Arthritis causes pain and joint stiffness that often limits the mobility of the affected joints. Bending, reaching, twisting and grasping are often impaired in people living with arthritis. These limitations commonly cause difficulties with performing everyday tasks. Many tools are available to help people living with arthritis accomplish daily tasks and maintain independence.
Jar and Cap Openers
Opening jars often proves an exceptionally difficult task for people with arthritis of the hands or wrist. Various types of jar openers that do not require grip strength can help accomplish this task, notes MayoClinic.com. A gas cap device similar to a jar opener makes it easier to remove and replace the cap when filling the tank at a service station.
Pop-top Can Openers
Finger joint deformities caused by arthritis can make it difficult to open pop-top cans. Several types of hand tools are available that hook the pop-top ring and provide a mechanical advantage to enable easy removal of the metal lids of these types of cans.
Doorknob Turners
Gripping and twisting a doorknob can present a challenge for people with severe arthritis of the hands, wrist or elbow. For people with a weak grip, rubber or plastic doorknob covers enable twisting of the knob without requiring a firm hold. Doorknob attachments equipped with a handle eliminate the need to twist the knob. These devices convert the knob to a lever; pushing down on the handle twists the knob and opens the door.
Reaching and Grasping Tools
People with arthritis of the shoulders often have difficulty reaching for overhead items. A reaching tool with a grasper at the end bypasses the need to raise the arm over the head. The tool can also be used to pick up ground-level items, eliminating the need to bend over to pick things up. This function is helpful for people with arthritis of the spine or hips for whom bending down is often painful.
Key Extenders and Turners
A key extender is a plastic device that fits over the head of a key, increasing the area with which to grasp and twist the key. Some of these devices have an attached handle that enables turning of the key without needing to twist the wrist.
Spring-loaded Scissors
People with arthritis of the fingers and hands often have difficulty using scissors. Spring-loaded scissors ease the workload on the fingers and hands by automatically reopening the blades after each cut, points out the Minnesota Department of Health. Whereas most scissors are operated with the thumb and first two fingers, spring-loaded scissors often have straight handles that allow the user to grip the scissors with the whole hand. This type of handle is usually easier for people with arthritis to use, compared to standard scissors with finger holes.
