Daily living and health
Ambulation
Ambulation means walking from place to place, with or without a cane, walker, or help from another person. Doctors and care teams use the word when they assess how well a person moves. Weakness, pain, or balance trouble can limit it.
Why it matters for your family
Ambulation tells a care team whether a person can get around the home safely. Notes might say walks with a walker or needs one-person assist. Families can use the same terms when they talk to doctors. A person who walks less often loses strength, which raises fall risk. A common mistake is letting someone stop walking because they once fell. A therapist can set a safe plan. Caregivers can walk beside a person, clear paths, and watch for tiredness. HomeCare.com advanced companion care includes walking assistance, with no medical treatment.
Source: cdc.gov
Read more: Personal and advanced care
Related terms
- Mobility assistanceMobility assistance is help with moving around, such as standing up, walking, using stairs, and getting in and out of a bed, chair, or car.
- WalkerA walker is a frame with four legs that a person grips to steady themselves while walking.
- RollatorA rollator is a walking aid with three or four wheels, hand brakes and often a built-in seat.
- Fall riskFall risk is the chance that a person will fall and be hurt.
- TransferringTransferring, as an activity of daily living, means moving between surfaces, such as bed to chair, chair to standing, or wheelchair to toilet.
- Rehabilitation careRehabilitation care is therapy that helps a person regain strength, movement, speech, or daily skills after an illness, injury, or surgery.
