Why Mobility Aids Are So Important – Case Study 3 – Rollators

Posted by Mike Phipps on December 30, 2021

Hello! I'm Kate Makin, Ability Superstore’s resident Occupational Therapist (OT). I am here to answer your mobility aid queries. I also write articles and guides to assist you in choosing the right mobility aids.

As an OT, I work with a variety of individuals who are all ages, have many different illnesses, injuries and long-term disabilities.

For this blog, I thought I would share an example of the type of work that I do with you. This case study shows how a specific mobility aid has made a significant difference in a person's everyday living. 

Case Study: Mrs M – 4-Wheel Rollators

Mrs M is a 70-year-old lady who has several long-standing health conditions, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), diabetes, and osteoarthritis, that affects her hips and knees.

Mrs M used a walking stick to get around her ground-floor flat however, she could not walk far, and would be quite unsteady. She also experienced pain in her joints when walking.

Mrs M lived alone, but her daughter lived nearby, and she would visit her most days.

Mrs M already had several mobility aids to help her, including aids to help with getting in and out of bed…

… on and off the toilet…

… and in and out of the bath…

Mrs M was very independent, and she was keen to continue to do as much for herself as possible.

One of the main difficulties for Mrs M was that she was unable to walk far outdoors. She already had a wheelchair that her family could take her out in, but she was keen to go out herself to visit friends and neighbours in her local area.

Mrs M was able to walk indoors with a walking stick however, she could not walk far outdoors. She would become breathless, and she would need to keep stopping and resting. Mrs M was also unsteady at times, and it seemed that she needed a bit more support than a walking stick.

How A Rollator Would Help

I recommended a four-wheeled rollator with a seat to Mrs M. This walking aid would mean that she could go out in her local area safely, knowing that she could stop, sit down and rest, as often as she liked.

The rollator is also more stable and sturdier, rather than Mrs M using a walking stick. It meant that Mrs M could go outdoors by herself without having to wait for her daughter to take her out in her wheelchair.

Mrs M was able to use the rollator safely. And with its handy underseat storage bag she also found it a helpful way of transporting some items, rather than carrying a separate bag.

There are many different types of rollators available, including ones with 3 wheels…

… and 4 wheels.

Rollators are perfect walking aids for many people, as many can easily be folded and transported and many, like Mrs M’s, also have a seat. I recommended a 4-wheel model over a 3-wheel rollator (or tri walker) as it is more sturdy, unlikely to tip, and with its integral seat, it was the ideal daily living aid solution.

For Mrs M, having a rollator meant that she could go out independently and safely visit friends and neighbours. She did not need to worry if she became breathless and needed to sit down, as she already had a seat with her!

 

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