Support Aids for People Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis will make even the easiest tasks hard. Those who are currently dealing with this medical condition will agree with me.

Do you regularly need a little help? Yes, we understand that it’s not so easy to have a person nearby 24/7 to help you out. However, it doesn’t mean that you will not be able to live a normal life with rheumatoid arthritis. You can still live an active life.

But, how?

There are several support aids to help you regain your confidence and independence and to make your daily life easier. Doctors call these aids assistive devices.

With such gadgets in place, not only you can live a better life, but you can also look great and continue doing things you enjoy. Some of these gadgets are specially designed for individuals suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

In the following article, let’s learn about the support aids that can make it easier for you to bend, reach, grip, and so on.

RA Support Aids for Dressing and Grooming:

We recommend the following devices and adjustments to make your dressing and grooming jobs more joint-friendly:

• Clothes Fasteners: There will be a button hook at one end to make it easier to fasten tiny buttons on your sweaters and blouses. The hook that will be present at the other end will help open and/or close zippers.
• Shoehorn and comb with long handles: The long handles in these devices will make it easier to put on your shoes or comb your hair when bending or rotating your arm/wrist is difficult. The long-handled shoe horn will also come with a small notch at the end that will help remove socks.
• Wash Mitt: The wash mitt will be made of terry cloth or mesh. You can use it with your body wash or bar soap. When you have this, you will not have to grip your washcloth anymore.

RA Assistive Tools for Bathrooms:

Use the following assistive tools to make your bathroom tasks easier:

• Easy-to-open toiletries: Replace the normal kid-safe items with easy-to-open toiletries. Usually, the kid-safe lids can be problematic for the stiff joints. Nowadays, some manufacturers are offering packaging that is tailored for people with arthritis.
• Bathtub stool: You can have a bathtub stool or just a stool near  your sink to give you a place to rest if you get tired while bathing, shaving, or washing.

RA Adaptive Utensils for Your Kitchen:

Many tools and devices can make your cooking easier. In general, always try to use objects that will provide you a better grip. If we have rheumatoid arthritis, almost all the tasks from opening jars, pulling, and lifting can be hard. Take a look at the following adaptive utensils to help you out:

• Pots and pans with two handles: When there are handles on both sides, it will be easier for you to hold because they will allow you to distribute the weight between both hands.
• Rocking T Knife: This tool is designed in such a way that you require only less strength and agility to use it. This is because a rocking T knife will put pressure directly on the food to be cut. Moreover, you can use it just using one hand.
• Manual jar opening devices: If you are mindful about your expenses, you can buy any device that you can attach to the jar lids  to give you a better grip. But, according to experts, as your joints will be more painful with joints, you will require more mechanical devices.
• Step stool: This can help you reach high-up items without requiring much effort. While getting one, choose the one that’s well-balanced and lightweight so that it can be moved around easily.
• Reacher: Basically, this is a long stick with a gripper or suction cup on one end. In most cases, it will help you extend your reach by two or three feet. You can use this device to retrieve lightweight items from cupboard shelves or from the ground.
• Small appliances: A food processor, an electric jar, or a can opener, they can make many of your tasks easier.

RA Assistive Devices for Shopping:

You can make your shopping experience good by using various assistive devices, such as:

• Reachers: Again, reachers during shopping can help you retrieve items from the shelves at the stores. In case of heavy and breakable items, get the help from a store employee.
• Motorized shopping carts: These days, several stores have them. If you find them in the stores you visit, just sit while you shop. Even if the store doesn’t have a motorized one, you can use a shopping cart to spare your hands during shopping. You will have something to lean on as well.
• Reusable shopping bags: These will be easier on your hands, as well as your wrists when compared to your plastic bags. In any case, try to fill the bags only halfway.

RA Support Aids for Your Car:

Whether it’s about getting in or out of the car, or about sitting in the driver’s seat, it can be tough for you. Use the following support aids to improve things a little:

• Key holder: Use a wider key holder to make it easier for you to open doors and start the ignition. If you are getting a new model car, get the one with keyless ignition and/or entry.
• Beaded seat covers: These can be bought from the automotive or medical supply stores. The beaded seat covers will make it simple for you to get in and get out of the seat while also making your rides more comfortable.
• Panoramic mirrors: These mirrors will help widen your view, so as to help you if you have a painful, stiff neck.

Thus, you can still live a normal life with rheumatoid devices. All you need to do is to carry out some research to ensure that you are buying something that works best for you.

 References:

1. https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/features/assistive-devices#1
2. https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/ra-assistive-devices#1
3. https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/rheumatoid-arthritis-treatment-management/assistive-devices/
4. https://www.everydayhealth.com/arthritis-pictures/10-terrific-arthritis-gadgets.aspx
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK384454/