2 Ways To Help Your Elderly Parent Continue To Live Independently

Your aging parent may live alone. As he or she gets older, there is a chance you have noticed some changes. For example, your mother or father may have a hard time getting up and down the stairs or traveling to the store because walking around too much gets tiring and causes some pain. However, he or she may not want to move to an assisted living facility and would prefer to remain as independent as possible. The good news is there are several things you can do to help your parent continue to live independently for the time being.

1. Have a Stair Lift Installed Inside the Home

One of the main things you may be concerned about is how your parent will get up and down the stairs, especially if he or she falls down often. Falling down the steps is extremely dangerous because it could cause a person to break bones in their body or even lose their life. As a way to prevent something like that from happening to your loved one, you could choose to have a stair lift installed on the staircase.

Instead of walking up and down each step, your parent could sit down on the seat, strap themselves in and then use a button that would move the seat up to the top step and down to the bottom one when necessary. It would make it that much easier for your parent to get upstairs when he or she needs to use the bathroom or go to bed each night. It is a safe and convenient option that could help you worry a bit less.

2. Invest in a Mobility Scooter

If daily tasks have become a bit harder for your parent, such as going to get groceries or getting to appointments, you can make sure he or she no longer has to walk to the supermarket. If you are not available to take your parent somewhere that he or she needs to go, they could always use the mobility scooter instead of stressing about how they will get to a specific place. The great thing about the mobility scooter is that it is operated via controls instead of manually. Unlike a traditional wheelchair, your parent would be able to sit down and relax while moving down the block at a comfortable pace instead of having to use his or her arms just to get the chair to move. Some mobility scooters come with baskets attached to them. These may come in handy if your parent goes shopping for a few small items at the store.

If your mother or father is starting to have a difficult time doing certain kinds of things, such as walking up and down the stairs or walking to the grocery store, there are some products designed to help them. Having a stair lift installed and investing a mobility scooter could benefit your parent and allow him or her to continue to enjoy living independently.

Contact a service such as All-Star Lifts for more tips on how to help your aging parent keep their independence.