Ideas to help keep you moving and staying fit

Homecare and Mobility Staying active for longer not only means you stay independent, it makes you feel happier, healthier and more confident. Here are some helpful tips: Kitchen convenience If you have arthritis or muscular problems in your hands, a range of clever gadgets are available to make using kitchen utensils and adjusting controls on kitchen appliances easier: Contour knob turner: an angled handle is easy to grip, whilst a cluster of spring-loaded pins at the other end fit round the object, holding it securely in place. One handed electric tin opener : shaped to fit your hand for easy gripping and with a magnetic holder that attaches to the tin of the lid. Adapted cutlery and crockery: oversized handles make grasping a knife, fork or spoon easy, while high-sided bowls and plates help prevent spillages.

Cordless kettle tipper: Velcro straps hold the kettle in a cradle on a pivoting wire frame, allowing you to pour a cup of tea safely with minimal effort.

Bathroom safety An estimated 80% of all household accidents occur in the bathroom, with half of these take place in the bath itself. Therefore walk in baths offer greater safety due to a range of key features: Slip resistant surfaces: cut the risk of slipping when getting in and out.Low entry step: a foot or less high, to make getting in and out of the bath much easier. Grab rails /built in safe seat Walk in showers have the same type of slip resistant surfaces and grab rails, as well as:Low level or flat shower tray: for easy access wide opening doors: this avoids having to squeeze through awkward or narrow sliding doors.

Upstairs, downstairs

Increasing popular, stairlifts allow old people to stay active at home longer, removing the need to move to a bungalow or sheltered accommodation when stairs become a struggle. Always choose a starlift that features: Seatbelt/sensors pressure-operated sensors will automatically stop the stairlift when an obstacle is detected. Typically, they are located around the footrest, and at the top and bottom of the carriage.Battery power this avoids the nightmare scenario of becoming stranded on your stairs in the dark during a power cut, it also means there are no potentially dangerous trailing mains cables.Rack and pinion operation: these models offer a quieter, smoother ride than cable operated systems, which can also leak oil.Aftercare: always try and choose a company that offers support and aftercare once you have bought the stairlift. Going up and down the stairs may seem like a small thing to do, but it is a major part of keeping your independence. The key to making the most of your retirement? Is keeping yourself active and mobile … If you have retired recently, then unfortunately it is then that you start to experience difficulties with your mobility in your day to day activities. As also your chances of illness increase after retirement. Therefore it is important that those that start to claim their pension upon retirement remain as active as possible to try and avoid the underlying mobility issues. However minimal it is, regular exercise is essential to help keep your body at its best. Even regular repetitions of tensing different groups of muscles can have beneficial effects on the joints, flexibility and circulation. Ensuring that your bed, sofa and armchairs aren’t causing you discomfort is equally as important. If they are leaving you with any discomfort then consider buying some pillows. Walk in baths and showers can also provide support and relief for those who are less able-bodied. Stairlifts, in this instance can also provide a new lease of life. And when you are out and about, if you use a wheelchair or scooter , you might want to consider getting insurance cover in case of damage or breakdown.