Is it just me or do others over 50 struggle with opening things?
Why is packaging so difficult? It seems ridiculously over the top.
I am often reduced to using tools just to open something like a wine bottle or a lid. I know things need to be child proof, but do they have to be elder proof?
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To open some of those jars, I have to poke a knife under the lid so the air escapes. My husband says to bang the lid down on the bench, but every time I do this he nearly has a heart attack! It’s a 50/50 result as well.
And don’t get me started on those plastic packs they use for batteries, etc. That crimped plastic should not be allowed! You need extremely strong scissors and try not to cut yourself on the hard edges.
The other day we tried to open a bottle of sparkling wine. Some idiot had decided to make a hard plastic ‘wind around’ strip to open the bottle. We almost gave up. My husband had to use a knife to cut away at the strip and his teeth to pull it open. It took us 15 minutes and, needless to say, dinner was cold by that stage.
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I even bought one of those gizmos that are supposed to open everything from jars to tear tags on jars. Boy was that a mistake (admittedly I bought a cheap option so I got what I paid for, but I really didn’t want to spent $60 to get the advertised one).
Speaking of those tear tops on lids and bottles of pills, I’ve given up and just use a knife to cut them open now. Except for the fruit pots – I have to open them over the sink so when the juice spurts out it doesn’t go all over me.
Now, I’d love to know whose brilliant idea it was to start using cryovac for meat. It’s supposed to have a tear tab so you can open it easily – ha-ha. Good luck trying to find the tear tab! If/when you do find it, you have a 50/50 chance of being able to open it. Couldn’t they at least make the tear tab coloured so you can find it easily?
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We are in our late 50s – I’m dreading our 70s and 80s when we’ll be more frail.
I’m already doing damage to myself trying to open things – cuts, bruises, sprains and strains.
How are the elderly coping with these challenges? I think it is time we started a revolution!
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