Gadgets for Disabled Hands

For people with little or no finger movement such as myself, pressing buttons on a remote control, typing on a keyboard or using a touchscreen device can be a bit hit or miss. I often find myself hitting wrong or multiple buttons, meaning I’m forever having to correct myself. But as soon as I slip the Sixth Digit 2 onto one or both of my little fingers, I can press every key and button I need without having to worry about my other fingers getting in the way, a lifesaver when it comes to writing articles such as this! The replaceable stylus tips also allow me to use them in conjunction with the touchscreens on my mobile and tablet, and their unobtrusive design means I can even leave them on as I push my chair! Sold in three different sizes, with two tips and a handy storage pouch.

Edit: the sixth digit has been updated: check out the sixth digit 2

I must admit, I do enjoy the occasional game of poker, both at home with friends and at a casino. The problem I’ve had since my injury though is that I struggle to hold my cards firmly in my hands and struggle even more to fan them out. This can often result in me dropping them, giving opponents a chance to see my hand and call my bluff. However, with this nifty card holder I can slot my cards between the two wheels and then twist them so that they fan out perfectly, allowing me to hold up to 14 cards in one hand and eliminating the risk of scattering them all over the table. Can be used in conjunction with a multitude of card games and is an ideal accessory for any aspiring card sharks!

As someone with no discernible hand function or finger movement, using regular scissors can be an absolute nightmare, requiring both my hands to open and close the blades. This, more often than not, results in me making a bit of a mess of whatever I’m trying to cut and can leave me reliant on others to help. However, with the Table Top Scissors I am able to easily cut using one hand, whilst guiding whatever I’m cutting with the other. Their large T-shaped handles mean that they balance comfortably on any flat surface and all you need do is push down on them to close the blades, then release and the hidden spring opens the blades up again. Each pair comes with a blade guard to ensure safe storage and transport. Available in both adult and child sizes.

Without the hand function necessary to squeeze and release, regular nail clippers become virtually impossible to use, as I quickly found out after my injury. This meant that I either had to rely on someone else to clip my nails for me or I could attempt to cut them myself by balancing scissors on a lap-tray and attempting to insert each fingernail between the blades, a process that often ended in cursing and bloodshed! These Table Top Nail Clippers have thankfully put an end to all that though. The stable, plastic base and rubber feet mean that they can be used on any flat surface, and the large lever pad makes applying pressure to close the blades a thing of ease. It also has a handy nail file attached if you require any finishing touches.

This automatic bottle opener makes opening beer, cider or soda bottles easy. Simply push down and the cap pops off. The cap is then collected by the magnet on the side of the bottle opener.

The bottle opener can be used one-handed and there is no need to twist or grip. It is made of stainless steel. Great for added independence – or just a bit of a party trick!

Jars are often difficult to get in to – when they are new breaking the seal is hard work and when they have been used sticky stuff can jam the lid closed. This jar opener helps you get into the jar and at the content. I use mine to get into jam jars, cooking pastes and larger multi-vitamin bottles, and it has often been the difference between cooking for myself and reaching for the takeaway menu!

When pushing my chair around whilst balancing a tray of food or drink on my knee, it’s not uncommon for the contents of the tray to slide about, often resulting in spillage. Similarly, when using a chopping board or mixing ingredients in a bowl, I have to use both hands to hold the knife whilst chopping and both hands to hold the spoon whilst mixing. This can mean that the board or bowl often take on a life of their own and move around all over the place, leaving me more than a little frustrated! However, by placing this circular piece of anti-slip silicone on the tray or table first, it means that whatever I place on it afterwards, stays on it. So I can now push around, chop and mix without fear of calamity, and afterwards can just peel it off and put it away until next time. I also find it handy to use in conjunction with the Jar Opener, as it provides the perfect base to grip whatever I’m opening.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m fiercely independent and when it comes to meals, I’m determined to cut and manage my own food. However, due to my inability to firmly grip cutlery, this can lead to me constantly dropping them whilst struggling to cut through food, and I end up finishing my meal twenty minutes after everyone else, with more gravy left on my fingers than on the plate! However, once I slid my knife, fork and spoon into these Cutlery Grips I found it became instantly easier to hold them steadily in my hands, cut food and feed myself without the usual struggle or fear of dropping them. The chunky, silicone design means that they fit firmly yet comfortably into your hands, gripping to them and allowing you to enjoy mealtimes without feeling stressed or self-conscious and without having to ask others for help. They can fit over most standard cutlery and can be used in conjunction with other household items such as pens, toothbrushes etc. Also these silicone grips are completely dishwasher safe.

Another handy cutlery aid, the S’up Spoon is perfect for people who have spasms or tremors in their hands. The hollowed out handle means you can hold the contents of the spoon inside it and then tip it into your mouth without fear of losing it should a tremor begin. I’m prone to the occasional spasm in my fingers and so I find this particularly useful when it comes to eating soup and cereal. It’s a real confidence booster to be able to eat with others and not have to worry about potential spillages.

Sweets, crisps, cereal, ham, cheese, microwave meals, boxes, letters, magazines…the list of things I’ve had trouble getting into could go on and on. And more often than not I’ve had to resort to using my teeth to gain access, a process that, whilst looking fairly ridiculous, can also be on the risky side, especially when opening microwave meals and trying to avoid a potentially boiling steam blast to the face! But these problems have all been eliminated thanks to the Nimble. It slips onto your finger with ease and the tiny ceramic blade sticking out of it will instantly slice open whatever you run it across, without the potential to cause serious harm. Its compact size means you can carry it with you wherever you go and slip it onto your finger whenever it is needed. I use mine on a daily basis and it really does *ahem* cut out the frustration that can come with opening packaging when you have limited finger movement or suffer from any other hand, arm or strength related afflictions. Its brightly coloured, one size fits all design also means that you don’t need to worry about losing it or about which size is best for you.