Handy life hacks for old people. Add yours.

[canetoad]

Young, beauteous bods can stop reading right now.

My hacks are:

*Hot glue gun. DIY anti-skid. I'm still experimenting with little dots, zig-zags and wavy lines.

* Gnarly feet? Bag of urea from garden/hardware shop. Soak in about 1 cup and couple litres hot water. I can deal with ingrown toenails after this. (Don't worry, it's synthetic, not real dried pee.)

[rampartc]

1. i don't know about the urea. ise gold bond lotion

which may be urea for all I know.

if you are old enough a podiatrist is a terrific experience, and medicare picks up the tab.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

2. Reminder notes & lots of them.

* Cut up scrap paper into little rectangles and use those for reminder notes on the frig and stuck in my keyboard.
* Carry a little AAA LED flashlight with me everywhere to help read those damn product labels on products in the stores (along with reading glasses).
* Backup items in my truck to save embarrassing situations while out socializing: denture adhesive and spare reading glasses.

KY......

[zanana1]

13. I carry a tube of denture adhesive in my purse. nt

[KY_EnviroGuy]

17. One reason I started doing that (other that for eating out) was....

up until I stopped working, I worked mostly in very loud plants like power plants which requires almost shouting to talk to someone. However when I did that with a loose top denture, sometimes the darn thing would drop mid-sentence which instantly felt like I had a mouth full of barbed wire.

Quite embarrassing......

[Delmette2.0]

15. I use the zoom lense on my cell phone's camera for fine print.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

18. Good idea!

I'm so old-fashioned, I never think of things like that. I only use my smart phone as a telephone and only got one because my flip phone would no longer work on AT&T's network.

Not necessarily being backward but having worked in complex jobs before retirement, I love simple things now.....

[Delmette2.0]

19. I started using the zoom because I don't have a magnifying glass

and I'm too cheap to buy one. lol.

[CTyankee]

39. I am addicted to Post it notes so your first item was right on to me...

The LED flashlight is a great idea. I have a terrible time reading teenie product labels. Where do I get one?

[KY_EnviroGuy]

40. I like the Fenix E-Series pocket (or keychain) lights

I've carried a Fenix E01 light for many years when I worked in field service because I could hold it in my mouth to see in dark electrical panels and still have both hands free. That might seem gross to some but being able to see what you're doing in electrical stuff is a big safety issue. This brand is very reliable and precision made. The E01 was only around $10 back in the 90s. The E01 and E05 are about 1/2 inch in diameter and about 2-1/2 inches long and come with battery and clip for a key ring.

This is my favorite but unfortunately has been discontinued (just for reference):

See: https://www.fenixlighting.com/product/fenix-e01-flashlight/

It's been replaced with the E05, a brighter but more expensive ($20) unit:

See: https://www.fenixlighting.com/product/e05-fenix-flashlight/

or, on Amazon (in blue or black):

See: https://www.amazon.com/Fenix-Flashlights-E05R4BL-Blue/dp/B005Q60I8M/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=Fenix+E05&qid=1566671143&s=gateway&sr=8-8

I prefer to buy direct from Fenix for better warranty coverage, and if you sign up with your email you get a 20% off coupon and free shipping.

The light is turned on and off by rotating the lens head and I found that lubricating the threads and O-ring with a little Vaseline, I can operate it easily with one hand. Otherwise, the switch can be difficult to turn.

It's handy for walking at night, especially for up and down dark stairways. Also great for searching for stuff in drawers and closets!

This is another good very similar flashlight (according to reviews) on Amazon for just $10:

https://www.amazon.com/OLIGHT-i3E-EOS-Flashlight-Flashlite/dp/B017R560WC/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=Fenix+E01&qid=1566673573&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Similar units may be available at stores like Lowes or Target but I have not shopped there for pocket lights.

KY.....

[democratisphere]

3. I have been 29 3/4 for a long time and wouldn't know about such things.

[Lars39]

9. Ahem....:-)

[Freddie]

4. Driving glasses

How did I live without them all these years. Tip: do not clean glasses with anything other than an approved glasses-cleaning cloth, otherwise you will wipe off the anti-glare coating.
I also will circle the parking lot at the supermarket to find a “pull-through” space so I don’t have to back up.

[LittleGirl]

5. Epsom salt baths

Help my achy muscles and bones. I try to take one 3 times a week. Helps me sleep too.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

7. Have sex three times a day.

Preferably with your wife. It's good for cardio, rheumatism, and keeping the imagination sharp.

[Laffy Kat]

21. Wow.

[onethatcares]

25. nothing is sharper

than imagining having sex 3 times a day. Are you sure you aren't dreaming?

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

31. Maybe 3x a day was being facetious, but sex after 70 isn't.

A study by AARP, for example, showed a clear majority of men and women age 45 and up say a satisfying sexual relationship is important to the quality of life, according to a survey by the AARP (the organization formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons). Among 45- to 59-year-olds with sexual partners, some 56 percent said they had sexual intercourse once a week or more. Among 60- to 70-year-olds with partners, 46 percent of men and 38 percent of women have sex at least once a week, as did 34 percent of those 70 or older.

Here is a list of suggestions on how to have a satisfying sex life as you get into your golden years.

Of course, there are always people who get carried away, such as the six senior citizens - ages 60 to 85 -- who got arrested for having group sex in a public park.

[eShirl]

8. the three "M"s

Meditation
Metamucil
Marijuana

[samnsara]

30. i have an ez grip pipe!

[cyclonefence]

10. Motion-sensitive lights everywhere in the house

especially on stairs and in dark hallways

Grab bars (plural) in every bathroom and wherever there's a step up or down in your house

Multiple pairs of cheap reading glasses left all over the place

Don't be embarrassed to buy a cane at the drugstore and use it for balance. Plus it will get you moved to the front of the line in a lot of places.

[zanana1]

14. If you really want to invoke sympathy, use a walker. nt

[canetoad]

35. Yes, yes and yes!

Can go to the bathroom at night without falling over or groping for switches.

[mercuryblues]

11. A magnifying glass in the kitchen

Along with a pair of scissors.

Is it just me or is packaging harder to open? I can't even open a pack of crackers or the bag in a cereal box. Just yesterday it took me 5 minutes and a knife to open a box of store brand baking soda, for the fridge.

[zanana1]

12. I'm finding it harder to open things, too.

Especially bags with little notches in them. You're supposed to find the tiny notch to rip the top of the bag off. I always wind up using scissors.

[Lindsay]

28. I have scissors in pretty much every space

where I might need 'em - kitchen shears, a small pair in the bedroom for cutting off tags from new clothing purchases, another in the bathroom for whatever, a pair by my couch where I can cut coupons and do some crafts, another pair on my craft table.

A friend used to say, "Spend money to save time." I figure having scissors where I need them saves my sanity!

[canetoad]

33. Have the scissors

A recent addition to the kitchen tool drawer is a pair of long nosed pliers. Great for stubborn packaging, fish bones etc.

[greatauntoftriplets]

16. There's an over-the-counter lotion called Amalactin that works well on feet.

[canetoad]

34. That's where I first got the idea

For urea from the hardware. My feet are actually really good but I have psoriasis which has affected my nails - hand and feet. Most foot creams contain urea because it's a keratolytic. You can also tip it on your lemon tree when you're done with it.

[greatauntoftriplets]

36. LOL, I had never looked at the ingredients and had no idea that it had urea.

My doctor had recommended it in the winter when my feet got very dry from the cold and lack of humidity in my house. It works well, which just validates the point of your OP.

Thanks for the info!

[CTyankee]

20. I treat myself to a pedicure every time my toenails get too long.

An extra 10 minutes of massage are possible for a few bucks more. Oh, does that feel good!

[Laffy Kat]

22. Love pedicures.

They do feel good.

[CTyankee]

23. Plus my feet look so good, too bad nobody but hubby sees them...

I can't wear most sandals anymore as I feel unsteady in most of them. Too bad...

[Laffy Kat]

24. Wear sandals and show them off.

I usually have the technician do my toenails in a French manicure. It's more expensive but lasts a long time.

[Historic NY]

26. Medical hemp stuff in a roller...

works or my mind thinks it does. Naps are good.

[Newest Reality]

27. Make sure

to:

* Get a folding cot for your tent because sleeping on the floor is not really sleeping well and painful.

* Double bag in the Winter. One sleeping bag inside the other keeps you really warm even at zero.

[greymattermom]

29. Vionic shoes

Hold up my sagging ankle, and I can walk 5 miles in them.

[Trailrider1951]

32. Don't laugh, but I bought one of these:

I can now sit down in the shower to wash my feet without feeling like I'm going to slip and fall. It also comes in handy outside the shower. I also sit on it when I clean out the cat box, or any other task that requires stooping or bending over. It saves my ancient back LOL.

[zanana1]

37. I have one of those!

I also have two grab bars on the walls.

[Duppers]

38. That's my leg-shaving stool

For my big shower that doesn't have a built-in bench. I love it.

[CTyankee]

41. At a certain age I realized I no longer needed to shave my legs...

I simply didn't have any to shave! Of course, I no longer wear skirts, only long pants, so it doesn't matter anyway...

[Duppers]

43. My summer pants show my calves.

Btw, anyone know why the bottom part of our legs are called "calves"? The English language is sometimes weird.

[shraby]

42. I keep one of the old pop bottle openers and use it to

raise a lid just until I break the seal of a jar that I can't open.
It opens really easy then.

I also carry a small tape measure in my purse for use at yard sales.

Oh, I hang rubber bands on the inside bathroom door handle. They are easy to find and they aren't tangling everything together in a drawer.