Look for Ways to Make Life Easier
- Food processors and stand mixers can be useful
- Use electric rather than manual can openers
- Use lightweight kitchen wear
- If you have a dishwasher, take advantage of it
- Store foods in easy-to-open containers
- You may find it easier to eat finger foods rather than dinners requiring the use of knives and forks
- Plan simple meals that don’t require a great deal of peeling, chopping or stirring
- Take advantage of high-quality convenience foods
Modify Your Environment
There are many ways you can modify your home to make life easier for you. If you heat your home with wood and have a back- up source of energy available, use the simpler method of heating your home. Carrying logs and loading wood stoves can subject your hands to potential injury and may be painful.
Consider having knobs on cabinets replaced with larger ones if necessary. Let your loved ones know if you experience difficulty or discomfort performing tasks and accept their offers to provide assistance.
Take Advantage of Technology
Purchase telephones with large buttons to aid dialing. You may prefer to use speed or voice dialing.
Notice if your hands and fingers feel more comfortable when you use a keyboard rather than a pen or pencil to write. You could even try to learn how to use voice-activated word processing programs for correspondence.
Use a hands-free headset or speaker phone so you do not have to grasp the telephone for long periods if you talk on the telephone frequently. Enjoy audio books or books on tablets if your hands are uncomfortable turning pages.
Live Well Despite Osteoarthritis of the Hands and Fingers
There are many ways you can protect your joints and make living with hand and finger arthritis more comfortable. Be open to trying new approaches and using strategies to reduce wear and tear on your joints.
Notice what activities are most irritating to your hands and fingers and take steps to reduce, eliminate or modify them. Take advantage of the many products available to make your life simpler and more comfortable.
