How to help an elderly parent get up, sit down and walk safely

The goal is for your parent to move with their own strength while you guide, steady and encourage. Every time you lift them completely, they miss a chance to practise. Every time they do a little more themselves, they get a little stronger.

Never pull on their arms or lift them under the armpits. This can injure the shoulder, especially after a stroke. Stand close, bend your knees rather than your back, and hold them at the hips or by a gait belt around the waist.

Ask your parent to bend their knees and roll onto their side, facing the edge of the bed. From there, they lower their legs over the edge while pushing up with the lower elbow and the upper hand into sitting. Help by guiding their shoulders and legs, not by pulling.

Once they are sitting, wait for a minute. Getting up too quickly from lying down can drop the blood pressure and cause dizziness, especially in older adults and people on blood pressure medicines.

Use the "nose over toes" method. Your parent shuffles forward to the edge of the seat, places their feet slightly behind their knees, leans forward until their nose is over their toes, pushes on the armrests or the bed, and stands. Count "one, two, three" together so you move at the same time.

Stand on their weaker side, slightly in front, with your hand on their hip or belt. A firm chair with armrests at the right height makes this much easier than a low sofa.

Many falls happen while sitting down. Your parent should walk until they feel the chair against the backs of both legs, reach back for both armrests, then bend and lower slowly. Dropping into the chair is a sign that the seat is too low or the legs are weak, and it is worth working on with a physiotherapist.

Walk beside and slightly behind your parent on their weaker side, with a hand on their hip or belt. A walking stick usually goes in the hand opposite the weaker or painful leg. With a walker, they should step into it rather than pushing it far ahead.

Plan the route first: clear the path, turn on the lights and know where they can sit to rest.

Do not try to hold them up, or you may both fall. Stay close, keep your back straight, bend your knees and guide them gently down to the floor. Then follow the steps in our guide on what to do after a fall.

After a stroke, always support the weak arm, never pull on it, and approach from the weak side so your parent learns to pay attention to it. The right technique depends on how the stroke has affected them, so ask their physiotherapist to show you methods for your parent specifically.