Q: I am 87 years old and live alone. I cope wonderfully with most of my day to day living, have a great support network but with age am struggling more and more to bend and pick up things off the floor. Do you know of anything that might help with this simple little task?

This is an easy thing to fix I am happy to say. There is actually a long handle ‘picker-upper – extension arm' available out there that liberates many, many people.

You can just be sitting in your chair or standing up and are able to reach out with this metal arm, operate the ‘clippers / fingers' to pick up your required item off the floor and bring it up to you.

These are sometimes available in catalogues such as Health Pride. Otherwise, places such as Life Unlimited in Greerton (Chadwick House, Chadwick Road) will be able to supply you with one of these pieces of equipment. This is a great resource centre and well worth a visit to just see what is available.

If you live at the Mount, SmartMed Pharmacy on Maunganui Road is another great outlet.

Trust this is of some help.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care, contact Debra Jager on 07 571 4228 or visit www.homeinstead.co.nz