Why Using A Playing Card Holder Is Helpful For Someone With A Disability

Bridge is a very popular game, especially amongst the older generation. It’s fun, it’s sociable, and it helps keep your brain active.

It’s quite common for older folk to want to retire to a new location, or to move into specialist housing. This often means moving away from friends and finding yourself amongst strangers. This is where playing bridge can put you at an advantage. Bridge clubs and groups are always looking for new members and many people will invite friends round for tea, coffee or a meal and a game of bridge.

Being a bridge player puts you at an advantage – you will always have friends and somewhere to go to meet people.

But what do you do if you are unable to hold the cards? Bridge, and many other card games require the player to hold up to 13 cards at a time. There can be many reasons why this is difficult. Many disabilities can cause problems with sorting and holding cards.

Amputees may find sorting their cards, whilst keeping them private from other players, is not as easy as it used to be.

Players of all ages with neurological issues may find that shaking or weak hands makes sorting and holding cards difficult.

Anyone with an arthritic condition, carpal tunnel or an arm injury may struggle to hold cards. For a regular player, a broken arm or wrist may seem like a big problem when it comes to playing the games they love. Yet this is the very time when they will want to get out and socialise.

Does having a disability or injury that prevents you from holding your cards mean that you can no longer play?

It doesn’t have to. Many of the problems mentioned above can be overcome using a playing card holder. There is no need to hold your cards, as the card holder will the job for you. Simply place it on the table in front of you and add your cards to it one at a time. Only one hand is needed and there is no need to be able to grip and retain a hand of cards.

Some card holders resemble giant, clear plastic, Scrabble racks into which you slot the cards. Some look more like fans, into which you slot the cards. You can buy curved ones, which are useful for helping to keep your cards private from neighbouring players if you rest the holder on the table.

Anyone considering using a playing card holder should look at the various styles on offer to help them decide which one would be most appropriate for their own needs.

Now that you know that a disability, illness or injury doesn’t need to prevent you from playing the cards games that you love, you can go ahead and learn to play or keep playing bridge. You can practice and learn to play online at No Fear Bridge