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What Kinds of Mobility Aids Can Help a Loved One Who Has Trouble Walking?

Home Care in West Memorial TX: If your elderly loved one has a difficult time walking, mobility aids can help her quite a bit. Choosing the right one can seem intimidating at first, however.
Home Care in West Memorial TX: Home Care in West Memorial TX: What Kinds of Mobility Aids Can Help a Loved One Who Has Trouble Walking?
Home Care in West Memorial TX: Home Care in West Memorial TX: What Kinds of Mobility Aids Can Help a Loved One Who Has Trouble Walking?

If your elderly loved one has difficulty walking, she may avoid it for fear of falling or having other issues. The problem is that she can lose muscle strength quickly by avoiding walking. Using mobility aids can keep her moving.

Canes

Canes are the easiest mobility aid for your loved one to use because they don’t require any setup or complicated maneuvering. Using the cane simply requires your loved one to hold it in her hand and then to allow it to help her balance. Single-point canes are excellent if your loved one only needs a little bit of support, while a quad cane provides an even more stable point of contact for your loved one.

Walkers

Walkers are for people who need more support than a cane. The walker uses a lightweight frame that your loved one stands inside of and then moves forward as she walks. When your loved one is ready to pause, she can rest on the walker. The best thing about using a walker is that your loved one can remain stable inside the framework of the walker.

Rolling Walkers

Rolling walkers are an excellent choice for your loved one if she doesn’t have the strength or the stamina to lift the walker continuously. The wheels allow the walker to glide along easily. Your loved one uses hand brakes when she needs to stop so that the walker doesn’t move out from underneath her. This can be a more stable form of a walker if your loved one needs even more support.

Learning to Use These Devices

Your loved one’s doctor is the first stop in learning how to properly use these devices. Your loved one might need more practice with her mobility aid, which is where working with an occupational therapist or a physical therapist can be extremely useful. The more your loved one can practice, the better she’ll get at using her device. This is important so that she can learn to rely on it as she’s walking.

Hiring home care providers can help your loved one to feel more secure with using her new mobility aids at home. Knowing that they’re there can also help you to feel more secure.

If you or an aging loved one are considering home care in West Memorial, TX, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.

Donna Wrabel, LMSW

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