What are the items/item that you bought for your house that has made your life easier as a senior?

[AnnaLee2]

Originally Posted by jim9251

One of them Alexa things, smart LED bulbs, smart sensors, robot vacuum, a smart cam for outside. Everything is now automatic, lights automatically turn on when I enter a room, turn off when I leave. TV comes on when I get up, turns off when I go to bed. I say good morning Alexa, she says "hey baby."

I like it.

I like your style.

[johngolf]

Several small items. Several grabber/reach tools. One in the kitchen, another in the computer room. A roller stool for scurrying around in the kitchen.

[LauraC]

I live in an apartment so I have to accept a lot of what is given to me by the apartment complex. They did find me a ground floor apartment when I could no longer go up and down outside stairs but I would definitely prefer a walk in shower to a shower/tub combo and a microwave that sits on the kitchen counter instead of above the stove because in addition to leg problems, I'm short. I don't use the second and third shelves in my kitchen cabinets because I'm short and can't go up a stepladder. I own a washer/dryer but wish the washer was front loading but don't want stackables because I couldn't reach the top appliance. My lift chair is very comfortable even if I don't use the lift feature, elevates my legs, gives lumbar support, has the arms I need to push off from and I sleep in it even though I also have a nice bed. Have a reacher but keep it in my car so I can reach things in the back of my trunk. My computer tower is kept on the floor right next to my chair so I have easy access to it and its ports. My printer is on a rolling cart. Have 2 bathrooms and the one nearest to my computer is tricked out for me, alone.

Probably, the smartest thing I bought is a collapsible shopping cart you can either push or pull and has 4 inch wheels in the back and 3 inch wheels in the front (important to consider when buying). I fold it up and put it in the back seat behind the driver in a standing position, so I don't even have to lift it out of a trunk. When you want to go up a curb you just tilt a full cart on its back wheels, then push up the back of the cart. When you go down a curb, also tilt it on its back wheels and roll it off the curb. I use it primarily for taking things to and from my car to my apartment like groceries, packages, cameras and and camera equipment, for example. Also take it with me on driving vacations.

[Variable]

Originally Posted by LauraC

.... I would definitely prefer a walk in shower to a shower/tub combo and a microwave that sits on the kitchen counter instead of above the stove ....

Perhaps consider buying a small countertop microwave. They are fairly cheap..some in the $50 range.

[Teacher Terry]

Laura, I also bought a cart since buying a condo and keep it in my car. I can bring in a bunch of items with one trip. I have noticed that younger people in our building also use them.

[Hefe]

One of the after-effects of having Covid is that my childhood bronchial asthma symptoms returned after a 60 year absence. I recently had been wheezing, coughing & hacking daily for 3 months, forget about venturing outside during the Canadian forest fire smoke episodes which apparently are forecast to be probable annual events.

What has helped quite a bit is getting a good air-purifier for the apartment. Even though I have no pets & have painted most of the rooms & sealed the exposed brick wall, I get a lot of dust & that has been a problem for breathing. I came late to the realization that opening a window for some "fresh air" is mostly counterproductive in the city, not only the urban dust but also vehicle fumes enter as particulate pollution.

The air purifier has helped greatly plus they are dead silent. I just bought a second one for the bedroom while it was discounted during the Prime Days sales.