Subtle Signs Your Older Loved One May Need More Support with Mobility
When people think about mobility problems, they often picture obvious signs such as slower walking, stiffness, or difficulty getting around. While these are important indicators, some of the earliest signs can be much more subtle and easy for family members to overlook.
According to Dr Punam Krishan, TV and NHS GP working with stairlift and home lift brand Stannah, recognising these less obvious changes can help families identify when an older relative or friend may benefit from extra support.
With around one in three people aged 65 and over experiencing a fall each year, the GP provides insight into why spotting early indicators in yourself or a loved one could be key to maintaining independence and reducing fall risk.
Clumsiness
Occasionally being clumsy is something many people experience, but a noticeable increase in bumps, trips, and knocks can sometimes signal changes in mobility, balance, or coordination.
Dr Punam explains:
‘Many people put this down to stress and being distracted but it can be worth looking at more closely. For example, bumping into things can be associated with balance and orientation issues due to natural degradation across three main sensory and physical systems: the inner ear, eyesight, and muscle strength.
‘Muscle strength actually starts to decrease from age 30 and by age 70, muscle loss accelerates to around 15% per decade.
‘The more these three systems decline, the body can struggle to process an incoming bump or knock and can’t provide the necessary correction to avoid it.’
Signs to look out for
If you spend time with an older loved one, you may notice them:
- Catching their shoulders or hips on doorframes when walking through them
- Bumping into furniture despite the layout of the home remaining unchanged
- Tripping on stairs or misjudging step heights
- Sitting on the edge of the bed to steady themselves before standing
- Taking longer to recover from stumbles or near-falls
Dr Punam adds:
‘Rather than be the key reason for an appointment, clumsiness happens to come up in conversation with my patients’. Dr Punam continues: ‘Sometimes it’s due to unexplained bruising where they mention that they have been clumsier than usual lately. From there, we then discuss potential causes and solutions.
‘This wouldn’t happen without them mentioning it to me in passing, so don’t feel like it would be wasted energy to suggest to a loved one to mention it to their doctor. You’d be surprised at the positive outcomes it might lead to.’
Difficulty Keeping Up with Household Chores
If dishes are left in the sink for longer than usual or clutter starts building up around the home, it can be tempting to assume a loved one has simply become less motivated. However, these changes can sometimes indicate that standing, walking, or moving around the home is becoming more difficult.
Dr Punam explains:
‘The legs, hips and glutes contain the muscle groups that keep you upright and these decline over time – referred to as sarcopenia.
‘Standing upright requires these muscle groups to contract and work together. When they don’t work as efficiently as they did before, this movement can prove to be difficult.
‘Older loved ones can then tend to do most of their chores sitting down to compensate. It’s easy to dismiss this as lack of motivation but, actually, it’s a telling sign that they might need some more support with maintaining their home in a safe way. For example, simple home adaptations such as grab rails can support them when upright so they can continue to live independently.’
Signs to look out for
You may notice your loved one:
- Constantly shifting their weight from one foot to the other when standing
- Experiencing visible leg trembling after only a few minutes upright
- Leaning against walls, worktops, or furniture for support
- Developing swollen ankles or feet after standing for extended periods
- Regularly complaining of aching legs
Dr Punam also warns that avoiding household tasks altogether can create additional safety risks.
‘Chores can be ignored all together if a loved one has lost confidence about their ability to do them, which can create homemade hazards that make their home environment unsafe. If clutter is unmanaged, it can create tripping hazards. Therefore, it’s worth speaking to them about how they get on with household responsibilities and observe them as they are doing them for any difficulties standing.’
Changes in Arm Movement While Walking
While others may seem more obvious, this is a surprising warning sign. Mobility changes are not always limited to the legs and feet. In some cases, changes in the way a person moves their arms while walking can provide important clues about their overall mobility.
Dr Punam says:
‘When you walk, your arms naturally swing in an opposite pattern to the way your legs move as an automatic motion.
‘As we get older, this movement can reduce as we take shorter steps and walk slightly slower due to decreased mobility. As an automatic adjustment to this natural change, arm swing isn’t as present. Since arm swing isn’t a chosen behaviour, its decline suggests something else is going on.’
Signs to look out for
Watch for:
- Arms appearing stiff or being held closer to the body than usual
- A rigid or ‘marching soldier’ style of walking
- Reduced shoulder movement on one side
- Fewer natural hand gestures during conversation
- Jerky arm movements rather than a smooth swinging motion
According to Dr Punam, a reduction in arm swing can sometimes be one of the earliest indicators of Parkinson’s disease, particularly when one arm swings noticeably less than the other. In other cases, it may be linked to arthritis, stiffness, or normal age-related changes.
Starting the Conversation
Mobility changes rarely happen in isolation. Instead, families often notice a combination of small changes that gradually become more apparent over time.
Dr Punam concludes:
‘Symptoms of mobility decline are rarely isolated. Instead, there is usually a combination of several.
‘If you’ve observed these signs in a loved one, I advise you speak openly and honestly with them about how it might be impacting their daily life. Then, you can work with them to make any necessary changes to the home to support them and help them continue to live in their forever home.’
For families, recognising these early signs can be an important first step in helping older relatives and friends stay safe, independent, and confident in their own homes for as long as possible.
Photo by ALEXANDRE DINAUT on Unsplash