Coping with oa iwhen ypu live on your own

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Jadelady73
Jadelady73 Member Posts: 61
in Living with arthritis

Hi Jadelady here looking for advice l live alone most of the time I do have! Mum and dad come over on the morning and !y fiance over at the weekend manly it is afferoons and evenings and overnight I have a care alarm set but any tips would be helpful thanks

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  • frogmorton
    frogmorton Member Posts: 29,414
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    There are a few people here who live on their own you are not alone @Jadelady73

    When I am on my own (husband working away) I am extra careful. Take sensible precautions like taking my phone in my pocket. I am in a bungalow now, but when I was in a house I used to have a bag I carried over my shoulder only light it had my phone in it. Used to chuck things down the stairs and had pick up sticks on both floors.

    I never take a shower when i am on my own in the house and microwave meals have their uses!

    I'm sure everyone else has some better ideas than me I am lucky I am not that often on my own.

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992
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    I have widespread OA and live on my own, albeit with my cat, and I have a Home Help once a week. I have a mainly sedentary and housebound life and use crutches around my bungalow and a wheelchair elsewhere. If you are a bit more specific about what you need tips about I will gladly offer advice where I can.

  • Jadelady73
    Jadelady73 Member Posts: 61
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    Hi I use a walker with a seat on and carry my mobile phone with me every were I go also have a landline and a key safe and a care alarm and a ring doorbell I use a microwave to cook and have a high stool. In the kitchen a shower stool and a toilet frame I don't shower with out my mum or my fiance being with me and they will leave my clothes out for me its just about keeping safe and avoiding falling down

  • N1gel
    N1gel Member Posts: 160
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    Yes, I live on my own with OA (and another condition) too. It's worth seeing if your phone has any specialist SOS functions. If I ping the on/off switch 3 times it sends out a message (I think it's to a 999 number) and makes my self selected medical details available to that number.

    As for getting around the house apart from furniture surfing in the kitchen, sometimes I just carefully go on all fours (can't fall over then!) having already wrecked my elbows and legs overusing crutches. A lightweight wheelchair for outdoors

  • Mike1
    Mike1 Member Posts: 1,992
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    I have no choice but to cope alone, what I found useful was a visit by an OT arranged through the Council's Adult Care Department who visited and recommended various things around the place to help me cope, they even provided the majority of items, I had to buy my own monkey bars over the bed as they would not provide them as they were classed as a safety hazard. I have not strangled myself with them .......yet!

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