We’ve all heard of friends or relatives who’ve taken the difficult decision to downsize, or move to a more accessible home to suit their needs in later life.

Often people will start looking at bungalows or ground floor apartments to avoid stairs, potentially saying goodbye to a home they love in the name of practicality. However, with companies such as Age Co Mobility that specialise in mobility products designed to keep their customers safe, independent and comfortable in their own homes, you may find that all you need are a few updates to your current house to make it work for you.

For example, if getting up and down stairs is becoming more difficult, a stairlift could help you to continue to access all areas of your home.

If you have a list of worries about how your loss of mobility could affect your lifestyle, why not take a few minutes to write a list of concerns, then jot down a suggested solution under each point.

For example, if cleaning your home is becoming more tiring or difficult due to reduced mobility, could you budget for a cleaner a few times a month? Or switch a heavy vacuum cleaner for a lighter alternative?

It might also be worth keeping a list of everyday niggles. For example, if you have a bin that’s awkward to use, or an inconveniently placed lamp, it can be easy to experience a fleeting sense of frustration every time you use these things, and then put the issue out of your mind. However, taking stock of what you enjoy using around the home and what you don’t could help you to identify some simple affordable changes you could make.

Also, if aches and pains are an issue, the NHS has a list of stretches for older people that could help to ease aching muscles. And incorporating some gentle stretching everyday may help you to maintain your current level of mobility for longer.

If you’re currently happy in your home, but are wondering about whether you might need to adapt it as you age, it could be worth speaking to older friends and relatives to ask their advice. They may be able to tell you about any mobility aids they’ve found really helpful, and could also give you a better idea of how much you might need to budget for the future.

Also, if you’re currently seeing a professional – such as your GP or a physiotherapist regarding mobility issues, they might be able to recommend some lifestyle changes you could potentially make to help to keep you as mobile as possible for as long as possible.  

We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with Age Co Mobility. The mobility products linked to in this article are theirs, but the words are all our own. For more features, please pay a visit to our regularly updated lifestyle page.