Life is unpredictable. Illnesses, surgeries or complications from growing older can change anyone’s life at any time. When we are healthy and mobile, we often take for granted seemingly small tasks like opening cans or even tying our shoelaces. And when we can no longer perform these activities on our own, we are forced to ask others for help. If you’re used to living an individualistic lifestyle, regaining your independence after a life-changing event is crucial to regaining your confidence and identity. These daily living aids will help you quickly reclaim the independent lifestyle you’ve been missing.
Bed-Assist Bar
Stability is key to independence. Getting in and out of bed may seem like an easy task. But if you’re burdened with back and joint pain or surgery recovery, sliding out of bed can be one of the most complicated tasks of the day. The Medline Bed Assist Bar easily slides and buckles between your mattress and box-spring. It fits either side of the bed, creating a reinforced assistance bar for support when climbing in or out. This bed assist bar will fit most twin, full and queen-sized beds, so you don’t have to worry about making expensive, permanent and hard-to-install renovations for fall prevention. Plus, you can free up some space on your nightstand by using the easily accessible storage pouch for personal items like cell phones, remotes, books or glasses.
Detachable Hand Shower
The bathroom is one of the most dangerous rooms when recovering because of constant up-and-down movements on slippery surfaces. And no one likes to ask for help while using the shower or toilet. After you’ve installed non-skid mats, secure handrails and a shower bench, make sure to get a handheld showerhead with a diverter valve. The diverter valve simply switches water from a standard showerhead to the handheld showerhead, so you can bathe while sitting on the shower bench without losing control of water direction or water pressure. You’ll find that showers will become quicker, easier and much more private with this handheld showerhead.
Sock Aid
Putting on socks can be a nearly impossible task for people with severe joint and muscle pain because bending requires so much bodily movement. A lot of people don’t even know that there are sock aids out there that significantly decrease joint and muscle movement, making it much easier to slide your sock over your heel. The Eva Medical Sock Aid will make putting on your socks a much less painful, complicated and time-consuming process. It eliminates unnecessary stretching in only four steps:
- Place sock aid between legs
- Slide sock onto tip of sock aid
- Drop sock aid to the floor while holding onto sock aid handles
- Slide foot into sock and pull sock aid handles back and up so sock slides over heel
Now that you can easily slide on your socks with a sock aid, try using a shoe horn to help reduce strain when sliding on your shoes.
No-tie Elastic Shoelaces
The most dangerous falls result from losing balance when bending, and tying traditional shoelaces causes us to bend multiple times throughout the day. Thankfully, there’s an alternative to constantly tying and retying stubborn traditional cotton laces. Lock Laces® are the original no-tie elastic shoelaces that tighten and loosen with an easy-to-slide locking mechanism, so you never have to tie your shoes again. Because the bungee material stretches with your foot, your feet will never feel restricted by tight laces even as your foot swells throughout the day. And — best of all — Lock Laces® never drag the ground when properly installed, so say goodbye to stressing about germs or tripping over untied laces!
Buttoning Aid
According to the CDC, 22.7% of adults have reported doctor-diagnosed arthritis. That means that over one-fifth of our population has problems with joint pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, causing many of these people to lose proper range of motion. If you are affected by arthritis and wear button-up shirts, it may take upwards of 10 to 15 minutes to fasten your shirt’s six or seven buttons. Mornings and afternoons are busy enough without adding unnecessary extra time to your routine, and you don’t have to jeopardize your style in order to reclaim that lost time and energy. With the Drive Medical One-handed Buttoning Aid, all you have to do is push the button aid through the button hole, loop it over the button and easily pull the button through the hole. Ta-da! No extra time, frustration or pain required!
Jar Opener
What’s more frustrating than wanting to eat a certain food but being unable to open the jar’s lid? Absolutely nothing. Some jars can be extremely difficult to open even if a person has complete motor-skill functionality. There are a few old tricks that can help loosen the lid like running the jar under hot water, but these tricks still require unnecessary strain and wasted time. If you don’t like asking other people to open your jars, pick up the OXO Good Grips Jar Opener. It accommodates all sizes of lids ranging from tiny hot sauce jars to extra-large pickle jars. It’s time to reclaim your independence and the food you want to eat.
Car Assist Handle
If you have a decreased range of motion, getting in and out of the car without assistance can be just as difficult as getting in and out of bed. The Stander HandyBar Car Assist Handle is a 3-in-1 safety tool that reduces strain when entering or exiting your car while also functioning as a window breaker and seat-belt cutter in cases of emergency. It works by sliding into the U-shaped door latch on the inside of your door, carefully designed to leverage the weight of the car without damaging the door. With a little help, you’ll get back to a healthy, independent life in no time!
