I hope this article can help other people who are in the position of helping a loved one achieve mobility and their pride back. My mother, unlike my father when he was still with us, would stop at nothing to continue her daily walks and outdoor excursions. For the last 7 years my mother has been using a cane to walk as many mobility impaired seniors do. Her life was put on hold last year when she had a fall and broke her hip which threatened to put her out of commission for 6 months. On top of this she had to wait to have the hip replacement surgery she so desperately needed (she also found out she had Osteoarthritis which explained the pain in her right hip which is why she needed the cane in the first place). Her doctor told her that a hip replacement was necessary since the pain in her hip would continue because of the osteoarthritis and her mobility would continue to decline. For the 2 weeks she waited for surgery I could tell she was not her old self, and in fact she was becoming depressed. Luckily she was able to have her surgery 2 weeks after her accident. For the 2 weeks she waited for surgery I could tell she was not her old self, and in fact she was becoming depressed. Her doctor recommended a walking aid to help her recover more quickly. We went to the local drugstore which sold canes, crutches and walkers. We ended up buying her a 4 wheeled walker with a seat, hand brakes and a basket (also known as a Rollator). At the time we had no idea what type of walker / rollator to buy and what would be best for my mother during her recovery process. Her doctor was not very helpful about the options of different walking aids other than to say she needed a walker after her surgery. Truth be told, I think her cane was not providing the support she needed any longer which may have led to her falling in the first place. In my mind, whatever solution we found for my mother was one I wanted her to continue to use once she was better so she could maintain her mobility with confidence and reduce the chance of another fall. After her accident she seemed fearful of walking even with the help of a walker. Walker Challenges: The walker we purchased was the type you see everyone using, the type that folds like a pair of scissors and looks like an A from the side view. The walker itself posed its own challenges! We didn't know at the time of purchase how hard it was going to be to get the walker in and out of the car which proved to be the biggest obstacle for her achieving her freedom and mobility. According to the brochure the weight of the walker was about 12 lbs which was the lightest one we could find thinking that would be beneficial for my mother so she could lift it herself after her new hip healed. The walker had a backrest to rest against when seated; however, this was an obstacle when she tried to put the walker / rollator in the trunk of her car as it was always in the way. After 2 weeks of owning the walker the frame became very loose. When we first purchased the walker the frame would hold together well when folded, however, after it had been folded and unfolded 4 times a day for 2 weeks, the frame became floppy (she usually went in the car twice a day each trip required her to lift the walker in the car and back out of the car when she returned). The frame design reminded me of a pair of scissors in the way scissors are stiff when you buy them and over time they flip open easier. She would pick up the walker to put it into the car and the frame would flip open and cause her to struggle and many times she had to set it back down and start over which was very frustrating for her. Even though the walker only had a weight of 12 lbs it felt more like 25 lbs to my mother because of how uncooperative the frame was. She couldn't do this very well herself so I had to take her places when she needed to go to the doctor or for shopping. Luckily I live close by and was able to help her because I work from home, but many people don't have that luxury. Dont get me wrong, the walker was still a godsend to my mother and she was able to walk again and strengthen her hip muscles which helped her through the 3 months of healing, but if she was really going to be independent she needed something easier to get in and out of the car by herself. She wasnt getting any younger after all. Over the next 3 months (post operation) I noticed other challenges. The cables used for the hand brakes were getting caught on door knobs, obstacles in the car and her purse would snag on the cables when she would stand after being seated. I even heard her mutter a few expletives when the cables would get caught on something (this was very shocking to me). She also started to complain about things such as how the basket was banging into the doorways in her home. I looked around her home and saw ding marks on every door frame at the same level as the basket. The basket was out in front of the walker and it was apparent that the turning radius was limited because of this which is why it was hitting into the frame of every doorway. I began to watch her use the walker more closely over the next couple of months. I went for a walk with my mother one day, around her neighborhood, and made some further observations. The 8 inch wheels on the front of the walker (the ones that swivel to allow the walker to turn easily) seemed to flutter as she walked on sidewalks and pavement. I found this strange since one of the selling points was it was better for outdoor use because of the big wheels. I could tell the walker was jiggling too much like you see with shopping carts and hospital beds. I asked her what she thought of that and she said she wished they wouldnt flutter as it made controlling her movement more difficult and she also said she would be able to walk faster if the wheels didnt flutter. My mother has lived in an Assisted Living Center close to where I live for the last 5 years since my father passed away. Whenever I would visit her over the 3 months during her recovery from surgery it always seemed her walker / rollator was in the way especially now since she was no longer using it inside her home. After she regained her strength, and the pain in her hip subsided, she found it easier to walk indoors and clutch the furniture and railing to get around and the walker became a very useful tool to help her walk outdoors each day and when she went in the car. Folding it up didnt help because whenever its folded it lays on the floor taking up more space than if she left it unfolded in the hallway After 3 months of using her walker / rollator it was clear we needed to find something better that would offer the independence she so stubbornly desired. But every medical supply store offered a similar walker as the one my mother used just with a different company name on it. I asked myself; why would all these companies manufacture the same product with the exact same design flaws? We saw about 5 different brands that were all the same just different colors and different seat pads or different size wheels. It was clear to me if I was going to find something better Id have to look beyond our local market. I turned to the internet to search for something better. Solution: I did a search on Google.com with the search term Rollator. I went through 4 pages of links for companies selling walkers / rollators just like the one my mother already had. On the 5th page of links I found a company called Dana Douglas Inc. based out of Ottawa, Ontario. When I clicked the link it took me to their rollator page where the first product shown was called neXus Series - Our prayers were answered!!! The neXus was the exact product we wanted and it was made in Canada vs. made in China for the one she owned. Heres the link to make life easier for you if you or a loved have had similar experiences to my mother: http://www.danadouglas.com/products/rollators.htm The best thing about this product is the way it folds. If you are familiar with wheelchairs and how they fold then you will understand how the neXus folds. One lift of the red handle which is sunken into the seat and the neXus folds to only 9 in width and it stands when folded so my mother would be able to fit it in her front closet and her rollator would not be in the way in her small apartment. The basket way mostly under the seat so it would not bank into her door frames. The neXus boasted a Cable-Free/Maintenance free braking system that had a 6 year warranty. I knew my mother would love having no cables to catch on things. The weight was 13 lbs which made it a little heavier than the one my mother owned but its claim was that it was the easiest rollator to fold and get it inside the car or to stow away. I wanted to see one and try it out with my mother and see if she liked it. I went to the store where we bought the other walker and asked if they heard of this walker which they did not but they knew the company name so that was a good start. I told the lady their about the neXus and that I would like to buy one if it met my mother needs. She was a little reluctant to order it at first but when she called Dana Douglas they said if we didnt like it the product could be returned for a credit so the lady was willing to give it a try. She ordered the neXus and it arrived 3 days later. I didnt tell my mother it was a little heavier (only 1 lb heavier) instead preferring to get her feedback when she went to put it in the car. My mother was overwhelmed at how the product was so much easier to use. First she rolled around the showroom and her first comment was The wheels dont seem as sticky. Apparently this is the only rollator with 2 steel bearing per front wheels so the wheels turn easier. This became very noticeable when she walked outside to her car with the neXus and she was able to walk on the pavement and the wheels didnt flutter and jiggle which allowed her to maneuver better. The handles were much easier on her hands, the basket was bigger to carry more goods but the biggest thing was how it folded. She lifted up on the red handle and put the neXus in her trunk with ease. We later learned that the rollator could stand upright behind the passenger side seat which made it even easier for her. She said the neXus was lighter than her other rollator because she didnt have to struggle with the frame flipping open on her. Another great thing we found out was that the neXus could pass through narrow doorways which didnt matter to my mother but her friend lived in an older home with narrow doorways. She showed it to her friend and her friend went to the same store and bought one the next day. My mother has been using the neXus now for 6 months and has regained her independence and freedom. I know she feels better not having to ask me for help because she can move around on her own and travel in her car without worry of the struggles she had with her old rollator. The only bad part was the other rollator started to collect dust in my basement. I sold it on Ebay.com just a few weeks ago lol! I went to the store last week where we purchased the neXus and the same lady said its now their best selling rollator so I guess everyones a winner. I hope you find this article helpful if you find you are suffering the same issues as my mother. Good luck with you journey of independence! |
