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News Releases
How to Make the Easy Choice
Columbia, Mo. (June 6, 2007) - Living with arthritis can often be frustrating. Even the simplest tasks like tying your shoe strings or opening a jar can seem impossible on a "bad" day. Arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases and the nation's leading cause for disability, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Arthritis is also a more frequent cause of activity limitation than heart disease, cancer or diabetes.
"About half a million Missourians experience physical limitations as a result of arthritis," says Ann Mangelsdorf, regional program officer, Arthritis Foundation - eastern Missouri chapter. "Limitations may include dressing, grooming and bathing, opening containers, preparing meals or even feeding themselves."
But, life doesn't always have to be so complicated. The Arthritis Foundation has created a program to encourage manufacturers to design user-friendly products and packaging. One such product, created by Maxwell House is the new EZ Grip lid which allows you to easily open the jar and close it tightly. This simple adaptation can make life much easier. Such products can help you overcome some of the physical limitations of arthritis.
"Many of the products that have received the Arthritis Foundation's 'Ease-of-Use' commendation include everyday items such as home appliances, exercise equipment, gardening tools, health aids, kitchen and office products, home furnishings and mobility aids," says Mangelsdorf.
The Arthritis Foundations offers tips on selecting easy-to-use products that can make day-to-day tasks easier.
- Just because a product is "easy to use" may not mean it will be easy for you to use. Select products that fit your needs and abilities.
- Set priorities. Look for assistive devices to help you with your most frequent and challenging tasks.
- Lighten the load. When it comes to cleaning and kitchen tools, purchase lightweight products. Replace heavy pots, pans and ceramic dishes and bowls with those made of light weight materials.
The Arthritis Foundations offers a variety of products that have been tested and are considered good options for people with arthritis. For more information, visit www.arthritis.org.
The Missouri Arthritis Research Rehabilitation and Training Center (MARRTC) was established in 1971 at the University of Missouri-Columbia Arthritis Center. MARRTC is funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (H133B031120) and is the only federally funded arthritis rehabilitation research and training center in the country.
As part of the MU Health Communication Research Center (HCRC), MARRTC's mission is to become a national leader in the areas of disability management and communication, improve the quality of life and promote independent living among people who have arthritis and arthritic conditions. MARRTC's core message is "Disability is everyone's issue."
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