Does your elderly parent love to go for walks and enjoy the great outdoors? Walking is an excellent form of exercise that doesn’t require special equipment and can be enjoyed by most people. If your parent likes to walk for entertainment and exercise, it’s great to encourage him to keep walking. But as a caregiver of an elderly parent, you may be sometimes worried about his safety when he goes for his walks. Hiring home care assistance providers can help with this situation.
Here are some ways to help him be safe while he’s out stretching his legs.
Proper Footwear
Home Care Assistance Mansfield OH – Helping Your Parent Stroll SafelyIt’s important for your elderly parent to have the correct shoes on when he goes out for a walk. While there are many options, the main things to look for are a good fit, weather appropriate, and being in good shape. Walking shoes can wear down fairly quickly so it’s important to regularly check the tread, laces, and soles of the footwear, whether they are sneakers, walking sandals, or boots.
Never Walk Alone if he has Home Care Assistance and a Phone
When possible, it’s always better if your parent can have a walking companion, whether it’s a neighbor, family member, or a home care assistance provider. A walking companion can help if your parent gets injured along the way and is a great way to provide some social connection as well. If your parent is used to being independent and solo, then insist that your parent bring his phone with him whenever he walks just in case of emergency.
Safe Pathways
If your parent is walking outside, making sure there is a smooth surface for his walking path is important. He should not be walking on gravel or rocks. If your parent plans on walking someplace new, he should bring his senior home care provider or a family member with him just in case the pathway deteriorates.
Does he have to cross the street? Encourage crossing only at corners, preferably with stop signs or traffic lights.
If your parent is walking during the darker hours, it should be well lit and of course, free from crime. Make sure your parent knows which neighborhoods he is walking in or if a park is okay to be in during the dark.
Finally, your parent may find it to be safer and more comfortable to walk indoors. His home care assistance provider can bring him to a local shopping mall or gym to walk indoors. In some communities, schools and shopping malls open early or stay open late for those who like to walk so there are fewer crowds but a temperate, indoor, safe walking area for those who need it.
Watch the Weather
No matter how sunny and nice it looks outside, your parent should always do a quick check of the weather before putting on his walking shoes. It’s important to be dressed according to temps and wind so check for both. And if a long walk is your parent’s usual venture, then looking ahead for any storms or rainfall can help eliminate him getting accidentally caught out in the bad weather, making walking a bit more treacherous.
If you are considering hiring Home Care Assitance Services in Mansfield OH, call the caring staff at Central Star Home Health at (419) 610-2161. Providing services for families in Mansfield, Lexington, Bellville, Crestline, Galion, Shelby, Ashland, Ontario, Bucyrus, Mt. Vernon, Marion, Willard, and the surrounding areas.
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