For many older persons, just walking across a room can delete them of all their energy for the day. In hot weather, they may not even make it out of bed. Learning to conserve energy is not a complicated process, yet it can make a world of difference in regards to remaining independent. It can be the difference between continuing to live at home or having to move to an assisted living facility.

Learning to perform tasks efficiently and to minimize energy expense requires mental organization. Before an elderly person gets up and does something, she needs to stop and think about what else she can do at the same time.

For instance, getting dressed in the morning could require several trips to the closet. She should stop and think about all of the things she needs to gather from the closet such as clothing, necessary accessories such as a belt, and shoes. She should gather them all at once instead of getting clothes out, putting them on, then going and getting a belt and looking for shoes. Going in and out of the closet several times, sitting down, standing up to get something else, and then sitting again to put on shoes requires a lot of activity and energy; gathering all of the items at one time and dressing in order can take a few simpler steps.

They should perform all tasks in one location and then move on to the next area and tasks. Make sure they take a break and rest sufficiently between tasks. When cooking, they should gather supplies at one time, perform the prep work, and then put away what is no longer needed. They should cook the food, sit down to eat, and then clean up. Multitasking may be a time saver, but it may not always be the most energy efficient way to go.

Anyone who has to use oxygen should learn energy-conservation techniques. Postoperative patients should minimize their expense of energy as they recover. Each action or task takes on a new purpose: What else do you need from the kitchen when you go for a glass of water?

There are many other aspects of energy conservation, including breathing techniques and rest and relaxation tips. Rearranging space such as kitchen-cabinet contents and household furniture can be helpful in making energy conservation work more efficiently. Occupational therapists (OT) are experts in the field of energy conservation. Along with a home safety evaluation from a home-health physical therapist, an energy-conservation evaluation and instructions from an OT could be quite helpful as well. This can be ordered by their physician.