The Best Equipment to Help Keep Elderly People Independent

Searching for the best mobility aids for elderly people? We’re here to give you our expert insights into the most useful equipment you can install in a care home, assisted living facility or similar.

So if you’re building or refurbishing one of these facilities, consider this your guide to finding the best aids to install for promoting independence in care.

At BOYCO, we specialise in creating products for the healthcare sector through our in-house Research and Development capabilities. We consider it our mission to develop products people can count on to make their lives easier and more comfortable. That’s why we have an insider's perspective on this subject.

Keep reading to find out our top picks, including our collection of elderly and disabled grab rails which help with mobility in a range of settings.

The Importance of Promoting Independence in Care

If you’re wondering how to promote independence for elderly people, mobility aids can be crucial in setting up the right environment for care residents to thrive.

Promoting independence in care is a delicate balance of encouraging autonomy while providing support where needed. That’s why installing the right equipment is crucial in assisted living environments.

With the right aids in place, elderly people can be assisted to keep as much of their independence, dignity and autonomy for as long as possible. When assistance or intervention is needed, the right mobility aids help make the transition safer and less invasive.

Essential Mobility Aids for Elderly People

At BOYCO we offer a collection of bathroom grab rails that residents and those who live in assisted living environments can count on for robust daily support.

Our mobility aids are chosen by many contractors to support residential facilities in their duty to provide dignity in care. Regulation 10 of the Health and Social Care Act 2007 specifies that these kinds of assisted living homes should ensure dignity for residents in their care and safely supporting independent mobility is a large part of that commitment. That’s part of why making bathrooms accessible is a crucial aspect of these kinds of building projects.

Bathroom and wet area spaces present some of the greatest challenges for accessibility. As they are spaces that are used multiple times a day, extra support is often needed. So, let’s explore the best choices of bathroom mobility aids for elderly people that help them to maintain independence for as long as possible.

Bathroom Mobility Aids

This is our expert guidance on the essential mobility aids to install in any care environment for elderly people.

Toilets

Using the toilet safely can present a challenge for elderly people with a range of mobility issues.

Getting up and down from a seated position is made easier with a WC fixed grab rail. This L-shaped grab rail offers a horizontal bar at seat level in order to help them stand back up, with a vertical bar offering balance and support at basin height.

In some cases - especially if you know a bathroom will be used by a wheelchair user - a hinged grab rail is the best choice for the space. Read up on whether fixed grab rails or hinged grab rails are right for your construction project.

Back rests can give good additional support as mobility aids for elderly people, disabled people and those who need extra help to use the toilet comfortably.

Showers

Help residents walk themselves into the shower with a long fixed horizontal grab bar. At BOYCO we manufacture grab rails up to 900mm in our standard sizes and can offer bespoke sizing for larger commercial clients.

900mm offers almost a metre of grab railing to help elderly people manoeuvre across the wet bottom of a shower tray/ shower floor and exit the shower, making grab rails the ideal mobility aids for elderly people accessing the shower independently.

To make showering even more accessible to elderly people, consider installing a shower seat within the shower. That way washing can take place while sitting down, rather than having to balance.

Baths

For bathrooms with baths, mobility aids for elderly people to be able to use them safely are a must. Grab rails are typically needed in order to maintain independent use of the bath when entering and exiting. Find more recommendations about essential bath aids for elderly people.

The Rest of the Home

There are several other key points throughout the rest of the home that you should take particular note of when building out accessible living spaces for elderly people.

Stairs

In purpose-built assisted living or care home facilities, lifts can be the best option. However, they aren’t always budget-friendly and there may not be room for them.

A good alternative is a stair lift, which transports the individual up the stairs on a seat attached to an automated rail. This is another way of promoting independence in care while keeping elderly people safe.

Outdoor Spaces

Ensure flat, level surfaces are installed in outdoor spaces to allow residents with walkers or wheelchairs to access outside easily. This serves the additional purpose of creating an easy surface for other more mobile residents to walk on.

Remember to install accessible ramps to allow easy access to outside areas. .

Kitchens

In the case of assisted living facilities, consider dropped-height surfaces and under-counter appliances to enhance the accessibility of the kitchen for residents in wheelchairs. Get in touch with BOYCO if this is something you would like to explore.

How BOYCO designed compliant mobility aids for elderly residents

For over 60 years, BOYCO has been under the care of three generations of the same family. Throughout the decades, our team has expanded to include our own in-house Research & Development experts as well as our own manufacturing facility here in the UK.

Together, our team creates cutting-edge new product ranges to solve modern problems.

In the case of our grab rails, BOYCO pioneered Hot Dip Nylon for use in products for the healthcare sector. This market-leading (changed this due to already using cutting edge above)., antimicrobial material coats all of our grab rails, leaving them protected against 99% of known bacteria as well as being not cold to touch, meeting DDA compliance.

Olakunle Fagbenro, Design Manager at BOYCO, explains how BOYCO grab rails are uniquely useful for care home settings:

"Hot Dip Nylon was pioneered using silver ion technology, which incorporates a specialist antibacterial additive. We worked closely with both our customers, and our own factory to create a coating that not only features market-leading durability that can't be found on any other grab rail products, but also unmatched antimicrobial properties. This makes them a perfect product for high touchpoint and medical areas such as care homes, assisted living facilities, and hospitals.

Shop BOYCO’s Grab Rails

Take a look at the full range of BOYCO’s quality bathroom grab rails. These vital mobility aids for elderly residents will provide years of independent enjoyment of their living environment.

Get in Touch

We’re always here to talk you through which BOYCO products would serve your needs best or answer any questions you have. Contact us today to get in touch with our team or you can visit our FAQs page for answers to common questions.