While the overwhelming majority of seniors prefer to remain in their homes as they age, they face a number of challenges. The most important of these, which directly affects their overall health and wellness, is mobility, inside and outside the house. Falls and slips can be dangerous, leading to broken bones and worse. Mobility devices like stair lifts for home and wheelchair lifts for vans can restore mobility and safety to seniors? lives, both indoors and outdoors.
Aging in place safely
Most people prefer to stay in their own homes, amid familiar surroundings, as they age. They have a lifetime of associations with their homes, gardens and neighborhoods. A survey jointly conducted by the AARP and the National Conference of State Legislatures found that as many a 90% of people over 65 would prefer want to live in their own homes for as long as they can. Vehicle accessibility products like wheelchair lifts for vans give seniors the mobility to move outside their homes and to enjoy outings.
Aging in place is a priority for many seniors, but it can come with all kinds of serious risks to health and safety. Falls and trips are common and can lead to serious injuries. An older adult is treated in an emergency room for a fall every 11 seconds, somewhere in the country. At an advanced age, falls can be dangerous, leading to broken bones and worse. One of the most important ways to ensure the safety of seniors is to add safety mobility devices around the home. These can include stairlifts, wheelchair ramps, bath safety, vehicle lifts, etc.
Safety within the home
Disabilities connected to lack of mobility affect as many as 53 million Americans. Of these, about 6.8 million use mobility devices like vertical lifts for homes and door openers to make daily living easier. As many as 50% of all falls among older adults happen at home. That’s why safety devices that make homes, stairs and bathrooms more accessible are some of the most frequently requested home improvements.
Slip and falls in the bathroom can happen at any age but are most dangerous for older adults, whose bones have become more brittle and liable to break over time. Simple home improvements like bathroom grab bars can make all the difference to the safety of seniors.
Mobility outside the home
As people begin to age, they come to consider access to the outdoors to be a luxury that they can live without. However, simple additions like wheelchair accessible ramps and door openers can restore the simple pleasures of enjoying fresh air and sunshine.
For trips farther from home, wheelchair lifts for vans give seniors access to the wider world again. They can again enjoy trips, visits, cultural activities and even just a drive in the cool evening air. Being able to exit and enter the house safely can also be an important consideration for seniors in need of regular medical care or visits.
As the population ages, there is a greater need for mobility devices like wheelchair lifts for vans and chair lifts for seniors. Handicap accessible bathrooms and handicap door opener buttons can likewise make aging in place safer and more comfortable.
