Staying active is such an important goal for seniors as they continue to age in place. Mobility challenges make that goal more difficult to achieve. Limited mobility doesn’t mean that seniors have to give up doing what they like and want to do, however. By staying creative and getting help from home care assistance, seniors can make changes to their routines that help them accommodate their needs.
Why Do Seniors Experience Limited Mobility?
Mobility challenges for seniors can occur for a variety of reasons. Health issues like arthritis, muscle weakness, joint pain, and chronic health conditions like heart disease or a stroke can all affect how well seniors can move. Some seniors experience mobility changes over time. Others experience sudden mobility shifts after an injury or an illness. Understanding why seniors have reduced mobility helps families and home care providers find the right ways to support seniors.
Get Creative with Activities
Limited mobility can mean that seniors still engage in activities the way they want and are able to. Almost every activity can be modified to work within current abilities. Seniors who like gardening can use containers instead of large plots, for instance. Social activities can be modified, too. Elder care providers have experience helping seniors to modify their activities in order to meet their own needs, so they can help families get creative.
Focus on the Goal
When families adapt activities for seniors with mobility challenges, it helps for everyone involved to focus on what the end goal is. For seniors, this might mean looking at what they want to do but are finding difficult, like taking a walk around the block. If the goal is to get out in fresh air and get a change of scenery, then gently moving to the back patio might do the same thing for seniors. Focusing on the real goal helps seniors to see ways that they can still get what they want, even when mobility is an issue.
Support Autonomy for Seniors
One of the ways that home care assistance makes a difference for seniors is in helping them to get support when they need it while also maintaining their autonomy. Seniors opt to age in place because they want to maintain control over their environments and routines. Giving seniors choices about how they spend their time, the activities they try, and other variables makes a big difference in how seniors feel.
Convert Standing Exercises to Chair-based Movements
Physical activity is really important for seniors, even when they have mobility limitations. Many different standing exercises can translate well to a seated or even reclined position. Seated marching or walking, chair yoga, and seated calisthenics are all helpful for seniors who want to maintain muscle tone and improve flexibility without the risk of falling. Home care assistance can help seniors to move more within the guidelines they receive from their doctors.
Mobility difficulties are a common part of growing older, but they don’t mean that seniors have to be limited in what they do. With creative adaptations and help from family caregivers and home care assistance, seniors can continue to live the lives they want to live.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care assistance in Durham, NH, please contact the caring staff at Assisting Hands Home Care – Seacoast NH today! 603-824-8200
Assisting Hands Home Care – Seacoast NH provides exceptional home care in Portsmouth, Rye, New Castle, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Durham, Dover, Seabrook, Greenland, Rochester, Hampton Falls and surrounding areas.
