Kitchen &
Dining Room
Utensils
If you’re having trouble with utensils there may be some good options for you that could make a difference.
Enlarged Grip Tubes
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Price: ~$10
Pros
Grip: Intended for people who are having difficulty with grip strength or fine motor skills, these can be used to modify eating utensils or other items like a toothbrush that are difficult to grasp.
Cons
Washing: It can be a bit of a hassle to wash.
Wide Grip
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Price: ~$13
Pros
Washable: You can toss these in the dishwasher along with everything else.
Weighted Utensils
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Price: ~$40
Pros
Stability: Weighted utensils are intended to help with tremors, whether from Parkinson’s or another disease, these are often found to help people who tend to lose most of their food on the way to their mouth, especially soups.
Rocker Knife
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Price: ~$10
Pros
Grip: These kind of knives can be helpful for people with a variety of hand issues including arthritis, limited motor control and others.
One Handed: These can make cutting and chopping less precarious if you’re down one hand temporarily or permanently.
Universal Cuff
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Price: ~$40
Pros
Stability: Weighted utensils are intended to help with tremors, whether from Parkinson’s or another disease, these are often found to help people who tend to lose most of their food on the way to their mouth, especially soups.
Rocker Knife
(click images for link)
Price: ~$10
Pros
Grip: These kind of knives can be helpful for people with a variety of hand issues including arthritis, limited motor control and others.
One Handed: These can make cutting and chopping less precarious if you’re down one hand temporarily or permanently.
The toilet is likely one of the lowest sitting surfaces in your home. If you have concerns about sitting balance or difficulty lifting and lowering to and from the toilet some extra handholds can go a long way to decreasing reliance on caregivers. A toilet safety frame is a good option for people who want to minimize permanent alterations to their home like installing grab bars. This includes apartment dwellers, renters, or people that wish to avoid grab bars due to aesthetics.
Bolted
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Price: ~$37
Pros
Stability: Virtually all safety frames of this general design have a small amount of play in the arms, but this model has one of the highest rates of people praising it as rock solid and one of the lowest rates of people saying otherwise. This model is installed by unbolting the toilet seat and reinstalling the bolt through the seat and the base of the safety frame. Works well with toilet risers.
Versatility: Adjustable height, width and can be removed if no longer needed.
Cons
Price: Slightly more expensive than other similarly designed models, though likely worth the added stability.
Freestanding
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Price: ~$34
Pros
Stability: This design of safety frame has next to no movement in the arms making for an extremely steady support.
Cons
Side Approach: This safety frame presents a challenge for toilets that must be approached from the side as the ground support extends forward which can trip up shuffling feet or walker users.
Versatility: This model cannot be adjusted for width or height. Most users find it to be fine, but exceptionally tall or short users may have difficulty depending on toilet height.
Grab
Bars
Grab bars are a huge benefit for anyone that will be needing some extra support in the long term. They are the most secure and often the most helpful adaptation that can be made in the bathroom both around the toilet and in a shower or bath. Suction cup based or other removable grab bars are NOT recommended. Some installation will be required, but there are plenty of videos online to walk you or someone you know that’s handy through the process. You can also pay to have them installed professionally. They can be installed directly into studs or into ceramic, tile or even drywall with appropriate hardware. Be sure to place where they can be used while standing at the toilet for stability while managing clothing.
Basic
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Price: ~$24
(varies by length)
Pros
Stability: True of all properly installed grab bars.
Options: Comes in 2 diameters and lengths from 12 to 48 inches. Price varies slightly.
Hardware: Comes with hardware necessary for installation into studs.
Cons
Installation/Permanent: Installation required. It is a permanent modification to your home. True of all grab bars.
Flip Down
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Price:
~$80 (white)
~$100 (metal)
Pros
Stability: True of all properly installed grab bars. Rated for 300 lbs.
Perpendicular Mount: This allows for grab bar placement on the wall behind the toilet. Useful for toilets that are not next to walls.
Cons
Installation/Permanent: Installation required. It is a permanent modification to your home. This model specifies installation into studs.
Pole
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Price: ~$160
Pros
Stability: True of all properly installed grab bars. Rated for 300 lbs.
Versatility: Can be placed at any point with a clear path from floor to ceiling. Wide support at the top minimizes risk of damage to your home. Secured by tension, a good solution for mobile homes or renters where permanent installation into a wall poses a problem.
Cons
Cost: These will run you a bit more than a basic grab bar. May feel wobbly in areas with high ceilings, though rated as safe with 7-10 foot flat ceilings.
Toilet
Aid
Toilet aids are designed to assist people who are having difficulty with toilet hygiene. These are often beneficial for people who are having difficulty reaching to clean themselves, which may be caused by limited range of motion or pain in the back, hips or shoulders, difficulty shifting their weight adequately, or some other deficit that results in being close but not close enough to get the job done. Some practice and experimentation with a few options may be necessary to find one that works just right for you. The most common mistake when using a toilet aid is that the person wraps instead of wadding or folding the toilet paper causing it to be difficult to discard without unwrapping it with your hands after it is soiled. Wet wipes are recommended, but be sure to look into whether or not flushing them may cause you some grief with your plumbing down the road.
Tongs
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Price: ~$23
Pros
Ease of use: Intuitive design, though similarities to kitchen utensils may be mildly disturbing.
Customization: While not a listed feature, carefully bending the tongs symmetrically is possible to find an ideal angle for you. Available in lengths of 12″, 15″ and 18″.
Cons
Fine Motor Demands: Some people may have difficulty manipulating the tongs efficiently.
Ejector Wand
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Price: ~$21
Pros
Fine Motor Demands: Generally easier to hold and release depending on fine motor function.
Cons
Uncustomizable: Product cannot be bent or altered without damaging it. Most people say it takes some time to get the hand of using this and similar devices, while others find it to simply be a poor fit to their body shape.
Bidet
Bidets can be a game changer for people who have difficulty with toilet hygiene. Bidets can come with a variety of features, but they all cleanse your nether regions with water meaning you can reduce or entirely eliminate the need to wipe manually. Perfect for people who are unable to cleanse themselves due to loss of motor control, difficult body shape or limited range of motion.
Water Only
Single Nozzle
(male only use)
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Price: ~$22
Water Only
Dual Nozzle
(female use)
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Price: ~$30
Comparison
This model is one of the most affordable and well liked bidet add-ons. You can select between a single nozzle orientation or a dual nozzle which comes with an additional angle intended for improved feminine cleanliness. These models fit nearly any style of toilet with only occasional reports of incompatibility with certain toilet models. They install under your current toilet seat and are intended to be compatible with toilet risers. With self cleaning nozzles and an ergonomic control panel this model comes with all the features other models pick and choose from at this price range and saves you a few dollars to boot.
Pros
Easy Install: Most people report they were able to install this in about 20 minutes.
Price: These have many of the benefits of models 10 times more expensive.
Non-electric: These operate off of water pressure alone, meaning no need for an outlet or batteries.
Cons
Wet: You will need to either air dry or use toilet paper, so if you have a lot of difficulty wiping, it may be worth opting for a bidet with more features.
Cold Water: These will only spray water the temperature of your cold tap.
Static Angle: These will spray in one or two fixed angles which may require some weight shifting.
Note: I recommend these specific products based on what I’ve seen in my professional experience working with people who have benefited from using them, as well as comparing online reviews, ratings and features to maximize the chance that the specific product models linked here will be a good fit for you. If you choose to purchase products through these links I will receive a small commission, though there is no extra cost to you.
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