Mobility problems become more common in old age due to health conditions, injuries, or any other factors and will have a great impact on both physical and mental health. Proper mobility plays a significant role in living a healthy and active lifestyle and maintaining independence. Hence it is very important to raise awareness about the complexity of factors that influence mobility. Mobility is broadly defined as the ability to move either by walking, by using assistive devices, or by using transportation, within the home, to the neighbourhood, to the nearby locations and regions beyond.
Table of contents:
The latest trend in mobility that is making the news headlines about health is “walk and move” and to keep fit and healthy. Mobility is necessary for getting through the day, whether to walk across a room to go to the bathroom or kitchen, get out of bed or a chair, or walk to the nearby grocery store.
Loss of mobility, which is common among old age people, has extreme social, psychological, physical, and emotional consequences. Improving mobility and physical fitness, are vital to increase muscle strength, flexibility, balance, posture, coordination and reduce the risk of falling. Improving mobility also helps to keep older people living an independent life and not depending on any family members even for the smallest things.
Mobility problems in old age people are due to several reasons and the main issues include:
Reduced Muscle Strength: One of the main age-related changes that cause mobility is due to reduced muscle strength. As we grow older, we lose muscle mass and strength which leads to tiredness and weakness in the bones and it becomes difficult even getting up from a chair or walking small distances.
Certain physical and mental health conditions: Some health-related issues that grow with age such as – arthritis (a leading cause of joint mobility), osteoporosis (a medical condition that reduces bone density causing bones to become brittle and break), some heart diseases, obesity in some people due to hereditary, diabetes, decreased balance and coordination, malnutrition (if old people are not taken good care), and depression which again is the reason if old people are left alone in the house or not attended properly.
Mobility in older people can be improved greatly by encouraging them to do small physical activities and exercises. There are some exercises that you can consider incorporating into the daily routine of old age people:
Mobility is broadly defined as the ability to move either by walking, by using assistive devices, or by using transportation from one place to another. Proper mobility plays a significant role in living a healthy and active lifestyle and maintaining independence. Mobility problems in old age occur due to reduced muscle strength, injuries, or certain physical or mental health conditions. It is important to improve mobility in the elderly loved ones by encouraging them to do small physical activities and exercises like stretching and walking, by providing good and healthy nutrition, specifically tailored to the needs of old age people, by encouraging them to use mobility assistive devices to build confidence. This will improve their emotional as well as physical health.