Using a walker can help your elderly family member to become far more mobile than she has been, especially if she’s got problems with balance. The problem is that sometimes aging adults aren’t excited about needing to use a walker and might try some shortcuts. Those shortcuts can lead to bad habits and difficulties that can be avoided.
Walk Slowly with it at First
If your elderly family member is trying to rush getting used to her walker, that’s going to ultimately slow her down. She needs to get used to the rhythm of lifting the walker, pushing it slightly ahead of her, and stepping into the frame. She can get faster with her walker later as she becomes more comfortable, but for now she needs to take her time.
Add Non-slip Tips to Each Leg
Some walkers have wheels while others have four posts. Regardless, it’s important that each leg has a non-slip tip on the end. This enables your elderly family member to learn to trust the walker without it slipping out from under her. Depending on the surfaces your senior tends to walk on, you may need to replace the tips fairly often. Check them for wear regularly.
Don’t Push the Walker out too Far
Something else to pay attention to is how far out your senior pushes the walker. If she’s moving it too far ahead of her, she’s forced to lean in order to move forward. This puts her and the walker both off balance and defeats the purpose of this incredibly useful tool. Instead, she should only place it slightly ahead of her, just a step away, and then step toward it.
Keep it Handy and Use it Often
Another habit your senior might get into is stopping and resting in her favorite spot and putting the walker too far to the side. Then, when she wants to get up again, the walker is too far away. She may also decide she doesn’t want to use the walker and then ends up sitting more than she needs to be or trying to walk without the walker. Both situations can be ones that you want to avoid.
Using a walker properly takes practice. If your elderly family member doesn’t trust her walker, she’s not going to feel comfortable using it. Eldercare providers can help to remind your senior to use her walker and to be more comfortable with it.
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Englewood, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY HomeCare Denver. Call today: (303) 756-9322.
