Date: 19.09.2012
From: Kevin Doudie
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Subject: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi, My name is Kevin Doudie and I am currently working on a project with Edinburgh Napier uni,based on arthritis, which aims to create products which help sufferers in their everyday lives. If there is any information regarding your day to day life weather it being drying your hair, house hold chores, walking the dog ANYTHING that you find difficult due to the illness could be as kind to post here. Again it could be absolutely anything. I will continually come back to this and hope to spark an on-line discussion about what can be improved or designed to make everyday life easier. I'm a Product Designer in my Honours year and,by gathering this vital information,this will greatky in-rich the project and help make it successful therefore helping arthritis sufferers with their everyday lives.
thanks for any replies they are greatly appreciated.
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Date: 21.09.2012
From: bsk
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Kevin,there are a few threads about this on here if you search.
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Date: 21.09.2012
From: rhona
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Kevin, I have rheumatoid arthritis and find it causes pain in most of my joints. Everything i do causes pain, even brushing my teeth causes pain, although i find an electric toothbrush helps but squeezing the toothpaste can be painful. Brushing my hair can be painful as my shoulders hurt. I sometimes use a crutch for walking and even holding that hurts, so i would say most things are difficult now, even walking the dog, i usually leave that to other family members now. If i can answer any questions you have i will if i can. Good luck with your project
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Date: 21.09.2012
From: Kevin Doudie
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Thanks very much Rhona. Specifics like finding it difficult to brush your teeth and squeeze out toothpaste is great. as with this project I feel like I need to stay away from issues in the kitchen as it has been tackled already by a lot of designers. Im interested in possibly creating gender related products, as it to my understanding, RA effects woman more than it does men so solving this issue of it being difficult or painful. Anything to do with daily life around the home will help this project and in-turn create a better product that will be able to help. @Rhona is there anyway I could give you my personal email??? just meaning further questions etc can be put through that instead. Again thanks so much for replying. Kevin Doudie
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Date: 21.09.2012
From: rhona
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Kevin, yes, R/A affect more women than men. I am happy to answer any questions here but if you prefer you can give me your email.
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Date: 21.09.2012
From: Nicola
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
My main gripe when my joints were really bad, was that I couldn't squeeze the shampoo and conditioner out of the tube, I used to use both hands to squeeze shampoo onto my leg then try and scoop it up onto my head and hope it didn't slide down the flipping plughole. In my imagination my design looked a bit like a giant clothes peg (I'm a physio not an engineer) and would sucker onto the side of the shower so you could press the squeezed with your palm or forearm (anything involving making a fist, curling fingers, squeezing action was impossibly painful). I'd thought a similar one for toothpaste would be good too - I used to kind of 'thump' the colgate out of the tube or lean my elbow onto the tube. As a physio, I went to the OTs at work expecting them to have such a device and was flabbergasted to hear there wasn't one available. The other thing I found v difficult was opening door handles...that gripping and turning and pushing action is surprisingly difficult.
Hope that gives you some food for thought :)
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Date: 21.09.2012
From: bsk
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Nicola, I want one of those please! Kevin, I've bumped up a thread for you to look at.
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Date: 22.09.2012
From: maz.au
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Kevin, opening a bottle ie the ones that have that special seal.
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Date: 22.09.2012
From: Kevin Doudie
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Thanks again Rhona its really just if there is anything absolutely anything at all that it effects around the home. If anything pops up just post on here. My email is kevin.doudie@googlemail.com if you could drop me a message there that would be great. Thanks to everyone who has posted so far all this information is very valuable.
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Date: 22.09.2012
From: teresa
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Kevin
I have problems trying to push my tablets out of the foil also trying to open a packet of crisps or similar packets because of poor grip even trying to press an aerosol can is a nightmare at times.
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Date: 23.09.2012
From: bsk
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
What I would say is it would be really nice to have some gadgets that look good as well as function well. Most things are dead ugly. I'm thinking in particular of a trolley that my mother had. It was a great piece of equipment but it was in beige and brown and looked institutional. As do my wrist supports that I wear. As do things like knives that are easy to use or key turners etc. I'm in the arts myself and fail to understand why designers can't get this right. Think what you might like to have around you rather than what you think a typical arthritic person might have to put up with. Ok, I've thought of some things: An ergonomic watering can that isn't heavy to start off with, maybe a small one and possibly a smaller one for house plants. I've seen large ones but they are just too big. Also, something you can attach a hose to a tap that sort of clicks on and clicks off. The ones I have are too stiff to take on and off. A small and safe gadget for opening packaging, envelopes etc. I usually use the tip of a knife. I'm thinking of things like toothpaste holders that have a sort of moulded plastic around them. Maybe a multipurpose tool. Scissors can be too big and clumsy to use and difficult when arthritis is bad. Something that could open those hard moulded plastic packing. Bought something the other day and just couldn't get it out. Maybe designing packaging would be good! You would make a fortune as no-one can open these things. It could cut through cable ties, using a knife to do that with arthritis is hard and dangerous. We had a take away the other night and I couldn't open the plastic boxes the food came in. I would love a solution to how to open and hold open a heavy door. Very difficult to get in and out with shopping etc. Hurts my hands as they sort of twist around. Some kind of doorstop thing that goes up and down...???
I have some great plastic pulls that you attach to a plug but they look cheap. Something more stylish but not expensive to help remove plugs. There is an ergonomic plug on the market but it is about £5. So that would cost a lot to have for every appliance, There must be a way of making them as cheaply as a regular plug.
Hope some of these ideas help,
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Date: 23.09.2012
From: Linda
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
I find aerosols of any sort, impossible to use. I understand why plastic bottles have child proof tops, but people with arthritis can't open them.
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Date: 25.09.2012
From: Kevin Doudie
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Thanks to everyone who has replied so far. Everything that has been brought up will be very very useful. All these problems can be solved with the correct design solution. In this project I am to create products which are both aesthetically pleasing and functional, as I realise a lot of aids which are currently used are based more on functionality which makes them not very pleasing to look at. My email address is further up the thread if anyone wants to contact me directly. if people could continue to reply to this thread that would be great. thanks again
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Date: 27.09.2012
From: margaret
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Kevin I would like something cheap simple and not to bulky to help me get into the bath, have not had a bath for months because I just can't get up but would love a long soak I'm sure it would help my aches and pains. I know there are products out there but can be very expensive and tend to be bulky. Mine is a tiny bathroom, maybe something you can hang on the wall.
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Date: 30.09.2012
From: Em
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Kevin, I searched the internet and found a long handled hairbrush, but as people have already said, it looks so "institutional'. It is a big problem to reach up to do your hair whether it be washing or styling, there are not many aids available.
One of my biggest hates is the plastic bottle with the perforated edge. I try gripper type scissors and all sorts and often hurt my hands. Manufacturers should be made aware that these are a health hazard!
I'm sure we could go on forever about things to make our lives easier.
It is so refreshing to hear that someone is out there thinking of us. Thanks, Em
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Date: 01.10.2012
From: Gemsmum
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Kevin Plastic juice bottle lids, I have noticed and it is no doubt to do with cost cutting,that many plastic caps are now shorter in height making it even harder than before to open (even after the initial near impossible to break seal has been broken) plastic milk carton with those fiddly wee lids are the Bain of my life, I have a similar problem with ring pull cans, something that could help opening both that is portable and small that can be carried in a handbag would be brilliant, you could use at home and take out with you too. I have the same problem with the shampoo and conditioner bottles and have often wondered why no one makes a dispenser similar to the Dettol hand wash one that works by sensor when you move your hands under it? If it was wall mounted with an on/off button to prevent accidental use it would make life much simpler. You could have the dispenser in various colours to tone with different decor and a refillable bottle would still allow you to use your favourite brands. I have also often wondered how I could come up with some form of support for a hair dryer, by the time I have had a shower, washed my hair, battled the shampoo bottle and towel dried and brushed my hair I don't have the strength to hold the hair dryer up. I have spent a small fortune buying different hair dryers in search of one powerful enough to dry my hair but light and small enough to hold. Might have been cheaper employing a hairdresser! I keep thinking about those dryer hood things you see in hairdressers, they wheel them behind the chair and put it over your head, if there was something smaller, but similar with a flexible arm holding the hair dryer rather than a hood then you could dry your hair without holding the dryer but still move it around where you need it.
GOT IT! A mechanical arm! I'll take two please! As bsk had said the plugs available are brilliant but expensive I have them on only the essentials but would like them on everything but cost is a problem, I had the plastic wrap around ones before but they soon broke, if you came up with a way of attaching the handle to existing plugs in a more solid way it would be great, not everyone can easily change a plug either. Zip lock food bags brilliant idea but.. The zip bits are always too small and fiddly for arthritic fingers, Birdseye have started using them on bags of peas, now my freezer is over run with escapee peas! I buy these food bags but only ever manage to get a bit of them shut, they are still easier than those plastic ties or trying to knot the bag but an easier or bigger seal strip would be better, bet even none arthritis sufferers struggle with some of these. I could go on for ever but I need to go sweep up the peas!
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Date: 01.10.2012
From: bsk
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Hi Gemsmum, you can get hairdryer stands on some of the disabled product sites. They don't look lovely I have to admit!
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Date: 07.10.2012
From: Jennifer Sutherland
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
I'm Jen a new member Great project Kevin. I have RA and fibromyalga and find it really difficult to wash my hair or brush it as I cant raise my arms above my head . As a 33 yo its wot gets me the most annoyed as I want to look good even if I feel awful. My OH works shifts and it can be 3 or 4 days without getting my hair washed or brushed. It's so frustrating to want to do wot most ppl take for granted but if a product was made that could wash or brush my hair it would make a huge difference to all RA sufferers
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Date: 07.10.2012
From: Jennifer Sutherland
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
Oh yes the problem getting tablets out of the foil packet. That's a huge problem for me too.
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Date: 12.10.2012
From: Kevin Doudie
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Subject: Re: HELP!! Arthritis project
thanks jen I understand your gripe, from a lot of the research I have gathered there is an overwhelming feeling that people just want to be able to do what they want as they would please. all of the replies so far have been great and will all contribute to the project. thanks Kevin Doudie
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