Living independently becomes increasingly more difficult as we age. Sometimes everyday tasks can become extremely difficult. Fortunately there are a number of tools and devices that are designed to make your life easier. Whether you are living with limited mobility or just need a little extra help around the house, here are 7 suggestions you can use to continue living independently.

#1 – Kitchen Aids

As we get older, even some of the simple things like holding a utensil during dinner can become a struggle. Arthritis makes holding standard utensils cumbersome, the handles on most utensils are just too small to grasp properly. Luckily there are a number of assistive kitchen utensils on the market. Weighted utensils are like standard cutlery, but are a bit larger and heavier. The weight makes the utensil feel more sturdy in the user’s hand and the larger grip allows them to grab the utensil properly. In addition to the sizeable handles, many assistive utensils can be bent by hand just above the handle to make them easier to use.

The CaliBowl is a fairly new product but people love it. It has been called one of Oprah’s favorite bowls, and was featured in the June 2009 issue of O, the Oprah Magazine. These are regular bowls but with a lip on the inside of the rim. This lip pushes food back onto your utensil instead of over the edge and onto your pants or floor.

The Rocking T Knife (sometimes called an Ulu knife) is another great utensil for someone with limited mobility. This knife has its handle on the top, directly above the blade. The blade cuts with a rocking motion and gives the user extra leverage if needed. The stability of this knife means your food and your knife stay in place while cutting.

Cost:

The average price for assistive utensils is $8-$10 per utensil. Calibowls generally come in packs of 4 for $25. The Rocking T Knife is available for about $20.

#2 – Jar Opener

Similar to the other kitchen aids, a jar opener can be a vital component to living independently. Most types of food can be found in a jar of some sort, and it can be a hassle to open them for someone with limited mobility in their hands. There are a variety of types of jar openers, choosing the one that is right for you can be difficult. For people with arthritis, it might be a better idea to use an electric jar opener. For people with more mobility, a cheaper alternative is available with handheld or cabinet-mounted jar openers. These provide the extra leverage needed to open any jar.

Cost:

Standard jar openers run from $6 – $20 whereas their electric counterparts cost anywhere from $20 – $100, depending on the model.

#3 – Reachers and Grabbers

A reacher/grabber can be a huge time saver. Having to wait for a care giver to help you get things off the floor or shelf can be tedious. Grabbers are light-weight and very portable, some even collapse in the middle making them easier to store and transport. Not all grabbers are created equal, pay close attention to the type of reacher you are buying to ensure it is strong enough to hold what you need to grab. Generally grabbers will have rubber or suction cup tips on the business end. Suction cups seem to be good for picking things like paper up off the ground, but the rubber-tipped grabbers are generally stronger and heavier duty.

Cost:

Grabbers and reachers run anywhere from $17-$25.

#4 – Grab Bars

Fall prevention is a key factor to living independently, a fall can occur anywhere and it’s always good to have something sturdy to grab on to for support. A Grab bar is pretty straight forward; it is a wall mounted bar that is strong enough to support a person who has trouble sitting or standing independently. These are great and can be put up virtually anywhere in the house and come in a variety of lengths. While it is true that many grab bars need to be mounted to the wall using screws, there are some that use powerful suction cups to stick to the wall. Suction cup grab bars are best for places like the shower where it may be difficult to mount anything to the wall using screws, though they are a bit more expensive than their traditional counterparts. Wall mounted grab bars are available in a variety of metal finishes while suction grab bars are mostly made of a heavy duty plastic.

Cost:

Standard wall-mounted grab bars run anywhere between $15 – $40 depending on length, brand, and finish. Suction grab bars are about the same price, but higher end models with up to 4 suction cups are available between $60 – $130.

#5 – Lift Chairs

Lift chairs are available as a solution to a number of mobility problems and can be used throughout the house. The first type of lift chairs use a motor or hydraulics to gently push a person into the standing position. This allows a person with limited mobility to get up and down while watching TV or enjoying company in their living room. Lift chairs usually take the form of a recliner and may come with heating and massage components. These are great for long term use, allowing the user to recline into a sleeping position while allowing them to get up any time they like. These lift chairs can be customized to fit your home décor and are best purchased with a custom order.

The second type of lift chair used for at-home care is a bath-lift. This is a chair that sticks to the bottom of a bath tub with suction cups. The chair has a motor that can raise or lower the chair into the bath, even when it is full of water. A bathtub is a common place that people fall and get seriously injured, these chairs help prevent that. This is a great item to use in conjunction with the grab bars you put in your bathroom.

Cost:

Lift chairs can run as low as $750, but can cost well over $2,000 depending on the size, upholstery, and optional features.
Bath lift chairs run anywhere from about $500 – $1,500.

#6 – Shower Chairs

For those who don’t quite need a lift chair in their bathroom, a shower chair is a much cheaper option. As the name implies, these are chairs that are designed to be used in the shower. These heavy duty chairs can hold a lot of weight without sliding around on the tile. This is due to the rubber tipped feet the shower chairs have. The feet grip the floor so even during a shower there is a sturdy place to sit. Some shower chairs even have suction cups that can stick to the tile on the bottom of a shower. These are even better when accompanied by a grab bar inside the shower.

Cost:

Shower chairs run anywhere from $30 -$250.

#7 – Talking Watches

As we get older our vision doesn’t always age gracefully and sometimes we need a little extra help. Talking watches make great presents and can be helpful on a daily basis. Most watch faces are small and it can be hard to read the correct time. A talking watch will tell you what time it is with the push of a button. Additional alarms can be set, great for medication reminders, and some of them even have a built-in light/magnifying glass.

Cost:

Talking watches run anywhere from $40 to $250