Daily living aids are products designed to help you with mobility, getting around the home, getting around outside, getting ready and doing chores around the home.
At NRS Healthcare, we are experts in daily living aids. If you have scleroderma, you may find the following daily living aids useful.
• Mobility aids – scleroderma can affect a person’s ability to get around, and these products can help you do this more easily and safely:
o Duo Walking Trolley
o 3-Wheel Rollator
• Comfort when sitting – if your feet are affected by scleroderma, you may find comfort from raising your legs when sitting, and some people find a rise and recline chair is useful to help them get in and out of a chair:
o Foot Rest
o Rise and recline chair
• Grip helpers – if scleroderma is causing sore or tight skin on the hands, you may have difficulty gripping a pen or eating utensils, and these aids may help:
o Foam Tubing
o Pen Grippers
o Kura Care Cutlery
o Good Grips Cutlery
o Thermo Mug
o Dressing aids
o Food preparation aids
• Help around the home – you may find that your symptoms affect your ability to carry trays/meals or stand for long periods, and these products for scleroderma may help:
o Household trolley
o Perching stool
• Raynaud’s aids – if your hands and feet are sensitive to the cold or temperature changes, you may find that a wheat warmer provides relief:
o Wheat Warmer
NRS Healthcare has a team of occupational therapist product advisors who can advise what products may be useful to you. Contact them for free on 0345 121 8111 or email [email protected]
Diet for scleroderma
An adequate, nutritional diet for scleroderma patients is important, whatever type of scleroderma they may have. People with systemic sclerosis are likely to have digestive issues and may experience weight loss as a result of their condition, so eating a balanced diet is essential. It is important to get enough calcium, vitamin D, iron and healthy fats. Fibre can help with blood pressure and anti-inflammatory foods such as ginger may help reduce some symptoms of scleroderma. Read more about scleroderma diet.
If a person has coeliac disease as well as scleroderma, they may need to follow a gluten-free diet. Read more about coeliac disease.
Some people take vitamins and minerals as supplements for scleroderma, such as vitamins A, C, D, E, K, folate, B12, zinc and iron. Some people take probiotics to help with digestive issues, or anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory supplements such as turmeric, selenium and beta-carotene. It is advisable to discuss this with your GP before taking scleroderma supplements.
Exercise for scleroderma
Scleroderma exercise is important but may feel challenging for some people, for example, if their skin is tight and uncomfortable. Any activity that gets the body moving, within the reasonable limits that a person can manage, is beneficial for joints, muscles, lungs, heart and mind. It is important for people living with scleroderma to obtain advice before starting an exercise programme from their specialist team or a physiotherapist. Read more about how exercise may help scleroderma.
Scleroderma and employment
Lots of people who are living with scleroderma are able to work. Some people who have systemic sclerosis that progresses to a more serious stage, may decide to leave work if their scleroderma symptoms make working difficult.