Age shouldn’t have to stop you from living your life. However, when you grow old, mobility becomes much harder to maintain. With all the technology developed to aid elders to go around without moving a muscle, one might wonder why mobility is essential for seniors.
The truth is that there are many reasons for elderly individuals to try to maintain mobility. These include an increasing loss of balance, weaker muscles and joints, and degrading mental and physical health.
In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults aged 65+ are at higher risk of falling. Fortunately, there are ways to help them remain mobile despite the health issues that come with aging. The following are ways one can help seniors improve their mobility:
Make Them Use Walkers or Canes
Some of the most common devices seniors use to move around are adult walkers and canes. The top adult walkers and canes let them walk while providing some support, thus, decreasing their risk of falling.
When the pain is one-sided, canes are used. Meanwhile, if both sides are painful, you should probably opt for an adult walker. If you wish to purchase one for an elder that you’re caring for, you can find some adult walkers for sale on the internet.
However, seniors quickly get tired from moving. That's why it's also a good idea to let them use battery-powered motorized devices, which leads us to our next caregiving tip.
Give Them a Powered Wheel Chair or Scooter
Powered wheelchairs or scooters help seniors wander without much assistance because they can control them using joysticks. These devices can be very helpful for seniors who easily get fatigued when moving around using walkers or canes.
A powered wheelchair is a motorized, battery-powered wheelchair that can be controlled using a joystick. Meanwhile, an electric scooter has a motor, front handlebar, battery, and a basket at the front.
Both devices can usually be seen around malls helping seniors move and carry their purchases.
Assist Them in Getting Physical Therapy and Doing Some Exercise Routines 
While battery-powered devices help seniors move, helping them improve their ability to move independently is still important. Physical therapy helps seniors enhance their mobility and keep their muscles and joints healthy. It also allows seniors to recover from any injury they sustained from a fall.
Common methods used in physical therapy are stretching, exercising, and light physical activities, which help avoid immobility. It's been advised that adults over the age of 65 should aim for 150 minutes of exercise per week. An example of good mobility training for seniors would be swimming and some light household chores.
Conclusion
While the thought of aging seems scary because we’ll get ill and immobile, it’s comforting to know that there are ways to deal with it. Truly, maintaining your health is of utmost importance, and it's especially true for seniors. If you’re taking care of any elderly, you may use these tips to help them improve their mobility.
Author's Bio: John Isla is a healthcare specialist. He's been in the industry for 15 years. He conducts webinars to share his expertise and writes blog posts as well. He enjoys hiking camping during his free time.