Assistive Solutions Make Great
Gifts for People with ALS

The holidays are fast approaching and we are all beginning to wonder what to purchase for friends and family.

For this holiday season, the staff at the Center for Applied Rehabilitation Technology (CART) at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey, Calif., has several ideas for low-cost items that may be purchased for people with ALS to help with communication and managing around the home.

Communication and Writing

For people with ALS who are using writing as a way to communicate, foam or rubber grips for pens make great gifts. The grips slide over thin pens, making it easier to hold onto them. There are also “ergonomic” pens on the market, which may be thicker or cushier but tend to be heavier than standard pens. These items are available at most stationery stores. The Functional Solutions catalog also has a “Lite-Touch” pen that costs $6.

Spiral notebooks are ideal for people with ALS who communicate through writing. Several may be purchased and situated around the house for easy access. Smaller notebooks can fit in a purse or pocket. Similarly, dry erase boards are ideal for some people with ALS because the board is wiped clean after each message without needing to turn pages or worry about running out of paper. Dry erase boards are available at most stationery stores.

If writing is difficult, an alphabet board may be an option. The person with ALS points to letters on a board to spell out messages. Alphabet boards come in different layouts or configurations.

In the Home

Some simple items can make a world of difference in the home. For people with ALS who are having difficulty stabilizing items such as note pads or their dinner plates, non-skid rubber matting is very handy. It can be found in stores that carry shelf-liner paper and similar items. A roll costs under $10 and can go a long way. In the resource catalogs, a more durable version of this item is called Dycem.

If holding a pen, eating utensils, a toothbrush or a razor is getting difficult, take some rubber matting, roll it around the handle and fasten it with a couple of rubber bands. You can make it as thick or thin as you need. Along the same line,
Home Depot offers foam tubing for insulation that can be used for the same purpose. You will also find foam handles in the resource catalogs.

While at Home Depot, look in the lighting section. A Touch Dimmer Disc (a small plastic or brass disc) will turn any lamp into a touch lamp so you don’t have to maneuver the switch. This amazing item is also under $10.

For people with ALS who are finding it more difficult to stand up from a sofa or bed, furniture risers can be purchased from linen and bedding stores. A firm cushion or pillow on the seat will raise the height and make it easier to get up. The UpLift seat assist is a mechanical version and runs approximately $150.

Are the doorways too narrow? Purchase a set of offset hinges that guarantees widening the doorway by 2” without any major construction to your home.

Personal Care

For those hard to reach places (your back or feet), consider a long-handled bath sponge or brush. Many people with ALS feel safer in the shower while sitting on a shower chair. If you think you would benefit from one, inquire about the Equipment Loan Pool offered by chapters of The ALS Association.

There are many devices to help you remain independent, such as buttonhooks, zipper pulls, electric toothbrushes and even electric flossers. The electric flosser is really nice when coordination is a problem, but the product can be on the heavier side.

There are small, plastic dental flossers that are available in your drug stores you can get a whole package for a few dollars. Long-handled shoehorns and sock aids will help you put shoes and socks on without having to bend over.

Leisure

Holding books becomes more challenging if your arms are getting weaker. A nice book holder is available for about $20. Robert’s Book Holder is available from Maxi-AIDS.

When a table would make a nice gift, try the Posture-Rite Lap Desk. This product is lightweight and sits on your lap. You can use it to rest a book, your remote control, or your meal.

For more information about low-cost items that may be purchased for people with ALS to help with communication and managing around the home, contact a chapter of The Association.