Re: Are walkers good or bad?

January 5, 2007

Hi

My Mom had a walker up until 3 mos before she died. It had wheels and she

did quite good with it. It was more to steady her when she walked. She used one

before LBD because of leg problems so that might have made a difference in

her ability to use it.

Hope this helps

Jacqui in So Florida

January 5, 2007

A walker with wheels was a great assist for my mother, especially toward the end

of her

walking days when her legs would just give out and she could sit on it with me

pushing.

However, the visual spacial challenges do lead to many collisions with walls and

furniture,

so your home may never be the same!

It was the PT who did the walker shopping, took a few to Mom's apartment and

decided

which one suited her best, then adjusted height levels for her.

, Oakville Ont.

Mother, age 92, died Aug. 12/06 after 13 year decline from PDD

>

> A PT has suggested a walker for Lee, and I'd like to know your experiences

before I go

> through the hassle of looking at them. He has the simplest of lift chairs and

even that

> seems to confuse him at times...

>

January 5, 2007

My dad was never able to master the use of a

walker. He couldn't consistently remember to

lift the walker so he could take another step and

he would freeze inside the walker. We tried a

cane and that somehow disappeared after a

while.

Sandie

Des Moines, IA

dad, Merle, passed from LBD 9-20-02, age 65

-- Are walkers good or bad?

A PT has suggested a walker for Lee, and I'd like to know your experiences

before I go

through the hassle of looking at them. He has the simplest of lift chairs

and even that

seems to confuse him at times...

Welcome to LBDcaregivers.

January 5, 2007

In part, I would guess it all depends on how receptive he is to the

idea. My dad would never consider one, when he was most likely able

to " learn " how to use one. The neurologist recommended he get a cane

and learn how to use it so that later on, it would be second nature to

him....never happened.

Now at the NH, he has a walker available for use, but he tends to pick

it up and carry it LOL.

He does better walking behind and pushing his wheelchair, like a

grocery cart...provides stability.

I'd try one out before buying one.

Daughter of Bill, 91

>

> A PT has suggested a walker for Lee, and I'd like to know your

experiences before I go

> through the hassle of looking at them. He has the simplest of lift

chairs and even that

> seems to confuse him at times...

>

January 5, 2007

My mom never had a walker - went from cane to wheelchair. But she got

confused about the cane - never could remember how to use it. She was

pretty much only using it as a pointing devise. LOL

Someone's suggested in the past a merry walker -- allows you to walk

then sit when needed:

http://www.merrywalker.com/

January 5, 2007

I think is pretty much on track.

The cane was a help for a while, but mostly it was just used when mom

remembered it, and mostly if she wanted to go outside.

By the time my mom got bad enough to consistently use the walker, her balance

was also going South. She held on to the walker with an Iron Grip.. as she

would tumble backwards. I doubt that her independent use of the walker lasted

2 weeks. From then on we --always-- walked with her and behind her to

compensate for her loss of balance. We totally abandoned the walker after

another week or two of that. We just walked side by side with her, supporting

and balancing her weight, until it became wheel chair time. Even then we

walked as much with her as possible to keep her strength up. My MIL had ALS

and used a merry walker for a couple of months after hip surgery. Those are

pretty nifty.

Dann

wrote: My mom

never had a walker - went from cane to wheelchair. But she got

confused about the cane - never could remember how to use it. She was

pretty much only using it as a pointing devise. LOL

Someone's suggested in the past a merry walker -- allows you to walk

then sit when needed:

http://www.merrywalker.com/

January 5, 2007

One more thought. I know the PT advised a walker, so that is the stage Lee is

at. At least

if there is striking out behaviour, it is much harder to lift and throw a walker

than to use a

cane as a weapon!

>

> A PT has suggested a walker for Lee, and I'd like to know your experiences

before I go

> through the hassle of looking at them. He has the simplest of lift chairs and

even that

> seems to confuse him at times...

>

January 5, 2007

Mom had a cane until she tried to use it to hit with and then I took it away.

She used a walker as best she could. (She couldn't hit anyone with it.) It did

help her balance when she needed it. But I was mostly along side her even with

the walker until she went to a wheel chair. And that was gradual. We used the

wheel chair, (sorry, I could only call it a transport chair or she wouldn't get

in.) when it was winter and we had a longer way to walk and it was icy.

A transport chair doesn't have the big wheels and I didn't know that until I

went to get a chair. So she really appreciated that I just pushed her in the

chair " when needed. "

She could never use the one with big wheels that she ended up with at the nh.

She used her feet and walked around in the wheel chair. Her mind just couldn't

learn how to make her arms work to make her move in the wheel chair.

Hope this helps.

Hugs,

Donna R

Caregave for Mom (after I brought her from WI to MI) for 3 years and 4th year in

a nh.

She was almost 89 when she died in '02. No dx other than mine.

Are walkers good or bad?

A PT has suggested a walker for Lee, and I'd like to know your experiences

before I go

through the hassle of looking at them. He has the simplest of lift chairs and

even that

seems to confuse him at times...

January 6, 2007

Interesting.

My mom usually froze up, for a while, when she was trying to make the walker

move. Once she got going, it worked, but I had to be right beside her for

balance and moral support.

My mom had difficulty getting her arms to pick up and move the walker a-head.

She had the same problem with the wheel chair. She needed some one to push it,

because she didn't (or couldn't) figure how to use her hands to propel the

wheels.

Dann

Donna Mido wrote:

Mom had a cane until she tried to use it to hit with and then I took

it away. She used a walker as best she could. (She couldn't hit anyone with it.)

It did help her balance when she needed it. But I was mostly along side her even

with the walker until she went to a wheel chair. And that was gradual. We used

the wheel chair, (sorry, I could only call it a transport chair or she wouldn't

get in.) when it was winter and we had a longer way to walk and it was icy.

A transport chair doesn't have the big wheels and I didn't know that until I

went to get a chair. So she really appreciated that I just pushed her in the

chair " when needed. "

She could never use the one with big wheels that she ended up with at the nh.

She used her feet and walked around in the wheel chair. Her mind just couldn't

learn how to make her arms work to make her move in the wheel chair.

Hope this helps.

Hugs,

Donna R

Caregave for Mom (after I brought her from WI to MI) for 3 years and 4th year in

a nh.

She was almost 89 when she died in '02. No dx other than mine.

Are walkers good or bad?

A PT has suggested a walker for Lee, and I'd like to know your experiences

before I go

through the hassle of looking at them. He has the simplest of lift chairs and

even that

seems to confuse him at times...

January 8, 2007

Richey,

s can be great if Lee can use one properly (eg, keep it on the

ground; understand how to stop it; walk with it, not run) and if he

can be safe using one (ie, if he wouldn't be safer in a wheelchair).

A walker should never be lifted! I'm sure the PT will confirm that.

My dad has been using the UStep walker (see ustep.com) for over 2

years. (The UStep is designed for people with PD.) He uses it now

only around his apt and for exercise. (And for getting in and out of

the car.) For the last year he has not been able to use the walker

unescorted. We must physically restrain the walker from getting too

far out in front of him.

I *highly* recommend you and Lee visit The Parkinson's Institute in

Sunnyvale. That's what my dad and I did before getting the

UStep. We tried it out there to see if Dad could even operate it. I

think the UStep was $585, with Medicare covering all of it, after

getting an MD's RX.

I will forward you some info I sent out to the local support group

last year on walkers.

Robin

>4a. Are walkers good or bad? Digest Number 3447

> Posted by: " Richey Grude " richeyg81@... birdette1

> Date: Fri Jan 5, 2007 9:39 am ((PST))

>

>A PT has suggested a walker for Lee, and I'd like to know your

>experiences before I go

>through the hassle of looking at them. He has the simplest of lift

>chairs and even that