Top products to help you as you age

As you get older, day to day tasks can start to become a little more difficult. Things like putting your shoes and socks on, or opening jars of food, perhaps turning a key in a tight lock. Do any of these sound familiar? They may seem like such small tasks, but not being able to do them easily can be incredibly frustrating and limiting!

Did you know?

Your Home Care provider can help you to find and purchase many aids that will help to improve or maintain your mobility and independence

Luckily, we’ve found some great products that won’t break the bank and will help you immensely with many of your day-to-day activities. You can even use your Home Care Package to pay for most of these items.

Here are our top 10 recommendations of products to help make some of your daily tasks a little easier:

1. Sock assistant

Bending over to put on your socks every day can be really difficult, particularly if you have any back issues, soreness or stiffness. There are a variety of different aids that can help you to get your socks on without having to bend or strain.

They are widely available and will cost you anywhere between $10-40. You can purchase them online from marketplaces such as eBay, or Amazon, or from more specialist stores. Just type “sock aid” into Google and you’ll find a huge number of options!

2. Jar opener

These are fantastic! There are some different options with these aids, from a simple device that helps you to get a better grip on the jar and gives you extra leverage to be able to open it easily and without putting strain on your hands and arms, through to a battery-powered device that does all of the work for you. With the automated, battery-powered jar openers, all you have to do is sit them on top of the jar’s lid, press a button and they automatically tighten and rotate, popping the seal of even the tightest lids.

A simple jar opener can be purchased for less than $10, and the battery-powered version for approximately $30.

3. Zipper hook & button pull

This item is perfect for anyone who has arthritis or limited use of their hands. One end has a hook that latched onto your zips and gives you a good-sized handle to grab and pull, doing up your zipper. On the other end is a hoop that helps feed and pull buttons through their buttonholes.

They are relatively cheap, at around $15, and can be purchased from all major online marketplaces, or through an occupational therapist or physiotherapist.

4. Liquid level indicator

No more spills! Pour yourself a cup of tea with confidence! If you are vision impaired, or your eyesight just isn’t what it used to be, this little invention could help a lot. It is a little gauge that sits on the side of your cup, bowl or pot and sounds an alarm, or vibrates when the liquid you’re pouring reaches it, signalling you to stop.

5. Non-slip plates & bowls

These are great for people with reduced or inhibited movements, such as those with a disability, Parkinson’s Disease, arthritis, or people who may need to eat one-handed. The non-slip surface on the base of the plate or bowel prevents it from sliding across the table as you eat.

Along with specialist aids and equipment stores which can sometimes be hard to find, many camping stores sell non-slip dinnerware. You can usually find them for as little as $1-10.

6. Non-slip bath/shower mat

This one is a must have, particularly if you have a shower that sits over a bath and need to climb up and in every day. These setups can be dangerous for people with excellent mobility and balance!

You can pick these mats up cheaply (from about $5) in many places. Kmart and Bunnings are good options as they can be found in most locations in Australia.

7. Bed rail

Getting in and out of bed can be difficult. Often, it takes our bodies a while to ‘warm up’ and get going in the mornings, so if you have limited mobility or strength, it’s likely that you’ll feel it more severely in the mornings. This device allows you to grab onto something sturdy and use it to help pull you up out of bed, allowing you to do so independently and without help.

You can pay anywhere between $30-300 for a bed rail or frame, depending on the type you want and how sturdy you need it to be. Some of these are free-standing frames and are often more cost-effective, while others require installation. If you have a Home Care Package, ask your provider to install it for you!

8. Key turner aid

Keys can be tricky things! They are often small and fiddly, and fitting them into locks isn’t always easy. If you have a lock that is older or a bit stiff and requires effort to turn, it can become a very irksome task! This device fits over the head of your key and gives you extra leverage and a bigger surface to grip, making even the most stubborn locks open with ease!

They are very cost-effective, ranging between $5-15 depending on quality.

9. Shower chair

Shower chairs or stools are a fantastic and safe option for many older adults. Wet surfaces combined with soap are an accident waiting to happen! A shower chair allows you to sit down while you wash, limiting your risk of slipping and falling while you’re in the shower.

There are many options, with the most cost-effective being around $30. Did you know that you can find these at your local Bunnings?

For a more robust chair with a back and sides for extra support, you might need to increase your budget a little, to something around the $100-150 mark.

10. Big-buttoned TV remote

An excellent option for those who are vision-impaired, these remotes will work with any modern TV and the extra large buttons make it easy to switch channels, change the volume and turn the TV on and off.

One of these will cost between $30-40.

Your provider can help you to find and purchase aids and equipment

Did you know that your Home Care Package can be used to purchase items that will help you to maintain your independence and ability to live safely at home?

If you’re interested in purchasing something like this, talk to your provider today about arranging it all for you.