Disabled Hands

Advancing Laundry Technology

As I have talked about before doing the laundry is one of the greatest challenges for those with disabled hands. Even more so if your disability has you using a wheelchair. Advancing technology is making laundry easier and easier. This Japanese unit from Panasonic is a washer and a dryer negating the need to transfer heavy wet cloths for one machine to the other. Additionally, it features a sloped drum that makes loading and unloading the machine easier than either front or top loaders. From an energy standpoint This unit saves energy by using a heat exchanger to provide drying without needing a heating element. Don't know how that works exactly but the point is that technology is innovating a chore that proves difficult for those with Disabled Hands.

Panasonic

[via] Thanks Tony for the tip

Technorati Tags: cloths washing, innovation, laundry, Panasonic

Six Tips to Take Some Hand Stress out of Doing the Laundry

Tips for hands and laundry around the house.

• If you are remodeling, adding on or building a new home think through optimal laundry processes. Incorporate same floor laundry rooms where possible. Also consider the inclusion of laundry chutes and even dumbwaiters where space does not permit locating laundry equipment on the same floor level as the bedrooms and closets.
• Rather than carrying dirty laundry down the stairs in heavy laundry baskets consider using mesh laundry bags that can be tossed down the stairs.
• When it's time to move the clean cloths back upstairs ditch the heavy awkward baskets and consider using a backpack for moving smaller folded items.
• Carrying dry cleaning and hanging cloths can be very hard on delicate fingers and hands. Avoid wire hangers that cut into the fingers. Use good quality plastic or wooden hangers. The rotating hooks on wooden hangers can make them easier to carry. Use a carrying aid to reduce strain on the hands and fingers.
• Consider buying concentrated detergents and other laundry products that come in smaller easier to manage containers. It's not just carrying or rolling the products home from the store but dispensing the contents that can strain the hands.
• Even better is using packetized products that don't require dispensing of liquids or powders into your laundry. Just toss a pre-measured packet of cleaning product into the machine with the cloths.

Leave your tips for easing stress on the hands while doing the laundry in the comments.

Technorati Tags: disability, disabled, Disabled Hands, hand, laundry, lifehack, hangers

Iron that Rises Above Hand and Wrist Stress

The Oliso cloths iron is a smart design that makes ironing easier for those with a variety of hand and wrist conditions. Anyone with arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, broken or sprained wrists, missing or injured fingers, chronic fatigue, or fibromyalgia can benefit from this innovative iron. The innovation? An auto lift system that raises the iron off the fabric or ironing surface when it detects that your hand has left the handle of the iron. This eliminates the hand and wrist stress and strain of repeatedly lifting and twisting the iron to set it down vertically. Excellent! Leaving the Oliso unattended in the horizontal position is also safer than vertical irons. Less prone to being nocked off the ironing board and less hot surface exposed to curious little hands.

Reminds me of the onboard jacking systems of Formula One and Indy race cars that pneumatically elevate the car off the ground during pit stops for tire changing.

Product Page: Oliso Iron Check out the video!

(via)

Disabled Hands also recommends the Black & Decker Lids Off Automatic Jar Opener for those with hand and wrist strength issues.

Technorati Tags: arthritis, broken arm, broken wrist, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, cloths iron, design, disability, disabled, Disabled Hands, fibromyalgia, Formula One racing, gift idea, Indy car racing, injury, iron, laundry, Oliso, Oliso cloths iron, practical gift, Repetitive Stress Injury, wrist cast, wrist injury, wrist surgery

Illuminating Work Gloves

It's true we're seeing LEDs move into all manner of products. Some make sense and some are gimmicky. Here's a pair of work gloves that feature a work light placed between the thumb and forefinger. For those with delicate or injury prone hands I'd recommend keeping a pair of these in the car. These would be a great way to protect your hands while seeing what you are doing under the hood of the car. These would also be good for those with only on hand.

Sears Craftsman: Illum-A-Glove (via)

Technorati Tags: Craftsman, gloves, Illum-A-Glove, LED, LED Flashlight, Sears

Dealing with Zippers II

Zippers are a scourge for those with Disabled Hands. Whether it's diminished strength or dexterity, dealing with zipper pulls is a challenge and frustration. On clothing who can blame designers for using zippers with small zipper tags. Who wants the zipper tab hanging out all the time. On outerwear simple string zipper pulls can be added to make zippers easier for those with disabilities or handicaps.

Let's face facts the zipper most people struggle with is the fly of their pants. No one wants to do anything that draws attention to that area. While a string zipper pull is unacceptable, a possible strategy may be fashioning a loop of clear fishing line through the hole in the zipper tab to serve as a zipper pull. This may or may not be acceptable based on the fabric and design of the garment.

My two favorite tips for handling zippers is to either carry pliers or a leatherman type multi-tool that can be used to grab the zipper tab or to carry and use a hook type zipper tool that features a wire hook to grap the zipper tab through the hole.

You'll still want to keep those pliers handy in your home, car, office, purse or go bag along with a few paperclips. You can always make your own zipper pull tool from a paperclip with your handy pliers.

Amazon: zipper puller

Related:
Dealing with Zippers

Technorati Tags: paper clip, zipper, zipper pulls

Cot'nWash Droops: Easy to Use Laundry Detergent Packets

For many people with Disabled Hands from Arthritis or other conditions or reduced strength in their arms (i.e. Lupus, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, etc.)or even back pain doing the laundry can be very difficult. Not only do you have heavy lifting of baskets full of clean or dirty cloths you have heavy and bulky containers of laundry detergent. Years ago I switched from powdered detergents to liquid as it was easier to manage when going to laundromats or dorm/apartment laundry rooms. The powered detergent can also be a respiratory irritant when spilled and then wiped or vacuumed up.

Now comes a new option that is great for people not wanting to struggle with heavy detergent bottles. Droops are A Dissolvable, Ready-to-use, Organic, Premeasured Packet of concentrated laundry detergent. No pouring, touting heavy bottles, opening awkward bottle caps, spilling, measuring etc. Just toss one in the washer and you're done. You can order them online so you don't even need to lug them home from the store.

Other brands would be smart to emulate this packaging innovation as the population ages and more and more people begin living with Disabled Hands. Tide, I'm talking to you.

Cot'nWash: Droops

Disabled Hands also recommends the Black & Decker Lids Off Automatic Jar Opener

Technorati Tags: aging in place, arthritis, baby boomer, back pain, bad back, branding, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, cleaning, cloths washing, detergant, disability, disabled, Disabled Hands, Droops, fibromyalgia, laundry, Lupus, puppy, soap

Disabled Hands May Need New Ways of Tying Shoes

We all have years of experience simply tying our shoes. We have all tied our shoes thousands of times. But now as the hand function goes it's becoming a problem. I can tie my shoes pretty well when I am home sitting on the edge of my bed but when I am out and about and I look down to see a shoe untied, That's a crisis. I've got to find a decent place to sit down to spend a couple of minutes retying. Towards that end I am on the lookout for workable alternate solutions and certainly techniques form securely tying my shoes in the first place.

If you haven't seen Ian's Shoelace Site it's a must read for anyone learning to tie their shoes or anyone looking to find new ways of lacing and tying their shoes. Did you know that there are 13 ways to tie your shoes? Maybe it's just something to share with the children or grandchildren.

Related:
Trouble Tying Shoes: Try Elastic Shoelaces
Trouble Tying Shoes: Consider Speed Laces

Disabled Hands also recommends the Black & Decker Lids Off Automatic Jar Opener

Technorati Tags: knots, shoe laces, shoelaces, shoes

Dealing with Zippers

If, like me, you have difficulty grasping and pulling small zipper tabs on coats, jackets, gloves, gadget bags and luggage, having a set of these colorful zipper pulls is just the answer. Where more discrete zips are required a simple hook fashioned from a wire paper clip or a trusty pair of long nose pliers to the rescue. Unfortunately, zipper designers are omitting the holes on zipper pulls more and more. Something else to consider when shopping for cloths, bags and luggage.

Miles Kimball: Zipper Pulls set of 12 $3.49US

Technorati Tags: paper clip, pliers, Miles Kimball, zipper, zipper pulls

Slanket: Blanket with Sleeves allows free use of hands

A simple idea: A blanket + Sleeves = Sanket. If you want to maintain free use of your arms and hands while using a blanket to stay warm consider this blanket with sleeves holes that allow users to read, use the TV remote, use a computer, eat, etc. Nice but expensive. $65

Slanket

Technorati Tags: accessible clothing, blanket, fleece, high heating costs, Slanket

Trouble Tying Shoes? Try Elastic Shoelaces

Here's a solution for those having difficulty tying dress shoes. I've recently posted about Speed Laces that are a good alternative lacing system for athletic shoes. Elastic shoelaces stretch allowing users to slip on or off their shoes without having to tie or untie the laces. I would caution that these laces may not provide adequate support that will keep shoes from rubbing the feet and leading to potential blisters and calluses. If you don't have problems with foot injuries this may be a good solution for you.

Elastic Shoelaces available in white, brown and black

Technorati Tags: accessible clothing, Disabled Hands, elastic shoe laces, shoe laces