Picture Source:  LivingXL.com

Caring for your feet is very important, however, people with arthritis and or back problems may have a hard time bending to clip their toenails.  This No-bend toenail clipper may do the trick.  It has a 16” handle is rust and mildew proof.  They can be purchased online at LivingXL.com for around $90.

Picture Source:  North Coast Medical.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, you may be ready get out your holiday decorations.  Well, if you suffer from Arthritis and have a hard time grasping small objects, opening some of your storage or other household containers, or have difficulty unplugging electrical cords, consider using an Adjustable Gripping Tool.  It is lightweight, made of plastic and has texturized rubber jaws.  It also adjusts 13 different widths and fits items up to 3-1/4″.  It cost around $30 and can be purchased at online stores such as North Coast Medical.

Picture Source: North Coast Medical

Does arthritis or hand weakness prevent you from doing simple daily activities like opening your milk carton?  Consider using a Milk carton opener.  It allows you to open a milk carton in two easy steps.  Split the opening to open the carton flaps and then pierce.  Now you can have your cereal.  A Milk Carton opener can be purchased at sites such as North Coast Medical for around $19.

Picture Source:  Improvements Catalog.com

This week’s tip was about using long handled cleaning tools to reduce the amount of bending and reaching needed to clean your house.  Well, here are a couple of sites you can order these long handled cleaning tools.  They include: Amazon.com and Improvements Catalog.com.  Prices range from $12-$40 depending on the brand features.

Picture Source:  Amazon.com

Have company coming over this weekend and need to start cleaning?  Well, here’s a good cleaning tip that will help you, your back, and your joints.  Use long handled cleaning tools when possible to reduce the amount of bending and reaching you do when cleaning.

Picture Source:  Life Solutions Plus

People with weak hands and arthritis can experience difficulty with everyday activities like picking up and pouring juice.  Having a container with a handle can make things much easier.   These plastic juice holders can be purchased at Life Solutions Plus for about $7

The ability to age in place is important to both baby boomers and seniors.  Key to aging in place is the ability to age safely and comfortably in one’s home.  Sometimes however, falls can prevent safely aging in place.

Tripping over items and falling on the stairs are the top two causes of falls in the home.  Also, as we age, we can develop arthritis and other conditions that make going up and down stairs more challenging.  This was the case for Karl Schwengel, a 79 year old retired business manager who lived in a two-story Capitol Hill townhouse.   As Karl got older, his health declined, resulting in difficulty getting up and down the 17 steps in his townhouse.  So two years ago, Karl decided to get a stair lift installed.

A survey by the National Association of Home Builders states that 79 percent of buyers 55 and older would prefer a one-story home.   However, census numbers indicate that most of the country’s homes are two or more stories.  So having to use stairs to access the home is common.  For some people in a two-story home, modifications can be made so that all necessities are on the main level.  However, this may not be an option for many people; in these cases people may have to consider the use of a stair lift or an elevator.

A stair lift that goes up one flight of stairs can cost anywhere between $3,000 to $10, 000 depending on if it’s a straight lift or if it has turns or needs further customization.  The plus to the lift is that it can be fairly reasonable to install. On the negative side,  some people consider stair lifts unattractive.  On the other hand, an elevator in the home can be more discrete but also more costly (a 3 stop elevator can cost between $20,000-$25,000).

If someone wants to age in their current home, planning ahead while you’re healthy is a crucial step in aging in place.  If you do have a two-or three story home, think ahead to what you may need to do to your home if you can’t access all floors.  Would a stair lift work for you, an elevator, or can you make modifications to the main level of your home that would allow you to live comfortably on that level if you had to?

Source:  The Washington Post

Picture Source:  Arthritis Supplies.com

People with limited grasps, such as people with arthritis, can struggle with everyday activities such as turning on a light switch.  Lamp Switch enlargers can fit over most lamp switches and can make it easier to turn lamps on.  They can be purchased online through stores such as Jansen Medical Supply and Arthritis Supplies.com They cost about $6.00.

Picture source:   Drug Supply Store.com

Carrying grocery bags can wear on your joints and cause you to make several trips to the car.  Protect your joints by using a rolling cart.  Using a push cart can make life easier.  Instead of making several trips and carrying your groceries inside your house, you can place them in your cart and simply roll it to your destination.  Prices for carts can start at $20 and can be purchased at online stores such as Target and Drug Supply Store.com.

Picture Source:  Tornado Body Dryer

After Shower Safety and Privacy

Finished showering? Individuals with arthritis pain, balancing issues, or limited mobility and dexterity find it a challenge to towel dry. Contorting to reach their back and legs is frustrating, painful and a safety hazard.  Those who submit to assistance, suffer the loss of privacy and dignity.

Don’t reach for a towel or ask for an assistant. Instead, stay in your warm shower and simply activate the Tornado Body Dryer to be wrapped in a blanket of soothing, swirling, warm air that gently and completely dries you from head to toe.

– Also great for those with ultra-sensitive skin –

Benefits

*Dry the hard-to-reach areas   * Reduce chance of falling   * No more damp/smelly towels

* Reduce condensation & mildew   * Green: 70% less energy compared to towel usage * Safe to use with a wheelchair

* See www.tornadobodydryer.com FAQ’s for more info!

It  typically costs between $2 and $3,000 to buy and install a body dryer