Home | About RAIV | Tips | Inventions | Related Links | Jan Watkins

TIPS that improve my daily living with RA. (in alphabetical order)

CANE HANDLING. After a recent hip operation I had to fasten my cane to my wheelchair while moving about the house. I made a hook with coathanger wire twisted around the cane which I clipped to the side of the wheelchair while I was moving. When I reached my destination I "hung" the cane by the handle on the counter or TV by means of a 4"x4" square of Rubbermaid grip liner wrapped around the cane handle with a rubber band. This prevented the cane from slipping to the floor. Tying a doubled cord under the cane handle for hanging up when not in use also proved handy.
CHAIR HEIGHT. To raise the height of a chair, stack two together. I use them doubled on the deck, in the bathroom, and in the bath as a shower seat. Useful at hall meetings.
CLOSET DOORS. When doors are stiff and can't be easily fixed I take them off and store in the basement - particularly sliding doors. Sometimes removing one from a pair makes the second easier to move.
COLD HANDS. I use a hair dryer on low heat at arm's length to warm my feet and hands when cold. A second hair dryer fixed on a shelf in my bedroom directs heat to my neck and shoulders on "bad" days.
COLD PACK. Place a small wet towel or face cloth around a foam cup and put in the freezer for a while. When cool, remove cup and place on painful ankle, knee or hand. (To avoid wringing, when wetting the towel, wet only half the cloth and hold at the corner till saturated throughout.)
COLD OR HARD TOILET SEAT. To soften and warm a toilet seat I stick four or five small, adhesive-backed sanitary pads on it. (I do not tear off all the adhesive backing or it makes the pads difficult to replace.)
DISH WASHING. To conserve shoulder joints, I flip a washbowl up-side-down in the unplugged sink to wash & rinse dishes under the running hot tap. Washing at a higher level I don't have to stoop and strain my shoulders. I leave some to dry on the top and corners of the bowl & slip plates vertically between the bowl and the side of the sink. The water drains away and the dishes dry quickly without wiping.
FILING CABINET REPLACEMENT. Heavy steel filing cabinets are impenetrable to me. I use shallow cardboard trays to file papers and documents. The trays slot into shelves fixed to the back of one of my desks and are very light and easily removed with one hand - easily riffled through. A strip of masking tape covers the front for labeling.
FONDUE FORKS. I use fondue forks for gripping, piercing, lifting and scratching. I couldn't open my CD cases without one. They are very light, have thin probing ends and can often be used where finger nails will not oblige due to bent or painful fingers.
FOOT RELIEF IN BED. To lift the weight of bed covers off my toes at night and to stop my ankles falling sideways - straining a weak hip when lying on my back - I have lined an 11" x9" x8" cardboard box with sheepskin; the box is turned on one side, placed under the comforter and the ankles lie on the sheepskin. Another version can be made with a larger box by cutting out an area on both sides to accommodate the mattress. (Idea and sketch due to Ruth S of Calgary.)
FREEZER ACCESS. To prevent items sitting in the bottom of my freezer out of reach for my weak shoulders, I have raised the inside floor with some empty 4 litre water bottles lying sideways on the bottom. On top of them l have placed a shelf rack from an old stove. This does reduce storage space but I can reach the lower packages more easily from the false bottom.
FRIDGE DOOR. To open a stiff refrigerator door I hang a blunt round-tipped table knife from the door handle with a double cord. Inserting the knife blade between the rubber-covered magnetic seal on the door and the fridge frame and then pulling the knife forward opens the door effortlessly.
GOODBYE HAIR! Since I am unable to reach my hair for grooming I get a #2 buzz cut regularly at the barber's. This leaves a gentle fuzz over my head, a feeling of liberation from no more falling grey hairs and necessitates a number of interesting peak caps for the outdoors.
HOOKS. I have taken out the bottom screw in most of my light-switch plates and replaced them with 1/2" cup hooks - for hanging keys, canes and things I lose or drop often. (My shopping receipts hang in a gift bag on the switch hook in the hallway.)
KEY TURNER. An old-fashioned carved wooden peg makes a good key turner. Tie to the key ring on a coiled string. (Idea and sketch due to Ruth S. of Calgary.)
KEYBOARDING. I use a shortened, unsharpened lead pencil, for keyboarding as my fingers are too bent to type directly. I pad one end of the pencil with foam and type with the eraser end. The foam distributes evenly the pounding which might damage already weakened joints. Padded pencils are also useful for touchtone phones, elevator buttons and flipping pages of a magazine.
KNOB TURNING. Grip materials - Rubbermaid Grip Liner (CAN) and Posey Grip (US) - are very useful for opening stiff bottle tops, round doorknobs, stove and washer knobs, faucets etc. and are available in hardware stores in 12" wide rolls. It is light and easily cut into squares 4x4" . I leave some on the table to prevent slippage when handling things.
LEVER TOOL. For moving stiff wheelchair brakes, hard-to-turn casement-window handles, stiff lever taps and toilet handles, I use a vacuum-cleaner upholstery attachment. I cover the stiff lever with the wide end of the attachment. Once lengthened in this way, the lever turns or moves easily. I tape a handle to the attachment with a piece of string and keep several in the house.
PHOTO COLLAGE. I tape my favourite photos en masse over the doors and walls of hallway and kitchen with Scotch tape after cropping them with a photo slicer. I tape on top, not underneath the photos (quicker), overlap them, leaving no empty spaces between. This collage gives colour and a cheerful atmosphere to rooms. I "remove" older photos by taping others on top - as the grandchildren grow!
POURING LIQUIDS. When pouring from any heavy container such as milk carton, water jug, juice can, teapot or anything I can't lift when full, I slide the base of the bottle or pot to the edge of the counter and tip the liquid over the side into a (styrofoam) cup, held at a LOWER level. Heavier 4 litre jugs of spring water and large juice cans I tip straight from the fridge shelf. A square of Rubbermaid Grip Liner underneath the edge of the container prevents sliding.
RINGS. I attach office-supply binder rings to zippers, velcro closings on skirts, pants or shoes and other articles, to improve finger or hook grip. [Rings 1/2" to 1-1/2" diameter]
ROTATING CARSEAT. I always place a partially-folded, smooth, new garbage bag on my seat before getting into a van, car or taxi. I sit on the side of the carseat and then turn -smoothly and without rumpling my clothing - to face front. My son says I've made a "mechanical bearing." Replacements cost little!
SEAT BELT REACHER. To avoid twisting the neck & shoulders to reach the seatbelt take a metal coathanger and make a large "hook" with it. Thanks Doris.
SOFTER SEATS. Where cushions are not suitable I use carpet underlay squares (free from a carpet store.) The foam-backed type is resilient but firm, and easily cut with scissors by a helper to fit the chair or bench.
STEP ACCESS MADE EASIER. To improve step access in the yard, place a concrete block or slab about 4 to 4-1/2 in high on each step - and on the ground. By stepping sideways one can get up the steps at a lower height each time. Slow but sure. Hanging a rope at the side with a knot for each step will also help. Smooth nylon rope is best.
STYROFOAM CUPS are so kind to crippled hands: [1] For drinks I find them light and "squishable". Super-easy to grip with hands or teeth. [2] I use them for holding a little cream or milk in the fridge. A small "fridge table" from an 8" sq. table mat, prevents the cup from tipping on the fridge shelf rack. [3] I replace stiff screw tops on jam or peanut butter with foam cups pushed down well. [4] I grasp a foam cup at night to stop my fingers curling up while I sleep. The cup sits on the bed and lets the wrist "float".
TOILET J-STRIPS. I tear a 1/2 in. strips lengthwise from a J-cloth when I need a final extra cleanup after a bowel movement. Wet or dry, I pull the strip front to back and dispose immediately.
WHEELCHAIR BRAKE. Stiff wheelchair brakes can be moved easily with the wide end of an upholstery attachment from a vacuum cleaner.
WINDOW OPENING. I open my casement windows with a tool from the vacuum cleaner that is used for cleaning upholstery crevices. The wide end threads over the handle.