Mobility As A Key To Staying Independent

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Learning All About Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Communities

Hi everyone, my name is Irene Maier. In the last few years, I have gone through the nursing home listings four times over in search of a proper home for each of my grandparents. Their varying medical conditions complicated the process. I had to find homes staffed with people who were trained to handle daily medical procedures and properly respond to emergencies. Furthermore, I had to consider my grandparent's daily care abilities to find a home they would be happy to rent. During this extensive search, I learned all about services, amenities and rooms offered at nursing homes and assisted living communities. I want to share that information with you through this website. I hope you will come back again soon to learn more.

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Mobility As A Key To Staying Independent

18 May 2015
 Categories: , Blog

You've made the decision to move from your own home to an independent living facility. That means you recognize that you need a little help now and then to get through the day. Declining mobility around the home is often a reason for seniors to feel as if they need assistance. Stay independent in your new home for longer with these mobility tips:

Reduce Your Chances of Falling and Injury

Falling in your home can become a major concern. A broken hip or arm can take a long time to recover from. Sometimes the injuries are compounded by hitting your head or other body part on a piece of furniture as you fall. Walk through the house and remove those obstacles that can create a higher risk of falling and injury:

  • Remove any throw rugs from your house. They can slip underneath your feet causing a fall. They can also bunch up under your feet and trip you.
  • Secure large area rugs to the floor with double-sided carpet tape.
  • Keep pathways through and between rooms clear of items that can cause a fall. Trash cans, dog beds, potted plants, and anything else that you could catch your foot on should be moved far from the walkway.
  • Have the thresholds in doorways replaced with smooth rubber or plastic materials that won't catch your foot and cause a fall as you walk through the door.

Don't Let Stairs Keep You Down

You may eventually find stairs up or down difficult to navigate. Don't let this keep you isolated to one part of your home. Some mobility options help you deal with the stairs while others help you move items from one floor to another easily.

  • Install a stair lift device that automatically takes you up and down the stairs in your home. Look for units that have an attached basket so you can carry supplies up or down to different floors.
  • Move washers and dryers to the main floor so you don't have to use the stairs to get to them in a basement.
  • Have a clothes chute constructed between the upper and lower floors so you don't have to carry a basket full of dirty clothes to the washer.
  • Install a dumbwaiter to help your get supplies up and down to the different floors.

Make the Bathroom Safe

Falling in the bathroom can become a concern where wet, slippery surfaces are a common occurrence. Upgrade your bathroom to keep you safe and confident.

  • Install handholds on walls in the bathroom to make getting on and off the toilet easier.
  • A wall-mounted fold-down seat in the tub or shower will support you while taking your bath or shower.
  • Install a hand-held shower that you can use while sitting down.
  • When stepping over the side of the tub becomes a problem, replace the tub with a model that has a walk-in side panel so you don't have to make that large step.

Make a few changes in your home to keep it safer and more convenient to navigate. The easier it is for you to move through your own home to do your daily tasks, the longer you'll keep your independence. For more help, contact a company like Mayfair Village Retirement Community with any questions you have.