As we age, a number of things can change – most notably with our health. It’s an inevitable fact of life and one which we need to address in order to make sure our later years are as comfortable and easy as possible.
As we begin to enter our later years, many find that mobility is the biggest issue. Some manage to avoid a number of other age-related illnesses but conditions like arthritis affect a startling number of us.
In fact, one in five adults have the condition – totalling about 10 million people worldwide, and it’s not just us elderly citizens who get it. The UK alone has around 12,000 children with the condition and of all patients interviewed in the Arthritis Care OA National Report, more than four-fifths (81%) claim to be in constant pain and have difficulty completing even basic everyday tasks.
Struggling with these conditions is pointless though and once we start to notice the symptoms (joint pain, stiffness, fatigue and difficult moving) it is vital to take immediate action. This means visiting your GP for medical aid and pain relief medications as well as investigating what products are available for those suffering from limited mobility.
Luckily, there are a number of great products available and here are a few of our favourites.
Walk-in shower
Bathrooms are an area of the home often overlooked when it comes to increasing mobility but just think of how difficult it could be to get into a bathtub when bending your knees is painful. To remove this problem, there are numerous bathroom products designed to aid mobility. A walk-in shower is always a good call (especially if you’ve always preferred showers to baths) but you can get equivalent walk-in bath tubs too.
Standing for a long time in the shower or sitting at such a low level in the bath can put pressure on your joints too which is why shower or bath seats are also a good idea. These give you a firm platform on which to sit but at a height that will be easy on your joints.
For baths, you can even get seated lifts which lower you into the water so that you can bathe and relax to your heart’s content before raising you back up so that you can drain the water and get out of the bath with ease.
Stairlift
If mobility between different levels of your house is a difficulty then a normal stairlift is the most obvious solution. These help you to reach the upper regions of your home without putting your joints under unnecessary strain and they all come with the highest levels of security and safety so you know they’re safe to use.
We also like the look of home lifts (similar to your standard elevator) and even found outdoor stairlifts for those who want better access to raised areas of their garden or outdoor spaces.
Outdoor ramps
Another great mobility product is was outdoor ramps. These may seem a relatively obvious addition but you’d be surprised how many people overlook them. Ramps are far easier to travel up than stairs which makes them ideal for walkways to your entrances.
You can have them at the front and back of your property with grab rails and railings added at the sides for extra support should you need it. After all, there is nothing wrong with admitting we need a little help as we get older and with these mobility aids you can enjoy your later years in comfort.