Finding A Dropped Object

It can be frustrating to drop an item and not be able to locate it, even though you're certain it's nearby or just barely out of reach. As you search, remember to use the upper body protective technique to partially protect your face and head.

To get down safely without bumping your head, try any of these methods:

• Squat without bending forward;
• Bend forward, using a modified upper body protective technique so that your hand is vertical and located directly in front of your face and head;
• Hold your mobility cane vertically in front of your body and bend down behind the cane.

Remember to check with your doctor if you have a medical or eye condition that prevents you from bending over, squatting, or kneeling. The following tips may help you locate dropped objects more easily:

• Learn to listen for the sound that the object makes when it falls to help you determine its general location. If it falls on a soft surface, such as carpeting, it will not make a loud noise, but is likely to remain close to the point where it fell.
• Objects that fall on harder surfaces, such as tile or wood, will make a louder sound but are more likely to bounce or roll further from the point of impact.
• When searching for a dropped object, learn to use a systematic pattern. Search with your hands in overlapping semicircles or overlapping rows from side to side. Don't forget to check between and around your feet.
• Try to search with one hand at a time, using the other to protect and stabilize your body.
• Remember to use visualization in combination with these search techniques in order to receive maximum feedback from your surroundings. See "All About Maximizing All Your Senses."
• Instead of using your hands, stand in one place and search with your feet, or use a yardstick, broom handle, closed umbrella, or cane to search the area systematically.
• Use a broom to sweep the area and check the pile that you have collected.

Related Topics

See also the Upper Body Protective Technique, the Lower Body Protective Technique, the Trailing Technique