| Disability made easier | | | | - Weights for exercising can be tins of food instead of |
| 22 Tips on how to do it | | | | barbells, socks filled with sand or beans to desired |
| | | | weight, bungee cord attached to chair or wall or door |
| After years of experience I can still never say that I | | | | frame for neck, arm and leg exercises. I use one that |
| have arrived and know everything about disability or | | | | was a luggage strap for my car. |
| how to cope with or combat it. One thing I have learnt | | | | - Extend your door handles with flat wood of |
| is that disabilities vary vastly from person to person, | | | | appropriate width a length glued on with epoxy glue. |
| even if diagnosed with the same disease, disability or | | | | The longer the handle the more leverage and less |
| condition (we won’t pursue the other synonyms in | | | | strength required. Also attach a loop of cord around |
| this article. That is an article on its own.) | | | | handles for easier opening towards you as you |
| I was once told by a very wise doctor that the reason | | | | reverse your chair. Vary the length to suit your needs. |
| for my sudden and unexplained falling was that I was | | | | Cord loops are also handy for fridges, cupboards, |
| tripping over my own pride. You see pride was getting | | | | drawers etc. Same can be done with window |
| in the way of me using the numerous aids at my | | | | handles. Push with stick pull with loop. With a lot of |
| disposal in order to avoid these sudden mishaps. Once | | | | useful aids the aesthetics go by the board |
| I overcame my pride and removed the perceived | | | | unfortunately but I’d rather struggle less than have it |
| stigmas attached to these devices, I fell less often, until | | | | pretty and useless. |
| eventually I parked my stubborn backside in a | | | | - Fit a thin cord or string or even fishing line through the |
| wheelchair. Hey Presto ----------- no more falling. | | | | hole at the end of difficult zips. Loop to desired length. |
| Some tips to help cope with disability……… | | | | Tuck into the top of pants when the zip is closed. |
| - Ascertain the problem e.g. (can’t open jars or | | | | - Thread elastic of correct thickness and colour to |
| bottles etc) | | | | shoes instead of shoe laces |
| - Seek the solution on the net on sites for disabled and | | | | - Men, make a small hole at back of the shoe and |
| disabled aids and equipment or get someone to open | | | | thread loop of strong thin cord through the hole. Tuck |
| the problem container for you, then decant the | | | | the thread into shoe once on. Sorry ladies nowhere to |
| contents into manageable containers. | | | | hide the thread for you. It shouldn’t irritate you if you |
| - Use an 8mm dowel stick approximately 1 metre or | | | | use a wheelchair. |
| shorter in length with rubber cap on both ends (use | | | | - Raise a comfy chair by standing it on ash or cement |
| thick rubber bands wrapped around and glued if | | | | blocks. It’s easier to slide off the chair than get up |
| necessary). Useful to get to light switches, TV buttons, | | | | from the lower position. |
| front door bells, set alarms, stretch for papers on | | | | - Don’t use a kettle to heat water for tea or |
| desks, pushing or pulling tool, backscratcher. (NO it’s | | | | coffee boil required amount in microwave. Quicker and |
| too thick to serve as an ear bud for itchy ears). | | | | lighter. |
| Anyway I was told never to put anything smaller than | | | | - When sitting in a wheelchair at a table. Try sitting at a |
| my elbow into my ears. | | | | corner with the table leg between your footrests and |
| - Eating utensils too thin in the handle. Use short lengths | | | | legs, and the point of the corner towards your |
| of 12mm new garden hose to slip over the handle. | | | | stomach. You can get closer to your plate, cup or |
| Makes handle easier to hold. And can be removed for | | | | glass. |
| washing of both, utensil and hose. To avoid | | | | - Wrap and glue stiff paper around a favourite pen or |
| contamination soak handle in mild bleach solution. | | | | pencil with surplus piece extending off the pen in a |
| - Bend the front of a fork or spoon to the left or right | | | | glued together flap. Now pinch flap between thumb |
| at 45 degrees, pending if left or right handed, makes | | | | and index finger and teach yourself to write all over |
| for easier self feeding. | | | | again. |
| - Use a bowl instead of a plate. You won’t have to | | | | - Wear your glasses (spectacles) around your neck |
| “chase” your food around your plate so much. | | | | on a cord loop. Attach to glasses using rubber bands. |
| - Can’t pick up cups and glasses. Use clear PVC | | | | Will be with you when you need them. Hands free. |
| tubing of desired diameter (similar to medical tubing | | | | - Attach a PVC pipe 50mm dia or smaller, of desired |
| used in drips etc) also used by canoeists. Available at | | | | length to the side of your chair once you’ve closed |
| most hardware stores. Cut to desired length (longer | | | | the bottom, (can use any strong plastic bag or packet |
| than conventional straws) can be easily cleaned by | | | | and glue or elastic bands to do that). Use as a |
| washing and soaking in mild bleach and water solution. | | | | “quiver” for scratching pointing stick and other |
| Can be carried in wheelchair bag. | | | | required long tools. Fix to chair with adjustable hose |
| - Wheelchair bag hanging on back of chair to carry | | | | clamps. |
| equipment. I use a cloth bag from one of the | | | | - Attach a mobile alarm panic button to your chair or |
| supermarket chains. (wee bottle, eating utensils, drinking | | | | wear one around your neck, so that help can be |
| tube, change of undies, nappies if required, etc Each | | | | summoned in case of emergency. |
| item in its own Ziploc bag to avoid contamination) | | | | - Join disabled (or any other synonym) groups and ask |
| - A bag can also be hung under the seat behind the | | | | questions. There are amazing people in the disabled |
| legs to hold things like cell phones, spectacles, tablets, | | | | fraternity with brilliant cheap workable ideas. Seek and |
| medicine etc. if you can lean forward, or fit it | | | | you shall find. Don’t, and you will forever struggle. |
| somewhere else more suited to your requirements. | | | | |