Tools that make life easier for the elderly at home
The simple chores that one does every day can become mammoth tasks as one gets older and suffers from medical conditions that hinder movement, such as arthritis or stroke.
Eating and other everyday chores, such as pouring water from a full jug, can be very challenging for someone who finds it hard to grasp or bend his wrists, for instance.
However, things can be made easier with a little help from specially designed devices available in the market.
At Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s (TTSH) Centre for Geriatric Medicine, which opened in July last year, there is a corner showcasing some of these devices in a home setting.
You can try out the devices and find out how to use them there. TTSH is unable to provide prices, but said the smaller items, such as the rocking knife for slicing food and jug with a tipping stand to make pouring easier, typically cost less than $50 each.
It has plans to sell some of the items in the future but, for now, you will have to make an extra trip or two to purchase the items at various retail outlets elsewhere.
A list of these outlets – which includes The Able Studio at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital – can be obtained from the centre.
These aids for daily living, which the elderly can use, have been available here for a while, said Ms Bon Ai Cheng, a product specialist at Assisted Living, which has a retail showroom in Square 2, a shopping mall in Novena.
For instance, the Swedish brand Etac’s range of utensils, which includes a spoon-cum-table-knife for those who can use only one hand to eat, has been sold here for at least eight to nine years, she said.
“But they have not been very popular here. I think people prefer to hire a maid to feed the elderly person, or they are put into a nursing home,” she said.
However, demand could rise, especially when awareness of these products grows, she said.
Here are some devices to consider.
For the dining room
Utensils with built-up or weighted handles
These spoons, forks and knives with thick handles are easy to use, compared with conventional ones that usually come with thin handles. They can also be bent to suit those with limited wrist movement.
“One should use utensils with weighted handles if hand tremors or poor coordination make eating difficult,” said Ms Eileen Lim, an occupational therapist at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
Those with Parkinsons disease, for instance, would appreciate utensils with weighted handles, as the weight will help to lessen their hand tremors, she said.
Source: Asia One
Published: 03 Jan 2015
Category: Features, Technology & Devices
