How to Equip a Bedroom for an Arthritis Sufferer

Living with arthritis means making changes in the way you tackle everyday tasks. Buttoning a shirt or simply getting out of bed in the morning may become almost insurmountable challenges if you don't equip your home with some of the many assistive devices available to arthritis sufferers.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Adjustable bed
• Long-handled grooming equipment
• Reacher
• Book holder
• Sock notch
• Long shoe horn
• Doorknob cover
• Button hook

Design a Bedroom to Ease the Pain of Arthritis

1. Shop around for a bed that will not worsen your condition by being too firm or too soft. Mattresses constructed of foam or providing additional support are typically recommended for those who suffer with arthritis.
2. Invest in an adjustable bed. They can be set at a more comfortable height for an arthritis sufferer to get in and out of each day.
3. Enjoy reading in bed without pain by purchasing a book stand or holder.
4. Equip your bedroom with a reacher or reaching tool to help you get a grip on small objects on the floor or in high shelves in your bedroom. Made with an extendable arm, these tools have a lobster-claw-style pincher on one end and a handle that is easily used by an arthritis sufferer on the other.
5. Get to your clothes with less pain when you equip your closet and dresser drawers with easy-to-grip doorknob covers. This larger circumference handles will not require you to make a tight fist to open the door or drawer, potentially saving you from further pain due to arthritic joints.
6. Include a sock notch to pull up your socks in your list of items to equip your closet. A longer handled sock notch is preferable for an arthritis sufferer.
7. Buy a long-handled shoe horn to ease the task of putting on your shoes in the morning. Many are designed to reach as high as your knee, making it possible to insert your foot into your shoe without bending over.
8. Look for grooming accessories such combs, brushes and hair products which have longer or larger handles. The less of a fist you have to make to pick up the product and use it, the more protection you will provide for your joints.

Tips & Warnings

• Talk to your doctor about meeting with a physical or occupational therapist should your level of disability warrant it. These therapists can help you learn better approaches towards everyday tasks that will help you overcome pain and fatigue and live a better life with arthritis.