Devices for Living Easier with Arthritis
From the kitchen to the bedroom, here is WebMD's room-by-room guide to easier living with arthritis.
And be sure to look for the Arthritis Foundation "Ease-of-Use Commendation Logo" the next time you are in the grocery store. This seal signifies user-friendly products and packaging. The Folgers AromaSealâ„¢ Canister, for one, has an easy-to-hold handle and a foil seal that peals away so no can opener is necessary. For a complete list of all such products, visit http://www.arthritis.org/resources/sponsors/Ease_of_Use/eou_complete_list.asp.
You can buy many assistive devices online. Just search for the name of the product you want. Or contact your local Arthritis Foundation chapter to find local stores that sell these products.
Simple things for most of us, like getting dressed in the morning or turning on the reading lamp, can be difficult for people with arthritis, but certain assistive devices can help make the process easier.
Consider lamps that turn on with a touch, or are activated by voice or motion. Replace small rotating knobs on existing lamps with larger, grip-and-turn knobs. Phones with giant buttons are also easier to use. Special pillows including neck pillows can help avoid stressing your neck or neck muscles while you recline or sleep and a large body pillow can support your arms and legs during the night. Some people with arthritis find it helpful to attach Velcro tabs to the corners of sheets so that they can make the bed without tucking in the sheets.
Devices for Living Easier with Arthritis
From the kitchen to the bedroom, here is WebMD's room-by-room guide to easier living with arthritis.
Your Kitchen/Dining Room continued...
And be sure to look for the Arthritis Foundation "Ease-of-Use Commendation Logo" the next time you are in the grocery store. This seal signifies user-friendly products and packaging. The Folgers AromaSealâ„¢ Canister, for one, has an easy-to-hold handle and a foil seal that peals away so no can opener is necessary. For a complete list of all such products, visit http://www.arthritis.org/resources/sponsors/Ease_of_Use/eou_complete_list.asp.
You can buy many assistive devices online. Just search for the name of the product you want. Or contact your local Arthritis Foundation chapter to find local stores that sell these products.
Your Bedroom
Simple things for most of us, like getting dressed in the morning or turning on the reading lamp, can be difficult for people with arthritis, but certain assistive devices can help make the process easier.
- Sock aids and zipper pulls. A sock aid can help you pull up your socks without bending your legs. A zipper pull, which has a large rung that attaches to a zipper tag, makes zippers easier to grab and zip.
- Shoes with Velcro grips. Try walking shoes with Velcro grips instead of shoelaces to make everyday dressing easier.
- Big buttons and pockets. Shop for garments with buttons the size of a nickel and large pockets to carry keys or other hard-to-grab objects. Whether bras or shirts, look for front-opening closures.
- A reach extender. If your closet has hard to reach storage areas, a reach extender lets you reach 26 to 30 inches without stretching.
Consider lamps that turn on with a touch, or are activated by voice or motion. Replace small rotating knobs on existing lamps with larger, grip-and-turn knobs. Phones with giant buttons are also easier to use. Special pillows including neck pillows can help avoid stressing your neck or neck muscles while you recline or sleep and a large body pillow can support your arms and legs during the night. Some people with arthritis find it helpful to attach Velcro tabs to the corners of sheets so that they can make the bed without tucking in the sheets.