Getting Around Inside and Outside: Tools and Ideas for Easier Living

There are countless items available on the market today that are designed to make life and independent living easier. Often the same object is designed with slightly different features. The items in this guide are simple things to be used by everyone to help us do the things we want to do. This guide gives examples of many products that cost $100.00 or less. The Maine CITE Program does not endorse or recommend these particular items. They are offered simply to increase awareness of these tools.

Many items include a “Yankee Hint.” These hints are depicted by a Quoddy Point-like lighthouse. Yankee Hints offer suggestions about how, with a little imagination and creativity, a person can adapt an existing tool to make it more useful. Many Yankee Hints come from talented Mainers just like you. If you have a Yankee Hint that you would like to share, drop us a note or call us. We will keep them on file and include them in any future publications.

Occasionally you will see “Why this device might not work for me.” This note mentions factors that may not make this particular item appropriate to meet your need.

Note of Caution: The items appearing in this booklet were taken directly from the product’s websites. Maine CITE did no product testing. Some things to consider when deciding on a product:

• Before purchasing, try it out if possible.
• Make sure you can return it.
• Make sure a particular product does what you need it to do.

At the end of this guide, we have listed some links of places to help you find these items to purchase. Since products and websites change frequently, we cannot guarantee you will be able to still find all of the exact products listed in this document. But you should be able to find similar items.

The Maine CITE Program is pleased to make this resource available. We hope that you will use this guide and share it with others. Elders and caregivers may find products like those in this resource especially helpful for themselves, aging parents, neighbors or friends.