One Handed Strategies for Personal Care Tasks

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Occupational therapists advise and counsel clients on strategies to increase functional independence and improve quality of life. Many occupational therapists struggle with knowing how to demonstrate adaptive strategies to clients who have suffered loss of one hand or loss of function of one hand to complete functional activities. This four-part series is directed toward completion of bi-manual tasks using such adaptive strategies with one hand, the residual limb, and a prosthesis, and may include the use of assistive devices.

The first part of this series focuses on completing personal care tasks including feeding, hygiene, toileting, and dressing. Patients often desire independence in these very intimate tasks without the fear of relying on another person or caretaker to accomplish them. Join Debi Latour as she personally demonstrates how to complete each of these personal care tasks.

Meet your instructor

Dr. Debra Latour

Debra Latour has been an innovator from her earliest years. Debi wore her first prosthesis at the age of 14 months and then spent the years that followed working with the clinical team at Shriners Hospitals to improve upon their prosthetic designs. When it came time to decide upon her next step, Debi decided that a career as…

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Chapters & learning objectives

1. Feeding

A basic necessity in life is the ability to eat, however, when faced with the function of only one hand, this task might prove a challenge. In this first chapter, Debi Latour offers a variety of strategies to approach eating and feeding oneself.

2. Hygiene

A number of personal hygiene tasks may seem impossible to complete with the use of only one hand, yet many individuals value the ability to complete these tasks without the help of someone else. Join Debi Latour as she demonstrates a variety of hygiene tasks including teeth brushing, contact application, and hair brushing.

3. Dressing/Undressing

Getting dressed and undressed is a task we complete each day. Strategies to don and doff all types of clothing from undergarments to outerwear are shown in this chapter.

4. Bathing

Bathing presents its own set of unique challenges for those individuals with the use of only one hand, especially since those who use a prosthesis may not do so while bathing.

5. Toileting, Feminine Hygiene, and Intimacy

These sensitive topics may not be a favorite for discussion, but it’s important for occupational therapists to feel comfortable addressing them with their clients. In this final chapter for personal care tasks, Debi Latour expertly navigates what many try to avoid.

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