Choosing the Right Mobility Aid for Your Loved Ones

As we get older, we lose muscle mass and issues with our joints become a regularity. Parents who have raised children and even grandchildren start to develop problems just walking or doing other basic tasks. Getting a mobility aid becomes a necessity for us when we see our loved ones’ struggle to do things young and healthy people should be able to do for themselves. Whether as a result age or a disability, watching someone struggle to do otherwise simple things can be heart-breaking.

Assisting our loved ones is a priority but no one enjoys everything being done for them, we all like to retain our independence and our loved ones are no different. Getting them mobility aids can cause help them keep their independence while rendering the necessary assistance to them.

There are relatively few things to look out for when choosing a mobility aid, the first of it is what the person in question needs.  This can easily be known by communicating with them to find out. No one knows what your loved one needs better than they themselves. They will most likely be able to identify what exactly their mobility difficulties are and what mobility aid will make them feel most comfortable.

Another way to establish what the person needs is by observing the activities that are uncomfortable for them. There are different types of mobility aids though and knowing them and their functions will help you decide what is best for your loved one.

If walking on flat surfaces is a challenge, then they would most likely require assistance. One popular type of mobility assistant is a cane. Canes are used by people with light to moderate walking difficulties and they help with relieving the pressure on their joints. Another form of mobility assistant is the Quad cane, it has a slight edge over the single pointed cane because it provides more balance.

Walkers are a different variety of mobility assistant for those who experience difficulties walking on flat surfaces. Walkers help to relieve the stress on the legs and the lower back, making walking easier. They are better than canes in that they provide more stability but they are difficult to move without wheels. A walker with wheels has the added advantage of easier mobility.

Rollators are another mobility aid common with those with issues walking. In fact, they are the most common mobility aid. They are easy to use, have very good stability, can double as a seat to be used if the user gets tired, have wheels, have a handbrake and most times contain a basket to be for carrying everyday items.

Wheelchairs are used help people who have limited leg function. In other words, they are used when it is too difficult or dangerous for the person to walk on their own. Non-powered wheelchairs will require the user to have average upper body strength or assistance from other people to facilitate movement. Powered wheelchairs on the other hand are preferred because of the independence of movement although they are notably more expensive than their manual counterparts.

However, they can pose a bit of a problem when you have to deal with stairs. To combat this outdoors, one can install a threshold or modular ramp to allow for easy movement. Indoors stairs can have a chair lift or stair lift installed to ease movement.

Scooters have also become more common among people with mobility difficulties. They are electrically powered and can cover more ground than the powered wheelchair. The fact that they require minimal physical exertion to operate is also key to the selling point. However, they are not advisable for use in closed spaces, especially within homes. This is due to their large footprint and wider turning radius which makes manoeuvring in tight spaces difficult.

The bathroom is a place where many accidents are prone to happen due to the slippery nature of the place. This can especially be a challenge for disabled people as they are more prone to falling either while getting into the bath or getting out of it. A bath lift can be installed in the bathroom to prevent accidents. They are lowered into the bathing tub in a sitting position and when they are done, the lift carries them out of the tub safely.