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I often find myself cursing the incredibly poor design of some of the devices that are supposed to make out lives easier. Why don't they make toilet seat extensions that are easier to remove for cleaning? And what about the gap between the extension and the bowl, not wide enough to clean between but definitely wide enough to let dirty water run down the outside of the bowl. And the shower chairs, no wonder our elders resist getting clean! Flat seats, short straight backs if they have a back at all, and it's hard to find any with arms. I've got an old resin recliner patio chair with a high back that I think would make a wonderful shower chair if it was only height adjustable. And to add to the insult these devices can be quite pricey. I've probably got a list of complaints as long as my arm. Anybody else bugged by this?

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My Dad is always misplacing his two canes somewhere in the house. Wish there was a computer chip in the canes where if you dialed the phone a certain number [or had a cellphone app], the chip would ring or buzz until the cane is found and moved. There are times all 3 of us are looking right at the cane and not see it :P
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And one would think that companies would make bathroom devices that didn't have joints to grow mildew. I absolutely hate cleaning the shower chair with the mildew and mold growing around the feet and on the parts under the seat. Who designs these things? Same with the toilet safety frames. It used to take me 15-20 minutes to clean a bathroom. Now it takes over twice as long because of those safety devices.
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Another thing, wish someone would design a better pill cutter... maybe something where you can drop the pill inside and it would automatically cut it by finding the slot on the pill.

So tired of trying to arrange the pill inside a manual cutter only to have it slip and you get 1/4 and 3/4 of a pill :P I couldn't imagine trying to cut pills if my eyesight was really bad, like my parents, or I didn't have the strength to push down on the pill cutter.
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cwillie, last year my Dad bought one of those step stools that has a high handle on it... looked great in the catalog... Dad said the handle helps getting up on the step stool but once on the step stool the handle then was too short to hang onto for balance. Of course Dad bought one that was very cheap... you get what you pay for.
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I think you are right Windyridge, a commode chair would have been a better option. There are some that can even be used as a bath chair, a real multipurpose item. Too bad I didn't know that a year ago. I think one thing that happens is we buy things based on our needs at the time without looking ahead to the future. Our first bath chair was a simple stool. then we needed one with a back, now I wish it had arms, or should I be getting a transfer bench? I think the companies that sell you this stuff should be better at pointing this out, after all our needs will always increase as we age. I guess they make more money if they keep us coming back every year or two.
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Chillies, try a potty chair. I got one for my mom and its a huge help for her. The extensions are " one size fits all" and aren't worth a damn. You're right, it is very frustrating finding quality stuff that actually works. I've found there's can be a big difference between home medical supply stores. Some are much more helpful than others. Also, you can research on line ang get consumer reviews for about any product. I'm glad you brought up this issue. I would like to hear from others about what works, products to avoid etc.
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sometimes devises don't work as well as they are supposed to. I sometimes do an internet search to see if I can find a better devise. It would appear that at least in part, those designing assistive devises really don't understand the human body and how the equipment is supposed to make life easier.
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