20 of the most useful elderly care products you can buy in Singapore

If you are a caregiver of an older person, you might face moments where you wish you had some nifty product to make caring for your senior family members easier.

Even the most basic tasks like helping your older family members take a shower can be difficult when they are frail and struggle with carrying out Activities of Daily Living (ADL) on their own.

Thankfully there are several useful elderly care products on the market that you can purchase that make caring for your older family members easier.

As Christmas is around the corner, you can look at this list of 20 elderly care products we've put together to choose a gift for yourself or your loved ones.

1. Adjustable Bed Rail

As older people become less mobile due to joint problems like osteoporosis and arthritis, they will have problems getting up from bed or moving from their bed to a chair.

Sometimes they might even fall when they are trying to move from their bed. Preventing falls is important for older people as even a minor fall can lead to broken bones.

Having a bed rail can give them a support to hold onto which makes it easy for them to move to and from their bed and prevent injury.

This Stander EZ Adjust bed rail ($199.00) can be adjusted to fit beds of different sizes and can be folded down when not in use.

2. Bendable Spoon

Older people may experience tremors in their hands from Parkinson's disease that make it difficult for them to hold their utensils firmly as they eat.

Hard metal or plastic utensils can be tricky for them to use as if they lose their grip, the utensils might jam themselves against the side of a plate or a bowl and it would feel uncomfortable for them.

This HappyHome bendable spoon ($25.00) would help senior family members with Parkinson's disease who have a weak grip to eat more comfortably on their own.

This spoon is suitable for both left- and right-handed use and even comes with a detachable safety strap to ensure it doesn't slip from their hands.

3. HospiCare 40R Adult Body Wipes

Older people with Alzheimer's disease may lose control of their bodily functions as they age, causing them to soil themselves when they salivate uncontrollably or defecate themselves.

These HospiCare 40R Adult Body Wipes are one of the best solutions to help you and your older family members to keep themselves clean.

These wipes are antibacterial and moisturising so they can keep your senior's skin healthy and clean. It does not contain any alcohol, parabens and methylisothiazoline that could irritate your older family member's skin.

These wipes can be kept for up to 36 months so that you can buy a large quantity and store it for a longer time. HospiCare 40R Adult Body Wipes are sold at $3.30 for one packet and can go up to $53.90 for a carton of 18 packets.

4. Heat Patches

Older people frequently have joint conditions that might cause them to experience body pains. These Roihi Tsuboko Heat Patches can help to keep pain at bay.

These medicated heat patches can be applied directly on stiff areas to relieve pain and promote blood circulation.

They are small and easy to stick on areas like the elbows and knees and can be stored easily since they come in a resealable storage bag.

5. Ergonomic Cushion

Older people with arthritis might have curved spines which would make it difficult for them to sit comfortably in a chair.

An ergonomic cushion would help your senior family members greatly as it provides them with support for their back to prevent pain and discomfort.

The HappyHome Ergo Cushion ($43.00) can help your older family member to reduce stress on their shoulders and lower back from sitting for long periods of time.

It is made of a breathable honeycomb fabric that allows for better air circulation. If you are a caregiver, you can even buy one of these cushions for yourself to make sitting at your desk at work much more comfortable!

6. EZ Off Jar Opener

Opening jars can be difficult for your senior family members as they may lack the strength and a steady grip needed to hold the jar and unscrew the lid. This EZ Off Jar Opener is a tool that seniors can use to open jars easily with minimal effort.

The EZ Off Jar Opener can grab onto lids made of different kinds of materials and is suitable for people with arthritis, carpal tunnel and who have undergone amputations.

It is simple and easy to install with a peel-and-stick surface that can stick to the lids of even small jars.

7. Foldable Backrest

Does your senior family member complain that it is too uncomfortable for them to sit up in bed? HappyHome's foldable backrest ($55.00) can make sitting up a less challenging experience for them.

This lightweight foldable backrest can be carried around and stored easily whenever it is not in use. It comes with a frame to enable it to be set up anywhere, even for your seniors to prop themselves up in bed.

The frame allows the backrest to be adjusted between five different angles depending on the posture that your senior prefers.

8. Gait Belt

Many older people become unable to walk without assistance as their muscles get weaker with age. However, it is still important for them to get some exercise that will help them to maintain a healthy use of their muscles.

A gait belt can help your senior get some exercise by helping them to walk more steadily. The belt is wrapped around the older person's waist and supported from behind by someone else so that the senior can walk upright.

This Assure Transfer Gait Belt ($66.34) can be bought in different sizes according to your senior's waist length.

9. Health and Fitness Tracker

Many seniors develop various health conditions that make it important to monitor levels like blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart rate. How about a health and fitness tracker to make it easier to check on your senior's health?

The Garmin Vivosmart 3 provides round-the-clock heart rate monitoring and tracks parameters like steps taken and stairs climbed which are applicable to your senior's exercise needs.

Its battery life can last for up to five days, meaning that you can also wear it around with you on the go without having to charge it frequently.

10.  Inflatable Shower Basin

Washing the hair of elderly people who are bedridden can be difficult. This inflatable shower basin ($37.80) makes washing up easier for older people who have difficulty sitting up.

The basin can be inflated and deflated easily and is made of PVC to make it feel soft against the skin of the person lying on the basin. It is also easy to clean off with tap water whenever it gets dirty.

11.  Jigsaw Puzzle Set

Games and puzzles not only prevent your senior family members from getting bored but help to maintain their cognitive function.

This 35-piece jigsaw puzzle ($39.00) has just the right number of pieces to prevent your older family members with dementia from being bored or getting too frustrated.

This puzzle can make for good bonding moments with family as you solve it together and help your senior relative feel a sense of accomplishment.

12.  Large Button Telephone

Many older people would struggle with using mobile phones. Seniors might be unfamiliar with touchscreen capabilities or find it difficult to read the small font on text messages.

The Panasonic DECT cordless speaker telephone would be a good way for them to contact friends and relatives without having to grapple with unfamiliar technology.

The illuminated buttons have large numbers which make them easier for seniors with visual difficulties to see.

The phone also comes with an amplify key and hearing aid compatibility support for seniors who might have difficulty hearing.

13.  Long Handle Grooming Kit

Older people with arthritis might not be able to reach to the tops of their heads or around to their backs to groom themselves as their arms and legs have become stiffer.

This etac BEAUTY Long Handle Grooming Kit ($24.95) features a brush, comb, and nail file that all have longer handles than normal to let older people get at hard-to-reach areas of their body.

The handles are also oval-shaped and have a rough texture to make them easier to grip.

14.  Mobile Commode Chair

The shower stall is another area where older people are more vulnerable to falling. A shower chair would be very helpful for older people to take showers to prevent them from slipping and falling on a wet bathroom floor.

The KY692 Detachable Commode ($210.00) has a lightweight frame that makes it easy to move. This chair can be used as a commode chair, a shower chair, and an indoor wheelchair all in one.

As a commode chair, it has a built-in toilet bowl which helps older people who have trouble walking to the bathroom on their own.

It has a flip-up armrest and a detachable footrest to maximise comfort and its four wheels can be locked to prevent the chair from moving around excessively.

15.  Nail Clipper with Magnifier

Cutting nails can become a dangerous task for older people, as with their poor vision they might accidentally injure themselves when they miss the aim of nail clippers or scissors.

This nail clipper with a magnifier ($24.59) comes with a magnifying glass that lets older people have a good view of their nails as they are cutting them.

This product would be especially useful for senior family members who are living alone and do not always have someone to cut their nails for them.

16.  Portable Dressing Aid

Buttoning shirts, pulling up trousers and pulling on jackets are all tasks that older people would require assistance with.

The HappyHome button hook and zipper pull dressing aid ($9.00) has a thick handle which makes it easy to grip and a metal hook which can grab onto buttons and zippers easily.

Your senior can use the hook to grab onto and move zippers or buttons.

17.  Shower Grab Bar

Grab bars are essential items to have in your shower stall to prevent seniors from having a nasty fall on a wet shower floor.

These stainless-steel grab bars from Norika can be installed vertically or horizontally at different heights depending on the eye level that your senior is at.

Your senior can hold onto these bars as they move in and out of the shower to minimise their fall risk.

18.  Stander Bed Cabbie

A bed caddie is a ladder-like object that your senior can grab onto to make it easier for them to prop themselves up in bed.

The Stander bed caddie can support up to 136kg in weight and can be adjusted to fit the length of your bed.

All you need to do is to clip the caddie to the edge of your bed frame to begin using it every time you need to get up.

19.  Waterproof Bedsheet

Older people may develop incontinence, meaning they will wet themselves unexpectedly when they cannot control their bowel functions well.

This Noche-Noche waterproof bedsheet ($167.29) will make bedtime accidents easier to clean up and protect your older relative's mattress from being stained.

20.  Wireless Alarm Pager

There are times when your older relative might be in urgent need of assistance, or you might face a medical emergency.

A wireless alarm pager ($32.00) would let you call for help quickly and efficiently. A large red button in the middle of the pager makes it easy for seniors to know what to press to call for help.

The signal comes with an LED light, vibrations and warning sounds to make sure that people in the surroundings are aware of your senior's call for help.

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This article was first published in Homage.