Senior Care and Mobility Scooters
Seniors who live with mobility challenges may find that a mobility scooter can open doors they once thought to be closed. A mobility scooter can enable seniors with poor balance or stamina to engage in a greater selection of meaningful activities, significantly improving their quality of life.
Types of Mobility Scooters
There are different types of scooters for different needs and situations.
Full-Size Scooters
Full-size scooters are built for easy maneuvering in tight, indoor spaces as well as to hold up to rougher outdoor terrain. They tend to be larger, more comfortable, and hold more weight than some of their more compact competitors.
Long-Range Scooters
Long-range scooters are engineered for longer outings. Some can go up to 20-45 minutes on a single charge.
Heavy-Duty Scooters
Made for rugged outdoor terrain, heavy-duty scooters are built with wide bases, large motors and big tires.
Travel Scooters
Portable or travel scooters are lightweight and designed for easy disassembly so that they can easily fit into the trunk of a car, onto a bus, or an airplane.
3-Wheel versus 4-Wheel Scooters
3-wheel scooters tend to be able to turn around in tighter spots and are ideal for indoor environments, although they can be taken outdoors on paved areas. 4-wheel scooters offer the most stable experience, especially outdoors on the grass or uneven ground.
Selecting a Scooter
There are so many styles of scooters that it’s important to research the options thoroughly to determine a good match before making a purchase. Factors such as weight capacity, top speed, distance per charge, suitability for outdoor use, maneuverability, and portability are key factors that each individual senior will need to weigh. It may be worth consulting with an occupational therapist (OT) to get their professional input on your unique situation. Talk to the doctor regarding setting up an OT assessment.
Scooters Aren’t for Everybody
Seniors must have adequate eyesight, judgment, and physical capability to operate a motorized scooter safely.
Senior Care can Help with Mobility
Oftentimes, seniors with mobility difficulties turn to professional senior care services for assistance with mobility and other challenges of aging. Senior care aides can assist with shopping and transportation, and can often help get wheelchairs or mobility scooters in and out of vehicles.
Senior care aides can also help seniors with poor mobility around the house in a number of different ways. Senior care aides can walk with the senior, to simply assist with balance, or to build strength and stamina as part of a therapist-recommended home exercise program. Senior care aides can help seniors safely transfer from wheelchair to bed or chair if needed and can assist with personal care needs. Senior care aides can also help by taking care of housework, laundry, bed linen changes, pet care, or meal preparation that may be challenging for a senior with reduced mobility.
Quality of life is hugely valuable for seniors. If a mobility scooter can enable an older adult to live more fully, it should be embraced. The same can be said for senior care support. Many seniors find that senior care enables them to live life to its potential. Talk to the senior care agency to explore how they can support and enhance your senior loved one’s quality of life.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Service in Northfield, IL, call the caring staff at LifeCare Home Health & In-Home Services. Call (888) 606-4199 LifeCare serves all of the Chicago Metro Area.
Sources
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/
https://aging.com/best-mobility-scooters/
https://bestpowerwheelchair.com/
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