4 Ways to Make Stairs Safer Easier for Seniors

1. Install and Check Handrails. If your loved one’s stairs have an existing handrail, check it for stability.
2. Look for Tread Options. Wooden stairs are beautiful, but they can also be slick and easy to slide off of.
3. Consider a Wheelchair Ramp.
4. Install a Stair Lift.

How do you make stairs easier to climb for the elderly?

Another is to install anti-slip tape, abrasive treads, carpeting, or rubberized treads on each step. For staircases that are already carpeted, ensure that those carpets remain tightly secured against the floor. In many cases, helping the elderly with stairs can be as simple as adding handrails.

How do I make stairs easier to climb?

3. Single-Leg Balance

1. Standing with feet hip width apart, ensure you stand proud and with proper posture.
2. Transfer your weight onto one leg by lifting the other leg off the ground slightly.
3. Feel free to hold onto a chair to stabilise; as you feel confident, begin to let go of the support for longer periods.

How can I help my old people go down the stairs?

Use your other hand to support the elder as they start climbing the stairs. Ask the elder to climb up or go down one stair at a time, starting with their weaker leg first, then the stronger one, followed by the cane. All three should be on each step before climbing the next one.

Why is it hard for seniors to climb stairs?

Why do stairs get harder with age? There are many reasons why people find the stairs harder with age. As we get older, we lose muscle strength and flexibility (although the right exercises can go a long way to maintaining this). All of these factors can make stairs particularly challenging (especially on the way down).

Is there an alternative to a stair lift?

Mobility stair climbers offer an alternative to stairlifts for use on a variety of staircases, including spiral, winding and straight. Whether you need to travel up and down the stairs in the comfort of your own wheelchair or you require a mobility unit to safely manoeuvre you – stanley has a solution.

Why do I struggle to walk down stairs?

When you go down stairs, the force on the kneecap is 3.5x your body weight. This means that if you weigh in the neighborhood of 150lbs, your knees bear a force of 525lbs. For such a small surface area, this is a lot to carry—which explains why so many people struggle descending stairs.

Why do I struggle to climb stairs?

Self-reported difficulty in climbing up stairs was associated with hypertension, arthritis, and depressive symptoms. Difficulty in climbing up stairs was also associated with poor balance and grip strength as well as neurologic gait abnormalities. Subjects with difficulty climbing down stairs had more falls.

Why is it so hard to climb stairs?

Simply put, it’s because going up stairs demands a lot of your muscles. “Climbing a flight of stairs uses more muscles than walking,” Kennihan explains. “You are basically doing lunges uphill and fighting against gravity.

Are stairs good exercise for older adults?

Fitness professionals’ encouragement of daily stair climbing as part of an exercise routine may help motivate participants to increase their daily walking and stair climbing. In older adults, regular stair climbing might be a promising way to increase PA and maintain their independence during their daily lives.

How many steps a day should an 85 year old woman take?

Generally, older adults in good physical shape walk somewhere between 2,000 and 9,000 steps daily. This translates into walking distances of 1 and 4-1/2 miles respectively.