KORTENBERG – Bouncer, the award-winning startup specializing in the development of self-care products, presents new products and welcomes a new partner. Bart Verreydt joins Bouncer, bringing with him more than 20 years of international sales and management experience. He immediately gets to work on ingenious design products that drastically ease the daily lives of elderly and disabled people. These include a jar clamp, a button-amplifier and a versatile, non-stigmatizing drinking cup.
The new drinking cup, called UpCup, makes many other drinking cups in care unnecessary. “It may have a somewhat unusual shape,” Bart Verreydt says of the innovative cup, “but believe me, for people with strength, coordination and/or swallowing disorders, this means a world of difference.” With the UpCup, they can comfortably drink alone without spilling or tampering. “This product is once again the result of co-creation between healthcare providers, patients and designer Frederic Boonen,” Verreydt refers to the industrial designer and co-partner of Bouncer.
“A lot of drinking cups already exist that address a specific problem each time, while this UpCup solves all problems. The result of a long research and development process, but it makes a very big difference in the industry.” The special cup shape and larger ears offer grip and sipping comfort, and the conical, insulating inner wall slows pouring and facilitates swallowing.
The innovative drinking cup is being enthusiastically received by major care facilities such as AZ Groeninge in the world of ADL care products, where Bouncer is gaining popularity. ADL refers to General Daily Living Operations, and it involves products that enable the elderly and people with disabilities or impairments to live independently and qualitatively longer. “Eating and drinking independently is not so obvious for many people,” says Frederic Boonen, industrial designer and founder of Bouncer. “Thus, Bouncer once started Theomatik, a functional eating tray that enabled people to eat independently, even if they can only use one arm.”
Theomatik was Bouncer’s debut in the healthcare world and promptly won a Henry van de Velde Design Award. Yet Frederic Boonen and Bart Verreydt place more importance on the daily praise they receive from users through their mailbox and remain fully committed to “Designed for dignity.” “That is our slogan and it always brings us new ideas and products,” say the partners.
Also being launched is the multi-purpose jar clamp “Beat it,” which allows one-handed clamping of a jar, bottle or can first in order to open it. “And then there is the Push it,” says Bart Verreydt, “a kind of button-amplifier for your electric toothbrush. A simple addition, but believe us, for a lot of people it now becomes a lot easier to operate this recessed on-off button.”
By the way, Bouncer is always open to product ideas that can make a difference in healthcare. Have a product idea of your own? Email info@bouncer.be or find more information on the website www.bouncer.be.”
