WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.859 Hey there, everyone, and welcome back to the 00:00:02.859 --> 00:00:05.700 Senior Safety Advice Podcast. I'm so glad you're 00:00:05.700 --> 00:00:09.460 here with me today. Today's topic is going to 00:00:09.460 --> 00:00:12.720 be about simplifying storage for seniors with 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:16.359 arthritis. Now, this question comes up a lot. 00:00:16.539 --> 00:00:21.199 I actually get more emails about this than I 00:00:21.199 --> 00:00:24.539 really thought I would. Now, arthritis, of course, 00:00:24.579 --> 00:00:27.399 you know, if you have it, it doesn't just affect 00:00:27.399 --> 00:00:31.649 how you move. definitely can affect how you lift. 00:00:32.289 --> 00:00:36.850 It affects how you reach, how you grip, how long 00:00:36.850 --> 00:00:39.909 you can stand, fiddling with something before 00:00:39.909 --> 00:00:43.829 your hands or your hips or your ankles even say, 00:00:43.869 --> 00:00:49.329 nope, that's it, we're done. So here's the thing 00:00:49.329 --> 00:00:52.890 that surprises I think a lot of people. Most 00:00:52.890 --> 00:00:56.429 of the pain doesn't actually come from big tasks. 00:00:56.429 --> 00:01:00.659 Now, This is true, I think, for people who don't 00:01:00.659 --> 00:01:04.400 have arthritis or maybe have a slight little 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:06.920 bit of arthritis. But for anyone who is suffering 00:01:06.920 --> 00:01:10.540 with arthritis, you know that most of the pain 00:01:10.540 --> 00:01:14.060 doesn't come from big tasks. It comes from those 00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:17.299 little everyday things that you do. Everything 00:01:17.299 --> 00:01:21.439 from opening the floors or reaching into shelves, 00:01:21.939 --> 00:01:24.980 digging through cabinets, twisting lids, if you 00:01:24.980 --> 00:01:28.349 can even get that thing open. bending and stretching 00:01:28.349 --> 00:01:31.530 just to get what you need, just to do what it 00:01:31.530 --> 00:01:35.450 is that you want to do. And that's when frustration 00:01:35.450 --> 00:01:39.810 normally sneaks in. Or it's worse when someone 00:01:39.810 --> 00:01:43.609 starts avoiding things that they enjoy because 00:01:43.609 --> 00:01:47.049 of anticipating the pain that it's going to produce. 00:01:47.750 --> 00:01:51.170 So today I want to walk you through how storage 00:01:51.170 --> 00:01:54.390 can make your life a little easier if you're 00:01:54.390 --> 00:01:58.010 suffering with the pain of arthritis. It's not 00:01:58.010 --> 00:02:01.909 fancy. It's not expensive. It's just something, 00:02:02.609 --> 00:02:06.430 some tips that can be kinder to your hands that 00:02:06.430 --> 00:02:09.729 are, because most seniors with arthritis have 00:02:09.729 --> 00:02:12.210 it in their hands. Of course, it's also, it can 00:02:12.210 --> 00:02:14.370 also be in your hips and your knees and your 00:02:14.370 --> 00:02:17.449 ankles, pretty much any joint. My mom -in -law 00:02:17.449 --> 00:02:20.370 suffered with arthritis in her neck. She had 00:02:20.370 --> 00:02:22.969 a very difficult time with that and it was quite 00:02:22.969 --> 00:02:26.789 painful. So what I've noticed over the years 00:02:26.789 --> 00:02:30.770 is this, when storage works better in your home, 00:02:31.270 --> 00:02:36.689 life is easier and it's actually calmer. People 00:02:36.689 --> 00:02:40.169 move more confidently, at least I do, I move 00:02:40.169 --> 00:02:41.909 more confidently because I know where everything 00:02:41.909 --> 00:02:44.930 is because it's put away in a particular spot 00:02:44.930 --> 00:02:49.229 and there's a spot for it. And that really is 00:02:49.229 --> 00:02:54.189 part of the game of storage. And pain, doesn't 00:02:54.189 --> 00:02:57.669 run the show quite as much. I tend to have arthritis 00:02:57.669 --> 00:03:01.889 in my hips. So I have to be careful of how I 00:03:01.889 --> 00:03:04.969 move and where I put things in order to obtain 00:03:04.969 --> 00:03:08.569 them quickly and easily. All right, so I've seen 00:03:08.569 --> 00:03:11.129 this over and over again, even with family, not 00:03:11.129 --> 00:03:14.270 only myself, but with family and friends. And 00:03:14.270 --> 00:03:18.310 sometimes one small change can make a huge difference 00:03:18.310 --> 00:03:21.889 in someone's home and in their life. So here's 00:03:21.889 --> 00:03:24.610 where this really matters. I want you to think 00:03:24.610 --> 00:03:27.949 about the fact that arthritis isn't just about 00:03:27.949 --> 00:03:32.750 pain. It's about your energy. Every extra reach 00:03:32.750 --> 00:03:36.469 you have to do, every awkward twist or every 00:03:36.469 --> 00:03:39.349 heavy draw you have to pull out, it all adds 00:03:39.349 --> 00:03:43.590 up. So the goal with storage isn't like anything 00:03:43.590 --> 00:03:46.669 else. It isn't perfection. It's reducing the 00:03:46.669 --> 00:03:49.469 amount of effort that you're putting out to do 00:03:49.469 --> 00:03:53.580 what you need to do. So letting the home work 00:03:53.580 --> 00:03:57.879 with you instead of against you. And honestly, 00:03:57.879 --> 00:04:01.560 I like the idea of the home working for you. 00:04:01.699 --> 00:04:07.879 So let's look into some of the things that I 00:04:07.879 --> 00:04:11.379 can think about that can help you with this situation. 00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:15.379 I myself, as an occupational therapist and as, 00:04:15.379 --> 00:04:17.339 you know, I have many friends and relatives, 00:04:17.459 --> 00:04:20.839 I've walked into so many homes where everything 00:04:20.839 --> 00:04:26.259 is technically organized, but none of it is actually 00:04:26.259 --> 00:04:30.740 usable. Shelves are too high for the person living 00:04:30.740 --> 00:04:35.579 there. Drawers are too deep or they're very difficult 00:04:35.579 --> 00:04:40.660 to open. Handles on the drawers or closets or 00:04:40.660 --> 00:04:44.579 cabinets are tiny and difficult to hold onto. 00:04:45.409 --> 00:04:49.329 and nothing slides easily. Or worse, there are 00:04:49.329 --> 00:04:52.870 no sliding shelves in any of the cabinets. So 00:04:52.870 --> 00:04:56.050 that's usually when I see people or when I hear 00:04:56.050 --> 00:04:59.689 people start saying things like, ah, forget it, 00:04:59.810 --> 00:05:02.350 I'm just going to leave it there. Or yeah, well, 00:05:02.350 --> 00:05:06.089 I don't use that anymore. Or no, it's not worth 00:05:06.089 --> 00:05:09.870 the trouble. Let's go out to eat. And that's 00:05:09.870 --> 00:05:13.579 the part that really breaks my heart. So let's 00:05:13.579 --> 00:05:16.680 talk about what actually helps. One of the biggest 00:05:16.680 --> 00:05:19.600 changes is bringing things down to where your 00:05:19.600 --> 00:05:23.500 hands naturally fall. If you have to reach above 00:05:23.500 --> 00:05:26.740 your shoulder level or bend past your knees, 00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:31.860 that's a problem. If you have items above your 00:05:31.860 --> 00:05:35.259 shoulder level or below your knee level that 00:05:35.259 --> 00:05:39.120 you use often, You want to take those items out 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:41.779 and move them to a more convenient location where 00:05:41.779 --> 00:05:46.519 you can reach them. Your best storage zone is 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:50.279 between your waist and your chest. Anything that 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:54.040 you can put in that area without causing clutter. 00:05:54.540 --> 00:05:56.959 In other words, I'm not saying to take everything 00:05:56.959 --> 00:05:59.839 that you use or things that you use often and 00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:03.699 lay them all on a countertop or a desktop. No, 00:06:04.019 --> 00:06:06.620 you don't want to create that clutter. If you 00:06:06.620 --> 00:06:09.540 have to build shelving above the countertop, 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:15.980 just above it, then do that. I even had one client, 00:06:16.040 --> 00:06:19.259 I remember a while ago, where she had the back 00:06:19.259 --> 00:06:22.720 wall of her kitchen countertop removed and she 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:26.319 had shelving put inside the wall. And that's 00:06:26.319 --> 00:06:28.839 where she put things. It was much easier to get 00:06:28.839 --> 00:06:31.819 access to things. So yes, that required some 00:06:31.819 --> 00:06:35.069 remodeling. but it certainly was not an entire 00:06:35.069 --> 00:06:38.170 kitchen remodel. It was much simpler than that. 00:06:39.269 --> 00:06:42.629 So everyday items should live in this location. 00:06:43.290 --> 00:06:47.089 Your strength is in your storage zone between 00:06:47.089 --> 00:06:50.769 your waist and your chest. Honestly, that's where 00:06:50.769 --> 00:06:54.149 your joints are usually the happiest. And I'm 00:06:54.149 --> 00:06:56.910 not talking about special holiday items or things 00:06:56.910 --> 00:07:00.529 you use once or twice a year. Talking about the 00:07:00.529 --> 00:07:03.430 things that you use every single day, that bowl 00:07:03.430 --> 00:07:08.089 that you scramble your eggs in, the frying pan 00:07:08.089 --> 00:07:11.810 that you use to cook your pork chops or whatever, 00:07:12.069 --> 00:07:16.670 anything that you use on a regular basis. I've 00:07:16.670 --> 00:07:19.750 noticed that when people move just a few items 00:07:19.750 --> 00:07:23.310 lower or higher, their whole routine gets easier 00:07:23.310 --> 00:07:25.829 and their demeanor is easier. They're not as 00:07:25.829 --> 00:07:27.910 angry at their house because it's working with 00:07:27.910 --> 00:07:32.079 them. and for them. Another thing that I see 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:35.680 a lot is very deep cabinets and drawers. Now, 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:38.060 honestly, they look great. They really do, and 00:07:38.060 --> 00:07:41.600 they can store a lot. But they can be a nightmare 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:44.360 for someone suffering from arthritis, having 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:47.519 to dig through things and lifting from a low 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:50.639 area, reaching to the very back of something, 00:07:50.759 --> 00:07:56.899 like a pantry shelf or a cabinet. That's exhausting, 00:07:57.300 --> 00:07:59.699 honestly, and can be quite painful depending 00:07:59.699 --> 00:08:02.980 on where your arthritis is. So this is where 00:08:02.980 --> 00:08:05.959 shallow drawers and pull -out shelves really 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:09.939 shine. Now, doesn't necessarily have to be a 00:08:09.939 --> 00:08:12.839 shallow drawer. It could just be that you divide 00:08:12.839 --> 00:08:16.060 the drawer so that the items that you use most 00:08:16.060 --> 00:08:19.180 often are in the front and the items you don't 00:08:19.180 --> 00:08:22.240 use most often are in the back. So when you open 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:24.970 up that drawer, You can just easily access what 00:08:24.970 --> 00:08:28.389 you normally use. You don't have to remodel. 00:08:28.730 --> 00:08:32.090 There are very simple slide -out trays everywhere 00:08:32.090 --> 00:08:37.529 now, Walmart, container stores, Amazon, that 00:08:37.529 --> 00:08:40.809 you can purchase and you can put into your cabinets. 00:08:40.929 --> 00:08:44.289 The only thing I can say is make sure that you 00:08:44.289 --> 00:08:47.250 measure, double measure, triple measure, and 00:08:47.250 --> 00:08:49.590 then make sure that with the measurements you're 00:08:49.590 --> 00:08:53.970 getting from the item will fit. Wire baskets 00:08:53.970 --> 00:08:56.909 can also be used, although I'm not a fan of wire 00:08:56.909 --> 00:08:59.710 baskets because it's too easy for things to slip 00:08:59.710 --> 00:09:02.409 out and slip through. I kind of like things that 00:09:02.409 --> 00:09:04.850 are solid. If you do have to get something with 00:09:04.850 --> 00:09:08.190 a wire basket, maybe you can line it with something 00:09:08.190 --> 00:09:14.690 that will keep things from falling out. Now, 00:09:14.690 --> 00:09:18.970 the reason that I love sliding shelves is because 00:09:18.970 --> 00:09:22.350 when things come to you, You don't have to fight 00:09:22.350 --> 00:09:26.169 to access them. And honestly, really, come on, 00:09:26.250 --> 00:09:28.570 that's the goal, isn't it? To make our lives 00:09:28.570 --> 00:09:32.549 as easy and safe as possible. All right, now 00:09:32.549 --> 00:09:36.690 let's talk about handles. And this one can actually 00:09:36.690 --> 00:09:40.629 be huge, much more than you would think. There's 00:09:40.629 --> 00:09:43.850 some beautiful, beautiful knobs that I've seen 00:09:43.850 --> 00:09:48.789 for kitchen cabinets and drawers. in even doorknobs. 00:09:48.950 --> 00:09:51.629 I mean, there are some gorgeous ones out there. 00:09:51.970 --> 00:09:56.330 But if they're uncomfortable or difficult to 00:09:56.330 --> 00:10:00.570 manage with arthritis in your hands, then it 00:10:00.570 --> 00:10:04.730 doesn't do anything. It serves no purpose. Tiny 00:10:04.730 --> 00:10:08.250 knobs are the worst on arthritic hands. They're 00:10:08.250 --> 00:10:12.070 brutal. They require you to pinch and twist. 00:10:12.350 --> 00:10:14.669 And that's exactly what usually hurts the most 00:10:14.669 --> 00:10:17.279 if you have arthritis in your hands. but what 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:21.919 I've seen work the best are larger curve handles 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:26.419 or loop -style pulls. I just had my kitchen remodeled 00:10:26.419 --> 00:10:30.100 and that's what I used, loop -style pulls. It's 00:10:30.100 --> 00:10:33.480 basically like a U shape or a very soft U shape 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:36.259 and they're very easy to put your hands through 00:10:36.259 --> 00:10:40.179 and just pull the cabinet or the drawer. Sometimes 00:10:40.179 --> 00:10:42.720 you can even wrap your whole hand around it or 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:46.240 even use your forearm. If it's a hook, You can 00:10:46.240 --> 00:10:50.279 use your forearm if you need to. Depending on 00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:53.600 what level of rheumatoid arthritis you have, 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:55.899 you may not be able to use your hand at all. 00:10:56.139 --> 00:10:59.200 You may have to use your elbow or forearm to 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:01.500 pull that. So in that case, you would want something 00:11:01.500 --> 00:11:05.279 you can hook onto. The other handles are the 00:11:05.279 --> 00:11:09.320 doorknobs. If you have round doorknobs, those 00:11:09.320 --> 00:11:12.200 can be very difficult. Now there are covers that 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:15.129 you could put on doorknobs. that make them round 00:11:15.129 --> 00:11:18.450 doorknobs that make them easier to turn. But 00:11:18.450 --> 00:11:20.769 if you want something a little more aesthetic, 00:11:21.169 --> 00:11:24.850 I would recommend to get the lever style doorknobs. 00:11:24.889 --> 00:11:28.110 Those are much easier to use. And again, you 00:11:28.110 --> 00:11:31.370 can use your elbow to push down to open up a 00:11:31.370 --> 00:11:33.990 door. You don't always need to use your hand. 00:11:35.009 --> 00:11:39.309 That one change, changing the knobs are in your 00:11:39.309 --> 00:11:42.210 home. It can just be a little bit at a time, 00:11:42.309 --> 00:11:44.629 doesn't have to be every single door or cabinet 00:11:44.629 --> 00:11:48.250 all at once. But if you can do that and finally 00:11:48.250 --> 00:11:51.070 get them all done, you will find that your home 00:11:51.070 --> 00:11:54.169 will be working with you and not against you. 00:11:54.990 --> 00:11:58.110 Another thing that many people and families especially 00:11:58.110 --> 00:12:01.690 don't always realize is that storage height matters 00:12:01.690 --> 00:12:06.190 differently when pain flares up. On a good day, 00:12:06.250 --> 00:12:09.090 you might be able to manage reaching up or reaching 00:12:09.090 --> 00:12:13.529 down. On a bad day, even the sinful tasks feel 00:12:13.529 --> 00:12:16.250 almost impossible, if not totally impossible. 00:12:16.870 --> 00:12:19.690 That's why I always suggest planning storage 00:12:19.690 --> 00:12:23.470 on your worst days, not your best ones. So if 00:12:23.470 --> 00:12:26.470 you're having a really bad day, that's when you 00:12:26.470 --> 00:12:29.649 know how far you can reach up, how far you can 00:12:29.649 --> 00:12:32.049 reach down what's comfortable. And make a note 00:12:32.049 --> 00:12:36.009 of that. That way you know where you really need 00:12:36.009 --> 00:12:41.730 to move things to. Lowering shelves, reducing 00:12:41.730 --> 00:12:45.450 how much you store and spacing things out more. 00:12:45.870 --> 00:12:49.570 All of that helps to conserve your energy. And 00:12:49.570 --> 00:12:54.029 here's something that you probably will be familiar 00:12:54.029 --> 00:12:56.370 with and you've probably seen it and probably 00:12:56.370 --> 00:12:59.269 have heard it a hundred times, but I have seen 00:12:59.269 --> 00:13:02.669 it in almost every home that I would go into 00:13:02.669 --> 00:13:07.389 to do a home assessment. People keep way too 00:13:07.389 --> 00:13:12.139 many things. There are too many duplicates, 32 00:13:12.139 --> 00:13:17.659 measurement cups, too many just -in -case items. 00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:20.299 Well, in case this breaks, you need this one. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:23.279 I need a wooden one, a metal one, a brass one, 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:27.259 whatever. All that extra stuff, of course, is 00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:29.740 going to make storage harder because it takes 00:13:29.740 --> 00:13:33.139 up all that space. When drawers are packed tight, 00:13:33.539 --> 00:13:36.919 when shelves are packed tight, It's very difficult 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:39.740 to work through all of that stuff. And of course, 00:13:39.740 --> 00:13:42.039 it's very difficult to organize all that stuff. 00:13:42.940 --> 00:13:46.480 So simplifying your storage always begins with 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:49.559 decluttering, with getting rid of as many things 00:13:49.559 --> 00:13:53.179 as you possibly can. One thing you can do, a 00:13:53.179 --> 00:13:56.399 little trick, is you can take out a lot of things. 00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:59.799 Let's say you have five measuring cups. Take 00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:04.120 out three. put them away, maybe in the garage, 00:14:04.200 --> 00:14:07.360 in the back of your car, somewhere, put them 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:11.559 away. And after two, three months, if you find 00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:14.659 that you did just fine with two measuring cups, 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:17.139 then you know that you can give the other three 00:14:17.139 --> 00:14:20.980 away. This is like a little test, a little beta 00:14:20.980 --> 00:14:24.759 experiment to see what you really need and don't 00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:27.299 need. And be honest with yourself, don't you? 00:14:28.460 --> 00:14:31.450 All right. So the fewer items that you store 00:14:31.450 --> 00:14:34.809 away, the more space is between them. And that 00:14:34.809 --> 00:14:37.470 alone can make it so much easier to grab things, 00:14:37.590 --> 00:14:41.210 to find things. So I've watched people actually 00:14:41.210 --> 00:14:43.669 sigh with relief when they just open the drawer 00:14:43.669 --> 00:14:47.090 that finally glides easily, that they can access 00:14:47.090 --> 00:14:50.129 something easily. It just makes the process of 00:14:50.129 --> 00:14:52.710 whatever it is that they're doing, whether it's 00:14:52.710 --> 00:14:56.309 cooking or a craft project or whatever, so much 00:14:56.309 --> 00:14:59.149 easier. Now the next thing I want to talk about 00:14:59.149 --> 00:15:03.470 are labels. And that might sound small, but I 00:15:03.470 --> 00:15:06.029 think it matters. I have labels on a lot of my 00:15:06.029 --> 00:15:10.490 jars for coffee and sugar and flour and that 00:15:10.490 --> 00:15:14.389 kind of thing. But when your hands hurt, searching 00:15:14.389 --> 00:15:18.529 can be exhausting. So having clear labels and 00:15:18.529 --> 00:15:22.409 open bins and see -through containers, they can 00:15:22.409 --> 00:15:25.350 save a lot of time and energy. You can see exactly 00:15:25.629 --> 00:15:28.169 where things are. And what I like about the see 00:15:28.169 --> 00:15:30.210 -through containers is you can see how much you 00:15:30.210 --> 00:15:33.250 have left of whatever it is, you know, rice or 00:15:33.250 --> 00:15:36.629 detergent or whatever, so that you know that 00:15:36.629 --> 00:15:38.990 you have to put it on the shopping list again 00:15:38.990 --> 00:15:42.350 and again. You don't have to open 10 things just 00:15:42.350 --> 00:15:46.330 to find the one thing that you want. And I've 00:15:46.330 --> 00:15:48.870 seen this help, not just seniors, not just older 00:15:48.870 --> 00:15:51.169 adults, but caregivers too, you know, not only 00:15:51.169 --> 00:15:53.950 families. But caregivers, if you have a caregiver, 00:15:54.230 --> 00:15:56.190 somebody, a professional caregiver coming in 00:15:56.190 --> 00:16:00.269 to help you, everyone wins when everything is 00:16:00.269 --> 00:16:04.649 organized and stored away properly. So another 00:16:04.649 --> 00:16:07.230 thing that makes a difference if you're suffering 00:16:07.230 --> 00:16:11.490 with arthritis is using gravity instead of grip. 00:16:12.450 --> 00:16:16.110 Instead of lifting things, try containers that 00:16:16.110 --> 00:16:20.679 flip open. Instead of twisting caps, Try push 00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:24.960 button or slide open designs. Instead of stacking 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:28.299 things, try side -by -side storage if you have 00:16:28.299 --> 00:16:32.220 the space. Every little reduction in effort adds 00:16:32.220 --> 00:16:36.980 up. And honestly, that's how people stay independent 00:16:36.980 --> 00:16:40.779 longer. You're not giving in. You're adapting 00:16:40.779 --> 00:16:47.100 your home to what you can easily do. It's a smart 00:16:47.100 --> 00:16:50.990 thing and it allows you to stay at home longer 00:16:50.990 --> 00:16:54.289 and more independent. So all of this brings me 00:16:54.289 --> 00:16:57.789 to something very important. Simplifying storage 00:16:57.789 --> 00:17:02.710 is not just about making things look, you know, 00:17:03.710 --> 00:17:07.769 generic or what's the word, septic, you know, 00:17:07.910 --> 00:17:11.569 it's not that. It's about dignity. It's about 00:17:11.569 --> 00:17:15.049 comfort. It's about ease. I've worked with so 00:17:15.049 --> 00:17:17.269 many people who said, I don't want my house to 00:17:17.269 --> 00:17:20.160 look old. And I get that. Nobody wants that. 00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:23.859 But the good news is that most of these changes 00:17:23.859 --> 00:17:28.700 are very subtle. They blend right in. My home 00:17:28.700 --> 00:17:32.440 is more of a modern country look. So having labels 00:17:32.440 --> 00:17:37.000 on things is very much a modern country look. 00:17:37.500 --> 00:17:42.380 You know, having glass jars on open shelves at 00:17:42.380 --> 00:17:45.869 eye level with labels with You know, things like 00:17:45.869 --> 00:17:49.009 flour and rice and sugar and coffee and whatever. 00:17:49.509 --> 00:17:53.450 All of that blends in with my decor. And these 00:17:53.450 --> 00:17:57.549 days you can find so many ways to blend in with 00:17:57.549 --> 00:18:01.990 your decor that also are useful and practical. 00:18:02.529 --> 00:18:05.990 The payoff is really, is really huge. I mean, 00:18:06.150 --> 00:18:10.210 less pain, less frustration, more confidence. 00:18:10.589 --> 00:18:14.029 I've seen people start cooking again and crafting 00:18:14.029 --> 00:18:16.430 again and doing the things that they thought 00:18:16.430 --> 00:18:19.410 were behind them because it was just too difficult 00:18:19.410 --> 00:18:24.250 to do, too annoying to do. And all because they 00:18:24.250 --> 00:18:28.690 stopped thinking about how can they make the 00:18:28.690 --> 00:18:33.250 place work for them versus using the place as 00:18:33.250 --> 00:18:37.109 they always have. So if you take one thing from 00:18:37.109 --> 00:18:41.059 today, let it be this. Your home should support 00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:44.980 you whatever it is that you are dealing with 00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:49.940 be it arthritis any kind of arthritis or recovering 00:18:49.940 --> 00:18:55.279 from hip surgery or a stroke Don't challenge 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:58.039 don't let the home challenge you turn the home 00:18:58.039 --> 00:19:01.799 into your asset Not something that just because 00:19:01.799 --> 00:19:05.240 you've done something the same way for the last 00:19:05.240 --> 00:19:07.960 50 60 years doesn't mean you have to keep doing 00:19:07.960 --> 00:19:10.869 that You just have to be a bit more flexible 00:19:10.869 --> 00:19:14.049 to change so that you can continue to do it again. 00:19:14.990 --> 00:19:17.569 You don't have to do everything at once. Start 00:19:17.569 --> 00:19:20.930 with one drawer, one cabinet, one shelf. See 00:19:20.930 --> 00:19:25.089 how it feels. Again, look at your environment 00:19:25.089 --> 00:19:29.109 on your worst day and see what would make it 00:19:29.109 --> 00:19:31.869 easier and jot it down. Make a note of it so 00:19:31.869 --> 00:19:34.849 that you know how to rebuild that environment 00:19:34.849 --> 00:19:38.599 for you. Comfort actually can build that momentum. 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:41.900 When you start with one thing, it's easy to go 00:19:41.900 --> 00:19:45.240 to the next. And when life feels easier for you, 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:49.180 generally people tend to thrive. Well, that's 00:19:49.180 --> 00:19:51.740 all I have for you today. I hope that it was 00:19:51.740 --> 00:19:54.160 useful. I want to thank you again for being here 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:57.900 with me. If today's episode gave you some useful 00:19:57.900 --> 00:20:00.740 insights or new ideas, then share it with someone 00:20:00.740 --> 00:20:04.019 who might find it helpful as well. You can discover 00:20:04.019 --> 00:20:06.759 even more expert tips and helpful guides for 00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:09.420 seniors and caregivers at seniorsafetyadvice 00:20:09.420 --> 00:20:12.859 .com. And hey, if you're searching for an Aging 00:20:12.859 --> 00:20:15.740 in Place specialist, then please visit our website 00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:19.599 at aginginplacedirectory .com. And don't forget, 00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:22.660 come back tomorrow for more useful tips, insights, 00:20:22.779 --> 00:20:25.920 and ideas right here on the Senior Safety Advice 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:28.819 Podcast. And if you haven't yet subscribed to 00:20:28.819 --> 00:20:31.500 our YouTube channel or the podcast yet, go ahead 00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:34.019 and do that right now. because it really helps 00:20:34.019 --> 00:20:36.400 us to reach more people who could use this kind 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:39.759 of support and information. So until next time, 00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:42.460 take care of yourself and the ones that you love.