5 Simple and Helpful Daily Living Products for Seniors

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Daily living products- If you or someone you care for has difficulty with mobility, you probably have some experience with medical equipment or assistive devices in some capacity. We may all be familiar with canes, walkers, and wheelchairs. Maybe you or someone you care for has a seat in the shower or bathtub. We may sometimes tend to think of the bigger issues – such as walking – as needing devices to help.  However, we do hundreds of simple tasks each day. They may seem simple, but if we have to do them multiple times a day and they cause us pain or significant effort- those simple tasks can really add up.

I have compiled a short list of  simple daily living products that may be useful to you. My main criteria for all these products is that they are simple- there is no assembly required, they are inexpensive, and they actually solve the problem that they were made to solve. Take a look at these 5 simple and helpful daily living products for seniors (or really anyone for that matter), and see if any of them solve a problem that may be resonating with you.

1.The Reacher

My number one most helpful product for seniors is the reacher. I have mentioned this before, but I am going to mention it one more time. Not only can these help with a multitude of tasks, they are also a valuable tool in the prevention of falls. If we have an issue with our balance or problems with dizziness with bending over, this simple tool allows us to retrieve small objects from the floor with much more ease and safety.

It can help with getting dressed, turning on lights, and buttons on the microwave. I have seen people use it on pull cords to turn on ceiling fans. It is also an invaluable tool if you have been told not to bend down due to a spinal issue, or have hip or knee issues resulting in decreased range of motion.

This particular reacher will not, however, let you retrieve heavy objects from kitchen cabinets. I have recommended always moving heavier objects to more accessible locations. I find this type of reacher to be more useful and reliable than the type with suction cups, but you must find what works for you. They are often sold as a set of two, however they are sold individually as well.

They also come in two lengths. The longer version is 32 inches so make sure to pay attention to the size. The reacher is fairly intuitive to use, although it may take a bit of practice to utilize the magnetic tip and the hook. It also does not take much strength to squeeze the trigger, however keep that in mind if you have any issues with your hands.

2.Car Transfer Aide

The second simple and helpful product for seniors that I recommend is the Handy Bar. This is a simple little tool that is ready to use straight out of the package. If you or someone you care for has difficulty with getting in and out of the car, this may be of interest to you. It provides a sturdy support to help assist with standing up, sitting down, or just maneuvering in that tight space.

Holding onto a car door that moves or trying to reach back for a low seat, can be difficult and unsafe. A stable and steady support can help to make this process a little bit less stressful and a bit more safe.

It goes right into the door latch striker (the loop near the car door) and that is it. Store it in your glove compartment and you will always have it when you need it. There are many different brands- some have a light. That may be important to you, however keep in mind that if you have arthritis it may be difficult to manage the small button.

As an aside, you most likely won’t need a light if you are parking in well lit areas or your garage. If you think this may be of use to you or someone you care for, I recommend reading the reviews on the various models that are available to find the one that will work for you.

3.The Leg lifter

My third simple but helpful product is the leg lifter. This thing might look strange, but again it is simple, inexpensive and actually does the job it was made to do. If you or someone you care for has difficulty lifting the legs in or out of bed, this may be a useful tool. It can also help with managing the legs in and out of the shower/bathtub, the car, or for placing your feet on wheelchair footrests or stools.  Simply place the foot in the loop and use your  arms to lift the foot- depending on the weakness level, it can take a little practice.

This also comes in two sizes, so keep that in mind if you think this may be useful to you or someone you care for. The longer version is 42 inches and the standard size is 35 inches.

Although I am always an advocate of working to strengthen the muscles and to always try before getting assistance, sometimes we know that we just need a little bit of help. It may also be a temporary need due to an injury. If you think that this may be useful to you or someone you care for, take a look at the various models- there are some with multiple loops that may be useful to you.

4.The Sock Aid

As the name implies, this simple and helpful product helps you to put on your socks. This version will work fine for most people and there isn’t much that can go wrong with it. If you have difficulty putting on your socks, for any number of reasons, you may find the sock aide useful. There are many different versions of this as it has evolved. There is also a flexible version that you may find more beneficial if you are sensitive to the hard plastic. However, keep in mind that the softer ones have a higher tendency to have the threads break down.

The video that accompanies the product makes it look simple. It is simple, however keep in mind that it may take a few times of using it to get the hang of it. Once you do, it can definitely save you from struggling to bend down or to bring your foot up to put on your socks. If you think this may be of use to you or someone you care for, take a look at the different options. One more thing to note is that these types of sock aides may not be the best option if you are putting on compression stockings.

5. Jar Opener

My last simple product is a jar opener. Trying to open jars can be difficult for a variety of reasons- joint pain, weakness in the hands and fingers, arthritis, or history of surgery or injury to the hands or wrists can all make this task troublesome. There are a variety of types of these, so be sure to take a look and see what may suit your needs. This particular one has a 4 in 1 jar opener and a 5 in 1 can opener. There are lots of products on the market that are made to help with this particular issue (hand weakness/arthritis etc.).

This includes things like this key turner. This simple little tool attaches to your keys and gives you a larger and more comfortable grip. It can also make it easier to find your keys. If you or someone you care for has arthritis, decreased sensation, or weakness in the hands- this handy and simple tool may be beneficial. There are many different types of this product as well. Take a look at the different versions that aim to solve the same issue and see what may work for you. Keep in mind that if you personally have arthritis or hand pain/weakness, you may need some assistance with getting it set up.

I hope that you found one or two daily living products that may have been useful to you. There are so many products out there to solve problems – some that you might not have even known that you had! Not all these products will work for everyone, however it is just a reminder that if you are having difficulty or pain with a task of daily living, there may very well be a simple solution to help make it less taxing. Just like adding props and modifications to yoga poses, we can do the same thing in our daily lives.

Want More Tips And Daily Living Products?

Take a look at this page of Ease of Use products from the Arthritis Foundation if you are interested in products that are specifically designed to help with pain associated with arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation website also has lots of great information that may be of interest to you.

If you have difficulty finding shoes for comfort and stability, you may be interested in taking a look at ICS Shoes. They focus on comfort, diabetic, extra wide, and orthopedic conditions. They also have hands free and easy entry shoes.

You may also be interested in these Energy Conservation Tips: Breathing For Better Mobility

Or, take a look at some Fall Prevention Tips: Fall Prevention Tips: Be Prepared

If you are a caregiver and would like more resources and tips, take a look at Self Care for Caregivers 

If you are interested in adding chair yoga to your day, take a look at Is Chair Yoga Right for You? for some simple tips to get started.

You may be interested in reading about How To Discharge Home From The Hospital With Less Stress.

Take a look at Mindfulness Activities or Healing With Chair Yoga for some more tips on stress reduction.

Visit The Peaceful Chair Etsy Shop for Health and Wellness related printables.

Finally, I invite you to sign up for the Monthly Email Newsletter to stay up to date on the latest blog posts and videos.

Namaste!

Disclaimer: The Peaceful Chair and thepeacefulchair.com strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before starting this or any exercise program.The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not to be used in place of medical advice or information from your healthcare provider. Neither The Peaceful Chair, the peacefulchair.com, nor any of its contributors shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of the information contained in any links, videos, or any content on this website.