As you grow older, you will face major life changes, such as career changes, retirement, children leaving home, loss of loved ones, and physical and mental challenges. To age well, we must adapt to and grow from these changes.
Even if you’ve downsized your home, you’ll want to ensure that your living space is as comfortable, organized, and secure as possible. This is where life hacks for you as a senior comes in handy. Here’s a list of 10 helpful life hacks to make your life easier and safer as an independent senior citizen. It’s time to make your life more comfortable and manageable.
Life Hack #1: Looking for Items in the Refrigerator
Items in the top or back of the refrigerator can be difficult to reach. Place a turntable or lazy Susan on top of a shelf and rotate it to bring difficult-to-find items to the fridge’s front.
You can also get sliding bins with handles for easy access in the fridge. When you’re forced to cram groceries into even the most remote corner in the refrigerator, retrieving them later is a nightmare. Sliding bins allow you to pull out sections of items in a single swift movement, avoiding the daily digging in the fridge.
Also, don’t forget to label everything. You can transfer off-the-rack food products, such as peanut butter and hummus, into matching labeled jars for faster stacking and identification.
Life Hack #2: Get Stickers With Raised Dots
You can place raised dot stickers on specific buttons on your phone and remote control if you have poor vision or are diagnosed with eye disease. By placing them on the on/off remote button or attaching some to specific landline phone number buttons, these stickers make navigation easier. For example, the number two or eight number landline phone buttons are excellent options for stickers to help your fingers find the rest.
Life Hack #3: Plan Your Medications
Plan your medications by using simple, low-tech tricks. You can either use medication tracking apps or use a simple calendar taped to the refrigerator. All you need to do is print a spreadsheet. It’s one of the most accurate and straightforward ways to track when medication is taken.
Pill organizers ensure that the correct pills are taken at the appropriate times of the day. You can also either buy one of those pill-organized boxes from a pharmacy or use a shoebox to keep medicine bottles organized.
Life Hack #4: Cover Sharp Edges
Sharp corners on coffee tables, counters, or nightstands could lead to an injury. To keep yourself safe, use moldable putty or stick-on corner guards.
Life Hack #5: Rubber Bands for Enhance Grip
Rubber bands can be bound around mugs and cups to make them more comfortable to grip. It is helpful for those who have shaky and weak hands or are diagnosed with arthritis. This hack is also beneficial for thin objects such as pencils or toothbrushes, so the handle is more comfortable to grip.
Life Hack #6: Use Straw When Drinking
Using a straw is helpful if you have difficulty drinking. You’re more likely to increase the flow rate of liquids in your mouth. You can also clip the straw to the glass with a clothespin. When the cup moves, the straw stays in place.
Life Hack #7: Stop Soap From Slipping Away
Soap is very slippery when wet. It could quickly slip away from your hands and tumble on the shower floor or the tub. This is both a dangerous and inconvenient fall hazard.
To prevent this accident from happening, take an old pair of pantyhose and chop it at the top of one leg. Insert the soap bar into the pantyhose’s foot and hang it on a grab bar or showerhead. You can also explore soap holders or soap bags on Amazon.
Life Hack #8: Add Grip to Rugs to Prevent Slips and Falls
Rugs can be a significant tripping hazard for you. So, use double-sided rug adhesive to ensure that they are securely fastened to the floor.
Life Hack #9: Make Zipping More Convenient
For difficult zippers, use a key ring or a paperclip. Using force to pull up your zipper can cause it to break. You can also keep your trousers or jeans up by pulling the key ring up over the button. By using this tip, they are easier to grasp and pull.
Life Hack #10: Stay Hydrated Throughout the Day
It’s important to drink water and stay hydrated. You can use a large bottle of water and write the hours down when you drink. This will serve as a reminder to you of when and how much to drink water throughout the day.
Last Words
Errands and tasks that have become more difficult can be fixed with these life hacks for independent seniors such as yourself. Begin incorporating these handy tips into your daily lifestyle to make everyday tasks easier.
