Provides Tools To Make Daily Activities Easier (NAPSA)—Bathing, getting dressed, making dinner and opening a door are all important aspects of everyday living. Often taken for granted, these activities seem meaningless to some, but for many of the 2.1 million Americans affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA), these simple tasks become daily obstacles. RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes swelling and stiffening in the joints of the hands, feet and wrists, further complicating daily activities. It strikes mostly women between the ages of 30 and 50 and can cause bone destruction, gradually disabling sufferers. So whether you are at home making breakfast or at work typing an e-mail, the inflammation and pain of RA often take a toll on many aspects of a person’slife. However, those with RA andtheir caregivers now have easy access to tools that may offer somerelief. Abbott has introduced thefirst-ofits-kind compilation of adaptive tools selected specifically to make everyday living easier for those dealing with RA. The RA Catalog, a unique online resource, features more than 130 useful tools and devices and is available on www.RA.com. Below are someof the challenging activities people with RA face every day and new solutions the RA Catalog offers to help make more normalliving possible. a; nv ~ a s tn ee Be amyt The morning tangle Problem: Your hands and joints are so stiff that brushing your hair becomes an exhausting activity. Not to mention that the weight of a blow-dryer makes it nearly impossible to hold it up for a long periodof time. Solution: The “Long Handled Comb and Brush” and the “Hair Dryer Stand” allow you to style and blow-dry your hair with comfort and ease. The nonslip 12” handle on the brush and comb make styling easier for people with limited reach. In addition, the “Hair Dryer Stand” allows for both hands to be free and takes the strain out of holding a heavy blowdryer. Ready to wear Problem: You’re ready to start your day, but getting dressed has become a daily struggle. You’re having trouble simply buttoning your shirt or zipping your pants because your hands, fingers and joints are so swollen. Solution: The “Enablers Zipper—Button Puller” eliminates the frustration of hard-to-close buttons, zippers and other clothing fasteners by pulling the button or zipper into position. No longer does getting dressed need to be a painful or time-consumingactivity. Technicaldifficulties Problem: You have to get a memo out to your boss by the end of the day. However, your RA is causing repetitive stress on the hands andwrists while you type. * Solution: The “Er-Go Wrist Rest” gives complete protection to RA-stressed wrists. The wrist rest drapes over the desk or workstation edge to provide comfort and keeps wrists in a neutral, ergonomically correct position to relieve structural pressure. RA.com was designed exclusively for RA patients and their caregivers as a result of Abbott's ongoing research into the needs of this patient community. In addition to the RA Catalog, RA.com provides visitors with tools to help answer questions about RA, current news on treatment options, and tips on managing their disease. For more information about the RA Catalog, please visit www.RA.com. The RA Catalog is also available free of charge, in a magazine format by calling 1-866RA-CATALOG.Thecall center is staffed Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
