Helpful gadgets

Throughout my lifetime, I have come across a lot of different “gadgets” that help me to keep my independence and make things easier and safer for me.

Most people my age are not thinking about these types of things, but I know that as people age, they do have a need for some adaptation to their normal activities. A lot of times, people live in frustration or hardship, when there is a solution to make things easier for them.

I want to share a few examples of things that make my life easier as a person with a disability that causes significant muscle weakness all over my body.

I started to notice a few years ago that opening cans was becoming harder for me. My manual can opener was becoming impossible for me to maneuver. I ran across a video of a disabled peer, and she was showing a handy dandy can opener that did not require any hand strength. It is battery operated, so there are no annoying cords to deal with. You simply put the device on top of the can and press a button. Within a few seconds, the can is opened. It is a favorite new purchase that I use often when cooking.

Laundry has increasingly become harder for me. Carrying a laundry basket is no longer a possibility. I recently bought a laundry cart that has four wheels and is easy to push from room to room while I am in my wheelchair. I have enjoyed the help that it provides. I have also found other uses for it such as putting my groceries in the laundry cart when I get home, and I am able to easily get them into the kitchen to unload.

A few years ago, I discovered that wearing satin pajamas helped to more easily be able to move around in bed, and I was not waking up as much trying to turn over. My muscle weakness makes it harder to turn over as easily. Recently, I also discovered that sleeping on a satin sheet makes it even easier and allows for a much better night’s sleep.

Adding an adjustable bed frame has also helped solve the problem of sitting up to get out of bed, as well as elevating my legs when I need to.

I have an exercise room and one of the most helpful things in it is my therapy table. I cannot get on the floor to stretch or do certain therapy exercises. The table allows me to be able to do those things and not worry about how I am going to get up. You could also do some of these things lying on your bed, but the firmer surface of the table is a better way for me.

My favorite and most helpful “gadget” by far is my custom wheelchair. I am sad that I resisted getting it for so long, and that I viewed it as a failure on my part that I had to give in to that. I do not see it that way now and am so appreciative of the freedom that it provides me in my life. It is my legs when my legs cannot carry me.

I am still an ambulatory wheelchair user, which means that I can get out of it and walk when my body allows. It allows me to continue to enjoy activities where I would need to walk any kind of distance. When I am home, I use it intermittently throughout the day. I try to continue to walk as much as I can. Movement is important to me, and I do not take it for granted.

If you are finding yourself at a crossroads and losing some abilities as you age or from a disability, there are things out there that can help to make your life a little easier. My advice would be to set any stubbornness or pride aside and accept the help that adaptive or assistive devices can provide.

I wasted a lot of time being stubborn and resisting things that could have helped me.

My daily life is much more manageable because I accept that I need to use things to continue to enjoy and live life to the fullest.

Until next time …

Amy Shinneman is a former National Ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, disability blogger, freelance writer, wife, and mom of two boys. She is the recipient of The Reporter’s Winter 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. You can find her blog at humblycourageous.org and reach her on Instagram @ashinneman.