By Andrea Lillo
NEW YORK–Not everyone wants to admit it but—gracefully or not—aging brings changes and challenges. Manufacturers addressing the elderly, as well as people with limited hand mobility, are bringing more products to market that help make everyday tasks as simple as possible.
Of course, this convenience is not just helpful for only one segment of the population, but for consumers of all ages as well.
Evriholder’s Easy Twist, which it brought to market about three years ago, was “not on purpose,” said Gary Seehoff, chairman of Evriholder Products Inc. “It was the first product [we had] that addressed dexterity issues.” With it, customers could easily open jars, bottles of nail polish and more, and since its release, “We’ve been flooded with testimonials,” he said.
Since then, this category “has become a focus,” Seehoff added. “We’re mindful of it when we’re designing products.” It most recently launched Evri-Twist, which assists with opening medicine bottles, and that product “was designed specifically with dexterity issues in mind,” he said. It uses a rubber base to help the consumer twist the bottle, essentially with one hand, he said. The company’s existing Magic Holder broom holder is another example, as it uses a rolling ball mechanism to hold the broom, rather than the traditional clamp, which can be difficult for someone with hand challenges to use, he said.
“These are mainstream products for everyone, but they also address people with dexterity issues,” Seehoff added.
A woman suffering from multiple sclerosis designed the prototypes for The Hannon Group’s TODCO line of kitchen tools, launched last month at the Gourmet Housewares Show. The kitchen tools incorporate a patented Meno Trigger Grip so the user can grasp the tool in multiple positions without pain or stress, addressing the elderly as well as people with hand challenges caused by arthritis, carpel tunnel, tendonitis and multiple sclerosis.
“People who had difficulty holding a kitchen tool in the past will now be able to firmly and comfortably grasp the tool due to its unique shape and flexibility,” said Todd Hannon, president of The Hannon Group. Price points will range from $4.99 to $14.99, and 12 tools—including tongs, spatulas, whisks and paring knives—will bow initially.
Other companies might not have whole collections devoted to this population segment, but offer those types of products when appropriate. Atlantic Promotions-Feature Products Inc., for example, doesn’t design products specifically for this area but will submit products to the Canadian Arthritis Association for an endorsement if “the shoe fits,” said Juanita Coumbias, international sales and marketing director. Some of its new products that address this group include its rechargeable pepper grinder with feather-touch mechanism and wide, open hand design, she said, “which is perfect for people with reduced mobility.” The company’s Mightigrip jar opener requires less strength to open soda bottles to warehouse store convenience-sized bottles, she added.
Arg Manufacturing looked at a number of kitchen items and “tried to improve” on them for its new Sharper Image license, said Joseph Van Houten, president. One such item, a triangular salad spinner, is great for people with hand issues because of its shape, he added, because the triangular design makes pouring easier and more accurate. It also has a gear ratio that allows for more spin with less effort, a push-button break to make stopping effortless and a non-skid bottom to prevent slippage.
KitchenArt just added a larger print version of one of its best sellers, the adjustable measuring cup, specifically for “the reading glass set. … A lot of retailers that target that business asked for that,” said Kurt Zanner, vice president of sales and marketing. The first version of the product launched 20 years ago, and the easy-to-read version uses a font that is twice the size, he said. Both versions retail for the same price, about $10.
And consumers appreciate all of the efforts. “It’s amazing how many phone calls our customer service department gets from these people, saying ‘thank you, thank you, thank you,’ ” Evriholder’s Seehoff said. “It happens all the time.”