Understanding Senior Mobility Issues

Many seniors have trouble walking and moving around as they get older. Unfortunately, these difficulties can seriously impact their general well-being, independence, and quality of life. Prevention, management, and building support networks – such as adding home care assistance – can help seniors not only understand mobility issues but also how to better manage them. Some of the reasons behind mobility issues for seniors are explored further below.

Physical Alterations and Conditions

Natural physical changes linked to aging impact mobility. Through a process known as sarcopenia, muscle mass and strength drop steadily with age. In fact, many people will lose up to 30% of their muscular mass by age eighty compared to their younger years. As a result, seniors often see a decrease in their ability to balance, as well as their coordination and walking skills.

Another important change that occurs, which also impacts mobility, is joint degradation, or osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis breaks away cartilage in weight-bearing joints, including hips and knees, which leads to chronic pain, stiffness, and a limited range of motion. In addition, bone density loss – osteoporosis – increases fracture risk and often results in protective movement patterns influencing gait. Finally, changes in foot anatomy and disorders like bunions or peripheral neuropathy can induce pain and change walking mechanics as well. Often, seniors might not even notice these changes, allowing them to become the norm.

Neurological Elements

The neurological system changes significantly with age. Those changes impact seniors even more when they’re diagnosed with certain conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s and other disorders directly affect movement control due to dopamine insufficiency. As a result, seniors may adopt a shuffling walk, rigidity, and additional balance issues.

Beyond those conditions, muscle weakness, stiffness, or paralysis on one side of the body are common aftereffects of a stroke. However, seniors with home care assistance benefit from monitoring and gentle correction to help them improve their gait, as well as encouragement to practice assigned physical therapy activities that help them regain control.

Cognitive loss also influences mobility. Age or diseases like dementia reduce a senior’s capacity for executive function, which is the ability to plan and execute difficult motions. Hesitancy in walking, freezing spells, and more fall risk can occur due to this issue.

Medication Affects and Chronic Illnesses

Many medications that doctors prescribe can interfere with a senior’s mobility. Sedatives, antidepressants, blood pressure medications, and certain pain relievers may cause dizziness, drowsiness, or orthostatic hypotension (sudden blood pressure dips upon standing). Not only that, but common chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, heart failure, and respiratory diseases, can cause tiredness, weakness, and decreased physical capacity that all influence mobility.

Vision and Sensory Alterations

Cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and other visual problems can limit environmental hazard detection. In addition, seniors’ ability to sense their body position in space, or proprioception, also declines with age, which can lead to unsteady steps and balance issues.

With home care assistance, seniors can better understand what is causing mobility issues and put a plan in place to help improve the situation. For instance, seniors can work on strength and balance training, talk with their medical team about their prescriptions, or make environmental changes that promote better mobility. While they may not enjoy the mobility they had in their younger years, these improvements can give them more confidence and allow them to continue living independently.

Sources:
https://www.healthinaging.org/tools-and-tips/caregiver-guide-mobility-problem
https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/health/info-2019/mobility-problems.html
https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/maintaining-mobility-and-preventing-disability-are-key-living-independently-we-age

If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Queens Creek, AZ, please call the caring staff at Golden Heart Senior Care of Scottsdale at (480) 284-7360. We are here to help!