Home > Blog > January 2016 > Elder Care Tips for Dealing with Immobility

Elder Care Tips for Dealing with Immobility

Posted: 2/1/2016 1:25 PM by Interim HealthCare

A large percentage of the elderly adult population deals with some level of mobility challenges, whether it is a bit of a balance issue that makes it more difficult for them to walk around easily or total immobility that keeps seniors limited to the bed or a wheelchair most or even all of the time. If immobility is part of your elder care journey with your aging loved ones, it is important that you know how to safely and effectively handle care tasks so that you, your parents, and their home care provider remain healthy and safe throughout their aging years.

Whether your senior has been gradually moving further into immobility over the last several years, has recently suffered an injury or illness that has reduce their ability to move around successfully, or has a few limitations that make it more difficult for them to live independently, feeling confident helping them deal with their limitations will help them to maintain as much independence as possible and giving them the highest quality of life possible, while also keeping them safe and secure.

Use these tips, and share them with your parents' elderly health care services provider, to deal with immobility issues safely and successfully throughout your parents' later years:

• Be realistic about their challenges. It is extremely important that you are realistic and honest about the immobility issues that your parents are truly facing. You love your parents and remember being young and looking up to them as being strong, powerful, and capable of anything. This can make it difficult for you to acknowledge that your seniors are truly dealing with anything limiting. Take some time to bring yourself to terms with the actual challenges your parents are facing so that you do not try to push your parents too hard or do not provide enough support and assistance for them.

• Be in good health. You are not going to be able to successfully and safely move your parents if you are not in good physical condition. Make sure that you are strong enough and have good enough flexibility, range of motion, and response time to provide adequate support to your seniors so that you do not put yourself at risk of falling, increasing the chances of serious injury. If you are not in good enough physical condition you may want to consider hiring a caregiver who can provide this care and support.

• Be cautious. Do not rush your way through your mobility assistance. Whether you are helping your loved ones get out of bed, get into the wheelchair, get out of the car, or get in and out of the bath or shower. Going too quickly or not paying attention increases the risk that one of you will lose your footing, trip, or cause other accidents. This also includes making sure that your parents are aware when you are going to move them, and that you both work together to make the movement as smooth and easy as possible.

If you have an aging loved one in need of home care contact Interim HealthCare today.