Re: -walker

[Guest guest]

Hi , GREAT advice. I've been using a walker inside & outside for

alittle more than a year. It was a " mental " adjustment, but I did it. Found

out it really helped me from falling. s were for " old " people. Not

true. It has given me independence. I did purchase a walker that is too

heavy for me to get in & out of vehicle. I like your advice on getting a

lighter weight one for the vehicle. I may check into that.

I was very stubborn at first to use a walker, I thought I didn't " need " that

thing. But, hey, its great--gets me where I want to go! And the stares from

people, bothered me at first, but not anymore, just shrug it off. If they

had this disease, they'd be using a walker too. And I am astonished at the

courtesy " some " people give you. Going into a store, they offer to hold the

door, etc., there are still good, caring, considerate people out there for

the handicap/disabled.

Donna ~ PLS ~ Iowa

Re: walker

> ,

>

> I have used walkers for many years now and if you are now at the point

> of beginning to fall at the slightest provocation then please use one

> and help prevent yourself falling and doing yourself the sort of

> injuries some of us have done to ourselves.

>

> If you are still able to walk without one at the moment then I am sure

> you would want one with four wheels, not one with wheels at the rear and

> 'prongs' at the front. I can't take a single step without mine but

> still manage easily with a four wheeler (actually a six wheeler as the

> rears have a pair of wheels on each side). I have always had one with

> push down brakes i.e. you just lean on the handles to activate the

> brakes and I find that works really well for me. I didn't want one with

> hand brakes (like a bike) as in a panic situation such as would occur if

> it started to get away from me going downhill I tend to freeze up and

> don't know that I would actually activate the hand brakes in time. To

> me just leaning on the handles is a fairly natural thing to do in that

> situation and the brakes then activate.

>

> There are lots of variations on a theme, even when it comes to things

> like wheel size. Previous ones I had all had 4 " wheels but then I got

> one with 6 " wheels as it copes with uneven ground and grass better.

> However, before I purchased it I should have tried putting it in the car

> as it turns out to be quite a bit heavier than previous ones and I

> struggle to put it in the back seat of the car and get it out again (my

> wife also finds it awkward and she can manage 90 lb bags of horse

> feed). I ended up buying another lightweight aluminium one (aluminum as

> I think you guys say) same as my previous ones which I can easily get in

> and out of the car myself, so now I leave the light one in the car and

> use the heavier one around the house. Saves me lifting one in when I

> get out to the car and then back out again when I get home. (The

> heavier one is also aluminium, just not as lightweight.)

>

> Best thing to do is go to somewhere with a range of them and try out the

> various options on brakes, wheels, styles, weight etc to find the one

> that suits you best. As a then 43 year old male who played a lot of

> sport I found the idea of using an " old peoples' " aid embarrassing at

> first but that soon disappeared. Possibly some people stare now but to

> be honest I never notice any more. I just get on with what I am doing.

>

>

>

> Keesee wrote:

>

> >

> > Thanks Maureen for the encouragement to use the walker. I know I must

> > but don't want to and I am clumsy with it. How well do you put it in

> > the car and take it out again? Do most use 4 wheels or 2, with or

> > without brakes, etc?

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