The Importance of Mobility For Mental Health

The Mental Health Foundation's Mental Health Awareness Week occurs in May every year.

Our bodies change as we get older, and combined with decreasing opportunities for socialising and reduced mobility, this can result in increased isolation and loneliness.

A vicious circle quickly forms and before you know it, weeks can go by without meeting or talking to other people.

As part of mental health awareness week we're looking at how mobility products such as walking aids, mobility scooters and powerchairs can help improve your confidence and reverse the tide of isolation and help you get out and meet new people, as well as improve your overall health.

How Mobility Improves Mental Health

We all need regular contact with other people, we are social creatures in that respect.

A quick chat at the local shop, a visit to the library, getting a haircut or attending a social club can have a huge positive impact on mental wellbeing and happiness.

But many people with mobility problems stop going out and rely more and more on on deliveries and the Internet, and while this certainly makes life easier for us, and helps keep us connected, it means you get no real contact with other people. Let's look at some other reasons why mobility is so important.

Walking Aids Keep Your Heart and Mind Healthy

Staying active is vital for good health and any activity that is good for your heart is usually also good for your brain.

Regular exercise is vital throughout our lives, not just when young, and although you may soon get tired even with a walking frame, it is important to do as much as you comfortably can to keep your body strong.

Our rollator range provides the perfect way to get to the shops or meet with friends in parks, cafes and social clubs. They come with storage bags for your shopping and seats so that you can take a rest and watch the world go by for while.

Pictured here is the Oracle Rollator.

Symptoms of Depression

Watch out for these symptoms of mental health issues and depression in elderly relatives or friends and speak to your GP if necessary, to get help:

• Anxiety
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Low self-esteem
• Crying more than usual
• Irritability
• Lacking motivation
• Unable to make simple decisions
• Feeling suicidal
• Thinking of harming yourself

Help & Support

We all know it can be easy to lose confidence if your balance isn’t good and you are unsteady on your feet, especially if you have already had a fall.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t get out and about with the right help and support. There are plenty of ways in which you can get both practical help and emotional support to stay as mobile as possible, which will help minimise the risk of developing poor mental health.

The solution could be as simple as using a home care service where a dedicated carer can help you overcome physical limitations and provide both help and motivation to be more mobile.

A carer who comes to your home will gradually encourage you to walk more each day, walk with you and help you attend local activities. All of which will Improve your mental well-being.

There are also all sorts of walking aids available that can help build your confidence and provide the support you need to stay as mobile as possible. Think of the pleasure of being able to enjoy your garden on a spring day again, meet with friends or make new friends at a day centre or simply walk to your local shops.

The Importance of Companionship

It can be lonely living alone and this can also contribute to poor mental health but staying mobile provides opportunities to see and talk to more people, which will have a positive effect on your mental well-being.

The local shops, library, community or day centre, local church and other groups are all out there with other people like you happy to chat over a cup of tea and provide the companionship that we all, as human beings, need.

Fresh Air and Sunshine is Good For Your Health

Fresh air and sunshine also provides plenty of health benefits.

Just getting outside for a few hours can improve mental health - researchers have found that breathing fresh air and smelling plants such as flowers and grasses can reduce stress and anxiety.

The air itself may be healthier too especially if your home has been closed up all winter. Sunshine is vital for the production of vitamin D, and vitamin D deficiency can cause a reduction of mental clarity and increased cognitive impairment, as well as raising risk of cardiovascular disease.

Cardiovascular disease does not just affect the heart, but your whole vascular system, which means it is linked to strokes, dementia, failing eyesight, fatigue, and hair loss.

While hair loss is often expected by men, it can be traumatic for women and seriously affect their body image, so regular sunshine is a great way to help improve healthy blood flow to those hair follicles.

A mobility scooter is a great way to get out for a few hours, and the latest models such as the Li-Tech Air Lithium Scooter have a good range and area easy to store away at home too.

And as you can see above, they also provide a great way to meet friends at a cafe to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee in the sunshine. Getting outside really is good for both your mental and physical health, so don't let reduced mobility stop you this year.

Call our sales advisers on 0333 015 5000, head to one of our mobility shops, or browse our mobility shop online for more advice and support.