As our elderly family member or friend becomes less and less mobile, it is imperative that we do everything we can to support them in walking so that they don't fall. Statistics say that elderly people fall more often than we would think. In the US alone, over 14 million adults ages 65 and older are said to report falling every year. That is one in four older adults who are experiencing fall injuries annually. In elderly people, falling is the number one cause of injury-related deaths, which is a number that is increasing every year. Even with a walker or cane, falling is a common occurrence in the elderly community primarily due to gait issues. Gait relates to the pattern in which we walk. Gait disorders can come from many different variables like an impaired nervous system, poor eyesight, osteoarthritis, loss of muscle mass, vascular issues, and even Dementia. A sign of an abnormal gait would be taking high steps, dragging the toes, or simply feeling off balance when walking.
So what can we do to help our elderly family member or friend get around without falling? The gait belt (or transfer belt) is a device that helps the caregiver support elderly walking without too much strain. It allows us to grab on and hold our elderly person, while stabilizing them securely and reducing their risk to fall. It can be used on short or long walks, or when transferring them from one sitting space to another, like the bed into a chair or visa versa. It is also helpful when an elderly person has fallen and is having trouble getting back up. Even though the gate belt is not meant to be used to lift the elderly person, it can be used as leverage in helping them get up off of the floor. The belt offers the caregiver a handle to grab onto. Depending on how weak or frail the elderly person is, the gait belt can help to prevent other injuries as well.
How Do You Use The Gait Belt?
1.Make sure the elderly person has clothes on. The gait belt should be worn over a layer of fabric in order to protect the skin from abrasion.
2.It can be placed under the chest and around the rib cage, or around the waist as long as there isn't a colostomy bag or surgery scars.
3.Tighten the belt so that there is room to fit two fingers between the body and the belt. It should feel snug so that you can get a good grip on it and the elderly person can feel secure.
4.When walking with the gate belt, the caregiver will stand in the center and on the weaker side of the body, slightly behind the elderly person.
5.They grab onto the gate belt with the palm facing up, hooking the fingers under the belt from the bottom.
6.When the elderly person starts to lean too much in one direction or becomes out of control, the caregiver will lift up slightly and take control of the instability in order to restore balance quickly and fairly effortlessly.
In order to help improve an elderly person's gait, they simply have to walk more. Walking forward, backward, sideways, fast, slow, in circles, and to the beat of a rhythm can all be very helpful as well. It is also said that Vitamin D deficiencies can also cause balance problems, so screening for Vitamin D is imperative. Riding a foot bike daily, getting physical therapy, receiving massage/ acupuncture/ healing energy regularly, and eating healthily can all help support mobility. Movement is life, and if imbalance starts to settle in, more mobility can be the greatest medicine.
Comments