10 Arthritis-friendly Gadgets
Don’t let arthritis take your independence away. Here are 10 gadgets to help make everyday tasks easier for those with limited mobility.
1) For those who have a hard time pulling the shoulder strap on their seatbelt, there are seat belt handles that attach to the shoulder strap, making it easier to reach and pull. These are listed under many different product names: “seat belt grabber”, “easy reach seat belt handle”, etc.
2) There are multiple gadgets to make it easier to press or reach your seat belt release. The “Jimmy Seatbelt Assist Device” provides a handle for easy latching and releasing of the seat belt. The “Buckle Bopper Seatbelt Release Aid” is a tool to help depress the seatbelt release.
3) If you can’t bend over to pull on your socks, no problem! There are several types of “sock aids” on the market that take the bending out of putting on your socks.
4) If you have difficulty turning your key, it helps to have a handle on the end of it. Attachable key handles have multiple names including “key turners”, “key wings”, and “key turner aids”.
5) There are wide lamp knobs for those who have trouble turning on their lamps. These include the “Easy Living Lamp Assist” and the “Ableware Big Lamp Switch Knob Replacement”.
6) Trouble dressing yourself can be solved with a button hook and zipper pull. There are many versions of this type of tool. It usually has a zipper pull on one end and a button hook on the other.
7) Brushing your teeth is much easier if you use an electric toothbrush and a toothpaste tube squeezer.
8) If you have trouble gripping narrow handles, you can get an assortment of foam tubing that comes with holes of different diameters. These are great for sliding over the ends of ink pens, silverware, paint brushes, etc.
9) There are many different versions of doorknob grippers that help with hard to open doorknobs.
10) The “Ableware Plug Puller” helps you pull electric plugs our of tight sockets without risking a shock.
Note: The devices mentioned in this article are examples, and should not be understood as products that are recommended by Rush Memorial Hospital.