Making daily activities easier - PART 3

https://orthop.washington.edu/patient-care/articles/arthritis/frequently-asked-questions-about-living-with-arthritis.html

Making daily activities easier - PART 3

Cooking and cleanup

Plan meals ahead to lessen last-minute tasks.Use electric appliances such as can openers, mixers, crock pots, microwave ovens, and dishwashers to get the job done with less energy and stress on your joints.Place a mixing bowl in the sink while stirring. A damp cloth underneath will help keep it from slipping. Hold the mixing spoon like a dagger to take stress off your hands.Hammer rustproof nails through a cutting board to secure vegetables while cutting.Use a French chef's knife which keeps hands in good position for cutting slicing and chopping.Use disposable aluminum baking pans for easier cleanup.Spray a non-stick product on pans or line with foil before baking or frying. Use lightweight baking dishes, plates, pots, and pans and serve from them. Use a wheeled cart to move heavy items from place to place. Sit on a high stool while cooking or washing dishes. Store appliances within easy reach. Use long-handled reachers.

Laundry and housecleaning

Use separate laundry baskets to sort clothes. After the clothes come out of the dryer sort them into different baskets for each family member to put away.Sit to sort fold and iron clothes.Use a sponge mop with an easy squeezer a "janitor's pail" with a wringer or a pail on a wooden dolly.Use a long-handled feather dusterDust with a mitt using circular motions with your hand open.Store cleaning supplies everywhere they are used or keep them on a cart you can wheel from room to room.Use an automatic toilet bowl cleaner and spray on mildew remover so you won't need to scrub.Just do one major cleaning task a day such as washing clothes or cleaning the bathroom.Put casters on furniture.Do only the tasks that are really necessary. For example, buy permanent press items that don't need ironing.

In the bathroom

Sit on a bath stool in the shower or tub.Wash with a bath mitt or long-handled brush.Extend or build up handles on brushes and combs with rulers pink foam hair curlers or PVC pipe insulation tubing.Install lever-type faucets that can be controlled with your palm or build up faucets or use a nonskid pad.Squeeze a toothpaste tube between your palms or put a washcloth under the tube and lean on it. You can also buy toothpaste in a pump dispenser.Use an electric toothbrush or one with a built-up handle.Use a free-standing mirror to put on your makeup so you don't have to lean over the sink and strain your back.Use a raised toilet seat if you have trouble sitting or rising from the toilet.Keep towels within easy reach.Put grab bars around the tub and toilet.Use a rubber suction mat or nonskid strips in the tub or shower.

In the bedroom

Wear loose-fitting clothes with larger neck and arm holes.Use long-handled shoehorns and sock aids.Wear pre-tied neckties.If possible replace buttons with Velcro or use a button hook.Use a zipper pull or add a loop chain or large paper clip to make a zipper easier to grasp.When making the bed finish one side at a time.Wear shoes with velcro closures.Keep shelving and storage within easy reach.Sit to dress.Keep a rolling laundry cart in your closet.

In the workplace

Sit in a chair that can be easily adjusted.Use a footrest.Keep files and supplies within easy reach.Use vertical files on your desk for current work.Install work assist arms or wrist rests at your keyboard.Use a glare screen and paper holder on your monitor.Use lateral file cabinets for easier access.

Leisure

Wear good walking shoes that fit and provide good support. Elastic shoelaces or velcro closures make putting on shoes easier.Use a card rack or holder or a brush to hold playing cards.Lay newspapers or books open on a table to read; use a bookstand.Use felt-tip pens which require less pressure or larger pens which are easier to grip.Use a push-button phone or a pen tip to dial. Get a headset so you don't have to hold the receiver.Use specially-made lightweight tools with built-up or extended handles for gardening and other yard work.Break up long shopping trips into several shorter ones.Use a three-wheeled bike for greater stability.

Car care

Have power steering brakes windows and seatBuild up tops of keys or use key holders to make turning easier.Use a lever-type car door opener to reduce stress on your hands.Use a wide-angle mirror if you have trouble turning your neck.