Maintaining access to the world around you

Throughout the aging process, there may come a time in which mobility becomes limited, and body strength weakens making that mobility a difficult task. Those challenges could range from difficulty walking, to getting in and out of a chair or even high risks of falling. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), an estimated 6.1 million adults use some form of a mobility device, two-thirds of which are older than 65 years of age. It is crucial for both independent living seniors, as well as those in assisted living facilities, to be able to have access to the things and places around them – whether by their own mobility or with specialized mobile equipment. This is a necessary aspect in keeping up with a quality of life that involves social connectedness, physical activity and mental well-being. Providing seniors with the option of using mobility aids gives them the opportunity to maintain or even rediscover their independence. The options of equipment range depending on level of need and support, but the benefits of using them are near limitless.

The National Institute of Health (NIH) states that being mobile promotes healthy aging because it tends to the basic human need of movement, and that it naturally declines with increasing age. Determining the need for assistance with mobility is often done with either selfreports of one’s challenges in performing regular tasks or with standardized performance-based tests. The NIH states that sometimes individuals can change their particular ways of performing certain duties or the frequency in which they do them in order to ignore their increasing limited mobility. One of the main important aspects of mobility is the benefit it provides to the physical body. Walking, according to the NIH, is a major factor in regulating the musculoskeletal, cardio-respiratory, sensory and neural systems.

The various types of mobility assistance devices and equipment offer different levels of support based on the need of the individual. They can be used to combat the risks of falling, or simply to facilitate more effective movement. The AAFP lists that many of the mobility devices used include various types of canes, walkers and crutches. Additionally, some may use wheelchairs or scooters. Of the adults 65 and older who use mobility devices, ten percent use canes and just over four percent use walkers. The purpose of those devices are to increase the individual’s balance and base of support, as well as increase physical activity and independence.

The AAFP states that the majority of consumers are not aware of the proper use and are not always using the most appropriate aid for their need. The best way to select a device is to base the decision on the individual’s strength, endurance, balance, cognitive function and environmental demands. Canes, for instance, help to redistribute weight and provide relief for pain or weak extremities, while improving stability. For additional support for the person’s weight, walkers may be used when there is poor balance and to help with mobility by stabilizing the base of support. The AAFP goes on to state that the top of either the cane or walker should be the same height as the wrist crease when the individual is standing up with arms at their side, and that clinicians should regularly check for proper fitting and use.