Aids to help operate opening and closing fridge/freezing doors and shower controls
Our client, Rosemarie, has lost the strength in her fingers and has difficulty gripping equipment in her home. She was already using adapted equipment, but on his assessment visit, REMAP volunteer David soon established that further bespoke adaptations were necessary.
The Challenge
Rosemarie’s main concerns were:
1) Opening the doors of the fridge and freezer, which she already uses a plastic hook device for. However, she finds that the handle of this item is too narrow to use comfortably. Opening drawers presents a similar problem.
2) Gripping and turning the two control knobs on the electric shower.
The solution
Measures adopted for the fridge/freezer opening adapter included:
Firstly, the plastic handle of the hook was inserted into a motorbike handlebar grip to increase the width of the handle and provide a material that is easy to
grip.
Secondly, a metal hook was cut from sheet steel and provided with a wooden handle approx. 40mm dia. The metal was wrapped in red plastic tape to provide a surface less likely to mark the fridge door.
Measures adopted for the shower control knobs included:
Firstly, an impression of them was made in Play-Doh, onto which epoxy resin was moulded to make blocks with slots that could be fitted over the knobs.
Secondly, circular wooden discs, approximately 8mm thick were glued to the blocks, which were then fixed to the knobs using
Velcro. Serrations were cut around their circumferences to provide an easier grip.
The benefit
Rosemarie can continue to maintain her independence in her own home. She is delighted with the adaptations – simple solutions, well executed in design and construction.
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