Simple light for elderly with arthritis

I have done some preliminary research and looked for threads mentioning arthritis, but wanted to see if anyone had given this additional thought. My wife's grandmother is in need of a flashlight she can carry around with her on a keyring or in her purse. She wants something small, and I know she needs something very easy to operate with good battery life.

Normally, this would be an easy answer of <insert favorite AA or AAA powered light here>. The problem is, she is 90 and has arthritis in her hands. She cannot easily operate a twist switch like a sonic or even a minimag. I looked at the 20 for $20 with slide switches and will probably pick up a bag of them just because.

I was also looking at the Pelican VB3 light from PocketLights. I think she could figure out flipping it up to turn it on and closing it for off. Is it easy to flip up or does it have to be pried with fingernails? Or would an early PAL light (without all the SOS and blinking and things that would confuse her) maybe be a good choice? I was looking at the Workman that seems to be in stock at TheLedLight for a single switch to turn it on/off and an auto shut off otherwise.

Any other thoughts on flashlights for people with limited usability in hands/fingers? Something with a kroll switch?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif Thanks for any ideas you can offer...
Chris

For a 90-year-old being I'd strongly suggest a light following the KISS - principle (keep it super simple) !

If she cannot turn a Minimag, this will be a tough search, because most pushbutton switches are tougher than turning a Minimag.

You could try a MiniMag with a Kroll switch at the end (very cheap) --> she'd just have to push the light on a table etc. to make it work.
If you want her to have a good light, replace the bulb with one of dat2zip's sammies, and you're all set, and it's cheap. Go for a low drive current like 400mA and runtime is great.

bernhard

Would the Dorcy 1AAA or 1AA be bright enough and easy enough for her to work? The push button is relatively easy to push for the momentary on and I think that the end cap is easier to turn for constant on than the head of a mini Mag.

get something that can be turned on and off by pushing the end of it on a table or leg or something.

a brinkmann legend would be good. would be even better for this application if you could eliminate the twist-to-lock-out position.

What about one of those lights, oh I forget what they are called somebody help me out, but they turn on and off with a shake as they have a mercury switch or something inside them. I do not know how quick of a snap it takes to activate one of these lights. Also can't the surefire clickie switches be modified to require very little pressure to activate them?

I nominate the PT Eclipse. A key ring light with a fairly easy to use pushbutton switch and auto shutoff. Another option (using AAAs rather than Li button cells) is the Derringer, although larger is still easy to use and has auto shut off (at least in the first mode).

Doug Owen

geepondy: I thought about the Fliklite but it probably would take too much to flik it.

Doug Owen: The PT Eclipse and the Derringer have too many modes...I worry that it isn't easy on/off enough. The first time she clicked twice and got into another mode she wouldn't know what to do.

I am going to buy a couple of samples and see how they work. Glowbug has a keychain one (Klik-It) that has a plunger push-through instead of a push button. That might be easier for someone with a lack of gripping strength. I also found a PAL Sure Lite with the single mode on/off. I will see how these work or continue to look at a modded minim_g. I will also pick up some 20for$20 with the slide switch (good to have anyway).

Thanks for the input, I will report back when I have some results.

Pelican stealthlight has a toggle type switch. Purse size light though.

My mother is 86 and uses an ARC AAA daily. I carry one in my pocket and use it constantly. I've lost count at over 5 dozen lights, but I find the ARC AAA one of easiest to operate.

[ QUOTE ]
lahjik said:

Doug Owen: The PT Eclipse and the Derringer have too many modes...I worry that it isn't easy on/off enough. The first time she clicked twice and got into another mode she wouldn't know what to do.



[/ QUOTE ]

Actually not. In both units, pressing the button for a few seconds (as opposed to quickly, which changes modes) turns it off, regardless of the mode.

Both have intuitive operation and a single (easy to push) button.

Check 'em out.

Doug Owen

I like the e1e. It's small, comfortable and has a clicky. Mine came with the clicky and I carry it everywhere. It is a great light for everyday tasks.

-tom

This is what CPF'ers had to say in a recent thread about a very similar question.

Thanks for all the replies...especially the link to the past thread. I had tried searching on some keywords (arthritis especially) but didn't get any hits back. Just goes to show that people are still the best search engines!

I will add an eternalight (hey, I always wanted one of those!) and my PT Eclipse II to the sample group.

I have several VB3s...a great light, but prob not for her because the batteries are difficult to change.....I concur with the idea of a push-type switch that can be pushed against a table top...the minimag with a Kroll aounds great

all of my Dorcy AAA'a, as well as my infinities are very easy to turn--and remarkably simple to use.

the dorcy is very inexpensive, so if she doesnt like it, you are only out $6. my only quibble is the tailcap switch. i worry about it turning while on the keyring.

though a bit large, the old style infinity ultra (government, if you can find one) might do the trick.

if you want it to turn more easily, remove the o-ring.

good luck!
Bob

I recently gave a Gerber Trio as a gift to my four year old niece. While it does have a rear "tactical" style twistie, without the strength nor coordination of an adult, my niece has no dificulties with turning the Trio on and off with the twistie using two hands. It's much easier for her than either side or rear mounted clickies that she does not have the strength to use. I have a review of the Trio here.

73
dim

The concern with any twisty on a small flashlight is that it requires a level of grasping that I worry she doesn't have with arthritic fingers. Maybe something big and twisty like the arthritis pill bottles with a huge cap, but then the flashlight is probably too big and heavy for her.

How about the Streamlight Jr or Jr Lux. Don't they both have tail clickies that could be turned on by pushing the end on a table or something. Would this be a simpler option than modding a Mini Mag with a tail clickie?

How about a Ray-O-Vac 2xD with the slide switch.....the light she has probably used most of her life? Put one of the led conversion bulbs in it first though.

I was tasked to give a lady friend of our family some lights after she had a power outage and my sister found that she was going to buy some.

I gave here a Dorcy 2AA 4LED, something else I can't remember, and was going to give her a Rayovac 3D. But she tried all the lights and her thumb couldn't deal with the Rayovac. So she got a dollar store 3D with a push button instead.

She immediately took to the Dorcy.