Making Things Easier to
Hold
|
|
Problem
Keeping a
good grip on objects can be difficult for people with mental retardation who have physical
limitations. Everything from boxes to buttons to paper can be a challenge to hold and to
move when grip is weak, legs are unsteady or arms shake.
-
Weak or differently shaped
hands do not fit “one-size–fits-all” utensil handles.
-
The need to use a cane,
walker or wheelchair can make it hard to carry objects from place to place.
-
Weakness
or poor balance can make it easy to lose your grip when getting food out of a cabinet.
Related
Functional Limitations:
Reaching/Lifting,
Mobility/Balance or Hand Use
|
Solution 1: Stabilize
the Trunk.
When the trunk is stable, strength, stamina
and accuracy of movement in the arms, legs and neck are improved. This is called Proximal
Stability.
Ideas:
-
Use armrests, pillows,
chest-straps or seatbelts to ensure that the individual is well supported when sitting
or lying down.
-
Teach the individual to improve
Proximal Stability by:
-Leaning against the work surface,
-Resting the elbows on the work surface.
-
Using the floor or foot rests for
foot
support can also improve stability in the upper body.
|
Solution 2: Work
with the Shape of the Individual's Hand.
When a handle or grip doesn’t fit or is hard to hold, would a change in its size,
angle, firmness and/or texture make a difference?
Ideas:
-
Use foam or padding to increase
the diameter of handles. Larger handles are often easier for weak or tight hands
to grab and hold on to.
-
Custom shape handles by bending
metal utensils to fit the curve of the hand.
-
Purchase “over the counter”
ergonomic tools for the kitchen and the garden.
-
When a hand cannot hold onto a
smooth handle, bike tape may keep it from slipping.
|
Solution 3: Work with the Movements the
Individual Has Now.
When a person cannot use standard utensils or
tools, would changing the item's angle or shape make it a better match for the person's
skills? Is hooking or holding something with a single finger easier than grabbing
it with the whole hand?
Ideas:
-
Custom curve utensils and tools
so that the “action end,” i.e., the bowl of the spoon, goes where it is supposed to.
-
Purchase “over the counter”
ergonomic tools for the kitchen and the garden.
-
Can’t grab just one piece of
paper? Try a slip-on “rubber finger.”
-
When standard zipper pulls are
too small to hold, add a key ring that can be more easily grasped or hooked.
|
Solution 4: Add or Improve Handles/Knobs.
If the item to be moved is without handles or
knobs, add them. If handles are hard to hold, make them easier to grip.
Ideas:
-
Use baskets and bags with handles
to loop over arms to carry items from place to place.
-
When carrying things in the arms
is difficult or increases unsteadiness, try a backpack, shoulder bag or fanny pack.
-
Wrap handles or other areas to be
grabbed with grippy bike tape.
-
When no handle is available, make
one out of rope, fabric, wire or wood. For instance, add wooden knobs to game
pieces or yarn loops to spice jars.
-
Change the hardware on doors to
lever-style handles, and on dressers to u-shaped loops.
|
