Fall Prevention: When an elderly person first starts having an unsteady gait, they often dismiss it because of the stigma behind using walkers. This can put them at risk for serious injuries from falls though. Besides possible head trauma, bones can break, and the elderly do not heal as well as a young person does. One of the worst injuries that can happen is a fractured hip. The statistics regarding the effects of hip fractures are brutal. Many elderly women do not live beyond a year after breaking their hip because it often requires a lengthy nursing home stay, which is emotionally and physically very difficult for them to go through. So, prevention of falls is very important. Walker Accessories take a little time to adjust to, but they help increase stability significantly.
Staying Independent: The more stable a person’s gait is the more independent that they can be, and the safer they will feel when they are walking. Many falls occur right in an elderly person’s home when they are headed from one room to another. If there are walls or a railing that they can hold on to they might be alright, but that is hard to do if they have to carry something at the same time. Walkers have extra attachments, such as trays and baskets that can be easily installed on them that help a person be able to firmly grip the walker and carry things at the same time. These are especially helpful when an elderly person lives alone. There are a multitude of other accessories available besides this though. Some of them include:
Ski Glides: These are simple plastic pieces that resemble skis. They fit over the bottom of the feet on the walker’s back legs. They help the walker glide in a smooth motion instead of dragging.
Fold-up Wheels: When it comes to going to doctor’s visits and other trips where a person must take their walker with them, space in the vehicle can sometimes be an issue. Fold-up wheels for the bottom of the walker feet are easy to install, and they help save space.
Leg Extensions: Walkers usually come made in one height, but for taller men and women, this can cause back strain from having to bend over so far. Leg extensions increase the height of the walker to decrease back stress.
Walker Tips: Walker tips fit easily over the bottom of the walker feet to help keep it firmly in place. They are usually made of rubber and reinforced with metal, so they are strong. These tips help make sure the walker doesn’t slip out from under the person if they start to fall.