Three products for making life easier at home: super pole, remote outlets, nailclippers

As I lost my long term personal care assistant (PCA), I was approved for an accessible apartment I had been on the waiting list for for the better part of a decade. I found a few items that helped me, so I figured I’d share my experience. My name is Jake Tompkins, not only am I a rare disease advocate, but a patient, too. I was diagnosed with Friedreich’s Ataxia at twenty-four in 2004. I started using a cane in 2005, then a wheelchair. I am always on the lookout for products that make my life easier. Here is a short list of them.

First is 4 remote power outlets. I was looking for smart outlets, but I found these fit the bill. One concern I had was the number and placement of the light switches. This allows me to turn my lamps on and off at once. Finally no more knocking over lamps while trying to use the built in switches. I mounted the switch on my kitchen wall with velcro, because at some point it will need a battery change.

The next item is a super pole, well three of them. I have one by my sofa, one in my bathroom, and one by my bed. Not only do I use it to transfer into bed, but also to help stand to get dressed. The poles use tension between the floor and ceiling. These can be used for travel as well. I have used these many times in my hotel rooms. To make transporting them easier, you can use a snowboard bag. Game changer, pre-covid I was a full time patient advocate, and stayed in hotels almost monthly. I always bring one with me.

The last item I will talk about is a pair of nail clippers. I had never even thought of using this item, until I saw this on Amazon six years ago. I use these weekly for years, and I’m honestly using my second pair. The 360 degrees pivoting head is one of those things I can’t live without, but never knew I needed. 

As my life goes on, I will continue to use adaptive equipment. I will also try to adapt to all things. Check out this website to see a curated list of equipment. If you know of any products or techniques to share, feel free to email us.

Products mentioned in this blog:

Remote Control Outlet Plugs by DEWENWILS - Amazon 

Security Pole by Stander - Amazon, Walmart, Home Depot

Rotating Nail Clippers by SyncMarket - Amazon*

*This product no longer seems to be available, so we are sharing a similar 360 degree swivel head nail clipper by Joybuy Express, available at Walmart.