As residents in our care age, maintaining mobility becomes increasingly important. This is why we make maintaining mobility in care homes is a top priority when creating care plans for those within our care. In this blog, we explore the importance of maintaining mobility in the care home and the types of activities that help support mobility for those with varying needs.
Why is it Important to Maintain Mobility in Care Homes?
Supporting mobility among the elderly is important, mostly to ensure that they receive the best quality of life. It helps them to remain involved in daily life which creates a sense of purpose and enhances their overall wellbeing. It’s essential that we continue to implement mobility activities within our care home so that it preserves our residents’ physical health and independence.
There are many positives to maintaining mobility in the elderly, some of the most important being improved circulation, muscle strength, balance and flexibility, reducing the risk of falls and other health complications.
Beyond the physical benefits, staying active also plays a crucial role in mental and emotional well-being, including improving important factors like boosting their mood, confidence and social engagement.
How to Encourage Increased Mobility in Care Home Residents
Mobility can become increasingly more challenging as we get older. With mobility becoming more difficult, this can lead to a person’s desire to become active and therefore not willing to participate in activities to keep them moving.
That’s why we focus on creating engaging and enjoyable mobility programmes tailored to the individuals in our care. We aim to create a great understanding of each resident’s unique preferences to design activities that encourage participation and promote movement in a way that feels enjoyable and rewarding.
Making an activity feel rewarding is a powerful way to encourage our residents to participate. When they see the value and enjoyment in an activity, they are more likely to engage with enthusiasm. This can be achieved by incorporating elements of fun, social interaction and personal achievement. Offering positive reinforcement, such as praise or small incentives, can further enhance motivation.
Activities to Maintain Mobility in Care Homes
Residents in our care home have access to a variety of engaging and uplifting activities designed to keep them active and motivated. Our care team always finds new and creative ways to ensure residents feel entertained, encouraged and eager to participate. Below are some of the activities that have had the most positive impact on both the physical and mental well-being of our residents.
- Yoga (Chair yoga for those with limited mobility)
- Gardening
- Step-by-step dance
- Nature walk
- Bowling
- Tai Chi for Seniors
- Obstacle course challenges
- Music and movement
- Water therapy
Even if a resident in our care has limited mobility, there are still many ways we can help them stay active and enhance their quality of life. Gentle exercises like arm and leg lifts, light stretching and resistance movements have been shown to improve mobility and keep individuals as engaged and active as possible.
Creating Individualised Mobility Plans for Care Home Residents
At Friary Care, we understand that everyone’s needs are different, which is why we create individualised activity plans for our residents at our care home in Weymouth. These care plans take into account our resident’s existing mobility needs. It also factors in the things that bring them the most joy, to ensure that they stay motivated to participate in such activities.
For example, if our residents enjoy the outdoors, we plan mobility activities like nature walks or gardening. If the resident prefers more indoor activities, we arrange exercises like chair yoga, stretching and light dance.
Our number one priority is to create a care plan that suits individual needs, including their preferences, current mobility and goals. Once we’re introduced to your loved one and placed within our care, we will carefully assess their needs and continue to update the mobility care plan throughout their time at Friary Care.
Mobility Activities at Friary Care in Weymouth
At our care home in Weymouth, we believe in making our residents as happy and mobile as possible to ensure that those within our care receive the best quality of life. This is why we focus on creating care plans that ensure our residents receive the best active care that suits their individual needs.
If you have a loved one who could benefit from improving their mobility, please get in touch with our caring team by calling us on 01305 787811.
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