Seniors in care centers many times demonstrate limited mobility and dexterity due to the normal aging process as well as many age-related disorders. When providing care or services, employees should be aware of mobility and dexterity limitations and use specific strategies to help seniors maintain safety and maximize their quality of life. Remember that falls are always a major risk in senior care settings, and many of them can be prevented.
Mobility and Dexterity Strategies
When teaching employees to be more sensitive to age-related and disease associated mobility and dexterity problems, remind them to work at the senior’s pace, not their own. Slow down and be mindful of the senior’s needs at the moment. Remain calm and patient. It is also best to ask the individual if he or she needs help and never assume it.
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Use a Person-Centered Approach
Teaching employees or reinforcing the importance of person-centered care is an important part of sensitivity training. It is optimal to know the person, be aware of his or her limitations concerning movement and other physical abilities. Encourage independence and physical activity. Address the “fear of falling” as it may be a roadblock to independence and cause helpless and depressive thinking. Also, encourage the correct use of assistive devices such as canes, walkers and wheelchairs. These devices are meant to keep the senior safe and independent.
Assess for Fall Risks
Person-centered care and effective employee engagement means that they will know much about the person’s history, including a history of falls. Any individual over the age of 80 is at high risk for falls and should be more closely supervised by staff. It is good to know about the senior’s physical, mental, and neurodegenerative diagnoses such as arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, and depression.
Other common risk factors for falls include:
- Balance and gait problems
- Cognitive impairment
- Frailty or significant weakness
- The need to use assistive devices
- Visual impairment
- Urinary or bowel urgency or incontinence
Strategies to Improve Mobility and Dexterity: Prevention is the Key
An effective person-centered approach to improving movement while maintaining safety starts with identifying causes of falls from the individual’s past and create a plan of action for prevention. If the senior has just moved into the care community, he or she is at an increased risk for falls. One solution is to reassure and accompany the senior for the first few weeks and monitor their feelings of comfort, adjustment and security.
If the senior suffers from postural hypotension or dizziness, and it is well known, make sure direct care staff slowly transition the person to sitting from lying down and to standing from sitting. It is ok to take some time and make sure the senior is safe. If the senior has visual impairment, care plan regular eye exams, keep their glasses clean and smudge-free, and place regularly used personal items within their reach.
Make sure the senior has appropriate-fitting footwear that are also slip-resistant. Scan the floors for any potential hazards like objects on the ground or wet areas. Tidy up the senior’s room if it is cluttered. Make sure there is nothing obstructing the path from their bed to the bathroom, as many falls occur at night. Make sure the senior has secure grab bars in the bathroom, proper lighting and an appropriate bed height.
Final Thoughts on Aging and Mobility
Aging and age-related disorders increase the risk of mobility and dexterity problems, including one of the most dangerous to seniors – falls. Taking a person-centered preventive approach is the most effective way staff can reduce risks of falls, provide a safe and secure environment and enhance the senior’s quality of life.
(NOTE: Interested in learning more about Leadership in health care? Checkout my Leadership CEUs on CEU Academy and try a FREE CEU today!)