Try: #tie one end of a shoelace string or cord to the key ring tie the other end to a purse strap or a loop inside a wallet this will prevent the key from getting dropped and lost at the door #buy a light-up key cap at a hardware store and fix it on top of the key squeezing the key cap turns on the light and a little bit of focused light may make give the cr better light for guiding the key into the lock

Materials: Key cap with light-up feature shoelace string or cord key and key ring

Categories: Maintenance, Medical Physical, Vision, So-So Vision, Poor Vision, Touch, Good Touch, So-So Touch, Poor Touch

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: Instead of buying a new remote with large buttons make a regular remote easier to use turn on the television in a common room and plan on leaving it on use masking tape to cover all the buttons on the remote control except the four buttons that control volume and channel selection the cr will now only have to touch four buttons to manipulate the remote control and will be less likely to accidentally select an inconvenient feature or setting

Materials: Masking tape

Categories: Maintenance, Social, Mobility, Mobile, Needs Some Assistance, Needs Much Assistance, Independence, No Supervision, Some Supervision, Maximum Supervision, Vision, Good Vision, So-So Vision, Poor Vision, Touch, So-So Touch, Poor Touch, Long-Term Memory, Good L T Memory, So-So L T Memory, Short-Term Memory, Good S T Memory, So-So S T Memory

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #help the cr transition out of driving by making a transportation plan come up with travel alternatives to driving and try them out to prepare the cr for the possibility of life as a non-driver whether for good or just temporarily #be honest with the cr about the safety problems you are seeing and what the consequences of continuing to drive could be be honest about the conditions that would have to be different for the cr to again be considered a safe driver you don’t have to rule out the hope the cr may return to being a safe driver but don’t soften the degree of risk you feel the driver poses to self or others if you are seriously concerned #if necessary share your concerns with the cr’s primary care doctor be very specific about the relevant behaviors symptoms or incidents that pose a danger when the cr is behind a wheel in some cases the doctor may order the cr to stop driving until certain conditions have improved or been corrected #use the phone book internet or library to locate

Materials: Schedules for public buses and trains senior and public transportation resources primary care doctor phone book internet or library

Categories: Maintenance, Mobility, Mobile, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, No Supervision, Some Supervision

Information: About senior and public transportation services and to find contact information for local businesses that may provide home services for example grocery stores that deliver pharmacies that will mail prescriptions etc the cr may be able to find a senior discount for public transportation and cabs a medical van for doctor appointments home aide services for help shopping and getting to appointments and a volunteer driver from a senior center for other errands #start using the local transportation options with the cr before the car is given up see if the cr can limit driving to just one or two days a week and rely on public options on other days try this for a week and then a month information

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #a liquid level indicator is a small device that is hung on the lip of a cup or container before liquid is poured when the liquid rises to within a certain distance of the lip the indicator makes a noise cuing the cr with low vision to stop pouring #color-coded measuring cups and spoons and sets of black measuring cups make it easier for many crs with low vision to tell the measures apart and to see the ingredients being measured #talking kitchen scales and talking jugs give verbal cues about the amount or weight of food or liquid being handled additional talking appliances are also available including coffee brewers microwaves and timers #large-print cookbooks may be located in libraries and additionally cookbooks for people with low vision are sold through online vendors and other suppliers of and resources for people who are blind or who have low vision #look online or ask a librarian for help locating product catalogs using search words including independent living products blind low vision and vision impairment #if you would like to make a recipe accessible to a cr with low vision type the recipe in a clear style of font 18 points high or larger use dark black or color on a high-contrasting white paper adjust the font size to the cr’s needs

Materials: Liquid level indicator color-coded measuring cups color-coded measuring spoons talking kitchen scale talking measuring jug talking appliances large-print cookbooks

Categories: Maintenance, Independence, No Supervision, Vision, Poor Vision

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: If a cr has trouble entering or exiting a car as a passenger set the passenger seat back as far as possible to give both the caregiver and the cr the maximum amount of room to maneuver place a plastic bag on the passenger seat so when the cr sits he or she will be able to slide easily around on the seat if the cr has trouble lifting up one or both legs have the cr make a loop in a sturdy belt or use the crook of a cane slip one foot at a time into the loop then use his or her hands to hold the other end of the belt or cane to lift up and reposition the foot and leg

Materials: Plastic grocery bag or trash bag sturdy belt or strong cane

Categories: Maintenance

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #rubber disks are sold with kitchen supplies they increase friction between the hand and lids to make it easier to open jars #inside doorknobs that are hard to grasp can be built up by wrapping wrist sweatbands around them and securing the bands with thick rubber bands or buy fairly inexpensive plastic lever-style doorknobs that are sold through independent living products catalogs they fit over regular knobs and are often easier to manipulate #for comfort and ease replace cabinet knobs throughout the house with u-shaped handles they don’t require tight grasping for use the weight of a cr cr’s hand or palm can be used to pull the doors open #additionally consider replacing kitchen and bathroom knob-style faucets with lever or paddle-style faucets paddles that can be pushed or pulled may easier for a cr to use than knobs that require grasping with the fingers to be turned and twisted on and off

Materials: Rubber disks wrist sweatbands thick rubber bands lever-style doorknobs lever-style faucets cabinet handles person who can use tools

Categories: Maintenance, Medical Physical, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, No Supervision

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #reachers are metals sticks with handles at one end and pick-up pinchers at the other they are often about thirty inches long some pinchers have suction-cup tips while others have finer plastic grippers some come with small magnets near the tips that allow for pick up of items such as pins tacks coins etc #buy several pinchers each in different styles they can be found at drug stores but wider varieties are available through medical supply stores and independent living catalogs #buy a long handled pair of tongs at any general merchandise store #use reachers to lift relatively light items from the floor such as small articles of clothing paperback books craft items etc use the tongs to lift heavier items reachers may be used to extend the cr’s reach so a basket can be dragged across a floor but keep in mind that some reachers are designed to be strong only in the direction of the handle to the tip and may buckle if used to move weight from side to side

Materials: Several reachers a pair of long metal salad or bbq tongs

Categories: Maintenance, Medical Physical, Personal, Mobility, Mobile, Needs Some Assistance

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #assess the kitchen for areas such as near the sink that may become wet and slippery consider using non-skid kitchen work mats in those areas rather than scatter rugs #remove loose scatter rugs if they are likey to be tripped over and replace them with heavier rugs or work mats #assess the lighting throughout the day and note if there are any times when glare or shadow hides obstacles on the floor address these problems with shades more lighting or brighter lightbulbs #if the cr gets up at night to visit the kitchen keep a nightlight on in the kitchen and make sure the path from the cr cr’s bedroom to the kitchen is clutter-free and illuminated easily with either nightlights or accessible switches #keep frequently used appliances and cooking ingredients within easy reach #if the cr has good balance make sure there is a sturdy low stepstool available for use this is preferable to the cr using a less sturdy higher stepstool or a chair as a stepstool some crs may find a reacher useful but others may be at risk pulling down such items as cans or boxes if their strength or coordination is limited #keep the kitchen floor clear of clutter boxes or unshelved household or food supplies #if the cr is blind or has low vision teach family friends and workers to keep and return items to their assigned places including furniture for example always put food and utensils away in assigned places in cupboards never leave cleaning supplies packages groceries etc on the floor and always push chairs up against kitchen tables the consequences of not seeing furniture or tripping over something on the floor could be life-threatening to a cr who is blind or has low vision

Materials: Non-skid kitchen mats shades or brighter lighting as needed nightlights sturdy stepstool reacher

Categories: Maintenance, Medical Physical

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #check with phone service providers about plans for people who are blind or vision-impaired and see if the cr qualifies for a service plan that includes free

Materials: Transfer board electric hospital bed wheelchair with removable arms and footrests gait belts

Categories: Maintenance, Independence, Some Supervision, Vision, Poor Vision, Cognitive Awareness, Somewhat Aware

Information: Calls #look for a phone with a large-button number pad these are available in rehabilitation supply catalogs blind and low vision resource outlets and independent living catalogs #using the thick pen and large poster board list the most frequently dialed numbers in large enough print that the cr can see them easily program those numbers into the phone phone’s speed dial feature if it has one and note the speed dial number next to the phone number on the poster board information

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed

Try: #breaking the seal on an unopened jar can be particularly difficult because of the force of the vacuum effect inside the jar #use a triangle-point manual can opener to punch a small hole in the lid #once the hole is made the vacuum is broken with the pressure inside the jar released the top will be easier to twist off however the hole in the top of the lid may make the contents spoil a little faster so keep the jar refrigerated and check the contents periodically or move the contents to another container

Materials: Triangle-point manual can opener

Categories: Maintenance, Mobility, Needs Some Assistance, Independence, No Supervision

Information: n/a

References: n/a

Keywords: n/a

*This information is listed as a Tip and is not explicitly medically licensed