Solutions for Easier Living

Located in Your Neighborhood

By Therese Willkomm, Ph.D. ATP

University of New Hampshire

Institute on Disability – AT in NH Program

Department of Occupational Therapy

Did you know there are literally thousands of assistive technology solutions located within 20 miles of

your home? Today, more and more local businesses carry solutions for easier living for all. Hopefully someday

we will no longer need to use the term assistive technology because product designers will embrace the term

“universal design” and develop products that can be used by all.

The purpose of this document is to share examples of these solutions that can be found in department

stores, hardware stores, office supply stores and electronic stores in your community. The following businesses

were independently selected by the author in the development of this document: Home Depot, Radio Shack,

Wal-Mart, Target and Staples.

Solutions for Easier Living identified in this document has been arranged into the following categories:

• Back Saving Solutions

• One Handed Solutions

• Solutions to Reduce Slips and Falls

• Reaching Solutions

• Solutions for Low Vision

• Solutions for Gripping Difficulty

• Solutions for Easier Remembering and Learning

• Solutions for Wheelchair Access

• Solutions for Hearing Loss

• Tools and Materials for Constructing Solutions in Minutes

Disclaimer: The items listed in this document are only examples of the many solutions that can be found at

these businesses. The University of New Hampshire does not endorse or recommend any of the products

described in this document. The categorization of these products is based on the opinions of the author only.

The author’s opinion of the safety and efficacy of the products is based on the representations of the companies

that produce them and assumes that all directions as to their use have been followed.

How to Use this Document: As you will see under each category in this document only a picture of the

product and the name is provided. The name may be a trademark of the company that produced the product;

said company is independent of, and not affiliated with, the University of New Hampshire or the author. To

learn more about that item you can research it on the internet by placing the word in a search engine (such as

Google) or take the document to one of the stores listed in your community and ask where the item is located. In

addition, a short paragraph about why this item was selected and categorized accordingly, is contained on the

ATNH website as an alt tag. Just place your curser over the picture to learn more about each of the items and

why it was selected.

Update to this Document: As you know, new products come out everyday and old products are discontinued.

Therefore, this document is only as current as the day that all the pictures were taken. It will never be a total

inclusive list and the goal is to update the list and pick no more than 40 solutions to highlight for each category

every six months.

Gripping Solutions

4 inch Chrome Modern

Faucet

Adjustable Hand-Held

Rotary Trimmer

Air Freshener With Pistol

Grip

Anvil Pruner

Assorted Ergonomic

Brushes By Michael

Graves Design

Big Fatso - Multipurpose

Knife Swing Open Handle

To Easily

Black And Decker ® Slice

Right Electric Knife

Blue Tooth ® Wireless

Internet Calling Kit

Bypass Pruner,

Power-Geared Technology

Comfort Click Pencil

Reduces Writing Pressure

Convertable Vertical To

Hand Mixer

Cordless Can-Opener

Contour, Ergonomic

Handle

Easy Erase Away Easy Grip Hardware for

Drawers and Cabnets

Easy Grip, Non Slip

Mixing Bowl

Easy Jar Opener

Gripping Solutions

Electric Hole Punch Ergonomic Hammer Foam Rubber Pencil-Grips Garden Pruning Set

Gizmo Gooshy Grips Grabbers Pinch Handstands ® Memory

Foam Wrist-Rest ™

Handstands® Ergo-Mat™

Memory Foam Mouse Pad,

Ergonomic Slope

Hot Hands Hound Dog Mini Tiller Klondike Scraper

Large Utility Broom With

Comfort Grip

MagicReach Marble Mouse Mechanical Pencil With

Rubber Grippers

Gripping Solutions

Michael Graves Kitchen

Tools

Natural Keyboard OXO Palm Brush OXO All Purpose Sheers

OXO Softworks Kitchen

Tools

OXO Softworks Nylon

Kitchen Tools

Palm Prow ® By Duraprow Palm Sized Screwdriver

Peeler With Soft Grip

Handle

Pencil-Grips Plug-In Touch Dimmer

Converts Lamp To 3 Way

Touch Control

Roller Grip-Comfortable

Grip And Guaranteed

Smooth Writing

Sandwich Slicer Scissor Style Staple

Remover

Spray Nozzle Easy Front

Trigger Grip

Touch Dimmer Converts

Lamp To 3 Way Touch

Control

Back Saving Solutions

18 X 26 Personal Table Platinum 24” High Bar Stool 26” Personal Table ™ Adjustable

Height Table

Adjustable Super Grip Heavy Duty

Tool Holders

B Light Weight Trimmer Brush Dustpan

Cordless Grass Sheer With

Extension Handle Kit With Wheels

Cordless Swivel Sweeper Cushioned Insoles To Reduce Foot

And Lower Body Fatigue

Back Saving Solutions

File Caddy Folding Crate with Wheels For Easy

Mobility

Furniture Movers

Furniture Sliders Garden Claw Gold Garden Cultivator with Adjustable

Extension Handle

High Back Microsuede Chair High Profile Backrest Mini Tiller

Back Saving Solutions

Multi-Chair Sport folded Multi-Chair Sport Multi-Function Mesh Task Chair

Nifty Nabber Panel carrier - Carry Plywood And

Dry Wall Easier Better Bal

Panel Carrier

Powerful Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Rechargeable Broom Rolling Tool Center

Back Saving Solutions

Self-Adjustable Seat Back Cushion Self-Stick Furniture Sliders Snow Auger Clears Snow Fast No

Lifting Or Bending

Stainless Steel Trash Can With Foot

Pedal

Super Dolly Telescoping Cleaning System

Ultra-Light Ergonomic Snow Shovel

with Aluminum Handle, Extr

Wireless Office Headset System

Reaching Solutions

Bulb-Changer With Adjustable Pole Electric Home Automation Kit Extendable Reacher

Folding Step-Stool Home Automation Power Lamp

Module

Pick Up And Reaching Tool

Power Mini Control Center Pull Out Shelves Revolving Shoe Tree

Telewash Deck System The Unger Tele-Pole System Wireless AC Outlet Control

One Handed Solutions

Auto-Tape - Automatically Extends

To Keep One Hand Free

Automatic Jar Opener Compact Electric Stapler

Cordless Can-Opener Contour,

Ergonomic Handle

Cordless Power Scissors Easy Liner

Electric Pencil Sharpener Hands-Free Mini Task Light Heavy Duty Tool Holder

Multi-Purpose Lighter Retractable Highlighter Toilet Paper Holder

Solutions for Easier Remembering and Learning

5 Pc. Measuring Cup

Purple, Blue And Clear

Appliance Timers Auto Shut Off for Lights Auto Shut-Off Iron

Color Coded Bins Colored Notes, Colored

Page Markers, And Colored

Flags 2

Digital Stereo Voice

Recorder, PC Compatible

Dragon Naturally Speaking

8 Preferred

Electronic Spellchecker and

Thesaurus

Four Cup Programmable

Coffee Maker With 2 Hour

Auto-Shut-Off

Handheld organizer with

WIFI

Handheld organizer

Hands Free Headset For

Easy Players And Mobile

Phones

Iron with Auto Shut Off Kid Smart Vocal Smoke

Alarm

Kitchen Aid Colored

Measuring Cups and

Spoons

Solutions for Easier Remembering and Learning

Large Color Coded Bins Microwave Oven With

Picture Icons

Motion Activated Light

Control

MP3 Player 512 MB

Multi-Purpose Latch For

Freezers, Refrigerators

Multiple Storage Card

Readerand Writer USB 2.0

Neon Labels Notebook Camera

Outdoor Auto Motion

Sensors for Lights

Personal Organizer Project Planner and

Organizer

Stereo USB Headset With

Microphone

Toaster With

Auto-Shut-Off

Vocal Smoke Detector Voice Editing Recorder Webcam For Notebooks

Solutions for Low Vision

25 Foot Orange Tape Measure 3” Round Magnifier Automatic Night Light

Directional To Provide Floor

Lighting

Big Button Caller Id Phone

Clock with White Numbers

on Black Background

Cordless Solddering Tool Digital Timer With Large

LED Number Display

Dual Answerer Speakerphone

Easy To Read Giant 1.8”

LCD Read-Out Electronic

Scale

Extra Loud Big Digit Alarm

Clock

First Alert Automatic Guide

Light

Foam Stickers

Gooseneck Lamp Health Check Monitor High Contrast Color Coded

Bins

Large Number Alarm Clock

Solutions for Low Vision

Large Number Display Watch Large Number Font and High

Contrast Clock

Large-Display Wireless

Indoor Outdoor Thermometer

Magnifying Sheet

Outdoor Thermometer with

Large Numbers

Permanent Marker Fine Point Permanent Marker Pop-Light Magnifier

Power Failure

Light-Automatically Turns

On When Power Fails

Programmable Thermostat Sterling and Nobel Large

Number Clock

Sunlight Desk Lamp Natural

Full Spectrum Lighting

Talking Alarm Watch Telephone Handset with

Large Button,Amplified

Receiver, Loud

Timex Large Font LED Timer Universal Remote

Multi-Brand Use

Solutions for Individuals Who Use Wheelchairs

2-Tier 14” Cabinet Organizer 2-Way Radios – Up To 3 Miles – 22

Channels

Auto-Off Light Control

Can and Jar Holder Cooktop with Controls Up Front Crankme Windows

Digital Tabletop Timer With Large

Number Display

Double Burner Four Phones In One

Solutions for Individuals Who Use Wheelchairs

Front Loading Clothes Washer Front Mounted Controls for the

Range

Lever Lock

Pedestal Top Sink Pull Out Cabinet for Canned Goods Track Adjustable Shelf

Wheelchair Accessible Desk Wireless Phone Jack System Wireless Phone Modem Jack System

Solutions for Hearing Loss

2.4 Gigahertz Wireless Observation

System

Adjustable-Volume Telephone Amplifier Amplified Big Button Telephone Clarity

® Power ™

Indoor Extra-Loud Mechanical Ringer Motion Activated Light Control Portable Home-Video Security System

By Lorex ™

Radioshack 3 Band Equalizer Stereo

Amplified Listener

Radioshack 3 Channel Headphone

Volume Booster Part # 33-1109

Radioshack Listen Up! Sound Amplifier

Model # 63-1121

Radioshack Stereo Amplified Listener Telephone Amplifier Video Monitor

Solutions to Reduce Slips and Falls

Hold-It For Rugs Non-Skid Floor Finish Additive Non-Slip Rug Underlay

Outdoor Tread Strip Rug Grip Tape Slick-Retardant Safety Tile

Slip Resistant Footwear Tredsafe ® Slip Resistant Footwear