick and available in blue.

Should you have any questions or queries about our self-adhesive non-slip reels or any other products Tenura produces you can do so via the live chat feature or calling us by phone. Alternatively, complete the contact us form and a member of our sales team will get back to you as soon as possible.