Personal Care with Confidence - The Active Hands Company

For those with reduced hand function, daily tasks of personal care can often feel frustrating. Simply getting ready for the day ahead can feel like a full day’s work. But, set yourself up with the right tools and it is possible to discover greater independence, increased confidence and a calmer morning routine.

We offer many gripping solutions to support your daily routines and enjoy finding out about other companies doing the same. Recently we came across ClipDifferent who support those with a wide range of disabilities to tackle personal care with independence. We got chatting about how we can support a positive start to the day. Walk through a morning routine with us and discover the right solutions to meet your needs.

Getting Dressed

Buttons, zips and shoelaces are difficult for many in our community. Our Button Puller is a classic solution that makes light work of buttoning shirts, blouses and jackets.

Button puller doing up button on white shirt. Suitable for reduced hand function: tetra, quad, cerebral palsy, SCI, spinal cord injury, stroke and more.

Zip Grips simply clip on to the pull tag of any zip and can stay there permanantly, even through the wash. These create a loop for you to hook a finger through, avoiding the tricky and sometimes painful pinch grip needed to zip up hoodies and coats. In addition, these can be combined with a MagZip on your favourite outfit. MagZips connect the two sides of your zip magnetically, so all you need to do is offer the two sides to each other and then pull up to close coats and jumpers.

zip grip attached to zip to help people with reduced hand function zip and unzip their clothing

Black long zip with square MagZip connector

Shoelaces can be easily overcome with Zubits. Available in a range of colours, these magnetic laces create a wide opening in your shoe, making it very easy to slip your feet in. They then close firmly with a click. To open, either slide your finger underneath and lift, or step on the back of your shoe and lift your foot. We love these laces and find them much more useable than the elastic laces that are more commonly used.

Bathroom Tasks

ClipDifferent are based in the USA. They recognise the significant difficulties many people face when using traditional nail clippers. Their Lil Nipper Electric Hand-Held nail clippers are safe, mess-free and easy to use.

They explain, “The Lil Nipper transforms nail clipping from anxiety into confidence. Parents use it safely on their babies. Toddlers and young kids can clip their own nails and have fun doing it. Teens who bite their nails finally stop. Adults with tremors clip independently.”

Image shows product range from clip different. A stack of branded boxes, a POD adaptor and two lil nipper nail clippers in green and purple.

One customer shared: “Great gift for my mother with arthritis. No longer has to dread the pain of cutting her nails.”

Available in three sizes:

Infant/Toddler (3mo – 5 yrs)
Child (Ages 5-13yrs old)
Adult (Ages 13+)

They also offer the POD Adaptive Base, which combines with the Lil Nipper to create a one-handed solution. The weighted base holds the Lil Nipper on position on a table or lap tray, making it ideal for those with limb difference, stroke survivors and those with hemiplegia.

A child's hand is shown with their index finger in the opening of the Clip Different electric nail clipper.

To tackle toothbrushing, we recommend our Toothpaste Dispenser. Great for children, those with the use of only one hand and those who struggle with the dexterity of squeezing a toothpaste tube. Simply push your brush into the dispenser and it delivers the perfect amount of toothpaste.

Callum, who has an upper limb limb difference, uses the toothpaste dispenser to clean his teeth independently

For the best grip, add an EazyHold Strap to your toothbrush and hold without the need for grip. This can support those who find gripping is uncomfortable, those who are likely to ‘let go’ unintentionally and those with reduced grip.

Image shows an older lady holding an electric toothbrush with a green eazyhold strap on it, to support her grip. She is smiling.

Finally, for deodorants, perfumes and hairspray our EasySpray and EasySpray Mini turn tricky push buttons into large levers so everyone can feel fresh and look glam.

Blue easyspray on a yellow hairspray bottle

The EasySpray mini has shorter legs that allow you to use it on smaller spray or aerosol cans

Applying Make-Up

Styling your ‘look’ is such a personal task that can really boost self-confidence and make you feel like ‘you’. But getting a hold of small make-up brushes, lipsticks, hairbrushes and more can be really difficult with reduced hand function.

Our Small Item Aid is perfect for any small diameter item. It makes the perfect partner for many pieces of make-up. From mascara to lipstick, brushes to eyeliner. You can place the palm pad at any angle, making it easy to apply your make-up with precision. Once you’ve finished, you can keep your Small Item Aid on to support toothbrushing, shaving, eating and so much more.

Finish your look with the right jewellery, using Magnetic Necklace Clasps to avoid tricky clasps. Available in silver or gold, these simply clip on to your existing necklaces and close with a click.

Get Set, Get Ready…

Getting set up with the right tools can really change the day-to-day tasks that can be achieved with independence and confidence. To browse our full range of personal care solutions, click here.

To take a closer look at ClipDifferent’s range of electric nail clippers, visit their website here.

Jo Smith