This year give a gift that makes a difference for people with physical limitations. Advances in technology and the attention of the baby boomer market has brought a host of products tailored to the needs of older adults and people with disabilities. The best part is many of these products help without looking institutional. The staff at Dynamic-Living.com suggests that you choose an item that supports a specific physical need, like weak hands or a soft voice.

Shopping for people with special needs poses some unique challenges. It's important to answer the following questions as you shop:

Will the product work for the person who will be using it? While some folks swear by certain gizmos, even the best products don't perform well for everybody. It depends upon a person's strengths and weaknesses. This includes an individual's approach to problem solving and change. It's important to keep the abilities of the recipient in mind.

Does it look good? You don't have to settle for products that do the job, but look institutional. More products that are assistive have entered the mainstream market, encouraging manufacturers to design products with visual appeal in order to be competitive. For example, many kitchen tools have more appropriate ergonomic designs are now offered in more attractive colors and styles.

Does it perform the function intended? Since it's difficult to tell if a product will live up to its claims, without buying the item and testing it yourself, make sure you buy from a reputable supplier. At Dynamic-Living.com, we test all of our products before we make them available for sale. This allows us to advise our customers on the appropriateness of a particular product for their individual needs. Then, we put the product to the ultimate test -- our customers. We work with the manufacturer to redesign any product that has not consistently held up to our customer's expectations or we discontinue the item.

Here are the Top Ten gift ideas from Dynamic-Living.com that meet the criteria outlined above:

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Products to help you in and out of the car.

Getting in and out of the car can be a challenge for some.

• A Swivel Seat lets you turn in the car seat without having to twist your body.

• The Car Caddy and the Handybar provide support and balance as you shift your weight out of the car seat.

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Telephones that make it easier to communicate.

Besides being a source of information, telephones are a social window to the world and an important emergency device. Some of the most popular telephone products include:

• Amplified phones with big buttons that can help you hear up to 100 times more volume.

• Voice activated dialers let you speed dial family members by just saying their name into your phone.

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Card-playing accessories.

Playing cards is a great social activity, but some people have trouble holding and shuffling their cards. Everyone at the table will enjoy these helpers.

• Battery-operated card shufflers and attractive playing card holders are favored by people with arthritis or a weak grip caused by stroke or other conditions.

• Low vision playing cards have larger numbers and suits so they are easier to see.

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Adaptive aids for the home that help you move around more easily.

Getting through the doorway and turning on the lights is not so easy if you are moving with a walker, rollator or wheelchair.

• Offset Hinges actually swing your door clear of the door frame making it easier to get a wheelchair or walker through the doorway. Threshold ramps help to smooth the transition over the bump in the doorway.

• Light switch extenders and voice activated light switches make turning on the lights much easier.

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Unique gift ideas to help with personal care.

The bathroom is an obstacle course of things that are hard to see and hard to reach, but critical to our daily care.

• Talking scales and noise producing medication reminders provide audio cues for people who have low vision.

• Long handled combs, brushes and toenail scissors help to extend your reach.

Make holiday shopping easy. Plan now, shop online and get a gift that will be appreciated all year long.

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© Copyright 2005 Dynamic Living, Inc.
Dynamic Living Newsletter may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission from the editor must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter.

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