How Do Care Homes Help Residents With Mobility Problems - Kingfishers Nursing Home
In England, around 500,000 adults aged 65 and over have difficulty walking across a room, while approximately 600,000 have difficulty getting in and out of bed.

It’s worrying if your loved one starts experiencing these difficulties, especially if they’re having falls.

But moving into a care home means having the right assistance available for moving around every day, while still being encouraged to remain as active and independent as their abilities allow.

Below, we look at how care homes support residents with mobility problems and what that support can involve from day to day.

How Do Care Homes Help Residents With Mobility Problems?

Care homes can keep residents mobile and active by understanding what each resident can physically do and where they need assistance. This could mean using a walking aid, like a stick or frame, to move around the home, supporting them in getting safely in and out of bed or doing exercises recommended by a physiotherapist to maintain strength and movement.

Knowing When a Resident Needs a Helping Hand

Before staff can support a resident safely, they need to assess how they move around in everyday situations, including getting out of a seated position and how fast and steady they can walk.

For example, a resident might be able to walk confidently with a frame but struggle to stand from a low chair, while another might be steady indoors but need an arm for support when walking outside on uneven ground.

The care team usually establishes this when the resident moves in and records it in their care plan to ensure they’re treated appropriately and adaptations can be made for them. Staff can also look at any mobility aids they already use, or if they’ve had any previous falls and whether assistance is needed for particular movements.
Sometimes changes to mobility happen over time within the care home.

Carers might start noticing that a resident is now holding onto furniture when they previously walked unaided, takes noticeably longer to stand or avoids walking altogether. Usually there is an obvious reason for the change, including pain, illness or a recent fall, which could be affecting their confidence or ability to move.

A physiotherapist or occupational therapist will get involved when a specialist assessment is needed, particularly following an injury or a significant change in mobility and their recommendations will then be incorporated into the resident’s day-to-day care.

Keeping Residents Active in a Care Home

There are lots of ways residents can keep moving as part of everyday life in a care home, including activities they already enjoy and the short walks they take around the home. Depending on their mobility, this could mean:

  • Walking to the dining room or lounge when they are able to but with a carer alongside them if needed.
  • Getting outside for a walk around the garden or grounds. For a resident who cannot cover the entire distance, seating areas along the route provide a place to stop and rest.
  • Taking part in seated exercise sessions when standing exercise is not suitable.
    Continuing everyday tasks that involve movement. A resident who enjoys gardening might still water plants or tend to raised beds, for example.
  • Practising exercises recommended by a physiotherapist following a fall, injury, illness or decline in mobility.
  • Getting up from a chair regularly during the day instead of remaining seated for long periods.
  • Joining fun care home activities that naturally involve movement, including dancing or games that can be adapted for different levels of mobility.
  • Keeping residents nourished with the right amount of protein to promote muscle strength.

Mobility Aids and Equipment in Care Homes

The right equipment can make everyday movement much safer, allowing older adults to continue doing more for themselves. What they need will depend on where a resident has difficulty and any recommendations made during their assessment.

Walking aids

Walking sticks and frames can provide additional stability for residents who are able to walk but need some support with balance. Staff will also make sure the correct aid is within reach when a resident gets up to move around.

Wheelchairs

Some residents use a wheelchair all the time, but others only need one for longer distances or on days when walking is more difficult. Where a resident can safely walk shorter distances, their wheelchair does not have to replace those opportunities to stay mobile.

Grab rails and handrails

Rails can provide support in places where residents regularly need to steady themselves, including bathrooms and corridors.

Equipment for getting in and out of bed

Adjustable beds that can change height and position make transfers easier. Depending on a resident’s needs, other equipment might be recommended to help them get into or out of bed.

Hoists and transfer equipment

When a resident cannot safely transfer between a bed, chair or wheelchair with ordinary assistance, staff may use specialist equipment. The type of equipment and how it is used should be based on the resident’s individual assessment, with carers trained to carry out the transfer safely.

Getting Out and About With Reduced Mobility

If your loved one has limited mobility, you might worry that they’ll be cooped up indoors all day every day.

But care homes can easily arrange outings that residents with mobility difficulties can comfortably take part in. Wheelchair-accessible transport may be arranged where needed and staff can check in advance that the destination is suitable for the resident’s level of mobility.

Spending time outdoors is beneficial in itself.

Natural daylight supports the body’s sleep-wake cycle, while time outside can provide a change of surroundings and opportunities for gentle movement – even a short visit to the garden can give residents some fresh air when a longer outing isn’t practical at that time.

Staff will also support residents who want to continue attending places that were part of their routine before moving into the home, such as church or a regular local group, ensuring their social needs are met.

Planning ahead means that practical issues such as steps, accessible toilets and the distance between the vehicle and the entrance can be checked before residents arrive.

Staying Independent With the Right Mobility Support

Yes, mobility can change with age, but residents should still have opportunities to use the movement they have and continue doing things for themselves where they can, no matter how limited their mobility may be.

Whether a resident needs a walking frame for longer distances or requires more assistance getting out of a chair, trained care staff can respond to these changes and arrange further assessment when needed.

The support available in a care home can give families confidence that their loved one is receiving the right level of assistance and is not left sitting in the same spot all day simply because their mobility is limited.

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