In this article, we have reviewed the best shoe horn for elderly. If you are in a hurry, the table below gives a quick snapshot or you can scroll down for detailed reviews.
Contents
A shoehorn is the tool having a handle that will flare into a spoon-like head which is meant to be held against the snug-fitting shoes making it easy for the individual to slide his heel along the basin to inner sole. It is also called a shoe tongue, shoe schlipp,or shoe horn.
It will give a smooth ramp which will hold the heel’s back of your shoe for supplying room for the foot for it slide in the shoe without the ankle or heel catching on to the shoe while putting it on.
Shoehorns are available in a range of materials. Although they were fabricated from the horns of animals in earlier times, a shoehorn is now typically made out of wood, metal, and sturdy plastic for a smooth finish and offers a good grip.
The issue commonly faced by elderly adults is that they experience difficulty with bending to use the shoehorn to slip their shoes on comfortably. In this case, a long-handled shoehorn would allow them to simply placed on their footwear without unnecessary bending.
Here, Team Helpandwellness lists out extra long shoehorn models most suited for elderly people in this article; do read on to find out more about the shoehorns that allow you to slip on your shoes while in a standing position, easily and comfortably.
1. Velette Metal Shoe Horn Long Handle For Seniors
A metal shoehorn provides a smooth finish and is more durable when compared to plastic and wood shoehorns. It will quickly guide your foot into your shoe without much inconvenience as it has a longer handle, although, it may take some time to get used to it while you are getting to understand the technique.
Features and Benefits
2 Pack Shoehorns: The Velette shoehorn comes as a pair, you can keep one at home and one can be the travel shoehorn that you can keep in your car if desired.
Sturdy Built: The shoehorns are sturdy and users opine that these are of great quality and are long-lasting. The metal is durable stainless steel that adds quality and durability.
Smooth and Polished Surface: The Velette metal shoehorns have a polished, smooth finish.
Materials Used: These shoehorns are made of premium metal and plastic.
Pros of the Product:
- They can be used sitting or standing.
- The 42 cm length would be a great help for seniors who have mobility issues.
Cons of the Product:
- Some users have opined that the metal edge on the foot end is too sharp and tends to catch on fabrics or cushioning in the heel, causing the fabric to rip.
Why should you buy it?
If you are looking for a metal shoehorn that is durable and comes with extra long handles, the Velette shoehorn would make a great choice.
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2. Shacke Store Shoehorn
The Shacke store shoehorn is made from a quality, of high-tech plastic, which will make it to anyone for putting their shoes on without having to lean or bend. It works best for the elderly that need some assisted mobility or anyone that wants to avoid the hassle of putting on their shoes.
Features and Benefits
Entire Palm Grip: It comes with a big round handle so that your whole hand can wrap around it. This handle makes it easy for anyone to grip and hold. The grip of the handle is slightly tilted from the rest of the body of the shoehorn making it the ideal angle for putting on your shoes or boots.
Sturdy Plastic Construction: The shoehorn by Shacke store is made from sturdy high-grade quality plastic, making it possible for elderly adults to slip on their shoes without bending or straining. It is great for seniors who have mobility issues or anyone that wants to avoid the hassle of putting on their shoes.
Handle Length: It has a perfectly tilted handle to the shoehorn body, measuring 24 inches in total length.
Pros of the Product:
- The Shacke store shoehorn does not warp in shape even after fairly rough use.
- Users who have used this shoehorn daily opine that it is sturdy and does not snag or catch on the fabric of the socks they are wearing.
Cons of the Product:
- It is not truly comfortable to use if you are standing to wear the shoes. This shoehorn’s handles are not too long and users find it easier to wear the shoes sitting down.
Why should you buy it?
If you are looking for a plastic shoehorn with long handles that make it easier for elderly adults to slip on their footwear, we recommend that you try out the Shacke Store Extra Long Handled Shoehorn which is affordable and is of great quality too.
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3. Comfy Clothiers Extra Long 23 inch Metal Shoe Horn
The Comfy Clothiers shoehorn comes at a thickness of 2.0mm and has a weight of 307 grams. That’s about 11 ounces or 2/3 of a pound of stainless steel, it does not bend, break, or change shape at all and is one of the most strongest and heaviest shoehorns available in the market.
Features and Benefits
Smooth Finish: This shoehorn has a smooth “brushed” finish and is made of 100% stainless steel.
Eye-Hole Feature: You can conveniently hang this shoehorn near your footwear closet using the eye hole on the shoehorn.
23 Inch Long Handle: The Comfy Clothiers shoe horn has an extra-long handle that is made of good quality, durable, stainless steel smooth surface.
Pros of the Product:
- This metal shoehorn with a long handle lasts longer than many other shoehorns available.
- People with back issues, arthritis sufferers, and people recovering from knee surgery or hip surgery, or a foot condition and have limited mobility can wear their shoes easily with this shoehorn.
Cons of the Product:
- Heavier than the other shoehorns listed in this article.
- Heavy-duty stainless steel shoehorn by Comfy Clothiers
Why should you buy it?
If you prefer a metal shoe horn that is thick and stronger and doesn’t mind that it is slightly on the heavier side, the Comfy Clothiers shoehorn is your best bet.
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4. Shacke 3 x 31 Inch Shoehorn
We have yet another Shacke shoehorn that has made it to the top shoe horns for elderly adults; this plastic shoe horn has more than 1000 reviews on Amazon and a high rating.
Features and Benefits
Hight-tech Plastic Construction: This shoe horn from Shacke is made of plastic and is lighter in weight.
31 Inch Long Handle: The handle of this shoe horn measures 31 inches and is an extra-long one that allows the user to use the shoehorn to slip on their shoes from a perfect angle while standing.
Wider Plastic Handle: Compared to the other shoe horn handles in the market, this one has a wider handle that allows you to grip the shoehorn firmly in your hand.
Tilted Grip: The handle has a slightly angled grip away from the rest of the body so that it is at the ideal angle while you are wearing your shoes or boots.
Pros of the Product:
- Seniors who suffer from hand arthritis, weakness in their hands, etc, can benefit from the wider surface handle of this shoehorn.
- The tilted angle of the grip is beneficial for people with limited mobility to wear their shoes while standing.
Why should you buy it?
If you are looking for a plastic shoe horn with a bigger, wider handle and a slight tilt, the Shacke 31 Inch shoehorn would make a good choice, especially for seniors with mobility issues, arthritis, or an injury that restricts their mobility.
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5. Nalutar Long Stainless Steel Shoe Horn
This is another great shoehorn for seniors and people with mobility issues. It has a subtle curve and smooth edges, ensuring that you do not snag or catch the ends on your socks or stockings while using the shoehorn to wear shoes.
Features and Benefits
Stainless Steel Construction: This shoe horn has a sturdy construction and will not bend or break, making it a great addition to your shoe accessories.
Paracord Rope: It has a handle wrapped with a paracord rope. Protects your hands and avoids strain. With the paracord, you can hang the shoehorn conveniently on the wall near your shoe closet.
Variety of Colors: Available in the colors Blue, Black/blue, and Red/blue so you can find your favorite color combination.
1/8 of an inch in Width: It is comfortable to hold in your grip.
Why should you buy it?
This stainless steel metal shoe horn offers durability and convenience to the user.
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Factors to Consider When Buying a Shoe Horn
Length of the Shoe horn
We suggest that you choose a shoehorn after considering the following:
Extra-long and telescopic shoe horns: This article talks about the best shoe horns for the elderly and we advise senior adults to invest in a quality product with a longer handle. The longest shoe horns measure between 15 and 32 inches and are great for them who have to go for reaching or bending.
The Extra-long horns have user friendly handles. For those who have mobility issues and can only perform activities with one hand, a telescopic shoe horn would make it easy to wear your shoes and boots, even with one hand.
Long shoe horns: These are apt for those who want to avoid excessive bending and have mobility issues. Typically, a long shoe horn would measure anywhere between 7.5 to 15 inches which will work with shoes having varying shaft sizes.
Travel shoe horns: These are typically of 3 to 4 inches and have a design which will fit into pockets or bags. They come with a simple design, and are of plastic or metal, and rarely have a grip.
Standard shoe horns: Standard shoe horns are between 4 and 7.5 inches long and are usually kept for your home use or office use. It is common for a standard shoe horn to be crafted out of more than one material in its construction.
Material
Plastic Shoe horn: A plastic shoe horn offers flexibility; these feel softer on your feet and are usually the least expensive shoe horns.
Wood Shoe horn: Wood shoe horns are brittle and dense, so they’re not ideal if you prefer flexibility. However, they are long-lasting and do not snag or catch on the fabric of the socks you are wearing.
Metal Shoe horn: These are durable and smooth and are popular to gift it to someone.they have fine details like engraved horns, leather loops or fancy handles.
Polished horn: Polished horns come from cattle or buffalo and are handmade. Given their sourcing and production, they tend to cost more than other material choices.
Material of the Handle
Handles and shoe horns are of typically the same material. Expensive handles are made with materials like plastic, silicone, rubber or leather. Materials like silicone and leather does provide a superior grip than the others.
Price
You may have noticed that in the list of long-handled shoehorns above, these plastic travel shoe horns are less in cost in comparison with metal ones. If you want a good-quality shoe horn having a decent handle over a metal or plastic, pay closer to $10. High-end shoe horns (most of which are full-length or telescopic) cost as much as $30.
Ergonomic Features of the Shoe horn
You can also think about the features of a shoehorn. Most of them are slightly curved, thus them to slip it into the shoe while standing without twisting their upper body awkwardly.
Others include a good mouth that provides a more robust grip on the shoe heel. Whether this can be an appealing feature or not depends on the private preferences of the user.
Also, you should always consider the price of a product with competitors offerings. The price you pay and the quality of shoehorn you may get may mostly be related.
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Conclusion
If you are looking for a value for money option, you can also consider the 3 x 31 Inch Extra Long Handled Shoehorn, which is a long-handled shoe horn that offers great value and features at a very reasonable price point.
We hope that you’ll take the time to go through the features and reviews of each product before you make a purchase decision. Do drop your suggestions in the comments below!
