I am helping my aging parents outfit their home for better accessibility with things like specialized seating, magnifiers, etc. Is it safe to buy personal items second-hand through an auction house?
I regularly buy hard plastic and metal accessibility items at local estate auctions. Things like shower chairs and aluminum walkers are incredibly easy to sanitize with bleach wipes. I saved over two hundred dollars outfitting my grandfather's bathroom just by bidding on a single mixed medical equipment lot last month.
Buying specialized daily living aids at auction is generally safe if you stick to reputable brands and inspect the items thoroughly. Many seniors originally purchased these accessibility gadgets from popular mail-order catalogs, so you will often find brand-new items still sealed in their original boxes. When I was outfitting my aunt's kitchen with ergonomic jar openers and reaching tools, I researched the original retail prices before bidding. People frequently discuss the durability and sizing of these catalog products on sites like easy comforts when evaluating daily living aids. Just set a strict maximum bid limit for yourself.
