Recognizing mobility loss in your aging family member isn’t always as easy as you might expect it to be. She might be having a difficulty that you’ve missed because it looks different than what you thought it would.
Mobility Loss
It’s Unusual that You See Her Moving Around
If your senior lives alone, you likely visit her as often as you can. During those visits, it’s important to notice how often you see her moving around or whether she gets up and moves around at all. Often seniors don’t want to worry anyone, and they might try to avoid calling attention to the fact that moving around is more difficult than it used to be. So start paying closer attention to what you’re not seeing.
Her Movements Are Much Slower than Usual
During those times when you do see your elderly family member moving around, pay close attention to how she’s moving. If you’re noticing that her movements are slower or more careful than usual, that might mean that she’s having mobility issues. She might be concerned about falling, which makes her self-conscious about her movements, or she might be experiencing pain as she moves.
She Always Has Reasons for Not Going Places
When you or other people invite your senior out, does she seem to always have a reason not to go? If so, she might be a little worried about what might occur when she’s out. Or she might be worried that her mobility issues will become a focus of the outing and she wants to avoid that problem. Regardless, if she’s staying at home a lot more than usual, that presents multiple problems.
You’re Noticing She Seems to Be More Isolated
One of the biggest issues involved in your senior turning down more invitations for getting out could be that she’s becoming more isolated. Isolation can breed loneliness and even depression and if your senior is having mobility issues, she could be putting herself at grave risk of becoming injured. If you’re noticing that she seems to be more isolated, try talking to her about what is going on.
Your Senior Has Fallen at Least Once
If your elderly family member has fallen or has almost fallen, that can make her extremely afraid of doing so again. This is especially true if she didn’t let you know that she had an incident or a close call. Falling is incredibly frightening and it can result in big injuries for your aging family member.
You may find that elderly care providers can help you to spot potential mobility issues for your senior. They can also help her to feel safer at home, especially if she’s spending a lot of time alone.
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