subject: Mobility Impairment Affects All Age Demographics - Not Just the Elderly [print this page] Mobility Impairment Affects All Age Demographics - Not Just the Elderly
Of course, degenerating mobility amongst people in their senior years is certainly an issue, and one that is likely to increase given that we have an aging population of people who are living longer after retirement than ever before. However, as the title of one US study by Iezzoni and colleagues, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine in 2001 explains, "mobility difficulties are not only a problem of old age".
Being mobile is an essential component of everyday life. Without mobility, we lose independence and become isolated in society because of a decreased ability to interact with others in social situations. Iezzoni reports that 10.1% of Americans have some kind of mobility problem, and certainly the likelihood that a person has mobility problems increases with age, but 4% of people aged 18-49 are affected, which equates to more than a million people. This study was based on results obtained from a national census, so does not include data for persons under 18, however common sense dictates that children too, can suffer from the same mobility disabilities as adults.
In a certain sense it is almost expected that the elderly will decline in motor ability, but what if you're a child or a younger adult? The blow to independence can be upsetting and invoke a certain stigma that isolates you further from your peers. Furthermore, if the mobility problem is a permanent one, it is something that you will have to live with for the rest of your life.
Mobility products can be a life saver for all people with mobility problems, and especially so for younger people. However, there are a few special considerations to make when deciding which products to use. For example, the products must be able to accommodate a smaller size and weight for children, and because they will be used longer term, they must be more permanent, robust and durable than those that might be used for the elderly.
For use in and around the home, there are a range of ramps and lifts that will make life easier. Investment in a solid or more permanent ramp system is a good idea rather than a more temporary structure; although the initial outlay may be greater, the ramps will serve their purpose for a life time. An electric powered stair lift may also be a better choice for stair access, since battery powered ones will need to have their batteries replaced fairly regularly, and the same goes for bath lifts and lift chairs too.
To avoid an unexpected stair access problem when out and about, suitcase ramps are a great idea for wheelchair users- as the name suggests they can be folded up and transported around so that wheelchair users are always prepared for any unexpected step experience. More cumbersome, but great if you are going to stay away somewhere, mobile vertical platform lifts can facilitate moving from one level to another, inside or outside. Whatever your age or mobility problem, aids such as these described, and the many other products available, are not just for elderly. Whatever helps you to live your life as independently and pain-free as possible is surely worth the investment.
Sean Lutger is an experienced writer on products offered by the medical industry. Learn more about the wide range of mobility products available to aid disabled individuals by visiting AmeriGlide.
