What if you lose the use of a hand or arm, whether temporarily or permanently? These tools, tips and resources can help you remain self-sufficient.

You’re a careful person, but perhaps this time, not careful enough because you’ve fallen on ice or in the bathroom, and x-rays show that you fractured your dominant wrist. And you live alone. How will you get by without the use of your “good” arm?

Being Proactive Now Might Save You Money and Time Later

The following tools and tips can help you remain self-sufficient whether you’ve suffered a broken arm or some other condition that prohibits or minimizes the use of your hands.

Signing Documents and Checks

Have a rubber stamp of your signature made and get a black ink pad. This will enable you to sign checks and certain other documents. Just make sure you keep the stamp locked away and not stored with your checkbook or important papers to prevent someone from using your stamp for fraudulent purposes.

Daily Living Tasks

Daily living tasks can be very challenging when done one-handed. For flossing your teeth, get dental flossers. You can get 100 flossers for about $3 to $5.

Showering can be dangerous if you only have the use of one hand. Shop garage sales, thrift shops or craigslist for a shower chair or bench so you can take a sitting shower. Or buy a new one for as little as $25. The first time you bathe or shower after your injury, you should make sure that another adult is in the house in case you encounter a problem.

Clothing

Be sure you own at least one pair of comfortable, well-fitting shoes with good tread that don’t require tying. Have some pants with elastic waistbands. Also, be sure to own a few button-down shirts and sweaters as donning clothing overhead is tricky while wearing a cast. Any occupational therapist will recommend dressing the impaired side first and undressing the impaired side last.

Additionally, have a jacket that closes with something other than a zipper, as zippers are tough to start one-handed. Women might even think about wearing a poncho or cape that easily goes on over the head. If you live in an area with chilly winters, have on hand a leg warmer that can be easily put on your casted wrist if you need to go outside on a chilly day.

Kitchen Tasks

Your biggest challenge in the kitchen may be cutting anything, as knives are typically unsafe when used one-handed. Rocker knives are designed for one-handed use and for those with poor grip strength.

Additionally, most containers will be tough to open. Buy a can opener that you can use one-handed, such as an electric can opener. For foods like soup, buy the variety that comes in a box while you are healing; though more expensive than cans, they can be opened and poured one-handed.

Only buy foods in small enough containers that you can comfortably lift. A gallon of milk may be more than you can handle, so go for the half-gallon size. Make sure you have some cookware that is not cast iron, as they may simply be too heavy to use one-handed.

Learn About Services in Your Community That May Be Helpful

Find out which pharmacies deliver and consider moving your prescriptions there. If you have no small children living at home, you can sign a waiver to get your medications put into easier-to-open containers than those required by law. Also, find out which supermarkets/services deliver groceries to your neighborhood.

For people with disabilities or seniors, your community may have social service agencies or a bus system that has free rides available for doctor appointments, trips for groceries, and other errands. Also, contact your health insurance provider to see if you have coverage for rides to medical appointments.

Related: Finding Reliable Transportation for an Elderly Parent

Don’t Be Shy About Reaching Out for Help

Most people have a generous spirit and find joy in helping others. If you’ve had a fracture or some other type of accident or disability, put the word out to your support network. This might be your family, friends, workmates, neighbors or church community.

Being injured means establishing a new normal during your convalescence. You will be amazed at some of the creative ways you discover to perform daily tasks. You will find yourself taking much more time for activities like bathing. You may even find that slowing down may be a blessing in disguise for you and may ultimately become your new normal.

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• Affordable Ways To Make Your Home Disability Friendly

Reviewed April 2024

About the Author

Debra is an occupational therapist, accountant, teacher and freelance writer. She is a writer for Advance for Occupational Therapy Practitioners. She also writes for Grand Magazine, has some items (fiction and non fiction) selling on Amazon (Kindle), has written several travel articles for the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette and several articles for freelancewriting.com and volunteers as a money mentor for the University of Illinois Cooperative Extension money mentoring program. Learn more about her at DebraKarplus.blogspot.com.