How to Help the Senior in Your Life Have Increased Mobility

For many seniors mobility becomes an issue, as the years move on. The natural processes of aging, coupled with illness or injury, can seriously affect how easily the elderly are able to move around.

Get in and out of vehicles easily

The good news is that there are several easy to use and easy to install products that can be put into place that will help seniors improve their mobility, and help them live as independent lives as possible. Caregivers should carefully consider the needs of the senior in their live, and then determine which items will help the most. Here is what you need to know about how to help the senior in your life have increased mobility.

• Remember that there is not a one size fits all solution-Each senior’s mobility needs may be as different as they are. Some elderly may need handles, grips and bars installed almost everywhere, where others may need only some help in the bathroom. Some elderly may need risers put on chairs, handles installed in cars, and assist for getting out of bed, or they may need only one or two of these items. Carefully considering the needs of the individual is important, before making any modifications for mobility. 

• Remember that things can change almost overnight-Because the processes of aging do not continue at a constant rate, you can find a senior who is doing fine with a cane, suddenly needing a walker. Caregivers should keep in mind that just because something works today, that does not mean that it is a permanent solution. Caregivers should be on the look out for decreasing mobility, or any issues that are affecting mobility, and then they can make appropriate changes to address those new needs.

• Remember to include the senior in the process of selecting mobility aids-Caring and concerned caregivers often make the mistake of rushing in and trying to “fix” their elderly loved ones mobility issues. A candid and honest conversation is needed in order to clearly determine, what the senior needs in terms of mobility aids. If you are not a full-time, live-in caretaker it may be necessary to spend some considerable time in the home of the senior to see what has become an issue in terms of mobility. After this time you and your loved one can make decisions based on their actual needs.

There is wide variety of mobility aids. These aids can make the difference between living completely or even semi-independently, and requiring full-time care. Studies have also shown that seniors with increased mobility have less chance of falling and sustaining life-threatening and life-changing injuries. 

Many of these mobility aids are simple solutions to everyday problems. Bed assists allow seniors to pull themselves up to a sitting and then standing position. Handles and grips allow for increased mobility in the bathroom, and other more difficult to navigate areas. Handles can be used for easier exit from the car, and risers can be installed on favorite chairs.

If your senior is having difficulty moving around, then a solution can be found in anything from using a cane to a walker with wheels. And if your loved one must go to using a wheelchair there is a wide variety to choose from. At The CareGiver Partnership they offer all of these types of products for seniors. You can check them out at www.caregiverpartnership.com/landing/stander/ or talk to one of their helpful Product Specialists who can guide you in selecting the right mobility aids for the senior in your life.

Because mobility is such a big issue in a senior’s life, there can be many other overlapping issues and questions. If you are looking for resources to help you, help the senior in your life you should check out the resource library at www.caregiverpartnership.com/resources/categories/. They offer the world’s largest caregiver resource library with over 1000 family caregiver resources.



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The ladies are available to answer your questions

About The CareGiver Partnership. The CareGiver Partnership helps caregivers and their loved ones with answers to their caregiving questions, including information about home health care products and supplies, from our Wisconsin-based team of Product Specialists who are all current or former caregivers. The company’s Web site provides the largest online library of resources on subjects most important to caregivers — from arthritis to assisted living, and Parkinson’s to prostate cancer — as well as access to more than 3,000 home care products for incontinence, skin care, mobility, home safety and daily living aids. The CareGiver Partnership was founded in 2004 by Lynn Wilson of Neenah, Wisc. Visit http://www.caregiverpartnership.com to learn more or call 1-800-985-1353.