The Complete Guide to Daily Living Aids for Safe, Independent Living

Health information notice. This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always ask your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider. In an emergency, call 911.

Quick answer. Daily living aids make everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, eating and moving around the bedroom easier and safer. Start with the one or two tasks that are hardest or riskiest, choose aids that fit the person, and ask an occupational therapist or your provider for help matching them.

Where should I start?

Write down the one or two things that are hardest or riskiest. Getting in and out of the shower? Cutting food? Getting out of bed at night? Pick aids that solve those first. Buying a little at a time is easier than furnishing a whole home care room at once. An occupational therapist can look at the real tasks and suggest what will help.

What bathroom aids are there?

• Grab bars give you something solid to hold in the shower and next to the toilet. They need to be securely anchored, so ask a qualified installer. Examples: Carex Wall Grab Bar and DMI Grab Bar, 24 inch.
• Shower chairs and benches let you sit while you bathe. Check the weight capacity and non-slip leg tips. Example: drive Aluminum Shower Chair. A shower chair with a commode seat is also available: IPU Standard Line Shower Chair Commode.
• Raised toilet seats make sitting and standing easier. Example: drive Premium Raised Toilet Seat.
• Non-slip mats reduce the chance of slipping on a wet floor.

Browse Bathroom Aids. The National Institute on Aging's room-by-room guide to preventing falls is a good companion.

What bedroom aids are there?

A comfortable, safe bedroom helps with rest and with getting up. Good lighting matters, such as night lights and switches you can reach from bed. The FDA reports deaths and injuries from bed rail entrapment and falls and says all bed rails should be used with caution, especially for older adults and people with altered mental status, physical limitations or certain medical conditions. Talk with your healthcare provider before using bed rails. Browse Bedroom Aids.

What eating aids are there?

Adaptive utensils with larger or angled handles, plate guards, and non-slip mats help people with limited grip or hand strength eat on their own. Example: the Alimed Plate Guard. An occupational therapist can help match a utensil to a person's grip. Browse Eating Aids. A reaching aid also helps with dressing and picking things up: the drive Reaching Aid.

What is adaptive apparel?

Adaptive clothing makes dressing easier, with features such as wider openings, magnetic or hook-and-loop closures and soft seams. Browse Apparel.

How do I choose incontinence products?

Bladder or bowel leakage is common. Tell your healthcare provider about it, because it often has treatable causes. Product types are:

• Briefs and protective underwear for higher levels of leakage. Example: Attends Advanced Briefs.
• Pads and liners for lighter leakage.
• Underpads to protect beds and chairs. Example: CareFor Deluxe Underpad.

Think about absorbency, fit (a good fit helps prevent leaks and protects skin), ease of changing, and skin comfort. Compare by UOM (Each, Box, Case): a case holds many more than a box. Medicare.gov states that Original Medicare does not cover incontinence supplies. Browse Incontinence and Urinals & Bedpans.

What about ostomy supplies?

An ostomy uses a pouching system and a skin barrier. Fit is important and personal. A wound, ostomy and continence nurse can measure and recommend a system. Browse Ostomy.

What are nutritional products?

Nutritional products include supplements and drinks used for added nutrition. Talk with your healthcare provider or a dietitian before you start or change anything, especially if a person has a health condition or a swallowing difficulty. Browse Nutritional.

What household supplies are included?

Everyday items for the home, such as cleaning and care supplies. Browse Household Supplies.

How do I choose?

1. Who will use it, and for what? Be specific.
2. Does it fit? Check size, height and weight capacity. Ask a therapist or provider when in doubt.
3. Is it easy to use and clean?
4. Will it be used? The most useful aid is the one used every day.
5. Does it work in your space? Measure doorways and bathrooms.

For facilities: standardize on a few products your staff learn well, compare by UOM, and keep a list of what each resident or client uses so reordering is easy. A gait or transfer belt supports safe transfers: SkiL-Care Gait/Transfer Belt.

What about coverage?

Coverage for daily living aids varies. Read What Medicare Does and Doesn't Cover for Home Medical Supplies. Some purchases may be payable with a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA), depending on the item and your plan.

Frequently asked questions

What are daily living aids? Products that make everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, eating and getting around easier and safer.

Do I need a prescription? Many are sold without one. Insurers often ask for one. Check with your plan.

Who can help me choose? An occupational therapist or your healthcare provider.

Is a shower chair or a grab bar better? They do different jobs. A grab bar steadies you as you move. A shower chair lets you sit while you wash. Many people use both.

Next steps

Read Preventing Falls at Home as the Days Get Shorter and What Medicare Does and Doesn't Cover, and browse the Daily Living Aids menu.

Sources

1. National Institute on Aging, "Preventing Falls at Home: Room by Room": https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/falls-and-falls-prevention/preventing-falls-home-room-room
2. FDA, "Adult Portable Bed Rail Safety": https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/consumer-products/adult-portable-bed-rail-safety
3. Medicare.gov, "Incontinence supplies & adult diapers": https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/incontinence-supplies-adult-diapers

This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always ask your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider. In an emergency, call 911. Last reviewed October 2026.