How to Maintain Mobility in Older People

Mobility in older people

Mobility in older people

One common consequence of old age is a decrease in mobility. Where once you could spritely take yourself virtually anywhere, you may now find yourself struggling to even move up and down the stairs. This decline in mobility brings with it a loss of independence, which in turn could affect the self-confidence of an older person.

This video from Be Independent Home Care examines how older people can maintain plentiful mobility into their senior years. Some recommended actions are common sense, like obtaining daily exercise and maintaining a healthy diet. Others prioritize the enhancement of certain anatomical features. For instance, take special care of your eyesight and go for regular check-ups on your vision. If this starts to let you down as you get older, inevitably you will find it a lot harder to move about. Also, be good to your feet. Select your footwear carefully so that you can move around easily. If shoes feel uncomfortable, it’s time to switch to a different pair that fits you better.

In some cases, it may be a good idea to customize your home so that you can maintain mobility. This could involve the fitting of a stairlift to transport you up and down the stairs with ease, or perhaps adding grab rails and walk-in bathroom units. Essentially, if it will help you to remain mobile, it’s worth the investment of time, money and effort, as no price can be put on the importance of strong mobility in older age.

What is your worst symptom of Rheumatoid Arthritis? Please share at our latest poll!


Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis

As some of you may know my late grandmother suffered , through most of her life with severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA).

As a child it is hard to understand all the various symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis she lived with and how they impacted upon the totality of her lifestyle. Certainly RA put massive strain on her marriage.

If you has asked me at the time I would have said that mobility was her biggest issue. Indeed she was housebound for the last 15 or so years of her life. The perhaps pain. She died 25 years ago when pain management was much more primitive that it is now.

But with the benefit of hindsight I going to suggest something rather different. I’d say now depression. She came from a generation which did not “mention these things”. Only after her death did I find out that she had been hospitalised a number of time for depression during the forties and fifties. Due in part to, of course, to the pressures of the war but also, I’m certain, to her RA.

Thinking about this I wondered to what extent her experience was similar to yours. To achieve this I was wondering if you could take part in the poll below which asks “What is your worst symptom of Rheumatoid Arthritis?”


If you would like it would be great if you could share more of your RA story in the comments section below. If we have missed out your worst symptom of RA in the poll please could you mention it in the comments section as well!

Many thanks in advance!


Beach Freedom – a great idea for wheelchair users who want to rent a beach wheelchair for their vacation! A guest post from Lauren Hopkins


Beach freedom wheelchairs

Hopkins says Beach freedom wheelchairs

Welcome to our latest guest post in PatientTalk.Org.  Today Lauren Hopkins shares the story of Beach Freedom – a specialist beach wheelchair rental company in Florida.

Hopkins says “I want to introduce you to the #1 destination to rent a powered beach wheelchair; yes you heard it right, POWERED. Beach Freedom Rentals is a new beach wheelchair rental company based out of Southeast Florida. They started with the goal of bringing the fun of the beach back to those with limited mobility. They provide the option of renting chairs daily or by the week. Each chair is equipped with an umbrella to protect you from the sun. The chairs can run on a fully charged battery for up to 5 hours. They are controlled with a joystick located on the chairs arm rest. The company’s goal is to place a Beach Freedom Rental location in every beach community in the United States.

Currently Beach Freedom has chairs available to rent in Southeast Florida. Make your reservation today and enjoy the freedom of navigating the beach on your own. Visit our website at www.beachfreedomrentals.com or call our reservation hotline at 800-958-7950.”


Fibromyalgia. have you had to stop driving because of your fibromyalgia? Please take our poll!

Driving and fibromyalgia  - tell us more

Driving and fibromyalgia – tell us more

Mobility issues are, of course, of prime importance to people with fibromyalgia or any kind of arthritis.

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For my grandmother who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis not be able to drive a car had a massive impact on her lifestyle and general feelings of wellbeing.

So we are very interested in find out to what extent are people with fibro ( or indeed any other arthritic condition) are able to use a motor car.

Firstly it would be great if you could take the poll below.

Secondly if you could use the comments box to share your story about fibro and driving that would be brilliant.    By telling your story you can help other people with FMS in a similar situation.

Many thanks in advance