10 helpful tips to make everyday living with arthritis easier at home

For the more than 15 per cent of Australians who suffer from some form of arthritis and 50%+ of the Starts at 60 community — be it osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis — they can sometimes become a painful impossibility, especially when in the grip of a debilitating flare-up.

With one in two Australians with arthritis reporting that they experience “moderate to severe” pain (according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare), it’s easy to see how arthritis flare-ups can seriously impact quality of life if no appropriate measures are taken to manage them. Maintaining independence during these difficult periods is a significant factor in feeling in control of your life.

With this in mind, we’re passing on some useful household hacks for arthritis sufferers to help regain their independence and stay in the driver’s seat — even during flare-ups.

Adaptive shower equipment

The single most helpful prop for any arthritis sufferer is to have easy access to adaptive shower equipment. This will make your entire showering or bathing routine a breeze from start to finish.

Some popular pieces of adaptive shower equipment include railings, tub transfers, low baths, shower chairs and handheld showerheads. All this equipment works together to enable people with arthritis to have a safer and more comfortable shower or bath experience, no matter their age.

Adaptive kitchen equipment

If you’re cooking during a flare-up, you’ll find there are many devices available to replace common kitchen equipment you will struggle to grip.  You will find there are hand-held, automated devices for mashing, cutting, turning your taps, and so much more.

Lever faucets

For showers specifically, lever taps are much easier to pull for those with wrist pain. Even the ‘simple’ tasks can seem daunting to someone with arthritis, and twisting tight tap handles can sometimes cause further injury. Or, you can consider adding a tap turner to an old-style tap to make it easier to turn without hurting arthritic hands.

Pump dispensers

Similar to lever taps or faucets, pump dispensers on shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottles are easier to work with if you have hand or wrist pain. Squeezing too hard can cause injury if there is too much pressure. However, touchless dispensers are available for added ease, making the process as easy as placing your hands underneath the pump to trigger a sensor.

Handheld scrubbers

If arthritis makes your hands and fingers super sore and sensitive, opt for a handled body scrubber instead of a soft scrubber or sponge that saturates your hand and takes less effort to hold and scrub. Scrubbers with long handles offer easy access with more space for holding.

Dry shampoo

If you are having a bad flare day and don’t have the motivation to shower at all, you can always opt for a dry shampoo or get a ‘no-wash day’ set of sprays for easy application. Dry shampoo is a spray-on powder that soaks up the oils in your hair and makes it look fresh for another day or two.

Electric razors

Electric razors are a quicker way to shave and mean you can shave outside of the shower to alleviate any awkward positioning that could cause injury in the shower. There’s less of a risk of accidentally nicking yourself with the razor too.

IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.