HealthcareHow To Promote Better Health and Living For Mobility-Impaired Patients

Mobility-impaired people are those individuals experiencing limits in their limb’s functioning that make it hard for them to move from one place to another. Some most common causes of mobility impairments include arthritis, amputation, back disorders, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, spinal cord injury due to accidents, and more.

In 2021, it was reported in the overall world population that at least 1 billion people are experiencing any form of disability. With this, numbers are still increasing up to this day, and there are more reasons why giving attention to knowing how to help these individuals is a must. Stated below are some of the ways how you could help mobility-impaired patients and improve their health and living:

Allot Time For Outdoor Activities

Going for outdoor activities could bring many benefits to a person, such as improving one’s mental health and getting enough Vitamin D supply from sunlight. Unfortunately, some people think going outdoors is impossible or challenging, especially if they always need assistance from someone.

A great way to help your loved ones go outdoors is to invest in wheelchairs or, better yet, mobility scooters. Mobility scooters are very elderly-friendly and provide a person the sense of freedom they need as it allows them to control the scooter on their own. Compared to wheelchairs, less to no assistance is needed, and the best thing about it doesn’t require gas to use, making it environmentally friendly too.

Create Mobility-Impaired Friendly Spaces

Physical access is one of the main barriers to living for anyone with impairments. Typically, these people are required to use mobility aids like wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, and more.

In creating friendly spaces for these kinds of people, you must have doors that can accommodate the size of the wheelchairs and other aids they need. If they also have guide dogs to help them, allowing some pets in various establishments could also be a great idea.

If you’re a business owner, ensure the sidewalks in your area are clean and spacious so elders can walk or scooter their way inside your shop comfortably. Also, improving transportation needs through designating a specific place for them in vehicles is a massive plus in creating a better environment and living for them.

Track Their Medicine Intake

Most people who have mobility issues are elders. Given that old age sometimes could affect the human body, people are then required to take some medicines for maintenance. These medicines are prescribed to patients to help them feel better, prevent further harm, and help improve their health status.

Thus, if you’re taking care of someone who was prescribed medicine, ensure they take it on time and with proper dosages. Tracking each medicine intake will allow you to know whether or not you still have stock left or if they have already taken medicine.

Also, with the various medicines nowadays, it’s essential to know how each prescribed medication differs from one another. So, track effectively by writing it down in a separate notebook or have a mobile application installed in your phone to help you get reminder notifications too.

Learn How To Communicate and Understand Properly

People who are mobility impaired know they need help, but some are hesitant to ask for assistance for various reasons; they feel shy, embarrassed, still in denial that they need help, or fear that they may be neglected. With this being said, you could use some effective communication tricks to make them feel welcome and open to offer any assistance they need.

For example, if you’re a teacher handling a student diagnosed with muscle dystrophy, where a person’s muscles progressively weaken and cause mobility in the future, you would expect that they will need a wheelchair to move around. In this sense, make sure you talk to them at eye level. This way, they would feel welcomed and prevent making them feel as if they are different or not there.

Bending down in communicating with a mobility-impaired person to keep an eye-level conversation with them may seem like a simple act. Still, it’s something that could create a positive impact on both parties and help mold a better relationship. This goes the same, too, if you’re conversing with people who use crutches.

Take time to repeat what the other person is conveying by repeating what you understood. If you don’t understand a thing they have said, tell them so they can also help you know them better.

Set Realistic Goals With Your Doctors

Setting goals could help you achieve the things you want in life. Some people are diagnosed with temporary mobility issues, and recovery is possible, while others don’t. If your mobility is something that you could still improve in the future, you should always schedule checkups with your medical health provider to guide you.

Final Thoughts

For each person, mobility impairment could be in various wide ranges. Some could experience temporary impairments, such as having a broken arm, to permanent cases like progressive muscle degeneration. But, whether or not you know someone or you are a person who is mobility impaired, there are ways to help you improve your health and make living life better, like the ones stated above.

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