Years ago, seniors who had trouble getting up and getting around were relegated to a sedentary lifestyle. Thankfully, innovations in mobility devices have made it possible for seniors to not only get out of their chairs, but to also get out of their homes and down the street with relative ease and confidence.
You are already familiar with some of these devices, and we cover them at greater length in some of the other articles in this section. Scooters, walkers, and wheelchairs are widely used by seniors and come in a variety of configurations and with a variety of features. There are some devices, however, that may be less familiar, and we have chosen to cover a few of them here.
Lift Chairs. Life chairs are reclining chairs, much like the La-Z-Boy recliners, but with the ability to recline forward as well as backward. When you need a little lift off to get out of the chair, just use the controller to move the seat and chair forward, and the seat will tilt forward allowing you to get out of the chair more easily. These chairs typically come with three positions: upright, back, and forward.
HipSavers. While these are not mobility aids per se, HipSavers make it possible for older adults who are fearful of breaking a hip should they fall feel safer, and therefore more capable of getting around. HipSavers look like support underwear with round, protective pads on each side, covering and protecting the hips. Should the wearer fall, the padding will protect their hips from injury.
Shower Sandal. The Shower Sandle is a clever, Scandinavian designed sandal that suctions to the bottom of the shower. You place your foot in the sandal and the soft bristles on the bottom clean your entire foot bottom, sides, and between your toes, all while providing you with an invigorating foot massage, all without you having to bend or reach down.
Cutlery with Angled Heads. Forks, knives, and spoons are designed and manufactured with angled heads for those with limited wrist mobility. These clever utensils make it easier to cut and pick up food at mealtime. The handles are made of thick plastic making them easy to grasp. Instead of coming straight up out of the handle, the heads of the forks, spoons, and knives, come up and then bend at a 45 degree angle, either to the left or right, to accommodate left or right handed users.
ResQUp. The ResQUp is a device that is used to help people who have fallen to the ground and have not suffered an injury as a result, but simply cannot get themselves back up. The ResQUp is a folding 3-step structure that sits on the floor and is used by the person who has fallen to carefully and safely lift him or herself up each step until they are able to sit on the top step and eventually lift themselves to a standing position. It is a simple, safe, and easy way to solve this common problem, while maintaining dignity and a sense of independence.