However, this doesn’t mean people can’t make the aging process easier for themselves. There are plenty of items that can help with that, as we’ll cover them later on in the article.
Active aging has become a norm all around the world and participation of older people in different segments of community is encouraged.
How to Deal With Mobility Limitations
With aging, health issues become more frequent and they can be hard to cope with and it becomes even harder for someone who also has a mobility impairment.
Mobility impairment is not limited to seniors only, a lot of young people get disabled due to accidents or genetic diseases.
A good way to cope with this is to socialize with others who have similar problems. Even if they don’t, it’s always good to have someone to talk to, with seniors this is especially true.
However, the said physical limitations can greatly hinder and limit your social activities and interactions. Fortunately, in today’s day and age, there are various products and items that can help with the aforementioned issues.
These products can make you more mobile, more comfortable, and can even ease the pain or in other words, they can make the aging process easier.
Unlike popular belief, these products are not always expensive though, and before we can get into more details, there are some things to consider before making a purchase.
Things to Consider Before Purchasing Health & Wellness Items
1. When Do You Need It?
You’ll definitely need some things when the aging process comes to visit you. The first thing that should come to mind when thinking of making your life easier is when do you need a specific product.
Sometimes it’s better to be prepared than having to buy everything last minute. Certain items, like heated blankets or massage chairs, come in handy any time, not just when you start to reflect on your health.
If you already feel that a therapeutic massager could do you good, why not investing in one as soon as possible?
2. Can You Use It All By Yourself?
Electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters are some of the items that you will probably think of later in your senior life. Nonetheless, you have to make sure you can use it all by yourself.
Robot vacuum cleaners can be of immense help when cleaning your home. Sadly, a lot of people aren’t tech-savvy and don’t know how to use these things.
So, ensure you either learn how to use it, let one of your family members or friends help you operate it, or choose the item that is easy-to-use.
3. The Price
Lastly, there’s the price factor. Priciness doesn’t always mean high quality, but most of the items with the higher price range will last you longer.
With that said, there are excellent items you can find in all price ranges, so it depends whether you find the time to make research for the best products in the niche you’re looking for.
How to Move Around in Senior Age
With age come the mobility issues. Movement is an essential factor that makes us healthy. Even if it’s just going to visiting your neighbor, you will definitely profit from getting outside of the house.
Some won’t be as lucky and will have bigger mobility issues and will need help with going to the store or to the doctor. But those who can still do it by themselves should consider themselves the lucky ones.
There are a few different walking aids to consider, but most mobility will give you the following two.
Electric Wheelcharis
Electric wheelchairs or motorized wheelchairs are wheelchairs that use an electric motor as the main source of power. It is a real investment, but if you have mobility issues, this type of aid could help you go places you never thought of by foot.
With an electric wheelchair, you no longer have to sit at home, waiting for your relative to bring you something from the store. Moreover, it helps you to enjoy the simplest activities, like enjoying a summer’s day in the garden or in the park.
It allows you to sit comfortably while you move around. Naturally, since it is an electric device, you have to recharge it before each use if the battery’s empty. Also, each wheelchair is different, so make sure you know what you’re looking for and find out what are its features before purchasing one.
You can also see the best electric wheelchairs on the market to help you with your decision.
Features
- Helps you to move around
- Rechargeable battery
- 4 wheels
$1000 – $10,000+
Mobility Scooters
Another moving aid is a mobility scooter. These mobility aids are much faster than the wheelchairs and are configured like motorscooters. They are often used by people who have fewer mobility issues than those who need to use electric wheelchairs.
Mobility scooters can help you to arrive faster to the store or to the hairdresser’s and usually have baskets in front where you can put your things.
They often have three or four wheels and you have to recharge them before use. These mobility aids are also considered a cheaper alternative to electric wheelchairs and you can choose from numerous designs that are on the market today.
Features
- Helps you to move around quickly
- Rechargeable battery
- 3 to 4 wheels
$1000 – $10,000+
How to Relax in Senior Age
When you get older, most of the time you would like to just relax and get your mind off the things that bother you. The best way to do it is to have a massage.
Sadly, getting a massage can be pretty expensive. Plus, if you have mobility issues or don’t have a massage studio nearby, there are a few different options that pay off in the long run and you can use them over and over again.
The first relaxing aid is a massage chair, while the other one is a therapeutic massager. Just imagine sitting on a porch during sunset having a nice massage!
Massage Chairs
When talking about massage chairs, people usually think of the robotic massage chairs, meaning they are powered by an electronic motor and look like armchairs.
They are designed to work like a massage therapist giving you a massage. While they are much weaker than the real human hands, they can alleviate pain and help you to relax.
There are different types of massage chairs on the market; some are powered by a battery that you have to recharge, while others have to be plugged into a source of power to work.
It is best to make a list of features you would like to have in your massage chair and check out the best massage chairs on the market before your purchase.
Features
- Helps you to relax
- Rechargeable battery or a constant source of power
- Armchair-like design
$250 – $10,000+
Therapeutic Massagers
The second product that you can use to relax is a therapeutic massager. This convenient relaxing aid is designed to provide some pain relief and help you relax tight muscles.
These massagers are handheld tools, which means that another person should hold them to give you a massage. Nonetheless, they are extremely affordable and will cost you no more than 2 appointments at a salon.
Most of the therapeutic massagers need to be plugged in the power outlet to work and most of them have ergonomic handles. But make sure to check what features you look for in a massager and make research on the best therapeutic massagers before purchasing one.
Features
- Alleviates pain
- Needs to be plugged into a constant source of power
- Handheld
$25 – $350+
How to Stay Warm in Senior Age
With age, the human body becomes extremely sensitive to lower temperatures since our metabolism slows down. Luckily, staying warm has never been easier with the help of convenient and affordable gadgets.
Not only can you choose between warming up while reading a book in the evening and covering yourself with a warming blanket but also choose to turn on an electric space heater.
There are numerous ways to stay warm but we decided to enlist two options: using heated blankets and warming up your home.
Heated Blankets
Heated blankets are blankets with the heating element powered by electricity and controlled via a controller.
They are excellent for those who get chills easily and they usually have a few levels of heating. Each level has a different temperature setting, depending on how cold you are.
These blankets provide warmth during the winter months, but also during the cold autumn evenings on the porch. Depending on what you want, you will have to check the best electric heated blankets and pick the one that suits you best.
Features
- Alleviate cold
- Needs to be plugged into a constant source of power
- Come in various sizes
$100 – $200+
Electric Space Heaters
The last item on the list is electric space heaters. These devices let ou warm-up space quickly and easily without having to turn on the central heating.
Heating could be costly for some, and the space heater is an excellent choice to quickly warm up your home while having a smaller electricity bill.
Surely, you’ll have to look for the features you want your heater to have before purchasing it, but here are some of the features that all electric space heaters have.
Features
- Warm up space quickly
- Can be used anywhere in the home
- Need to be plugged in a power outlet
$25 – $500+
A good quality electric wheelchair costs anywhere between $2000 and $10,000 but you can also find the more expensive ones that offer more features.
Some electric wheelchairs are completely foldable, while others aren’t. A foldable electric wheelchair allows for easier transport, but a standard wheelchair could have features the foldable one lacks.
You can get a free mobility scooter in the US with the help of philanthropic organizations and grants from different charities.
You can get a new mobility scooter for anywhere between $1000 up to $10,000
There are cheaper and the more expensive massage chairs on the market, but expect to pay around $1000 and $2000 for a good massage chair.
Massage chairs aren’t as strong as getting a real massage, but they do alleviate pain in the long run.
A percussion massager is a device that relieves tension in your muscles and alleviates chronic pain.
A therapeutic massager often has a long handle for you to reach the parts of your lower back. You can use it by plugging into the power outlet and target the painful areas.
Heated blankets have almost no safety risk if you purchased them recently. You should, however, watch out if you use an old electric heated blanket which could be a potential fire hazard.
You shouldn’t place anything over an electric heated blanket, including yourself. If you feel cold with a heated blanket, make sure to cover yourself with a blanket and put a heated blanket on top to avoid overheating.
Since electric space heaters use only electricity to work, they do not produce carbon monoxide like certain liquid fuels do.
Electric space heaters are generally safer than combustion space heaters but you should be aware of the fire hazard they bring, as you do with any electric device.