Getting Around & Getting Dressed
Doorway Thresholds
As my condition declined, I found the doorway thresholds in my house to be too steep. What to do? DIY time. I took a piece of aluminum gutter, flattened it out and screwed it over top of the original threshold, making the incline less steep. Works like a hot darn.
Open Shelving
Do you find getting dressed and undressed a chore? I do. Especially gathering and putting the clothes away. All that opening and closing drawers and/or reaching up to pull things off hangers just exhausts me. That’s where my utility shelving unit comes into play.
Personally, I find it way easier to dress and undress in the bathroom. So I transferred all my clothing onto an open shelving unit close to the toilet. This open utility shelving unit is attached to the wall, allowing easy access to my clothing. Not only that, but because it is attached to the studs in the wall, I can use the metal frame to help support me as I transfer into the walk-in-shower.
Multi-Purpose Cane
One of the best tools in my arsenal is my walking cane. Not for walking, but for getting dressed. I bet you’re scratching your head right now, so let me explain. This cane has the derby-shaped handle, which is key to helping one in oh so many ways.
For example, pulling up your pants. For a lot of us, bending over to pull up your pants is tricky business, quite often leading to falls. That’s where the hook on the cane comes in, pulling the pants up to the point where you can safely grab them. Works like a charm.
Another example is using the cane hook to pick shoes up off the floor. If you need a new roll of toilet paper, reach with the cane and hook a roll off the shelf. The rubber tip of the cane is also great for pushing your shoes and socks off and for getting your underwear on. Again, let me explain that last point.
For me, because my legs are weak, it is hard to lift them up, so stepping into anything is a challenge. That’s when I use the cane to keep the leg hole open, allowing me to place my foot into the opening. This works really well if you are using disposable underwear. Because they are so elasticized, it is hard to slip your second foot through the narrow hole. I use the cane to stretch open the hole, making it easier to slip that foot in.
Also, look online at how to change disposable underwear without getting completely undressed from the waist down. There are quite a few videos showing how to do this. It’s an old trick of the trade. Thank you to the clever person who figured this out and shared it with the world.
Getting Up After a Fall
Falls, that is the f-word that haunts everyone with declining physical strength. Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem falling, it’s the getting back up that keeps me down. Sorry, I just couldn’t help myself. But seriously, getting up off the floor is a challenge, even if you have help, if you’re like me, you’re dead weight and not easily lifted. That’s where my bath chair comes to the rescue.
The bath chair in this picture is in my bathroom next to the toilet. If I fall, I can scoot along on my bottom and get on the bath chair at which point I activate it, bringing me to the level of my toilet. That’s when I can easily transfer onto the toilet seat and back onto my mobility device.
Now I have these bath chairs scattered throughout the house at key locations next to office chairs. These office chairs have no arm rests, allowing me to easily slide over off the bath chair after its deployed. Then I can wheel the office chair to where ever I need to go to access my mobility device.
Explore online for sites selling used medical supplies. You’d be amazed at how many bath chairs are available. Recycle and reuse, that’s the way to go.
