Last Updated on June 13, 2024

Mobility Aids for Seniors and Those with Disabilities

As you age or recover from surgery, your ability to move may change. Thankfully, there are many types of mobility aids to assist in everyday tasks in the privacy of your home and even out in public. You’ll know you need aids for disabled and elderly when there is an inability to walk up and down stairs, general difficulty walking, or there are slips in the bathtub and shower.

Disability aids for elderly can include portable items like canes or permanent items like bathroom grab bars. Read on to learn more about assistive devices for you or your loved one.

What Items are Available to Help Individuals with Disabilities?

Disability aids for elderly usually assist with everyday tasks like bathing, cooking, and moving about the home. Adaptive equipment for seniors includes the following:

Shoes: A long shoe horn can help them slide on shoes that might require bending or straining the back.
Entryways: A threshold ramp can assist with walkers or wheelchairs through uneven doorways.
Grabber: A claw-like device is an extension of the arm and can pick small things up off the ground or from a shelf that may be out-of-reach.
Lap desk: This lets anyone place things on their lap without balancing too much
Bed levers: Assists in leaving the bed or moving into the bed
Canes: Helps provide a “third leg” option for those with walking impediments or those who need a portable and steady option to stand.
Walkers: Available with and without rolling options, a walker provides a two-handed option for steady movement throughout the home or in public. Furthermore, they are portable because they fold easily.

There are many more assistive items available, but these are the most common and helpful to consider.

3 Types of Assistive Devices for Seniors

Mobility aids for seniors involve more than the handheld devices mentioned above. Some signs to look out for include an inability to walk up or down stairs, difficulty walking, and slipping in the shower. With that in mind, mobility devices for elderly can include more robust options that require installation or assembly.

Stairlifts: Available as a temporary option or a built-in permanent option, stairlifts help people move from first-floor to second-floor living spaces, and down again. Stairlifts for indoor or outdoor use are an excellent solution to navigating all kinds of stairways safely. You can install stairlifts on curved or straight staircases, too.
Ramps: Aluminum modular ramps help those seeking a low-maintenance, durable ramp system to improve wheelchair accessibility. Smaller ramp solutions, such as threshold ramps, suitcase ramps, and tri-fold ramps are ideal for mobile accessibility in the home or while on the road when visiting family. Ramps also help those who use a walker since they offer even, steady footing in otherwise challenging environments.
Power Recliners: These recliners help the user find their footing as they stand by slowly and gently lifting the back and seat at an angle that promotes standing. The same is true for moving from a standing to a seated position. This gives the user a chance to slowly stand and grab their cane or walker with ease or leverage themselves into a chair while reclining

How to Choose Mobility Aids for Seniors

Mobility equipment for elderly depends on the physical abilities of the individual. Some may need a robust wheelchair with a motor while others just need a shoe-horn to assist with their favorite pair of shoes. A physical therapist or doctor may be able to offer insight into which devices are needed and which are helpful.

For more information about disability aids for elderly, contact Williams Lifts today.