Mobility issues are one of the most common health issues that people around the world experience in their day-to-day lives. Why is this? Well, to put it simply, mobility issues can be caused by a wide variety of incidents ranging from automotive accidents to genetic diseases to cognitive diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Regardless of what causes someone to have a mobility issue, they may need help moving about and completing everyday tasks such as dressing, cooking, or even moving from room to room.

At HomeCARE furniture by ComforTek, we create mobility equipment that allows for people with mobility issues and their caretakers to live safer and easier lives. We get it, mobility issues can make things extremely difficult, but they don’t have to be. In today’s blog, we will be discussing some of the common questions that people have about mobility issues, as well as some things that can be done to make day-to-day activities safer.

Why Is It Important To Discuss This?

Mobility issues are not simply issues that make it harder for people to move from room to room or from one location to another — they also create more serious health consequences. Around two-thirds of mobility issue-related accidents are falls. Why is this significant? Falls are not as simple as tripping and then picking yourself up, as for people with mobility issues, falls are the fifth leading cause of death. Because of this, it is important, as a loved one to someone with mobility issues to do your research and learn how you can make thing safer for your loved one.

How Can You Help A Family Member With A Mobility Issue?

When a loved one is diagnosed with a mobility issue, whether it be temporary or permanent, it is not uncommon to think “What next?” Luckily, there are a number of options that can all ensure that your loved one is well taken care of. Below, our mobility assistance company has listed a few of the most common. 

• Temporary Care - When your loved one is suffering from a mobility issue that is temporary, it is important that they are properly cared for to ensure that their injuries do not become worse. A loved one can be taken care of best in this situation by living with a family member during their recovery, or temporarily living in an assistance facility.
• Permanent Care - For more serious mobility issues caused by permanent injuries and cognitive diseases it is important to provide your loved one with access to more permanent care. The most ideal situation is to have them live with a family member, but if a family member feels as if they cannot provide proper care to their loved one, residential care facilities should be looked in to.
• Semi-Permanent Care - If your loved one has a permanent mobility issue and you can provide them with most, but not all, of the care that they need, it might be worthwhile to look into semi-permanent care services like respite care. In doing so you might be able to provide your loved one with the care that they need while also allowing them to stay at home in a familiar setting.
• Provide Them With Tools - One of the last ways that you can help your family member with a mobility issue (aside from physically helping them) is to provide them with tools that make their mobility easier, and safer. Homecare furnishings like canes, walkers, mobility assistance chairs, and dining swivel chairs and accommodating seating can all ensure that your loved one is more comfortable in standing, sitting, or walking under their own power. To see an example of a homecare furnishing that can help your loved one, check out our mobility assistance chairs online.
• Optimize The Living Space - In tandem with providing your loved one with mobility tools, it can be beneficial to make some adjustments around the living space that allow for safer movement. Installing railing or grab bars in the restroom and on staircases can help prevent falling, removing clutter and rugs from the floor can reduce tripping hazards, and clearing the most trafficked areas of the living space can reduce the likelihood of your loved one becoming injured.  

How To Deal With Emotions

Mobility issues are often looked at as a strictly visual issue when in reality it can be extremely emotionally tasking — for both the caregiver and their loved one. For your loved one, the inability to move around by themselves can be frustrating, as they might begin to feel like they are being a burden to their family after losing their independence. For their loved ones, and caregivers, it can become frustrating as it might seem like your life has been “put on pause” while you struggle to help your loved one.

For both parties, emotions might be felt for different reasons, but there is a solution to resolving frustrations. Simply discussing the emotional stresses can often times help resolve the feelings. Support groups are a common tool that can be used to resolve frustrations as it can help to share your feelings with like-minded individuals that understand what you are going through.

Dealing With Mobility Issues Can Be Hard — But There Are Tools To Help

Whether your loved one is suffering from dementia or a serious injury, moving about the living space can be difficult, but luckily, there are tools that can be used to make simple day-to-day tasks easier and safer for both the caregiver and their loved one. Whether you need to enlist the help of others, services, or tools, it is important to seek out things that will make life easier and more enjoyable for your loved one.

As a mobility assistance chair company, we understand that even the simplest tasks can be extremely difficult — tasks like sitting at the table for mealtime. While our mobility chairs are not a fix-all product, they can make sitting, standing, and scooting into the table easier for both the caregiver and their loved one.

Whether your need is more in the scope of bariatric chairs with wheels, or swivel dining room chairs with casters, we urge you to check out our extensive inventory of mobility assistance chairs. We hope that this blog post provided some valuable insight into mobility issue care. Be sure to check out our homecare furniture and contact us if you have any questions.