MyMobility Plan 

What can you do to 

 stay independent? 

As we age, we can share wisdom and history with 

our families and communities. We can help future 

generations protect their own physical, spiritual, 

emotional, and mental health. Keeping safe and 

maintaining our own health can help our family 

and tribal community in meaningful ways. 

It can be hard to talk about, but physical changes 

over time can afect our mobility—our ability to get 

around. These changes can make it harder to do 

things we want or need to do—like driving, shopping, 

doing household chores, and seeing our loved ones. 

We can plan ahead for these changes to stay 

safe and independent longer. You might not have 

mobility problems now, but you could in the future. 

You may know others who already do—perhaps a 

parent, relative, member of your tribe, or friend. 

You—or your loved ones—can take steps today that 

will help you stay safe and independent tomorrow. 

The MyMobility Plan is a tool to help you plan for 

those changes and take action now. This planning 

guide includes checklists, tips, and resources to help 

you stay safe and mobile in the years to come. You 

can work through the plan by yourself or with your 

healthcare provider, family member, member of your 

tribe, or friend. 

There may come a 

time when you can 

no longer drive, 

but still need to 

get around. 

MySelf 

Plan to 

stay 

healthy 

MyHome 

Plan to 

stay safe 

at home 

MyCommunity

Plan to get 

where you 

want to go 

Plan today. 

Stay independent tomorrow. 
______________ 

 ______________ 

________________________________ 

________________________________ 

MySelf Plan to stay healthy 

You can maintain your mobility by 

staying healthy and managing chronic 

conditions. As you get older, you may 

have more visits with doctors or other 

healthcare providers to keep track of 

changes in your health. You also may 

need to focus on exercises that keep 

you strong and increase your balance. 

Complete the checklist here to 

get started. 

MyMobility Tip 

The lenses used for reading 

in bifocal glasses can change 

how you judge step heights 

and can lead to falls. Consider 

using a second pair of single 

lens glasses to prevent falls 

when outside of the home. 

☐ Get a checkup or wellness 

visit each year. 

If you don’t have a regular healthcare 

provider, fnd one at www.ihs.gov/ 

fndhealthcare. Some treatable health 

issues (such as arthritis or balance 

problems) may increase your risk of 

being in a car crash or falling. You can 

check your fall risk at home using bit.ly/ 

falls-free-checkup and share results with 

your healthcare provider. Think about 

your checkups or wellness visits: 

Last Exam Date: _________________ 

Next Exam Date: _________________ 

☐ Take care of your mental health. 

Stay connected with family and 

friends, do things you enjoy, and talk 

to a healthcare provider, counselor, 

or traditional healer. Find a provider 

at www.ihs.gov/fndhealthcare. Social 

isolation and conditions such as 

depression may increase your risk of 

falling. Who are some caring people 

you can talk or visit with? 

☐ Get a medical eye exam each year. 

Untreated eye problems can increase 

your risk of falling or being in a car crash. 

Last Eye Exam Date: 

Next Eye Exam Date: 
 

MySelf 

☐ Get a hearing exam. 

Untreated hearing loss may afect your 

safety while driving or cause balance 

issues that can lead to a fall. 

Last Hearing Exam Date: ___________ 

Next Hearing Exam Date: ___________ 

☐ Be physically active with a focus on 

increasing your strength and balance. 

Doing strength and balance activities 

at least 3 times a week can reduce your 

risk of falling. These activities can be 

done on your own or with other people. 

You can do them at home, at a gym, at 

a local community center, or outdoors. 

Activities like walking and stretching 

are good for you but do not reduce 

your risk of falling. Find examples of 

strength and balance activities and 

tracking tools at: 

bit.ly/IHS-Physical-Activity 

and bit.ly/health-tracking-tools. 

Find tips for exercising safely outdoors 

at: bit.ly/NIH-outdoor-exercise. 

☐ Review all your medications 

regularly with your healthcare 

provider, such as a doctor 

or pharmacist. 

Certain medications can afect your 

ability to drive, walk, or get around 

safely. This includes some over-thecounter medications. Learn more at: 

bit.ly/CDC-MedicinesRisk. 

Plan to stay healthy 

MyMobility Tip 

Review your health insurance 

plan to understand benefts. 

Medicare plans may cover the 

cost of exercise programs like 

SilverSneakersTM or Silver&Fit.®

What can I do next? 

Talk to your healthcare provider 

about your risk of falling or any 

concerns about driving. 
 

 

 

 

MyHome Plan to stay safe at home 

Injuries from falling can reduce your 

ability to stay mobile and independent. 

You can help prevent falls in your 

home by making small changes and 

removing things that may cause you 

to trip. Set aside time to go through 

the following home safety checklist 

to fnd changes that you can make to 

your home. Consider having a friend or 

family member go through this checklist 

with you. Decide if you need help with 

a project and what tools you would 

need. If you need help, see if there are 

organizations in the community that 

provide materials, funds, or help with 

installations. Call 211 or contact your 

local Tribal ofce to fnd out about 

these programs. 

Check the foors, stairs, and lighting in 

each room, including any basements, 

garages, porches, or entryways. 

☐ Keep objects, such as purses, 

laundry baskets, and children’s toys, 

of the foor. 

☐ Remove or tape down rugs. 

☐ Coil or tape cords and wires next 

to the wall and out of the way. 

☐ Check for loose or uneven stairs. 

Repair if needed. 

☐ Make sure carpet is frmly attached 

to every stair or remove carpet and 

attach non-slip rubber treads. 

☐ Check for loose or broken handrails. 

Repair if needed. 

☐ Install handrails on both sides of stairs 

if needed. 

MyMobility Tip 

Falls are more likely when you 

are wearing socks indoors or 

footwear that does not cover the 

heel, such as fip fops. Wear safe 

shoes that ft well, with a frm heel 

to provide stability, and a textured 

sole to prevent slipping—even 

when inside your home. 

☐ Use overhead lighting at the top and 

bottom of stairs and consider adding 

light switches at both the top and 

bottom of stairs. 

☐ Add bright lightbulbs to fxtures. 

More information on choosing how to 

light specifc rooms is available here: 

bit.ly/light-health. 
 

 

 

MyHome Plan to stay safe at home 

Check the kitchen: 

☐ Put often-used items within easy reach. 

☐ Use a step stool with a non-slip surface 

and a bar to hold on to when retrieving 

hard-to-reach items. Never use a chair 

as a step stool. 

Check the bedrooms: 

☐ Place lamps near the bed so they are 

within reach when you are in bed. 

☐ Put in night-lights to see where you 

are walking in the dark. Consider 

battery-operated lights for areas that 

do not have electrical outlets. Also 

consider motion sensor night-lights. 

Check the bathrooms: 

☐ Put non-slip rubber mats or self-stick 

strips on the foor of the tub or shower. 

☐ Install grab bars for support getting 

in or out of the tub or shower and up 

from the toilet. 

MyMobility Tips for 

Outside the Home 

Falls from outdoor ladders can 

be especially dangerous. Think 

about asking someone to help 

or hiring someone for chores like 

cleaning gutters and putting up 

holiday lights. 

Snow and ice can increase 

outdoor falls. Make a plan 

to have snow removed from 

your sidewalks and entryways 

after snowfall. A thin layer of 

sand or cat litter can help 

prevent slipping on ice. 

What can I do next? 

Find more home modifcation 

information and resources at 

go.usa.gov/xUEs3 and 

bit.ly/home-ft-guide. 
 

MyCommunity Plan to get where you want to go 

Your transportation needs may change 

as you age. You might get to a point 

when you are not comfortable driving 

in certain situations, like at night. 

Eventually you might not be able to 

safely drive. Physical changes such as 

joint problems may make it hard to walk 

places or use a bus. 

We all need transportation for practical 

reasons like grocery shopping and 

medical appointments, but we also need 

it to spend time with friends and loved 

ones. Staying social helps us maintain 

our quality of life. The following steps 

can help you maintain independence 

and connections as you age. 

MyMobility Tip 

Staying focused while driving is 

important for everyone. Avoid 

distractions in your car—or other 

vehicles such as boats or ATVs— 

such as listening to a loud radio, 

talking or texting on your phone, 

and eating. Set up navigation 

and adjust your mirrors and radio 

before you start driving, not 

while you are on the road. 

Do you drive? 

• Learn tips to drive safely 

while aging: 

o NHTSA bit.ly/driving-safely-aging 

o AAA bit.ly/senior-driving-safety 

• Consider a driver refresher 

course. Some insurers give a 

discount on your car insurance 

for taking a course: 

o AARP 1-888-687-2277 

or www.aarp.org/auto 

o AAA 1-800-222-4357 

or www.aaa.com 
MyCommunity Plan to get where you want to go 

☐ Find transportation options in 

your community. 

Finding transportation options before 

you need them—and learning how to use 

them—will help you keep the freedom to 

go where you want at any age. Here are 

some places to look for transportation 

options in your area. Not all of these may 

be available where you live: 

• Native Elder Service Locator 

1-800-896-7628 

or www.nrcnaa.org/service-locator 

• Rides in Sight 1-855-607-4337 

or www.ridesinsight.org 

• Eldercare Locator 1-800-677-1116 

or www.eldercare.acl.gov 

• A place of worship, local senior 

center, Tribal ofce, or similar 

organization 

• Health insurance provider like 

some Medicare and Medicaid plans 

• Local government webpages for 

public transportation 

• Rideshare services such as Uber 

and Lyft or taxis 

MyMobility Tip 

Think about how a computer 

or phone can be used to: 

• Have prescriptions or 

groceries delivered 

• Check in with your doctor 

or other healthcare provider 

• Connect with friends and family 

☐ Make a plan for your future 

transportation options. 

Make a list of all the places you go 

now and how you get there. Then 

think about how you would get to 

these same places if you couldn't 

use your current way. Consider some 

of the options you found above. For 

example, maybe you currently drive 

yourself to get lunch with friends, 

but in the future you could get a ride 

from a friend or take a taxi if you 

couldn’t drive yourself. 

What can I do next? 

Get comfortable with the 

transportation options you 

fnd by trying them out now, 

perhaps with a friend or a 

family member. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Resources 

• Healthy Tribes – fnd information about 

promoting health in Tribal Communities: 

www.cdc.gov/healthytribes 

• Healthy Aging – fnd information about 

exercise, nutrition, staying connected, 

and more: 

www.hhs.gov/aging/healthy-aging 

• Still Going Strong – learn how to age 

without injury: 

www.cdc.gov/stillgoingstrong 

• National Resource Center on Native 

American Aging – services and 

programs that support healthy aging: 

www.nrcnaa.org 

• Native Elder Service Locator – services 

that may be ofered in your community: 

1-800-896-7628 or 

www.nrcnaa.org/service-locator 

• Eldercare Locator – local Area Agency 

on Aging resources on housing, 

transportation, and more: 1-800-677-1116 

or www.eldercare.acl.gov 

• Lifeline Program – support for phone 

and internet services for people with 

low incomes: 1-800-234-9473 or 

www.lifelinesupport.org 

• National Council on Aging – resources 

about aging well: 

www.ncoa.org 

MyNotes 

Use this space to make notes on next steps, things to discuss with your family 

or friends, or questions you may have for your healthcare provider. 

For more information about 

the MyMobility Plan visit: 

www.cdc.gov/transportationsafety/ 

older_adult_drivers/mymobility 

Centers for Disease 

Control and Prevention 

National Center for Injury 

Prevention and Control 

2023