Headovations has developed HEADALOFT™, the ultimate wheelchair head support attachment. Designed with users, caregivers and clinicians in mind, it attaches easily to almost any headrest to safely support the head and gently hold it upright. The non-restrictive forehead arc is available in three sizes to ensure a perfect fit. The high-quality material is durable and breathable to ensure user comfort, and is machine washable for caregiver convenience.
Many wheelchair users have limited ability to keep their head upright, while wheelchairs often do not provide sufficient head support. Poor head support can lead to severe functional difficulties including swallowing and feeding, breathing, independent mobility, and pressure sores. It also allows users to adjust their head position and avoid a forward-facing-only gaze, which impinges on their social participation and self-esteem by stifling free communication and active engagement in society. Identifying the best-fitted head support for the user’s personal seat that meets their needs entails trying and fitting multiple costly products over time. A change in the user's needs or a new wheelchair will often require repeating this process. This is a particular issue for children and adolescents, who will undergo this process multiple times to accommodate their ongoing physical development and the frequent inherent changes to their assistive equipment.
The HEADALOFT is easy to install, adjust, and transfer between wheelchairs, car seats, or any other seat with a headrest. The patented solution is crash-tested and FDA- and MDR CE-certified. For wheelchairs without an existing headrest, Headovations is currently collaborating with ALYN to co-develop HEADALOFT 360™, a highly adjustable, universal multisystem headrest that easily attaches to any seat or wheelchair, powered or manual, and adapts to each user’s personal support and positioning needs without requiring any modifications to the wheelchair. Based on recommendations from ALYN’s clinical experts, it will also include attachments to provide optional occipital support as needed.