There’s an old African proverb which offers, wisely, that ‘’Those who respect the elderly pave their own road toward success’’. If you’re keen to make that road you’re paving mobility-aid accessible, then you’ve come to the right place.
Without wishing to overdo the maxims here, the ancient Chinese saying also rings true; ‘’An elderly person at home is like a living golden treasure’’. If you’re keen to make that home as comfortable as possible, and bask in the glow of all that gold, then, you guessed it, you’re still in the right place. Time to make yourself and anyone else close by comfortable.
Helping our elderly family members, friends and loved ones feels more important than ever during this tough, unpredictable period. Some members of the older generation have been living alone or have had their usual care routines disrupted, but fortunately, technology has the ability to make certain aspects of their lives easier.
If you’re looking to ensure your elderly loved one is living as comfortably as possible in these trying times, then here are 8 practical items to help them do just that.
Mobility Aids
As we age, mobility certainly becomes tougher, with long distances more difficult to negotiate and heavy loads harder to carry. But as the WHO point out in their report Connecting and Caring: Innovations for Healthy Ageing, ‘’restricted mobility and social isolation do not have to go hand in hand with getting old.’’
Facilitating better mobility with age is essential for elderly loved ones to maintain their independence. Aside from recommending a gentle exercise regime which will help keep limbs from getting stiff, there are several mobility aids on the market to assist with mobility issues. These range from walking sticks, wheeled walkers and rollators, all the way to manual and electric wheelchairs and even electric scooters.
A three-wheeled electric scooter offers perhaps the best stability and all but guarantees better mobility, helping the user to negotiate longer distances and carry heavy items.
Pill Organisers With Alarm Reminders
Pill organisers are a useful item for the elderly, but can actually get pretty confusing. The problem with regular pill organisers is that it’s still fairly easy to forget to take the pill in the first place, regardless of how organised it is!
Recently, several pill organisers equipped with an alarm have come on the market, offering daily reminders to take medication and warning the user when they’re running low.
We’re particularly enamoured with the slick designs found at Ikigai Cases, which look genuinely fashionable as opposed to utilitarian. If your elderly loved one has discerning taste, do check them out!
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Reacher Grabbers
Reacher grabbers can be an incredibly valuable tool for the elderly, providing multiple benefits that enhance their independence, safety, and overall quality of life. As our loved ones age, losing the ability to comfortably pick up objects might occur due to limitations in mobility, flexibility, and strength. Reacher grabbers step in as a solution to this problem, allowing seniors to grasp items they would otherwise struggle to reach.
By using a reacher grabber, elderly individuals can easily access objects that are situated high on shelves, low near the ground, or otherwise beyond their reach. This simple but effective tool allows them to retain a sense of autonomy as they perform daily tasks, which in turn fosters greater self-confidence and well-being.
As the accessibility experts at Southborough Nursing Home tell us, another important aspect is the element of safety. Bending down, stretching, or climbing to reach items can put seniors at risk of losing balance and falling. Falls in the elderly population can lead to serious, even life-threatening injuries. By using a reacher grabber instead, they can minimise the need for precarious movements and reduce the chance of accidents.
As a practical aid that offers both convenience and protection, reacher grabbers contribute positively to the lives of our elderly relatives, helping to ensure that their golden years are marked by enjoyment, independence, and a sense of dignity.
Digital Home Hub
It’s been hard to keep in touch, affectionately and intimately, during the pandemic, and this has only been magnified for elderly folk who aren’t perhaps so dexterous with their devices.
If making phone calls is tough for your elderly relative, consider investing in a smart home hub device, such as an Amazon Echo with Alexa, or Apple’s Siri; the hands free nature, as well as simplicity of use, can be really useful for those elderly people who struggle with mobility or cognitive function.
Having one in the house can help with more than just calls. A smart home hub can offer reminders to take medicine or of appointments, answer general knowledge questions, tell jokes (!) and even play music, simply through voice activation. For many elderly people, the huge range of tech now at our fingertips can get confusing and be isolating. Having much of it condensed into one, voice-controlled device can be liberating and inclusive for those in their golden years.
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Step Counter
Your elderly loved one could even use that smart home hub to offer the occasional reminder to get up and have a walk around. As the guys at Senior Lifestyle magazine caution, it’s particularly ”relevant to the older adult population…that decreased hip flexibility, a problem associated with sitting disease, is one of the most common factors in falls in the elderly’’.
It’s vital, then, that seniors make an effort to keep active, even if all that involves is taking a short walk around the house or even standing for a few moments, to break up the monotony of the day.
One way to encourage this, and make the whole thing a little more fun, is to invest in a pedometer to keep track of just how sedentary or active the day has been. Once that competitive streak kicks in, it’s a great catalyst to keep active.
Pillow Massagers
Who wouldn’t like to own a pillow massager, no matter the age? We sure would. That being said, relieving muscle pain and tension is particularly important for older people, who may well be enduring more aches and pains than those more sprightly.
Be it for neck, back, or leg massages – a pillow massager is an amazing thing to have, and there are even models that can give a heated massage. What’s more, most pillow massagers are wireless, making them portable and ready to use wherever – and whenever – they are needed.
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Weighted Blanket
Now, there are few things that ensure a good night’s sleep as much as a weighted blanket does. If you have ever tried sleeping with one, you know what we are talking about here.
Does your elderly loved one have trouble sleeping? Well, a weighted blanket is a proven way to help alleviate sleeping issues. According to the Sleep Council, there is research around them ”benefitting people with anxiety, autism, and insomnia’’, with the type of gentle pressure they place on the body similar to that of being hugged, and providing the same serotonin boost to boot!
What better comforting gift could you give than that? Generally speaking, a weighted blanket should be between 5 and 10% of your loved one’s body weight.
An Electric Jar Opener
Opening jars is something that lots of older people struggle with, be it due to arthritis or other health conditions that affect grip strength.
If your elderly loved one relishes eating jam, marmalade, pickles, spices and condiments, an electric jar opener is a simple, thoughtful gift to make sure their mealtimes are as enjoyable as they can be.
Hands-Free Magnifying Glass
Not everyone loves to read – some prefer watching or listening to movies. But, for those who are book lovers, not being able to properly enjoy a book can be frustrating. Well, an easy way to help your loved one struggling with ageing eyes is to buy them a hands-free large magnifying glass. These are easy to attach to any book or document, and make reading easier and more enjoyable for your elderly loved one, even if their eyesight has deteriorated somewhat in recent years.
The Bottom Line
Now that you’re well equipped with some great items and ideas to help your elderly loved ones live more independently and comfortably, it’s time to equip them accordingly!