5 Caregiving Hacks Make Life Easier: Home Safety, Mealtime, Getting Dressed

Caregiving hacks make life easier for seniors and caregivers

Sometimes, a clever DIY trick can make life a whole lot easier and might even do a better job than more expensive specialized products.

Due to aging or illness, everyday activities can be challenging for many older adults. Simple caregiving “hacks” can make it easier for them to accomplish everyday tasks like soaping up in the shower, opening cabinets, gripping a toothbrush, or organizing medication.

AARP created a series of short videos showing many useful DIY caregiving hacks. Making everyday life easier for your older adult allows them to be more independent and also means less work for you.

We rounded up 5 great caregiving hacks videos from AARP that show 16 ways to use everyday objects to make home life, daily activities, mealtime, and getting dressed safer and easier.

5 short caregiving hacks videos help seniors live more independently

1. Make life safer around the house
This 1 minute 36 second video shows how to:

• Make it safer to soap up in the shower
• Make light switches easy to spot in the dark
• Create no-slip surfaces to reduce fall risk

 

2. Make life easier around the house
This 1 minute 30 second video shows how to:

• Make cabinets easy to open for arthritic hands
• Use a tackle box to make an organized and portable medicine cabinet
• “Elongate” the water faucet to make washing hands easier

 

3. Make everyday activities easier
This 2 minute 21 second video shows how to:

• Keep a straw from moving around in the glass
• Make it easier to keep nails trimmed and neat
• Make a cheaper, longer-lasting ice pack
• Make it easier to pour from heavy beverage containers in the fridge.

 

4. Make mealtime easier
This 1 minute 12 second video shows how to:

• Add a non-slip grip to any glass
• Make long, thin objects (like a fork or toothbrush) easier to grip
• Keep a recipe at eye level while cooking

 

5. Make getting dressed easier
This 1 minute 30 second video shows how to:

• Make clothes easier to reach when the closet bar is too high
• Make zippers easier to pull up and down
• Make a button-hole helper to make buttoning shirts easy

 

Recommended for you:

• 10 Simple Arthritis Aids Help Seniors with Everyday Tasks
• 10 Kitchen Aids for Seniors Safely Increase Independence
• 10 Simple Dressing Aids Help Seniors Stay Independent

 

By DailyCaring Editorial Team
Image: Able Limousine

 

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