WEBVTT 00:00:01.100 --> 00:00:05.259 If you wait until after a fall to ask for a mobility 00:00:05.259 --> 00:00:08.539 assessment, you probably are waiting too long. 00:00:09.199 --> 00:00:11.619 Today I want to talk about when it's time to 00:00:11.619 --> 00:00:14.640 ask for a mobility assessment and why doing it 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:17.440 sooner rather than later can protect independence, 00:00:17.800 --> 00:00:20.559 confidence, and safety. I've worked with older 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:23.120 adults and families for many years as a senior 00:00:23.120 --> 00:00:26.120 home safety specialist and I can tell you this, 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:29.579 the signs are often there long before a serious 00:00:29.579 --> 00:00:32.960 accident happens. Most people think you only 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:35.500 need a mobility assessment after something goes 00:00:35.500 --> 00:00:38.679 wrong, such as after a fall or a hospital stay 00:00:38.679 --> 00:00:42.179 or after a scary moment. But I want you to think 00:00:42.179 --> 00:00:45.560 differently. A mobility assessment is not just 00:00:45.560 --> 00:00:49.219 about reacting. It's about preventing. So when 00:00:49.219 --> 00:00:52.219 should you ask for one? First, if you notice 00:00:52.219 --> 00:00:55.469 changes in walking. If someone starts shuffling 00:00:55.469 --> 00:00:58.310 their feet, walking slower than usual, holding 00:00:58.310 --> 00:01:01.189 onto walls and furniture, or avoiding stairs, 00:01:01.590 --> 00:01:04.890 those are early warning signs. The person may 00:01:04.890 --> 00:01:07.390 not complain. They might even say, I'm fine. 00:01:07.849 --> 00:01:10.390 But your eyes tell you something has changed. 00:01:11.430 --> 00:01:14.950 Second, if there has been even one fall, even 00:01:14.950 --> 00:01:18.189 if it seemed minor, even if they say, I just 00:01:18.189 --> 00:01:21.629 tripped, falls are rarely random. There's usually 00:01:21.629 --> 00:01:24.819 a reason. It could be balance, it could be weakness, 00:01:25.219 --> 00:01:28.500 could be vision, could be medication side effects. 00:01:29.140 --> 00:01:32.200 A mobility assessment helps to uncover the cause 00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:35.780 instead of just making guesses. The third time 00:01:35.780 --> 00:01:39.859 you want one is after any hospital stay. Hospital 00:01:39.859 --> 00:01:43.180 stays can reduce strength very quickly. Even 00:01:43.180 --> 00:01:46.599 a few days in bed can lead to muscle loss. I've 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:49.280 seen strong independent seniors come home weaker 00:01:49.280 --> 00:01:52.700 than they realize. A mobility assessment can 00:01:52.700 --> 00:01:56.719 help rebuild safely before another problem happens. 00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:00.579 Fourth, if you notice a fear of falling. This 00:02:00.579 --> 00:02:03.680 one is big. Sometimes the body's not the biggest 00:02:03.680 --> 00:02:07.319 problem. The fear is. When someone starts avoiding 00:02:07.319 --> 00:02:10.099 activities they used to enjoy because they feel 00:02:10.099 --> 00:02:13.180 unsteady, that fear can lead to less movement. 00:02:13.879 --> 00:02:16.500 Less movement leads to weaker muscles, and weaker 00:02:16.500 --> 00:02:19.520 muscles increase fall risk, and it becomes a 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:24.199 cycle. Breaking that cycle early really matters. 00:02:24.719 --> 00:02:28.780 Fifth, if there's a new medical diagnosis. Conditions 00:02:28.780 --> 00:02:31.639 like Parkinson's disease, stroke, arthritis, 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:35.740 neuropathy or dementia can affect mobility. Even 00:02:35.740 --> 00:02:39.180 vision changes can impact balance and hearing 00:02:39.180 --> 00:02:42.360 changes can as well. I know this personally because 00:02:42.360 --> 00:02:46.639 I have otosclerosis and before I had my hearing 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:50.180 surgery and had my hearing fixed, I had a harder 00:02:50.180 --> 00:02:54.120 time with balance. So when there is a new diagnosis, 00:02:54.419 --> 00:02:57.620 it's wise to ask for an assessment right away. 00:02:58.259 --> 00:03:01.120 It sets a safe baseline and it gives you a plan. 00:03:02.259 --> 00:03:04.860 Now, let me explain what a mobility assessment 00:03:04.860 --> 00:03:08.379 actually is. It's usually done by a physical 00:03:08.379 --> 00:03:11.740 therapist or an occupational therapist. Sometimes 00:03:11.740 --> 00:03:14.439 a nurse practitioner or geriatric specialist 00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:17.560 may also be involved. They look at strength, 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:21.219 balance, walking pattern, endurance, and safety 00:03:21.219 --> 00:03:24.719 awareness. They may watch the person walk. They 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:27.400 may test how quickly the person can stand from 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:30.259 a chair. They may check how steady the person 00:03:30.259 --> 00:03:33.979 is when they're turning. They probably will also 00:03:33.979 --> 00:03:37.419 evaluate how the person moves in the home, especially 00:03:37.419 --> 00:03:41.240 around stairs, bathrooms, and tight spaces. A 00:03:41.240 --> 00:03:44.379 mobility is not painful, and it is not invasive. 00:03:44.939 --> 00:03:47.819 It's simply a structured way to understand how 00:03:47.819 --> 00:03:50.479 safely someone is moving around in their space. 00:03:51.099 --> 00:03:54.520 And here's the important part. The goal of this 00:03:54.520 --> 00:03:57.560 is not to take away independence. The goal is 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:00.800 to protect it. Many families worry that if they 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:03.199 ask for an assessment, it means that they're 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:05.979 admitting weakness. But I see it differently. 00:04:06.340 --> 00:04:09.560 I see it as a strength because you're being proactive. 00:04:10.219 --> 00:04:13.620 Let me share something I see often. An older 00:04:13.620 --> 00:04:15.960 adult starts walking slower. They're holding 00:04:15.960 --> 00:04:19.199 onto furniture. The family notices, but they 00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:21.680 don't want to upset the person, so no one says 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:26.560 anything. Then one day, there's a fall. Now we're 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:30.779 reacting. Now there may be an injury. Now the 00:04:30.779 --> 00:04:34.100 person's confidence is shaken. It is so much 00:04:34.100 --> 00:04:36.740 easier to prevent a fall than to recover from 00:04:36.740 --> 00:04:40.230 one. A mobility assessment might lead to simple 00:04:40.230 --> 00:04:43.350 recommendations. They could be something like 00:04:43.350 --> 00:04:46.569 a few balance exercises you do every day, or 00:04:46.569 --> 00:04:49.209 maybe a physical therapy program for a couple 00:04:49.209 --> 00:04:52.569 weeks. Maybe it's something like adjusting medications 00:04:52.569 --> 00:04:56.589 or installing grab bars or better lighting. Maybe 00:04:56.589 --> 00:04:59.350 it could include recommending a cane or a walker, 00:04:59.410 --> 00:05:02.029 but that isn't a sign of weakness, it's a tool 00:05:02.029 --> 00:05:05.829 for freedom. I always tell families assistive 00:05:05.829 --> 00:05:08.730 devices are not about giving up. They are about 00:05:08.730 --> 00:05:11.990 staying active longer. And here's something else 00:05:11.990 --> 00:05:15.470 to consider. Mobility is connected to everything. 00:05:16.110 --> 00:05:19.129 If someone feels unsteady, now they may start 00:05:19.129 --> 00:05:21.170 avoiding showers because they're worried about 00:05:21.170 --> 00:05:24.430 slipping. They may stop going outside. They may 00:05:24.430 --> 00:05:27.790 stop attending social events. Over time, their 00:05:27.790 --> 00:05:30.709 isolation increases, their mood can decline, 00:05:31.329 --> 00:05:33.970 and as a result, physical health can decline. 00:05:34.750 --> 00:05:37.870 Mobility affects physical health, emotional health, 00:05:38.209 --> 00:05:41.430 and social health. So when should you ask for 00:05:41.430 --> 00:05:45.329 a mobility assessment? Ask when you notice change. 00:05:45.930 --> 00:05:49.689 Ask after a fall. Ask after a hospital stay. 00:05:50.139 --> 00:05:54.560 Ask for one after there's fear, or a new diagnosis, 00:05:54.779 --> 00:05:57.660 or when your gut tells you something is not quite 00:05:57.660 --> 00:06:01.459 right. You do not need permission to be proactive. 00:06:02.600 --> 00:06:05.180 Start by talking to the primary care doctor. 00:06:05.639 --> 00:06:08.959 Ask for a referral to physical therapy. Some 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:11.980 home health agencies will even offer in -home 00:06:11.980 --> 00:06:15.420 assessments, and many outpatient clinics specialize 00:06:15.420 --> 00:06:19.160 in balance and fall prevention. If transportation 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:22.399 is difficult, ask about in -home services. There 00:06:22.399 --> 00:06:25.379 are options. And if you're an older adult listening 00:06:25.379 --> 00:06:28.199 to this yourself, I want to say something directly 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:32.040 to you. Needing a mobility assessment does not 00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:35.220 mean you are failing. It actually means that 00:06:35.220 --> 00:06:38.019 you are very smart. It means that you want to 00:06:38.019 --> 00:06:40.300 stay independent and you care about your future, 00:06:40.439 --> 00:06:43.660 and that is something to be very proud of. The 00:06:43.660 --> 00:06:46.740 earlier you address mobility changes, the more 00:06:46.740 --> 00:06:50.379 choices you keep. Waiting often limits choices. 00:06:50.980 --> 00:06:54.680 So pay attention to small changes. Small changes 00:06:54.680 --> 00:06:58.860 are those little whispers. Falls are screams. 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:03.800 Listen to the whispers. So thanks for joining 00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:06.480 me today. Please share this episode with someone 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:08.699 you care about who could use the information 00:07:08.699 --> 00:07:12.509 to make their life safer. You'll find more resources 00:07:12.509 --> 00:07:15.129 for seniors and caregivers on our website at 00:07:15.129 --> 00:07:18.410 seniorsafetyadvice .com. And if you're searching 00:07:18.410 --> 00:07:21.089 for an aging in place specialist, please visit 00:07:21.089 --> 00:07:24.750 our sister website at aginginplacedirectory .com. 00:07:25.290 --> 00:07:27.370 And if you haven't subscribed to our YouTube 00:07:27.370 --> 00:07:30.089 channel or to this podcast yet, go ahead and 00:07:30.089 --> 00:07:32.949 do that right now. Then come back tomorrow for 00:07:32.949 --> 00:07:35.610 another Daily Moment of guidance and encouragement, 00:07:35.970 --> 00:07:38.829 right here on the Senior Safety Advice Podcast. 00:07:39.529 --> 00:07:42.139 Until next time, Thanks so much for listening. 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:44.120 Take care. Bye!