We use the same kind of dishes. They are great. I wear thick shoes house shoes.

Hi Diddyann,
I like to use the pods in both the dishwasher and the clothes washer. I find that they are much easier than trying to pour detergent. Yes, I use Corelle dishes also for the light weight. I have never seen a coffee cup with finger grip, but it is a wonderful idea.

I love the correll too. two years ago I bought great cookwear professional quality now they are so heavy that I don't cook when I flare. I love bags with shoulder straps. Pampered chef make an awsome jar/bottle opener. love my rotary cheese grater. My faucet handles are all levers, which happened coincidentally b/c I liked the look.

I have Corelle dishes, have been using those since 1971. Our exterior door handles are levers, easy to use. We put in a wood floors in the livingroom, so much easier to keep clean. I added peg things to the cupboards, so I could add shelves. This way I do not have to stack things on top of each other as much, making it easier to get things out of cupboard. My grip is not what it use to be. i added pull out shelves in lower cupboards, easier to get to things. Under the sink, I have a pull out unit for things like detergent, also a pullout unit for trash cans. I also encourage the dogs to stand guard while I cook, so they can make sure to clean up after I drop things!

MPK1952, thank you for the reminder. My sweet Maggie is one of my best helpers in the house. She is aways there to clean up my spills and to just sit with me when I end of up on the floor. What would we do without our canine friends?

The coffee cup is a Whataburger comm. buffalo nickel coffee cup. You can google it to see the handle design. Recently I asked the Whataburger chain to re-release it. I hope they do I would love to buy a half dozen more.

Don't know what I do without the canines;) I need to get some Corelle, my dishes are SO heavy. I like the one step can opener and jar opener. Also I have a little hook from BBB that helps open cans that have the snap thingy.

I too have Corelle plates and bowls. They are great! I also love my extra roomy Crocs for extra foot support. However, I would have to say that my absolute favorite thing for my RA is my Select Comfort SleepNumber bed. My husband and I got it years ago before I was even diagnosed, but it is wonderful. I can set it to the softest level and my poor joints don't have to endure the pressure points of a regular bed. I know it works too, because I just got back from a week in California where I slept on a regular mattress and my hips just ached and ached. One night I even woke up with an elbow killing me! Since I've been back my hips have been just fine and no more aches and pains at night. Love my bed! : )

I have a great hard plastic thick bottle opener that works wonders. I received it as a complementary gift from the arthritis foundation. I also was told by my podiatrists that I should wear shoes in the house that have at least an inch heel to prevent ankle soreness. That has helped tremendously. Sometimes i will use paper plates. That helps with the heaviness and the not having to wash dishes afterwards.

I wear my pink crocs almost all the time (to the horror of my teen daughters). I have a latex foam mattress, which I ordered after I got RA and has been wonderful for my joints. I have daughters to open jars. I try to keep everything I use regularly within easy reach. I don't yet have a bar or seat in my tub, which I have been thinking about lately.

I like this thread! Beyond the usual raised toilet seat, tub bars, grabbers, etc., I 've found that key-turners (they're large plastic handles that go over your regular key handle) make things so much easier for my wrists. Also, we bought a lightweight bar stool with padded seat and easy hydraulic height adjustment. It's excellent for working at a table or anywhere. I also use it in the kitchen when cooking. I made my own portable seat cushion by putting a good lightweight cushion in a cloth tote bag and stitching up the opening; it quite inconspicuous to take into restaurants, etc. And, although it's a bit 80s looking, I use a hiking-oriented lumbar pack as a purse as I can't put any weight on my shoulders.

You know I forgot about the bathroom help items that I had placed in before the RA got to this point. I have grabbers everywhere and a whirlpool tube which I use every nite. I also have a raised toilet seat in the main bathroom with a heated toilet seat cover. Works wonders in the winter time. Thanks Volksvegan for rerminding me of those other helpful items I have.

Great thread here where folks can share their handy helpers for around the house.

Even though I've been suffering for over 2 years now, I haven't done anything around the house as I am really spoiled - my wife is home full time and takes care of things and helps me get out of chairs and things like that.

The first thing I need to modify is my bathroom - I desperately need grab bars in the shower - I'm so afraid I might fall I can't image what pain that will cause. And the raised toilet seat - my wife pointed one out the other day in a store that also had handles on each side. If it weren't for not having the extra $50 I would have bought it then and there.

For outside chores - I have 2.5 acres of lawn to mow - I just have to wait until I have a day where I am able to climb on the tractor and sit on it for a couple hours. Sometimes the grass gets awful long and it drives my crazy. But, there are no helpers for things like that - just have to get it done somehow.

Great thread - We have installed ELFA sliding drawers in every possible location, kitchen, all 3 bathrooms, laundry room, walk in closets, storage room and in both the workshop and pottery studio. Electric jar openers, electric knives and under cabinet lighting in kitchen. Rope lights in both hallways and above the crown molding in master bath. Night lights through out house. Raised toilet seats in master and 1 guest room (closest to my office). Changed all attic pull down ladders to sliders including those in studio. All single loop cups have been replaced with either triple loop or oversize handles. Got a Sleep Number mattress for master - helps me adjust as "hard" spots move around.

Am working on installing grab bars in master bath and 1 guest bath, but an oversized shower is presenting a problem so am considering a center pole with a fold down seat.

Again - great thread -

Coaltrain - can you "rent out" your lawn mowing to a local rancher - I have several acres where it is native vegetation and I will mow once a month with a Deer D170 but have found a fella down the road about 1,5 miles that has 70 head of sheep. He hauls about 20 of them down and we let them range about - when they get too close to the house, I turn on the sprinklers and hit an air horn (like the hand horn at football games) and they move along. He gets free feed and I get it cut. Works for both of us.

Peace to you all

Bluedogs2

This one is pretty simple........ you know the bath/shower gloves?
They are for scrubbing your body, I use them to wash dishes because I can't keep hold of the dish cloth.