As a health care professional, I go into care homes to support people with their mobility. When in care, people often lose the level of fitness they once had with their daily activities. Because they are now being cared for, they don’t have to get up to make a cup of tea or bend to the fridge, or walk so far to the toilet, or put the bins out. As they have nothing much to do, they often sit in their chairs and switch off.
The TV was blasting out into her room, and although she greeted me with a smile, there was a distinct dullness in her eyes.
A lady I was visiting recently was getting very immobile and every time I saw her, her mood appeared to be sinking lower. She was finding her situation very challenging and there was an increasing lack of engagement with her. The TV was blasting out into her room, and although she greeted me with a smile, there was a distinct dullness in her eyes. I had felt I could always motivate her and get her moving but observed over a few weeks, this was becoming more difficult. She was increasing in weight due to her inactivity and had very little stimulation in her day.
I realised how most of the aids and equipment for the elderly and disabled are so ungainly and unstylish.
One of the problems was that her feet were swelling up more because she wasn’t moving so much, and her shoes were uncomfortable. She had some supportive ankle boots, but they were too thick for the summer. Someone had found her some very comfortable but also very ugly large black wide fitting shoes, and she hated wearing them. They were cumbersome and had a big fat velcro strap and she disliked them intensely. When I looked on the internet, I realised how most of the aids and equipment for the elderly and disabled are so ungainly and unstylish. Walking aids are very functional and practical but also utilitarian. This makes it difficult for people to keep their sense of well-being or their elegance and style, which can also contribute to their giving-upness.
In my searches, I managed to find a pair of gorgeous gold and silver sparkly supportive sandals in the right size, a pretty wide fitting sandal that also looked very comfortable. They even had an extension strap for swollen feet if required. When I next visited her, I took them to her, opened the box, and her face immediately lit up, it was like she’d won the lottery. Her smile beamed from ear to ear, and she became very animated, and lifted out her leg to have the shoes put on straight away. Then she wanted to stand and walk to see how they felt and her posture and walking gait instantly improved.
Her mood lifted and her activity had increased so much; she returned to her previous elegance simply because she had some comfortable, beautiful and sparkly shoes to wear.
It was reported to me later that she had started making eye contact with everyone and was talking to people, showing them her sandals. Her mood lifted and her activity had increased so much; she returned to her previous elegance simply because she had some comfortable, beautiful and sparkly shoes to wear.