Staying in Motion: Maintaining Your Mobility

Your ability to move around freely and easily is part of your overall health.

As you age, mobility often diminishes due to a variety of factors such as changes in your walk, balance and physical strength.
But you can take steps to increase your ability to stay independent and mobile.

The importance of mobility

Mobility is not just an issue of physical health. It also affects your social and emotional well-being.
Mobility is key to participating in your favorite activities, visiting with friends, traveling and keeping up with everyday tasks like cooking and bathing.

5 tips to maintain your mobility 

To help stay independent and mobile as you age: 

1. Get your yearly checkups: Certain health conditions can make it harder to balance or stay active, but your doctor can help you catch and treat them. Make sure to also review your medications (including over-the-counter medicines) with your doctor. 
2. Get your vision and hearing screenings: Eye problems and hearing loss can affect your balance. 
3. Improve your strength: Strength activities can include using resistance bands, weight machines, free weights or your own body weight to maintain and improve muscle mass. Try arm circles, leg raises, pushups, pullups, planks, squats and lunges. 
4. Improve your balance: Balance exercises help reduce your risk of falling. Tai chi, yoga and exercises such as standing on one foot or walking heel-to-toe can help improve balance. 
5. Remove hazards in your own home: Your home is a common source of falls due to hazards that are often overlooked but easy to fix. 
   • Tape down throw rugs or consider removing them 
   • Tape cords and wires next to the wall 
   • Repair loose handrails and carpeting on staircases
   • Install night-lights to help you see in the dark
   • Get a sturdy stepstool with a bar to hold on to 
   • Install non-slip strips on the floor of the shower/tub 
   • Install grab bars in the shower/tub and next to the toilet