Around the house

Cleaning floors

Try using a dust pan and brush with long handles to avoid bending. A light vacuum with a longer handle can help you keep on top of daily dust and dirt between monthly deep cleans with less effort. A long-handled steam mop eliminates the need for a heavy mop and bucket too.

Cleaning the bathroom

Try a no-scrub spray cleaner and soft-grip squeegee after showering. These products wipe away soap scum. A scrubbing brush with a long handle reduces the need to bend to reach awkward spots. Keeping a spray cleaner and long-handled brush near the toilet makes cleaning easy. 

Dusting

Static long handle dusters make reaching tough spots easy or try using a damp microfiber cloth as this collects more dust. You can repurpose old socks by placing a clean damp sock over your hand. To remove pet hair, put a damp rubber glove on one hand and run it over your furniture.

Picking things up off the floor

A lightweight reacher with a long handle helps you grab things off the floor or from up high. Try using a kneeling frame to give you extra support and comfort when kneeling down. You could also install a remote control power board so you don't need to bend down to turn appliances on and off.

Using a phone

There are now a wide range of telephones with large numbers and volume booster controls. If you’re still struggling to see the handset, try using a magnifying glass with a built-in light to help you see. 

Using a mobile

You can choose the size of your phone screen, the operating system, and look for accessibility features. Programs like ‘Siri’ on iPhone and ‘Hey Google’ on Android can be used instead of dialing phone numbers. Save the name of each person in your phone contacts so the program can find them. 

Using a computer or tablet

Setting up your computer or tablet so that it’s accessible means you’ll be able to use it more often with less effort. Try setting up a desk lamp to provide brighter lighting but make sure the light is positioned below eye level to reduce glare. Check if your computer can support a bigger screen so you can read it easily. 

Choosing a computer platform

Both Microsoft and Apple offer a range of built-in screen features. High contrast colour schemes, larger font, and larger mouse pointers can help you use them. There are separate keyboards for laptops that have extra-large keys. Keyboard stickers improve contrast.