The older a person is, the more likely they are to develop chronic diseases and unwanted age-related changes. Damage and weakening of the musculoskeletal system, vegetovascular dystonia, dizziness, pressure drops and simply weakness in the limbs - all this causes discomfort and self-doubt. Because of this, there is a reluctance to get up once again without outside help, as a result, motor activity decreases, which leads to a complete loss of the ability to move independently in the house or on the street.
To help in such cases, it is recommended to use a special device - a walker for the elderly. They are much more effective than crutches or canes and offer a wide base of support, which adds confidence, helps overcome fear of falling, and enables people with limited mobility to move around.
Destination
Walkers are recommended for elderly and physically disabled people, for whommovement without additional support is not possible. They reduce the load on the legs and spine, and add stability.
Walkers will be useful after a severe stroke, when the patient was bedridden for a long time, lost muscle tone and is afraid to walk without assistance.
Fractures in the elderly are a big problem, the rehabilitation period is long, and the need to transfer the patient to an upright position after bed rest is obvious.
With the help of a walker, the recovery process can be greatly accelerated. They are convenient in everyday life, indispensable in rehabilitation centers, medical institutions, nursing homes. The main thing is that walkers perform their function 100%, be safe, as comfortable as possible, and have the best price for individual purchase.
History
Presumably, walkers were first invented for babies whose parents tried to save their hands and spine from overload.
The history of the development of devices for adults began in the 40s of the last century, when the Lithuanian immigrant Andreus Muiza proposed a four-legged frame structure that reached the patient's waist as a support for supporting weight when walking.
A little later, at the end of the sixties, the Swedish inventor Bernt Linder proposed to additionally use wheels on legs, which significantly improved walkers for the elderly. Feedback from grateful customers gave impetus to the development and implementation of constructive innovations in production.
Modern models, equipped with wheels with a braking mechanism, make it possible to move comfortably in the house and on the street. On the seat you can relax on a walk, and the basket is convenient for transporting everything you need.
Classification
Walkers are classified by:
- destination;
- place of use;
- technical features.
Depending on whether they will be used for a rehabilitation course or selected for everyday use, the models may differ significantly.
Walkers designed for moving indoors can be uncomfortable outdoors and vice versa.
Technical characteristics of different models have significant differences: frame material, weight, handle configuration, availability of wheels and braking mechanism, seat, additional compartments for things.
Depending on the design features, walkers for the elderly can be integral and folding, they are divided into types:
- stationary;
- walking;
- two-level;
- wheel (rollers);
- with additional support (elbow or armpit);
- universal.
Stationary models
Stationary models with a monolithic frame made of lightweight materials - this is the simplest design. At the initial stage, experts advise choosing just such walkers for the elderly.
User reviews indicate that at first,when it is not clear which is better - a crutch, a cane or a more reliable device, it is the simple models with a lightweight aluminum frame that are suitable for most cases.
They are not expensive, practical and durable. Represent a simple design of four supports with handrails for ease of movement. Movement occurs within the structure.
Two-level walker
Such models are designed for weakened patients, when even getting up from a chair or bed causes difficulty. The handrails in such structures are located on two levels: one is designed to stop at the moment of lifting the weight of the body and then lowering, the other - to support while standing and moving around the house.
Experience has shown that two-level walkers for elderly patients are more convenient than the usual design, since it is in the process of getting up that a person should make the most effort, and just the handrails at the right level provide additional support and create conditions for such a push.
Step Walker
This version of the support device is a modification of a simple stationary structure, characterized by a hinged connection of the front jumper with the right and left half.
This fastening allows a person to move not the entire structure at once, but separately each side of it in time with the step. The model is more suitable during the period of active rehabilitation to develop coordination of movement.
Walking walkers for the elderly, thanks to the fixation of swivel joints, quickly turn into a rigid stationary structure, which is very convenient at different stagesrehabilitation period.
Wheel Models
A simple version of mobile walkers involves the presence of small diameter wheels on the front supports on both sides - for easier movement. This design is convenient for patients with weakened hands and after a short training makes it possible to move quite quickly.
Wheels on wheels for older patients are recommended for walking and for additional leg training. Such designs (rollers, rollators) are equipped with four wheels of a larger diameter, which allows you to move as quickly as possible while maintaining stability. Usually equipped with a brake on the principle of a manual bicycle mechanism.
Models with additional support
It also happens that a person has a desire to get up and move, but conventional designs with emphasis on the level of the pelvis do not provide such an opportunity, since they cannot create sufficient support. In such cases, additional body weight support elements at a higher level should be added.
Standing walkers for elderly patients with an emphasis under the elbow make it possible to transfer body weight when walking on the forearm. The higher support provides good stability even for severely weakened people.
Emphasis on the axillary region makes it possible to completely unload the spine and maximally secure the process of movement. Such models are recommended for people with impaired coordination.
Universal walkers and theirmodifications
Currently, the market offers both stationary and folding compact models that are convenient for storage and transportation. The frame folding mechanism can be present in simple stationary structures, in walking walkers, and in more “advanced” rollators. All of them are easily transformed into working position and can be quickly prepared for use.
Often, for patients with a large weight, a conventional aluminum structure is not enough. In such cases, you should select a variant of a more durable frame with increased technical characteristics. There are models designed for loads up to 225 kg.
Currently, comfortable walkers for the elderly are on sale. A photo of such a model is presented above. There are designs with a folding or stationary seat, in which case the front jumper serves as a backrest. Additionally, there may be a table, compartments for storing luggage and transporting a cane.
How to choose a walker for the elderly?
For a patient to feel the benefits of a walker, they must be selected specifically for him. The attending physician, who is familiar with the physiological state and physical he alth of the patient, will help to make the right choice. Also, a qualified specialist of the distribution network, where it is planned to purchase walkers, can provide assistance.
General recommendations boil down to the fact that in the early stages simple standard models with four legs are better suited. It would not be superfluous to have the possibility of installing an additional block of removable supports in the walker.
For weak patientsit is better to choose designs with wheels on the front legs. Removable would be even better.
For walks, you should choose rollators with large wheels and a seat for relaxing. The 3-wheel version is less bulky and more mobile, making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor use.
People with coordination disorders should choose a walker-support under the elbow or armpit.
Specific choice
The design should be as light as possible, exactly fit the height of the patient or have the possibility of such adjustment. Any walkers for the elderly (the photo makes it possible to understand the principle of determining the height) should be comfortably fixed in freely lowered hands.
Handles should be comfortable. More often they are plastic or rubberized, but for people with excessive sweating of the palms, you need to take care of models with handrails made of porous materials in advance. For patients suffering from arthritis, there are options with thicker handles.
Big wheels on roller skates will handle bumpy roads better. The presence of cushioning in road models will soften the impact on the hands. For movement in the conditions of the room, small wheels will be enough. Their locking should have a simple mechanism and provide a secure fit.
Technological load on the frame can match the weight of the patient with little margin of safety.
Reviews
It's nice to read grateful feedback from older people who really benefited from walkers. The main thing is convenience, lightnessand practicality of aluminum structures when moving. Adjustable walkers for the elderly are in demand. Reviews show that such models are finally adjusted to the height of the patient after the start of use.
There are grateful reviews for two-level walkers that help many people get up on their own. It is nice to know that thanks to the supportive folding structure, an elderly person was able to go on vacation to the sea with their children.
Special thanks from seniors for comfortable seating, grocery bag storage, and floor-saving rubber pads on racks.
There are also warnings about the use of wheeled models for people after a stroke with partial loss of motor functions.
The complaint about the "biting" prices for comfortable constructions is also justified, but with the proviso that money is not a pity for such a thing.
Benefits
Walkers for the elderly have a distinct advantage over other support systems. These designs allow you to quickly restore the motor function of a weakened person, help to overcome the fear of walking.
Due to the wide support base, walkers are considered the safest device for helping the elderly, they give a real sense of self-confidence. This form of rehabilitation is clearly more practical than crutches or a cane, and for some patients it can replace a wheelchair.
Using a walker, the elderly canget back to an active life by taking walks, doing simple housework, taking care of yourself.
The task of family members caring for elderly relatives is to choose the right model, take care of its reliability and safety, help take the first steps with it, support the patient morally and psychologically.
