It’s no secret that our bodies change with age. As we grow older, aches and pains last longer, mobility wanes, and our eyes and ears don’t work as well as they used to. Coping with these changes can be challenging — both physically and mentally — but taking a proactive, positive approach to age-related disability is a must if you want to age in good health and good spirits.
Positive Coping Methods for Age-Related Disability
Mobility Loss
Mobility loss is caused by a variety of factors, including osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. Mobility loss can also be the result of injuries or health conditions. Many seniors with mobility problems develop a fear of falling. In a quest to avoid further disability, they avoid pushing their body more than necessary. However, this is the wrong approach. A sedentary lifestyle exacerbates mobility problems, hastening the loss of independence.
A smarter approach is finding ways to minimize discomfort so you can live a more active lifestyle. The bed is the first place to start; as the spot where you spend a third of each day, it’s important that your mattress is supportive so you wake up with minimal pain. Since the wrong mattress can exacerbate back pain, seniors should ensure they’re sleeping on a bed that’s built for comfort.
Next, seniors should look for ways to make their homes easier and more comfortable to navigate. Downsizing to a smaller home is a smart move for seniors who can’t take the stairs or need accessibility for a mobility device, while adaptations like pull-down shelving, roll-in showers, and home automation make daily tasks easier. You can also opt for a full-scale bathroom remodel, but this can be on the pricier side (remodeling a bathroom averages $8,368 in Largo). Modifications like these do more than minimize discomfort: They make your home an empowering place to live.
Hearing Loss
Hearing loss can be an isolating experience for older adults. When you struggle to communicate or keep up with conversations, it’s tempting to stay home. However, isolating yourself isn’t just lonely, it’s also dangerous for your health. The most important thing seniors can do to cope with hearing loss is to use hearing aids. While many seniors have hearing loss, fewer than one in three who need hearing aids use them. As hard as it is to come to terms with hearing loss, failing to treat it puts your health and happiness in harm’s way.
Many movie theaters, museums, sporting events, and other public places are also increasingly considering patrons with hearing loss. With the assistance of closed-captioning and sound-amplification devices (can be found for under $50), assistive listening systems, and transcripts for audio programming, you can still enjoy your favorite activities.
Vision Loss
Most seniors experience some vision changes as they age, but for seniors with glaucoma, macular degeneration, and other eye diseases, vision loss can be disabling. Seniors who lose the ability to drive, read, or handle daily tasks often feel devastated by their vision loss, but blindness and low vision shouldn’t stop you from living a fulfilling life.
Assistive devices like screen readers and magnifiers can help seniors live well with vision loss, as can improved lighting, reorganization, and other changes at home. If you’re not sure how best to adapt to vision loss, an occupational therapist specializing in low vision can help you design your home in a way that makes daily living easier.
Seniors with vision loss also need a transportation plan that enables independence. Family and friends, public transportation, rideshare services, and volunteer transportation services are all options, but avoid relying on just one. Having a variety of transportation options at your disposal ensures you can get where you need to go.
Disability is among the greatest challenges of aging, but taking a defeatist attitude is the worst way seniors can respond to emerging disabilities. That’s because positive thinking doesn’t just lift your spirits. It’s actually proven to reduce pain, improve motivation, and increase resilience against the challenges life throws your way. Instead of letting age-related disability get you down, look for ways to overcome challenges and make the most of the years ahead.
Article Written by Kent Elliott
athomeaging.info