Electric Mobility Scooters

Even with the best treatment, rheumatoid arthritis can slow you down. That’s why a good treatment plan doesn’t stop with just medicine and exercise. If you start to have trouble with everyday activities, help is available.Assistive devices are products and tools that can make life with rheumatoid arthritis easier. These simple devices let you continue to cook, clean, get dressed, bathe, and move around with relative ease.Assistive Devices to Help You Get Around

• A cane or crutch used on the opposite side of a painful knee or hip makes walking easier and makes the joint last longer.
• Braces and splints provide support to joints and decrease strain.
• Reachers are long rods with a grip handle on one end and pincers (like a claw, used to grab) on the other. They let you pick up small objects without having to bend over or reach uncomfortably.
• Elevated chair legs make it easier to get in and out of your seat. The chairs you have can usually be fitted with extenders.

Assistive Devices for the Bathroom

• A tub bench or shower seat lets you bathe more comfortably and reduces the chance of falls. Nonskid shower mats will make the tub safer, too.
• Grab bars make it easier to get in and out of the bath.
• A raised toilet seat with side rails reduces the strain of getting on and off.
• Long-handled sponges help you to wash your legs and feet without bending. Also, large sponges are easier to grip than washcloths.
• Easy-to-pull shower curtains are better than heavy shower doors.
• An electric toothbrush with a fat handle is easier than a regular toothbrush.
• By putting a seat in front of your sink you can avoid leaning forward; the same with using a freestanding mirror for grooming.

When my dad started to get on in years, I realized there were a lot of simple tasks he couldn’t do anymore.  Though he was much too stubborn to accept my offer to move in with me and my wife, I knew I needed to make some changes to his house to reduce his risk of injury.  I started with the bathroom, installing a toilet seat riser, as well as shower handles, and a bathmat.  On the patio I installed a railing for the cement steps to prevent a potential fall.  I also made my dad promise to keep his cell phone near him at all times in case of an emergency at home or elsewhere. 

Thus far there have been no accidents, and I know he was grateful for the new additions, especially in the bathroom.

• Whether you’re getting older, or have a mother or father who’s getting on in years, emphasizing shower safety is an important part of aging.  Every year thousands of accidents involving elderly people occur in the bathroom that can end up in broken bones or more serious health problems.  Here are a few tips for making the bathroom more safe for an elderly person:

• Intall handrails, these will give an elderly person a firm grip to avoid accidents coming in and going out of the shower. 
• Install a bath mat, this is a mat which is installed on the floor of the tub or shower, and prevents slipping because of the firm texture.
• Purchase a shower chair, this will allow an elderly person to sit down while in the shower and drastically reduce the likeliness of falling.