Empowering Everyday Living: OT Tools for Self Care

Occupations — the meaningful and purposeful everyday activities that you need and want to do — can be roughly divided into 3 types:

Things you do:

• to take care of yourself (self care or activities of daily living “ADLs”)

• that you consider to be work or productive activities

• that you consider to be leisure and recreation (including social interaction)

(Restful activities and sleep are also occupations but that’s a blog post for another day.)

Occupational therapy can focus a lot on self care and ADLs because these activities support independence and a person’s ability to participate in the daily routines and valued roles of life. (For example, getting dressed — while not the most exciting of occupations — enables you to go outside for a walk or to a restaurant to eat with friends without getting arrested for public indecency.)

Occupational therapists are experts in helping you to find ways to complete self care and ADL tasks more easily, efficiently and with less frustration. They can be a valuable resource in recommending speciality products, tools or adaptive equipment to cope with PD symptoms — including slow/small movement, tremor, rigidity and postural instability — that get in the way of self care.

Here are some tools that may be useful in getting daily self care routine done while living with PD. Since each person with PD is unique, working with an OT can often be helpful in deciding which tools are the best fit for an individual

Click on each image to get more details. (*Note: These products are examples, not endorsements. User experience may vary!)

Personal grooming

Weighted Razor Cuff

Easy Grip and Swivel Toenail Clipper

Long Handled Hair Brush

Oral Care

Toothpaste dispenser

Electric Toothbrush

Dressing

Magnetic Buttons

Ready-to-Wear Clothing with Magnetic Fasteners

Dressing Stick and Shoe Horn

Hands-Free Shoes

Bathing

Shower seat

Foot scrubber

Toileting

Bidet

Spill Proof Urinal