The number of Americans over the age of 55 continues to grow each year as baby boomers reach retirement age. This special population is more independent and physically active than ever before, but many find that everyday living is not as easy as it was when they were younger. Growing older presents some challenges that you may not have experienced before and may not be prepared to conquer. You may begin to have problems with dexterity or find it difficult just to maintain good hygiene practices. The once-simple act of dressing becomes a major chore without some assistance. Fortunately, some tools and aids are designed to help you accomplish daily living activities independently. There is help for problems that primarily affect seniors as they age. If you are feeling the frustration that comes with losing the ability to perform self-care tasks, such as bathing or dressing, you are not alone. Cooking, cleaning, doing laundry, or tying shoelaces become very difficult. Many high-quality aids are available to help make your life easier and less stressful. If you have limited mobility, medical conditions such as diabetes, vision problems, or hearing loss issues, there are many health aids that address these problems. Many seniors suffer from arthritis, which severely limits them from performing some tasks that once were easy such as reaching, bending, or grabbing items from a shelf. Fortunately, many affordable personal and household aids can help solve many of these problems and allow a senior to remain independent. These senior-focused health aids eliminate the need for you to have to rely on anyone for day-to-day living tasks
Help is Available for Seniors with Physical Limitations
Age-related problems interfere with everyday living and make simple tasks difficult to perform. Normal activities that you did without thinking such as buttoning a shirt, opening a jar, or walking upstairs become staggering tasks as you age. Health aids for seniors are helping people to function better even with physical limitations. Some products that can help you function better are easy to find.
- Hearing and vision aids for seniors help make it easier to watch television and movies and listen to music. Telephone amplifiers and receivers with flashing lights alert you to calls. Flashing lights and extra loud fire alarms help keep seniors safe at home.
- Getting up from a chair is difficult if you have arthritis. Power chairs that lift and elevate to a certain angle help stabilize you with less strain.
- Experts agree that the bathroom is one of the most dangerous places in the home for seniors. If you have difficulty just stepping into a bathtub or shower, help is available that can make this dangerous task easier and safer. Some safety and convenience aids are elevated toilet seats, rails for the shower, bathtub, and beside the toilet to assist with lifting. Bath mats with a non-skid back can save you from falls.
- Most seniors take many different medicines that need to be safely stored in an organized manner. You may feel overwhelmed by the amount and variety of medications and find it hard to keep track of them. A functional medicine organizer helps you organize medicine daily or weekly. These organizers help prevent overdoses or taking the wrong medicine at the wrong time.
- Arthritis and other medical conditions can limit your ability to prepare nutritious meals for yourself. Easy to grip knob turners make it easier for you go turn on the stove, microwave, or other appliance. Automatic jar openers make it easy to open any size jars quickly. Arthritis makes it difficult to cut meat or vegetables safely, but there are cut-resistant gloves that eliminate the possibility of slicing your fingers.
Commonly Asked Questions about Health Aids for Seniors
Q. I live in a two-story home and feel trapped on the first floor because of the difficulty of climbing the stairs. Is there a health aid to help me go upstairs safely?
A. Yes. You can install an affordable electric chair lift.
Q. I need to be able to take better care of my teeth and practice good oral hygiene, but I have dexterity problems. Is there a product that can help me?
A. Power toothbrushes are easier to hold and use because the handles are larger. You can find dental floss with plastic handles, which makes flossing easier.
Q. Even though I wear glasses, I find it difficult to see numbers on my clock or other items like the remote control for my television are there health aids that can help?
A. There are many items that address low vision in seniors such as enlarged numbers on phones and remote controls.
Q. My daughter worries about me falling when I take my dog for a walk. Is there a product I could wear that would notify emergency services if I should fall while walking in the park?
A. Yes. There are several wearable devices designed for seniors that use the newest available technology.
The articles on this website should not be used to start the use of dietary supplements or vitamins, natural or herbal products, homeopathic medicine or other mentioned products prior to a proper consultation with a doctor or certified health provider.