Health Aids for Seniors

Mobility Aids

Ambulatory Seniors

For seniors who experience difficulty walking, there are mobility aids to help them. A cane or crutches may be sufficient for those that need only need minor assistance. Others may need the help of a walker, rollator or safety roller to be able to walk. Walkers and rollators are also available with seats for resting and baskets to aid in shopping.

Non-Ambulatory Seniors

Seniors that are unable to walk, or can only walk a few steps, can still be mobile by using a manual or electric wheelchair or electric scooter. These types of mobility aids have many available accessories including baskets, oxygen carriers, and headlights. For ease in using wheelchairs and scooters around the house, ramps can be installed over entryways, small groups of stairs and uneven door jams. There are also special ramps, lifts and electric lifts used to load power chairs, wheelchairs and scooters into motor vehicles.

Bathroom Health Aids for Seniors

Taking a bath or shower can be a challenging and sometimes dangerous task for many seniors. If you or a loved one have difficulty stepping over a bathtub wall, a transfer bench may be helpful. There are also many styles of shower chairs and benches for bathing comfort and safety.

Other bathroom homecare aids include:

• Elevated toilet seats
• Toilet safety frames
• Toilet rails
• Shower and bathtub rails
• Non-skid bath mats

Staircase Chair Lifts

Seniors that live in a two-story house may struggle to climb the stairs to their upper level. They often become resolved to living on the ground floor because the stairs are impossible to ascend. For seniors in this situation, electric chair lifts can be installed to carry them safely to the second floor. Chair lifts are also used in some senior apartment buildings so that access to the upstairs apartments is easy and safe for the tenants.

Power Chair Lifts

Many seniors that suffer from arthritis or other health problems with limited mobility have great difficulty standing up after sitting in a chair. Power lift chairs offer much needed help by elevating the chair seat to a certain angle, which enables an individual to stand with secure footing and less strain. There are many chair styles available, including massaging lift chairs.

Hearing and Vision Health Aids

Health aids for seniors that help people see and hear better include more then the traditional hearing aids and glasses. There are special headsets and hearing aids to make it easier to hear movies, music and television programs. Telephone amplifiers and door knockers with flashing lights also help those with hearing loss. Seniors that are vision-impaired can choose to use large button telephones, talking watches or reading magnifiers.

Kitchen Health Aids

Utensils, such as off-set knives, peelers and measuring cups, are available with large, easy-grip handles to make food preparation simpler for seniors with arthritis. Eating utensils are available with curved, weighted or bendable handles making them easier to use. Other kitchen aids include adaptive doorknobs and levers, long-handle reachers, and jar and lid openers.

Where to Find Health Aids

• Mobility products
• Bathroom items
• Staircase chair lifts
• Power lift chairs
• Hearing and vision aids
• Kitchen aids

Conclusion

Seniors can enjoy an independent lifestyle longer and more safely with the wide variety of health aids on the market today. If you or a loved one needs additional assistance, try some of these products to see what a difference they might make in day-to-day living.