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Helpful Hints....
General Hints for Around the House: Use one of the small shopping baskets with handles, similar to the ones found in grocery stores, to carry things as you go from room to room. These are frequently sold at discount stores.
Place a set of cleaning supplies in each room so they are readily available as needed. Baby wipes are great for all kinds of small clean up jobs and a supply of them should also be readily available in every room.
A DEFINITE MUST TOOL is the grabber with a long handle. It is invaluable when trying to retrieve all sorts of things or to get a package of something down from a shelf. WARNING: do not sit or stand in the path you might drop the object in and don't try to use it on anything breakable (i.e. a jar of something)
If you are using a scooter or wheelchair, place laundry in a sturdy basket that you can pull behind you. You may find that attaching a bungie cord to the basket and back of the chair or scooter is helpful for distance.
If you have doors you need to close behind you, try tying a piece of sturdy cord around the handle and put a loop on the end of it or attach a tennis ball.
In the Kitchen:
Use a stool to sit on whenever working on the counter/sink area. Take all veggies that need to be peeled to a table top and work from your chair or scooter. It is less stressful. Peelings can be thrown away all at once warped in newspaper or a grocery bag.
Most of the markets now have the larger, easier to use peelers, jar openers, etc., originally designed for people suffering with the effects of arthritis. Costs have come down considerably. They are well worth the investment. Many are also now available at the 99¢ store chain. Give yourself the gift of several of the smaller acrylic cutting boards. You can rinse them and then let the dishwasher kill any bacteria.
In the Bathroom:
Be sure to have and use grab bars. We have seen them now available made by Rubbermaid and others, so check materials and prices. The white ones with the nonslip surface seem to be the best when they are available. If you can't find them in the stores, check the catalogues, and ask the managers of the stores you frequent to get them.
If possible, use a seat in the shower as well as near your sink. Use the tub non-slip decorative stick-on's even if your shower is supposed to have a non-slip surface. It wears down.
Consider using the liquid body and hand soaps rather than the bar soaps. Trying to pick up a bar of soap is an accident waiting to happen in or out of the shower/tub.
The long woven nylon scrubbies are much handier to keep track of and use than the old wash clothes.
In the Garden:
Plastic bags from the grocery store come in very handy for unexpected little clean up jobs.
Out and About:
If you drive or are a regular passenger in a vehicle there are certain things you should always have available......just in case you are out longer than anticipated.
A first-aid kit that can and should include some over the counter asprin or Tylenol, a blanket, several good sized zipper type plastic bags, tissues,packages of snack type crackers (our favorites are the peanutbutter crackers and the Granola bars) WATER too and if possible a change of clothes, including an extra sweater or warm jacket. Regardless of the season, the area you might live in, ALL of these things can save a great deal of either discomfort or embarassment. A good size container of Baby wipes should be available at all times. NOTE: Remember to change your water supply regularly!
In California, where we live, all cell phones must have the ability to dial 911 even if you are not connected to a server. If you are disabled and going any real distance where you might not be able to readily get someone's attention and help, get one, keep it charged and remember to take it with you. Check with your local Police Department to see what the rules are in your area.
STRUCTURAL CHANGES
If you are considering any construction changes to your house to give you easier access to your yard or patio, I strongly suggest considering the use of French doors. The sliders are an impossible obsticle for most of us to use as an entrance or exit unless you purchase special ramps, which are very pricey.
While contractor's insist on pushing them, the rail will not tolerate getting run over and when you do get over it, the 3 or 4 inch drop on the outside is enough to throw you out of your chair or give you a flying lesson over the front of your scooter.
If you do have the French doors installed, they can easily build a cement or semi-permanent ramp.
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