It was becoming more difficult for him to take care of himself. The refrigerator door seemed heavier than it had before and getting a glass of iced tea was a major production. Even the simple act of making himself a bowl of soup had become a difficult undertaking. The microwave was too high for him to reach and he was forced to drag a kitchen chair to and fro across the kitchen to accomplish each step; first he had to get a can out of the kitchen cupboard, then he had to stand on the chair to get a bowl from the over-counter cabinet. Once that was accomplished, he could drag the chair over to where the can opener was stationed to cut the lid open on the can.