Dear all, 17 months on from his stroke my husband still have so movement in his left hand or arm.
Do any of you have any recommendations for gadgets that can make his life easier and aid his independence.
We have a grabber, rubber mat to go under plates, a spiky chopping board and a bartender suction brush for washing up ( although I should add I help with cooking and cleaning 
)
Any helpful hints - either to help with hand/arm recovery or equipment ideas gratefully received.
Claire
First, thanks for posting this thread. It will be of use to all of us Claire
I just want to say that any device, method, or advice that expands the world of the person stroked is life enriching in a really important way.
It is important to have access to all and any aid available.
Stroke is a horrible experience that leaves one alone and disabled.
Itâs important to realise there are ways past this isolation to being able to share and routes around disability that re-open access to the world and allow one to enjoy a more complete life.
The different disabilities need appropriate compensation. We each have problems to tackle and any help offered is very gratefully received.
My difficulties are with mobility and dexterity.
A rollator was very useful early on. Later I bought a scooter which opened up my world considerably. A walking stick and grab bars have also made a big difference. Learning how to do something called a âtransferâ was also extremely useful and helped with a degree of independence.
I am a regular visitor to the kitchen and gradually became more able helping prepare vegetables and washing up. Every bit of involvement is a step in the right direction.
One could write a book about dealing with a particular disability but there are all sorts of obstacles to deal with. Some have communication difficulties others struggle with hearing and sight.
I suppose someone could come along and create an index of stroke related challenges and tie it in with solutions and aids but that would be a very big job nevertheless a very worthwhile task.
keep on keepin on
A belli-clamp to hold jars etc for opening.
Scissors to get into packaging; cutting up meat; chopping herbs (put them in a mug); use as cutlery
There are lots of one handed gadgets for the kitchen. I have pepper mills; tin opener
There are ways of lacing shoes to make to easy to tie laces one handed.
A button hook
If I think of anything else Iâll come back. It is quite possible to lead a fully independent life one handed. I live alone; I cook; garden; drive. i donât clean or iron - I prefer to pay someone else to do those.
Good luck.
Janet
A wrist brace/support for the good hand. Mine risked a sprain because it was doing so much work and carrying weight from the zimmer and walking stick. If I lose the use of my good hasnd, Iâm snookered
I use a rocker knife so that I can cut up my own food. In my early recovery days my OT suggested using a kitchen station but it was quite bulky and we didnât have room in our kitchen but it was a good piece of equipment.
I recently found exs for synergistic hand and elbow movements, either Cleveland Clinic or Flint Rehab.
Dressing but its a bit more pricey than usual purchases : a company called ablelabel specialise in clothes without buttons for people with disabilties such as arthritis, if you can afford to pay a bit more for say shirts its worth taking a look. Even one shirt he can put on himself would restore some independence.
Its flint rehab, that is a long term outcome if it helps.
Grabbers are really useful but wont pick up very slight items such as dropped piece of paper. One i have has a magnetic part so useful for picking up pins and so on from the floor.
A better place to look for these sort of tips and tricks is from the paraplegics and amputees in the internet and YouTube. Loads of videos on there from how to dress, manage around the kitchen, to manageable clothing and footwear i.e. fastenings etc, how to manage getting out and about etc etc etc.
A simple search on youtube on âhow to get dressed with only one armâ is a good way to start, and before you know it youâve tweaked your search criteria and watched through reams of videos on how to do this that and the other and learn so many tips and tricks along the way. Just remember to keep a notebook and pen handy and save the best one to show your husbandđ
Lorraine
Dear all, thank you for those really helpful ideas. I will look into all of those options. Regarding clothing, Garyâs OT has told him that Primark now do a line in adaptive clothing.
Great to hear that one-handed gardening can be done successfully. This is his passion and we both spent a gorgeous day in the garden yesterday - in the Spring sunshine!!
@Lara1 I am sorry your husband is still experiencing mobility problems 17months after his stroke. I am a stroke survivor and did not suffer from mobility of my hands/arms therefore I cannot share any experiencesâ, however, my mother in law did and she used to give up and accept she could not reach the light switch. I said Mum do it a little bit at a time. She could not wait until I came back over as she as so proud that she could now reach the light switch. Therefor a little at a time gets you further and stroke recovery takes forever. There is no magic wand. Good luck 
Hi Irene, totally agree that itâs all about baby steps⌠I hope your mum is doing ok. One thing you prompted me to share is using Alexa to automate lights. Gary can now ask Alexa to âturn on the bedroom lightâ for example. A huge help!