Mobility is likely to decline as we age and as we deal with potential injuries. For those living at home but with mobility issues, it is always a good idea to determine the overall mobility needs and how they can be met. Patient mobility needs assessment is a great tool that can help you determine what mobility aids you might be in need of.
Determining Patient Mobility Needs
When it comes to losing mobility, it can be challenging to meet your needs and find the help that you need to get around. For home health nurses and professionals, one of the most important things is to determine how to meet the mobility needs of your particular patients.
The first step is to have a patient mobility needs assessment. This will help the provider or the home health professional determine how much mobility help is needed, the likelihood that the patient will regain mobility, and help to determine what mobility aids might be needed and might be beneficial.
This type of assessment is going to help the provider figure out what to do about declining mobility, and also help figure out what solutions there are for that particular patient. The needs of each patient, even those with similar issues, will all be unique to the patient and to the home or facility they are living in.
What Mobility Options Are There?
A range of mobility aids and solutions can help those with mobility loss either permanently or temporarily. One such aid is wheelchair ramps. Ramps can be used in the home to gain access to the home and more. Ramps can be permanent in nature or temporary and movable, which is a huge benefit for those struggling with mobility issues.
Walkers are another great mobility aid. They can assist people inside the home and even when they go out to stores and the doctor and can offer just enough support to help with movement. You can get crutches, wheelchairs, and other smaller mobility aids that can be used on an as-needed basis for those that might not be struggling with permanent mobility issues.
With those that are truly struggling with mobility, you can also get lifts that help place patients in the bed, that help lift them into and out of the tub, lifts for the car and so much more. It is important to take the time to determine what the mobility issues are for each patient before you decide what options there are and what will work overall.