Living and Sleeping Areas Living and Sleeping Areas Choosing the right furniture can significantly impact your daily energy expenditure in the home. Low-sitting furniture and deep, cushioned sofas or chairs can be difficult to exit if you’re experiencing muscle weakness. Instead, opt for a powered recliner — it may be more expensive and take up more space, but it’s easier to exit and some models even come with massage capabilities. Similarly, you don’t want a bed that can be difficult to get in and out of, which means finding the right height bed and a mattress whose edge won’t collapse when you sit on it as you enter and exit the bed. Some people find that an adjustable bed, with a head or head and foot that can be raised, makes sleeping more comfortable. If you experience trouble breathing because of MG, elevating the head of the bed (or using pillows to prop you up) while you sleep can reduce the load on your diaphragm.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629443d6537-2d52-4ef3-82a9-d428b048e826 Keep a nightstand or table next to your chairs and bed for quick access to your medications, water, phone, and other essentials. And because MG often affects your eyes, it’s important to install voice-activated lighting or night lights around the home to avoid navigating in the dark.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976298f6968e1-0101-4440-8357-904aa010db61
Set Priorities Setting Priorities Don’t feel like you have to do everything at once. “The best approach is to start small and prioritize safety over completeness,” Gonzalez says, adding that you should focus first on areas in which you spend the most time or are the riskiest for causing fatigue or falls. When in doubt, consider having an occupational therapist perform a home assessment. “They can identify overlooked hazards and recommend individualized adaptive equipment tailored to [your] specific pattern of weakness,” Gonzalez says. Your insurance company may even pay for it.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629588a0d42-7751-40ee-a549-80bcff53e535
Life with myasthenia gravis (MG) means managing fluctuating muscle weakness and fatigue that can change by the hour. This can make it difficult — and sometimes even dangerous — to perform daily tasks within the home. “Even minor hazards can become significant safety concerns when symptoms worsen,” says Liz Plowman, DPT , a physical therapist who has MG. With current MG treatments , many patients today don’t experience persistent weakness that would necessitate major changes. But home modification isn’t just about safety — it’s about conserving your energy for the things that matter.
Smart Home Technology Smart Home Technology Technology can play a significant role in making your home life more energy efficient. You can program voice-command systems like Amazon Alexa and Google Home to control not only your lights, but also your thermostat and door locks. If you have floor fans throughout your home, consider plugging them into smart plugs, which you can turn on and off remotely through phone apps and voice-command systems. Vacuuming and mopping your floors can be one of the most physically demanding chores, but smart home technology can help here, too. There are many brands and models of robot vacuums and mops available, some that do both tasks and even empty themselves. You can program these helpers to run daily and often control them through voice commands. “With advances in technology, there are lots of tools out there you can explore to help make things easier for you,” Du says.
Flooring and Transitions: Prevent Trips Flooring and Transitions With myasthenia gravis, it’s critical to pay attention to your flooring. “Anything that increases fall risk deserves attention,” Plowman says. “Common hazards include loose throw rugs, uneven thresholds, slippery tile floors, and wet surfaces around bathtubs, showers, and kitchen sinks.” Remove any throw rugs in your home and consider installing threshold ramps in doorways that require a small step up or down. Make sure any larger rugs or carpeting lies flat by securing them with nonslip backing or carpet tape or tacks.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629025fbf71-1dce-4a64-83ef-0aabb35a5ad5 Additionally, “decluttering is always helpful,” Du says. Stairs can be especially challenging if you have MG, so if you’re in the market for a new home, stick to single-floor dwellings or multi-unit buildings with elevators. Consider moving your primary bedroom to the ground floor if you have multiple floors in your home, and install dual handrails — or even a stairlift, if possible — on staircases.
The Kitchen: Reduce the Physical Toll of Meal Prep The Kitchen Between gathering your food prep tools, cutting vegetables, and cooking, preparing meals can take a lot out of you. But standing is one thing you don’t need to expend energy on. “Place stools or chairs strategically throughout your home so you can sit while performing routine activities such as grooming, cooking, laundry, bathing, or meal preparation,” Plowman advises. The type of stool or chair differs depending on the location. In the kitchen, use a sturdy high stool or “perch” chair that’s at the correct height for your counter. Counter height is also the level you’ll want to keep your most commonly used items — mixing bowls, cutting boards, pots and pans — and heavier appliances. This can help prevent the shoulder fatigue that comes from reaching up for things, since myasthenia gravis affects the proximal (closer to the body) muscles, says Xinli Du, MD, PhD , a neurologist with the Virginia Commonwealth University Health neurology department in Richmond. Spare your smaller muscles like those in your hands and arms by using lightweight cookware and investing in assistive kitchen tools, such as electric can and jar openers and stand mixers. “Repetitive action can make MG muscles get weaker, so using electric cooking tools might save or preserve your energy,” Dr. Du says. Another simple energy-preserving tip: Use prechopped frozen fruits and vegetables.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629bfb34270-d89a-4010-a10e-0643758776fb
The Bathroom: Prioritize Safety and Stability The Bathroom When optimizing the home for safety, “the bathroom is typically the first priority,” says Natalia Gonzalez, MD , a neurologist and the chief of staff at Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience. Her recommendations for high-impact, relatively simple interventions include “grab bars by the toilet and in the shower, a shower chair or bench, handheld showerhead, and nonslip mats.” Shower chairs not only prevent falls and allow you to rest, but also spare your proximal muscles. “One of my patients complained that when she was washing her hair … her arms got really tired,” Du says. When washing your hair with a shower chair, however, “you can bend and require less of an arm-raised position.” While in the shower, keep the water temperature tepid, because heat can exacerbate MG symptoms, Du says. Cooling fans can also help you regulate your body temperature when you get out of the shower. Other bathroom recommendations include installing a raised toilet seat (for difficulties with rising from a sitting position) and using liquid soap or soap-on-a-rope to avoid dropping slippery soap.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629587c2b0c-3fa5-4d2e-8eb1-1236b065e3f3