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SUGGESTIONS TOR ADAPTATIONS

1. To pad handles for a better grip, try taping a piece of self-adhering foam around the end of a handle halfway down the shaft of a rake or hoe. Handlebar grips for bikes and tikes come in various sizes. These, too, can be fitted over the ends of handles. Foam rubber pipe insulation which comes in a variety of sizes is another medium for use in the padding of handles for easier gripping power.

 

2. To reduce the need for bending, or to make it possible to dig from a wheelchair, try fixing an extra handle halfway down the shaft of a fork or spade.

 

3. A pressure sprayer with a long tube and nozzle can be used to avoid lifting of water cans. Probably some type of permanent or semi-permanent watersystem should be worked out so that watering can be done by a simple twist of a faucet.

 

4. If a trowel is too heavy, perhaps a plastic flour scoop would work.

 

5. A big scoop can be made by cutting down a plastic one-gallon container,one with a built-in handle.

 

6. Bath tub benches (sold at medical supply stores) can be used as garden gook to sit on while you work.

 

7. A tool and utensil holder which is an aid for people with limited gripping ability can be used to hold the small, flatter-handled tools used for flower pot gardening or transplanting

 

8. Garden aprons with large pockets for carrying utensils can eliminate some of the problems for gardeners with physical limitations. These aprons can be made with velcro straps or an apron clip for easier "put-on" qualities.

 

9. For easier to find tools, perhaps spraying handles with red paint and then adding sight-saving bright yellow tape at the ends of the handles would be a solution.

 

10. If one has wrist weakness or poor grip, a wrist splint used with light hand tools offers excellent support. A medical supply store would have several kinds to choose from.

 

11. A support, for standing and a handy walking stick could be the tools themselves, used upside down. A cane or crutch tip could be slipped on end of tools which increases safety and protects the wood. One-inch cane tips are the right size for most handles.

 

12. Don't forget, much pleasure can be gained from a mini-garden using a wide-mouthed jar, fish tank, etc., and they take much less maintenance.

Taken from:The Accessible Garden, Revised Edition No, 61 April 1990

Author Holly Brock & Gayle Mefford

 

 

 

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