Old age is something that affects everyone in one way or another. For many, it’s a loss of hair that rich and beautiful hair colour that sets you aside from the crowd and for others, it’s increased time spent in the hospital, away from the things you enjoy most. These changes in our body and lifestyle are unavoidable so let us embrace old age and greet it with open arms and a warm and welcoming smile.
Mobility is a topic that is often associated with old age. In fact, it has been recently discovered that common factors that lead to a loss of mobility include older age, low physical activity and obesity. This means that as the years go by your mobility is likely to reduce making it difficult to get around the home and the local area.
Reduced mobility can not only make it difficult to get out and about but it can also lead to moving up and down the staircase being difficult. In this article, we will be discussing the key signs you should look out for when deciding if it’s time to invest in a stairlift.
Avoiding The Upstairs Of The Property
It all starts with a slight fear/dread at the back of your mind when it comes to tackling the stairs. This feeling can be so powerful that you start to unconsciously avoid using the stairs in your property. This feeling can stem from several different things, whether it be the physical exhaustion of using the stairs to a worry about a fall, all of which can be easily avoided by having the correct mobility equipment in place. If you are interested in learning about stair lifts you can find more information here.
Recovering From A Recent Fall
Slips, trips and falls are all inevitable when reaching old age. It could have been when you were out on a walk or maybe it was a simple activity like picking up some mess from the floor. These events can, unfortunately, have a huge knock on your confidence, especially when it comes to travelling up the stairs. For good reason too! Research from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents shows that you’re more likely to fall on your stairs than anywhere else in the home.
Thoughts Of Moving To A Smaller Home
Old age is going to take a lot away from you in your life, but one thing that it should never take away is your beloved home. With only 3.6% of people over 65 years old are in nursing homes, more and more people are deciding to continue living in their homes long into old age. Downsizing may have only been a passing idea but if there is one thing that you take away from this article is that your mobility should not be the driving force behind you selling the home you worked so hard for.
Increased Support From Family
There is nothing wrong with leaning on your family and friends as old age settles in. These are the relationships that are built up with loved ones that will leave you with plenty of company as you settle into retirement life. If you are finding that you are having to rely on friends and family more than you want, especially when it comes to supporting travelling up and down the stairs, then it may be time to weigh up all of the options available to you, which may mean investing in a stairlift.
Time Taken To Navigate The Stairs
The average stairlift takes 35 seconds to travel the stairs. How long does it take you? Whilst every property is different, you must pick up on the signs early. Don’t waste any more time struggling to get up and down the stairs and make an investment that will save your precious time. There is always something you can be doing which would be a much better use of your time.
Struggling With Eyesight
Getting regular eye checkups should be an essential part of maintaining your health as you move into old age. Some people experience the eyesight becoming a lot more blurry and faded as they get older so it’s important that you need to be mindful of it. Certain conditions such as dementia, Parkinson’s and visual impairments can make it a struggle to place the first step in your mind. Misjudging this crucial step could lead to a dangerous fall. Don’t risk it and live a life of safety by installing a stairlift.
Taking The Next Steps
Stairlifts are a substantial investment for any homeowner. Whilst today might not be the day, keep an eye out for these signs and be prepared for the day to come. Feel free to reach out to a family or friend to help guide you through this process, the world of straight & curved stairlifts can be very confusing but with the right support, you will have no problems at all getting the mobility support you need to live a long and happy life.
