How Caregivers Help With Mobility Problems
If your senior loved one has developed mobility problems as a result of chronic pain, obesity, or poor circulation, then an in-home care provider may be able to help. People with mobility problems may be unable to safely live alone, and because of this, in-home caregivers may be recommended by the physician. Here are some ways an in-home care provider can help your senior loved who has mobility problems.
Range-Of-Motion Exercises
The home care services provider can help your senior loved one with a range of motion exercises that can help enhance circulation, decrease joint inflammation, improve strength, relieve pain, and improve balance. The in-home care provider can instruct your loved one in how to do the exercises him or herself, which is known as active range-of-motion exercises, or they can actually move the elderly person's arms or legs so that the individual does not have to exert him or herself.
While range-of-motion exercises may not lead to your loved one's ability to live independently, they may help promote more independence so that the elderly adult can perform more of his or her activities of daily living such as bathing, grooming, eating, and dressing.
Monitor Use Of Mobility Devices
Seniors who have mobility problems may rely on walkers, canes, wheelchairs, or even stair lifts. The in-home caregiver can monitor your loved one while he or she is using a mobility device and offer standby assistance in case the elderly individual becomes weak, gets dizzy, or loses his or her balance. Older people who are using mobility devices for the first time may be unsure of how to properly use them, and because of this, they may have an accident.
When your loved one's mobility device use is monitored by the caregiver, falls and other accidents are less likely to occur. The caregiver can also supervise your loved one's use of a stair lift. While the stair lift installation technician will likely teach the elderly person how to use the device, he or she may still be hesitant to go up and down the stairs with the stair lift. The in-home care provider can stand next to your loved one while he or she is riding in the lift, which will give the older adult more confidence.
If your senior loved one has mobility problems, call a home care services agency like Cool Waters Home Care to learn more about in-home caregivers. Seniors who get help from caregivers may be able to stay in their homes longer so that they don't have to move to long-term care facilities.