Making appliances easier to use

One of the most important ways to help patients have an easier time doing things in their home is to mark appliance controls. For example, we mark stove dials at 350 and 450 degrees with small stick-on buttons using bright colors. These buttons offer great contrast and can be felt. The same system can be used to mark other kitchen appliances as well as washers and dryers. Placing the buttons on start and stop pads makes operating appliances much easier. Many of our patients ask us to mark the popcorn button on their microwaves. Finding and then pushing that button allows patients to make themselves popcorn with little effort. 

The beauty of these simple buttons is that they are inexpensive, easy to see and can be felt. With them, operating appliances becomes a much less challenging task for our patients.