For many years there was the walker (see pic below), which is what we often think of when we think of the elderly infirm (my God, that's not me, is it?) Sometimes called a walking frame, it has an aluminium frame, and you have to lift it if you want to move it. Often, it has tennis balls on its base, and occasionally it will have two wheels. I'm sure it had its place, but there are no brakes, and no seat. Why one would want a device that one has to lift is mystifying. Sometimes people have a tray, so they can carry food or drink. These are light in weight, but are considered particularly bad for Parkinson's because the need to lift it makes it particularly unstable.
Unlike the walker, there are a huge number of different rollators. The Europeans have several made by Trionic (priced$1,300 + new) that are for active hikers, with really large wheels - a related model is for golf while another is for hunting; this isn't cheap, but it seems very sturdy; one of my fellow boxers has a used one. It's large.
One can even get 3-wheeled rollators, which take up less space, but these are less stable and also don't have a seat - and when you need to sit, you often need to sit right now. (For safety, one should lock the brakes, then sit, and only on flat ground.)
There's also a rollator especially for pwp, called the U-step (pic below). It has a very low center of gravity, seemingly from weight in its base, which makes it particularly stable. Unlike almost all other rollators, it has reverse-braking; other rollators you squeeze the brakes to slow yourself. With the U-step, you squeeze the brakes to go; I would imagine this would be very helpful for someone with dementia, as it would be harder to fall from confusion. I had the chance to try it - very sturdy and easy to turn. And not cheap. There are two European reverse-brake models (Gemino 30 Parkinson's, and the Topro Troja Neuro) which are otherwise much like any other rollator, but since they have a higher center of gravity, cost at least as much as the U-step, and have to be shipped from Europe for an additional fee, I wonder if the really high price tag is worth it. For now, I'm thinking of the U-step for the future; they say you can use it outdoors, but with its small wheels? The U-step 2 can be folded for travel, but it's so heavy - 20+ pounds - that this may be better managed by a caregiver or spouse, not the pwp. New, this costs about $500.
My physical therapist had several different different rollators to try out, which was very helpful. Sometimes Medicare will pay for this, but the rules vary, depending on if you have Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan. My plan only pays for a device once every 5 years, from my reading of it. I am likely to need a wheelchair within 5 years, which is much pricier, so I'd rather save the insurance for the higher ticket item, rather than something I can get from Amazon or Walmart online.
There is a used medical equipment charity a few towns away, where I was able to obtain an almost-free used rollator which my handy husband has refurbished. It barely folds, though, so isn't great for my independence - how can I get it in the car? I used this camping, and found that it's okay on pavement or dirt, but not on gravel; good to know its limits.
I've been looking at new rollators for a year, carefully reading the reviews, so had a good idea of which one I wanted when I actually purchased one - it has good customer service, has a comfortable seat and backrest, has room for my walking feet so I don't have to walk leaning forward, folds up, stays upright when folded (because that's easier to manage), and is relatively light. I have to practice putting it in and out of the car myself, and my recent fall has rather battered my confidence - so I'm going to have to work on this. It's got better brakes than the used one, though, and takes up far less space when folded, so if fits several places inside the car.
Using it? It's a bit like a small grocery cart, but is much easier to turn. And gives me brakes for inclines (not available on grocery carts). People are very helpful with doors, which is good, as very few buildings have doors that open at the push of a button. Still getting used to it, but I feel much more secure - don't feel like I'm taking a risk with every step.
Images Pixabay and Amazon.
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