Menopause Matters Forum

Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: cubagirl on January 06, 2017, 01:33:34 PM

Title: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 06, 2017, 01:33:34 PM
Ok ladies I'm not going mad, so far as I am aware.  ;D  However, these days I cannot unscrew screw tops from anything more than a toothpaste tube.  I need hubby to unscrew a bottle of wine  ;D ;D ;D Ok, maybe not the most essential of items.  Once the seals are broken, no problem, but I do wonder what the heck is going to happen if he isn't able to help, which may well happen.  I cannot grip things hard enough without causing a great deal of pain to wrist &/or fingers.  I'm only 60.  I even bought a special gadget to help me, was as useless as a chocolate teapot!

Do any of you have any tips for me?
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: Ju Ju on January 06, 2017, 01:38:37 PM
A chocolate teapot sounds rather delicious!  ;D I have to get help opening a lot of jars. Even DH struggles and has resorted to piecing. Neither of us have joint problems, though over 60. How do much older people cope?
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: Annie0710 on January 06, 2017, 01:52:20 PM
I've only just hit 50 with no hand/finger problems and I've been struggling a few years, there's no hope for me then ! X
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: Jenna on January 06, 2017, 03:41:04 PM
Ladies - if you want to open a glass jar with a metal lid, just pour boiling water over the lid first. It should then unscrew easily. I hope that helps! :)

Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 06, 2017, 04:13:12 PM
Useful tip, thanks Jenna.  I do have a useful gadget for ring pulls, which are also becoming harder to pull.  This old age malarkey is no fun at all.    ::)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: nearly50 on January 06, 2017, 04:46:34 PM
Ladies - if you want to open a glass jar with a metal lid, just pour boiling water over the lid first. It should then unscrew easily. I hope that helps! :)

You can pierce the lid with a sharp knife too which helps.

Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 06, 2017, 04:53:10 PM
Go to a mobility shop!!!! or look on line:  do NOT use knives - A&E are busy and self-inflicted wounds are so not appreciated right now!

AgeUK have brochures about what might be required as we age  ;D We have a metal thingy that undoes other thingies ........
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: Megamind on January 06, 2017, 04:58:17 PM
Tap the lid against a hard surface a few times and it's meant to loosen the lid.
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 06, 2017, 05:00:23 PM
A large, thick elastic band wrapped round the lid gives a firmer grip?
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 06, 2017, 06:29:10 PM
Megamind, broke jar doing that once, so not anxious to repeat, but thanks.

Tried rubber too.  Bought a rubber mat thingy to use, but no luck.
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: ariadne on January 06, 2017, 07:03:17 PM
You need to break the seal. Look round the rim for the bits with notches, then just twist a knife upwards under them. You'll hear a pop and the lid will unscrew easily then😊

Ariadne xx
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: Ju Ju on January 06, 2017, 07:14:32 PM
Tap the lid against a hard surface a few times and it's meant to loosen the lid.

If it's on a glass jar, I'd probably break the glass, knowing my clumsiness!
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: babyjane on January 06, 2017, 07:22:03 PM
I find putting on dry rubber gloves helps with the gripping of a slippery jar, failing that, manpower  :)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 06, 2017, 08:49:14 PM
Just got to figure out the wine bottles, of course I could just buy posh stuff with corks!  ;D ;D ;D

I've tried many of these ideas, thanks ladies. Think my grip is the main problem.  Hubby thinks I'm putting it on.  ::)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 06, 2017, 08:51:58 PM
Every sympathy sparkle! It's pants isn't it!  :-\
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: Kathleen on January 06, 2017, 09:03:14 PM
Hello cubagirl.

Breaking the airtight seal is the trick as ariadne says. To do this I tap all the way around the lid with the handle of a knife to create indentations which then breaks the seal and loosens the lid.

Take care ladies.

K.
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: dahliagirl on January 06, 2017, 09:46:47 PM
my mother in law used to swear by a device she got out of one of those homeware catalogues that come through the door - it was like a rubber fairy cake case.

For jars, I stab them with an old fashioned manual tin opener of the type used for camping in the 1970s - saved specially for the purpose.  That usually works.  ;)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 06, 2017, 10:55:07 PM
Crisp packets have become more difficult to open, I think it's the Fat Police  ;).  I tried to open a packet of GO! biscuits in the car recently when I had a sudden dip when travelling, we almost had to stop so that Himself could do it 4 me  >:(.  Found a nail-file eventually !

Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 06, 2017, 11:53:11 PM
 ;D ;D ;D see what desperation does to us.

Managed to open wine tonight. Must have been really desperate!  ;D
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 07, 2017, 12:01:48 AM
Found some contraption in my kitchen drawer. Must have bought, thinking I'd need it.  ;D Worked a treat on wine bottle. Now to try on more sensible containers.  :D Hubby looked on in shock that I'd opened wine bottle.  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 07, 2017, 09:33:16 AM
 ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 07, 2017, 12:08:43 PM
>hands over glass<  ;D

I had difficulty getting a bun out of an already opened packet earlier  >:(  :-X
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: dahliagirl on January 07, 2017, 01:03:01 PM
I have some very grippy nut crackers that are good at opening wine bottles.  No good at nuts, of course.
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: babyjane on January 07, 2017, 02:08:43 PM
chopping is the same, we both have trouble with it, especially onions - slippery little blighters.  Today we have ordered a nice little electric chopper for onions, garlic, chillies, nuts, things like that.  We reckon in the year we are both 60 we deserve it and I will slice my fingers a lot less often now  :)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 07, 2017, 02:10:29 PM
Babyjane - that reminds me of a conversation I heard in the last couple of days about a contestant in a cookery programme who managed to  :-X the top almost off his finger  :o

It was so frustrating earlier that it almost went into the bin, 3 buns and the bag !
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 07, 2017, 05:05:59 PM
LOL!  I bet had I dropped the already opened packet the 3 buns left inside would have fallen onto the floor  ::)

What's been fighting back today? for me it was my walking boots, trying to put them un-successfully on earlier, eventually I looked down and they were the wrong way ...... left trying to get into a right boot doesn't work  :P
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 07, 2017, 05:30:13 PM
Oh CLKD!  ;D
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: nearly50 on January 07, 2017, 07:52:31 PM
LOL!  I bet had I dropped the already opened packet the 3 buns left inside would have fallen onto the floor  ::)

What's been fighting back today? for me it was my walking boots, trying to put them un-successfully on earlier, eventually I looked down and they were the wrong way ...... left trying to get into a right boot doesn't work  :P

I got my jacket completely stuck to my basket in Morrisons and one of the women had to help me. Felt like primary school all over again!
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 07, 2017, 08:32:32 PM
Trey suggests:


https://smile.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Jar-Opener/dp/B002DWA6KM/ref=sr_1_4's=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1483817051&sr=1-4&keywords=Jar+opener

I need someone to agree to empty my commode on a regular basis when push comes to shove  ;)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 07, 2017, 10:19:57 PM
Added to my list.
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 08, 2017, 02:55:04 PM
What - emptying my commode, why  :thankyou:
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: babyjane on January 08, 2017, 02:56:04 PM
 :rofl:  I think cubagirl meant the jar opener you posted from Trey CLKD
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: Cazikins on January 08, 2017, 04:46:18 PM
Trey suggests:


https://smile.amazon.com/OXO-Good-Grips-Jar-Opener/dp/B002DWA6KM/ref=sr_1_4's=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1483817051&sr=1-4&keywords=Jar+opener

I need someone to agree to empty my commode on a regular basis when push comes to shove  ;)

Is Trey still around CLKD. I thought she deleted her account ages ago? Am I missing out on something? Why doesn't she rejoin & join in.
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: Cazikins on January 08, 2017, 04:47:13 PM
;D ;D ;D see what desperation does to us.

Managed to open wine tonight. Must have been really desperate!  ;D

Get a box of wine next time CG  ;D ;D ;D- IT's much easier.
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 08, 2017, 05:18:48 PM
Well if my fridge was working better, I might.  (See smelly fridge topic) Meantime I will make use of hubby to open my bottles, well it's time he did something useful.    ;D ;D ;D

No CLKD, I'll respectfully decline emptying your commode.  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 08, 2017, 07:16:41 PM
I have kept in touch with Trey intermittently  ;) - she comes up with some good ideas !

Are the wine boxes those that we have to lay underneath?

I have a PortaPotty which Himself empties ;-)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: Cazikins on January 08, 2017, 07:24:49 PM
I have kept in touch with Trey intermittently  ;) - she comes up with some good ideas !

Does she not want to rejoin then?
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 08, 2017, 07:26:09 PM
Life has moved on for her ......

Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: cubagirl on January 08, 2017, 11:30:50 PM
Lying under wine boxes sounds like a good idea, especially some days.  ::)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: babyjane on January 09, 2017, 09:27:54 AM
sometimes I use a bucket in the spare bedroom at night if I don't feel safe on the stairs in the dark.  I would never expect my husband to empty it for me unless I was not capable of doing so.
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 09, 2017, 10:31:10 AM
"Porta Potty" for your birthday then BJ?  ;)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: babyjane on January 09, 2017, 10:42:08 AM
na, bucket is fine thanks  :)
Title: Re: Screw tops
Post by: CLKD on January 09, 2017, 10:43:40 AM
Pink?