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BS: working with only one hand
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Subject: BS: working with only one hand From: Manitas_at_home Date: 20 Dec 10 - 05:45 AM My mother has had a fall and broken a wrist. She wants to stay at home but is having difficulty with bottles, tins and jars. I'm think of putting in a bench vice on her counter and getting an automatic tin opener. Has anyone got any experience with coping like this and can offer tips? |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: GUEST,Alan whittle Date: 20 Dec 10 - 09:45 AM My wife's hands and wrists are very weak from arthritis. Its not quite the same. I'm usually on hand, but we went through a stage where I went out to work. Things weren't great. Things you definitely need are 1) a picker up - these have like pistol grip and you can retrieve things off the floor without having to bend and steady yourself. 2) an electric tin opener - but careful many have two handed requirement 3)As much stuff with remote control as you can - tv, radio, 4) For a while we had a kettle urn, with a little tap on the side - you can get one from Stowes catalogue - a domestic sized one that is. it wasn't brilliant, but it saved her having to lift a kettle. 4) we put wooden blocks under the bed and the favourite chair, so she didn't have to push up out of a low chair. In the end we got an electric riser chair. remove as many tops off bottles and things as you can, there are plastic tops you can put on in the chemist and hardware stores. Don't overfill kettles and leave them for her to have to pick up after you've gone. anyway its never a brilliant situation - don't blame yourself for not thinking of things which will become apparent as the nature of the disability becomes more apparent. best of luck al |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Manitas_at_home Date: 20 Dec 10 - 09:51 AM Have already got One Touch can and jar openers. Will get sone rubber mats for the kitchen counter. Have got a jug for dispensing milk to save unscrewing the tops each time - I just need to figure out something to grip the bottle so she can do this initially. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Rapparee Date: 20 Dec 10 - 09:55 AM There are things like this. You might also need toilet and bath accommodations. A floor sweeper -- not a broom -- would be helpful as well. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 20 Dec 10 - 10:03 AM a friend has a gi-normous bottle of whiskey on some kind of stand, something like this would this kind of gadget help? we have an organisation called Technical Aid for the Disabled - do you have anything similar? sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Rapparee Date: 20 Dec 10 - 10:09 AM You don't know how much society is based on two-handedness until you lose, even temporarily, the loss of one. Same thing for legs. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: maeve Date: 20 Dec 10 - 10:12 AM I'm still recovering from a broken wrist. She and those around her will need patience. Rapparee's link shows a very helpful gadget; wish I'd had one. You may want to confer with her regarding the way everyday items are organized. Her balance may be off as her other muscles try to protect and accommodate to her injury. In addition to whatever physiotherapy has been arranged, she'll benefit from gentle stretches for the rest of her muscles. Rest will become especially important, yet some stretching and some of her therapy can be done as she rests. Some times, she may just need to be quiet and still. At other times, she'll feel restless and want to do too much. She may need encouragement to save certain tasks for when she's well rested, and others for later in the day when her muscles have become limber from more gentle tasks. I wasn't babied- sometimes I needed to be. On the other hand, I was encouraged to do whatever I could manage on my own so I wouldn't loose too much strength. Let me know if I can help further. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Manitas_at_home Date: 20 Dec 10 - 10:16 AM We have charities such as Age Concern and Help the Aged but they don't seem to have much advice about gadgets to help with this sort of thing. I'm not inclined to go down the route of equipping mum's house with big stuff at the moment as we're being optimistic that she will heal quickly. I pop over most weekends, as does my sister and brothers, so cleaning is not a problem. We asked her to stay with us for a while but she wants to be independent which is why I'm looking for ideas to help. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: katlaughing Date: 20 Dec 10 - 11:52 AM This looks like a handy help with opening jars, etc.: CLICK. This is less expensive, but I am not sure it would work as well: CLICK. Does she like to read? That's what would drive me nuts; if I couldn't hold a book. Any way, they have several aids for that, too: CLICK. Maybe a silly question, but does she have good, non-slip shoes? Here are some GOOD TIPS on what kinds of tools are available, etc. Lots of good info. Good healing to your mum. kat |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: JohnInKansas Date: 20 Dec 10 - 12:08 PM With a broken wrist you normally can expect return of some use of the hand within a month or two, although the healing time can vary a lot depending on the location of the break and "vaguaries of age" that can affect the rate of healing. It likely will be quite a bit longer before she can exert significant effort to holding or lifting things. For normal case with both hands working I've tried lots of "jar openers" that promise but don't deliver, and now keep a couple of simple "strap wrenches" in the drawer for tight lids. It's difficult to find a good one, and the more common cheap ones use a plastic strap so stiff that it requires both hands to adjust to fit - one wrench on the lid and the other on the jug. Of course that's not much help with your present problem. I've tried a number of "devices" for holding a jar so that you can remove a lid one-handed, especially for about the past 8 or 9 years since Lin's stroke weakened her use of one hand. NONE OF THEM WORKED. About the best I've found is the homemade "whittler's bench" where you can sit down on the seat and step on a pedal board to close a pair of wooden jaws onto "just about anything." The problem is that I have to go out to the back yard behind the shed to use it (since she gets lost when she goes outside), and it's getting pretty weather-beaten. Since I do have two more or less usable hands I usually just use the straps. I'll be watching the thread to see if someone comes up with a "bottle vise" that will fit in the kitchen. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Gurney Date: 20 Dec 10 - 01:48 PM Something along the lines of the Triton Superjaws would be ideal, although this foot-operated device is too big and industrial for a kitchen. Her Indoors buys jam/jelly in pentagonal jars so that she can hug them to her apron with her weaker forearm. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Noreen Date: 20 Dec 10 - 03:02 PM Hi Paul. Thinking outside the box- can your mum get a milkman to deliver bottles of milk (they do still exist in some areas!)? My mum still has a delivery, alternate days- and milk bottle tops are easier to open than plastic bottles. Her milkman also delivers bread, eggs, potatoes etc when required, which is a great help particularly in the bad weather. My dad had only one arm and we never thought of him as disabled when we were growing up- he could do virtually everything, finding other ways of doing things. What about your mum sitting down and gripping the bottle/jar between her knees? Hope she heals well. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: open mike Date: 20 Dec 10 - 03:12 PM it might help to get milk and stuff in the smallest container possible. maybe microwave foods would be easier to prepare--no choppingm etc. also a toilet device that has arm rest/grab bar like this http://www.nextag.com/Rubbermaid--2700067/toilet-arm-rest/brand-html also there are toilet paper dispensers that have a metal weight that holds down the roll so you can tear off what you need... there are so many little things made more difficult...even blowing your nose! My father had a stroke and lived with paralysis for over 15 years. there are many helpful devices made to accommodate this.. devices that hold yourplate on teh table so you can scoop off food... perhaps a liquid soap with a pump dispenser would make hand washing easier...or maybe wet wipes or diaper wipes...disposable things for clean up.... hopefully your mom's wrist will be as good as new soon... |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Noreen Date: 20 Dec 10 - 03:20 PM Just remembered something my auntie found indespensable after her stroke, when she had little use of one arm- a tray on wheels, so she could take a cup of tea and a sandwich from the kitchen to her living room. A tray with a handle could be as good for your mum, if she isn't too wobbly :) |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: gnu Date: 20 Dec 10 - 03:33 PM What a great thread this is turning into. Thanks Manitas! And thanks to all the posters... some great ideas and websites. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 20 Dec 10 - 07:25 PM There's a trick I've been using for ages for getting jar tops off easier. Remember 'crown seal' bottle caps? You used a bottle opener that lifted the cap, the type that looked like a little sharpened flat hook? Well, you often find that sort of opener on some of those screw type can openers. You merely get that hook under the lip of the jar lid, and ease it up - there is usually a lot of leverage available, so not much force is required. When you hear the jar lid seal break (hiss), you can then remove the jar lid with far less force, as you are not fighting the 'vacuum' seal, just perhaps where the rubber was compressed, the first time. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: GUEST,mg Date: 20 Dec 10 - 07:35 PM perhaps someone could open up various cans she is likely to use and put the contents in tupperware..m g |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Bobert Date: 20 Dec 10 - 07:59 PM Now this may sound cruel but it isn't intended to be... I have broken, sliced or smashed just about everything that can be broken, sliced or smashed but haven't ever allowed myself to give in to the break, slice or smash... Might of fact, I seem to learn a way around stuff every time... Most of my musical break troughs have come during the break, slice or smash times so... ...my advice??? If mom is half as stubborn as I am she'll figure it out... God gave us a great vice... It's called, "yer legs"... Amazin' how tight you can squeeze a jar between yer legs... (No jokes, please... Okay, some jokes but make 'um funny, will ya'???) Seriously, if mom is a determined woman she'll figure stuff out... (Yer mean, Boberdz...) No, not really... Say "Hey" to mom fir me, will ya??? B~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: JennieG Date: 20 Dec 10 - 10:10 PM When I broke my wrist last year I couldn't open jars or do much at all - broke left wrist (both radius and ulna) and sprained right wrist in the one fall, so both hands were somewhat useless for a while there. If your mum is doing things herself that's good, let her do as much as she wants.....it will make physiotherapy easier when the cast comes off, because by gosh the wrist which is broken will be stiff for a while. Cheers JennieG |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Manitas_at_home Date: 21 Dec 10 - 05:54 AM Well thanks for all your input so far. I think I've anticipated about half your tips. I wonder about gnu's thanking me - it was my mum that fell in the snow and none of us wanted that. Still, the tips are now here to be googled whereas there didn't seem to be much before. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: maeve Date: 21 Dec 10 - 06:58 AM Gnu thanked you because he has a family member who needs similar adaptations. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: JohnInKansas Date: 21 Dec 10 - 07:19 AM In the opening post it was mentioned: I'm think of putting in a bench vice on her counter. One type of jar opener that might be of some use is just a flat, usually plastic, device with a wedge shaped gap between two toothy jaws. You place it on the bottom of a counter top so that you can wedge the lid of a jar into the jaws and turn the jar. Obviously, the jar needs to be right side up, so this device would need to be on the bottom of a counter or perhaps on the bottom of a cabinet (near the sink to clean up the inevitable drips?). It's advertised as being an aid for removing "difficult lids" and for that purpose it doesn't work too well. If the lid is really stubborn it's difficult to hold the lid firmly enough against the jaws to keep it from slipping; but it might be okay for a one-handed person dealing with "ordinarily tight" lids. I'm sure you'll recognize it if you find one, and it should be cheap enough to be a throwaway if it doesn't work (unless you buy it on late night TV). John |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 21 Dec 10 - 08:56 PM JiK, since I adopted my practice of 'breaking the seal' on jar lids, I have never found one that very easy pressure will not open after the seal is broken. Now someone with a serious loss of strength may still have some difficulty, and need some sort of assistance. Another gadget I found useful is a thin rubber strap that goes around the lid and clips into the handle. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: JohnInKansas Date: 22 Dec 10 - 06:38 AM Foolestroupe - The thin rubber strap that clips into a handle is the "strap wrench" I mentioned earlier. I keep two in the kitchen drawer so I can put one on the lid and another on the jar for the really stuborn ones. Most of the easily available ones now have a "looks like rubber but it's really plastic" strap that's often too stiff to be adjusted one-handed. With little searching about, it may be possible to find one of the older style with a woven cloth (like an old fashioned lamp wick) strap, but nearly all with that feature have a cast iron handle, and may be $30 (US) instead of $1.50. I have one of the "rubber strap" ones with a little "release button" on the handle that makes it a lot easier to get the right adjustment, but that also almost requires both hands to make the adjustment since you have tohold the button while you slide the strap to the right length. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: JohnInKansas Date: 22 Dec 10 - 06:52 AM I should have included: In the previous post the strap wrench at the link is the foot long version. I have a shorter one (7 or 8" handle) from Home Depot that I bought recently for about $10.00 (US) that would be a better size for the kitchen Walmart probably has the plastic strap style in packages of 2 or 3 "mixed sizes" for $4 to $5. For the really stuck lids, you could go to the "chain wrench" style, but I can't give my little old lady mine to use 'cause she'd probably slip the chain out and whup me with it. As to just "break the seal," I take it you don't get into your molasses jug very often? There's always a little drip where the cap screws on that's about like super glue when you open it the next time. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 22 Dec 10 - 04:25 PM We in Aussie have traditionally used tin cans for cane syrup and molasses with a push in lid that you can lever out to open. Now you can also get them in plastic squeeze bottles. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: GUEST,Guest from Sanity Date: 22 Dec 10 - 09:45 PM Bobert: "Now this may sound cruel but it isn't intended to be... I have broken, sliced or smashed just about everything that can be broken, sliced or smashed but haven't ever allowed myself to give in to the break, slice or smash... Might of fact, I seem to learn a way around stuff every time... Most of my musical break troughs have come during the break, slice or smash times so... ...my advice???......... GOD NO!..I tend not to be such a klutz! GfS |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: gnu Date: 23 Dec 10 - 06:58 AM There's the old trick of running hot water on a jar lid... but you all knew that anyway. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 23 Dec 10 - 09:10 AM I sit the jar lid-down in boiling water, then use 2 rubber jar opener one each end of the the jar. Some jars can be opened just using the rubber openers. kitchen shelf liner is made of the same rubber sandra |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 23 Dec 10 - 08:44 PM I still say most of this effort can be sidestepped by 'breaking the seal ... :-P |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Amergin Date: 23 Dec 10 - 08:48 PM When I saw the title I thought this was going to be an older thread of Spaw's....was going to recommend extenze....dammit he better get better and come back soon. People need his humour. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: GUEST Date: 23 Dec 10 - 09:15 PM A broken hand .... turned me Arabian.
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: LadyJean Date: 24 Dec 10 - 12:30 AM I broke my arm some years ago, and was in various sorts of casts for the better part of 3 months. The hospital gave me something that made getting the lids off of jars fairly easy. It was just a square of lightweight rubber stuff. I had an electric can opener, though, over here, most cans have ring tops now, that just pull off. (I LIVED on canned beans when I broke my arm. It was easy to open the can and pour them into a pot.) Now: To medicate a cat one handed, as I had to do. 1. Catch the cat napping (That isn't hard.) 2. Drop a blanket over cat. 3. Wrap legs and blanket around cat. 4. With functional hand pry open cat's mouth. 5. With semi functional hand squirt medicine into cat's mouth. 6. With functional hand hold cat's mouth shut until cat has swallowed medicine. One handed life was so complicated, I aquired a housemate. He stayed with me for the next 8 years. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Donuel Date: 24 Dec 10 - 12:48 AM Try to use items from bags and pouches and avoid jars all together. |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Sandra in Sydney Date: 24 Dec 10 - 04:46 AM you're right there, fools, using the hook on the bottom of my old can opener (Made in British Hong Kong - now that IS old!) worked - sooo much easier on the hands, & also cheaper than boiling water! The modern Made in China plastic & metal opener does have a bit of hook, but it's too small to hook over a lid sandra (typing with 2 very comfortable arthritic hands) |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 24 Dec 10 - 07:43 AM Thanks Sandra - glad somebody listens ... :-P |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: JohnInKansas Date: 24 Dec 10 - 10:00 AM The first link at kat's 20 Dec 10 - 11:52 AM post is similar to the "under counter" one I mantioned later. I would expect that the ones shown could be mounted either way. A problem with these is that it can require that the jar be pushed quite firmly into the "wedge" to get a sufficiently secure grip to be helpful. Most people will use two hands to make one work. The best location (face up on top of a counter to grip the jar or face down on an "under surface" to grip the lid) should consider what the person who will use it most can do most easily. The healthy adult who installs one may not find the best placement for the person who needs it. A "feature" shown in the ads at kat's links claims that one of them can open "childproof caps." I rather doubt that most people who need the assistance of the devices described for ordinary jars will be able to apply the necessary force one handed to make them do this, for most of the childproof lids in common use by our pharmacists, and this may be a real problem. In any event, the ones shown might work on the "push down and turn" type of childproof cap, but I can't see how they would be of any help for the ones on which you have to push a side-tab in while turning the cap. A first step is to inform her pharmacist that you do NOT WANT CHILDPROOF CAPS on any of her medications. This will work once, and maybe twice with some pharmacies, but isn't something you can rely on unless you inspect and insist each time new meds are ordered. It probably is obvious that the smaller medicine bottles (from our multiple pharmacies) usually come with a childproof lid that can be removed and replace "upside down" so that it's not self-locking. This works as long as the person doesn't accidentally turn the cap back over. Depending on the patient involved, it may be best to use a pair of pliers the first time the cap is turned over, to break the rim of the cap to remove the "lock bar" that usually extends down one side (sometimes two sides). Breaking off the side tab that you "push in to turn" might be possible, but in my experience is likely to crack the bottle itself. If you have the tools to do it, complete removal of the "locking side" rim and a "pretty finish" would be a nice touch, and the lids from one bottle usually will fit the next new bottle, so sometimes it might be worth making a "permanent" non-locking cap of each size. The "cap in a cap" style of childproof cap used on larger prescription bottles by most pharmacies in my area can be "de-proofed" fairly easily by a person with normal two-handed strength by using a pair of pliers to work the rim of the outer cap out (or break it off in pieces) until the inner cap slips out. Throw the outer cap away and use only the inner one. (The inner cap may be a bit ugly, but it should work well.) Since the cap-in-cap style takes a bit of work, it might be a good idea to make a couple of "spares" if old bottles are available. You can usually just transfer the cap you've already "fixed" to the next bottle, but you might not be there when a new med is added, and the caps are generally interchangeable. There are a very few meds that deteriorate and need to be used strictly in as-received order, but most have sufficient shelf life to permit you to transfer a few remaining ones to the next new bottle so that only one bottle at a time is on hand for each Rx. It shouldn't take long to make sure that your one-hander doesn't have to fight with medicines the can't easily get into. You should be very careful to insure that the bottle in use is the last one received since the label is you best information to check when refills need to be ordered (if the label is marked as required by US pharm regulations). Some pharmacies will inform their patrons when refills are due, but we haven't found it safe to rely on ours to do so. If there is concern that "unchildproofing" the meds creates a risk, most pharmacies here have "bottle vaults" consisting of (usually) four large jars with a fold-over lid that has a key lock. Most prescription medication bottles will fit inside one of the "vault bottles" easily, and the key lock assures curious children (or pets?) won't get into them. If larger bottles won't fit, you could use a "cash box" or "key vault" with locking lid to keep them in, if you select one of a convenient size to be placed where the drug user can get in and out of them conveniently. Even if you don't feel that the meds currently in use need to be kept in a secure place, in some circumstances "reserve supplies" might be considered for such management. You also need to check whether the person takes "liquid meds" that often come in larger (compared to pill jugs) bottles and may need some other methods for un-protecting the bottles while at the same time securing the contents from unintended access. IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE helping the person with prescriptions, it is ESSENTIAL that you know where and what they are, and it's a good idea in any case; but be aware that some may be "sensitive" about sharing that information. (Sometimes you need to be a bit sneaky?) And of course just be sure - as with all the rest here - that the "patient" understands and agrees with what you do - or plan to do - for them. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: JohnInKansas Date: 24 Dec 10 - 10:15 AM Regarding the "dip in boiling water" method for first-time openings: You paint shop has "paint can openers" that usually resemble a bottle cap opener on one end and a sort of "bent screwdriver" on the other. The "flat" end is well suited to prying the edge of the cap "off the surface" enough to break the vacuum on some lid types, and the slight "curl" in that end works a lot better than a randomly chosen little screwdrive or the edge of a spoon (the other commonly used tools?). This doesn't necessarily make it a one-handed operation, but might be useful for someone rendering assistance. Slightly thinning the blade end, if one has the tools to do it and if the original tool isn't needed for the paint cans, can make it a little easier to get "under the lid" on some jars. Once the cap "pops" the lids usually come off fairly easily - the first time. For "syrupy" contents, the boiling (or warm) water may still work better for subsequent openings than working hard with mechanical aids, or may still be helpful with simple aid devices. John |
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Subject: RE: BS: working with only one hand From: Bonzo3legs Date: 24 Dec 10 - 12:36 PM At Christmas the trick is to eat out! A speedy recovery. |
