WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.080 Hello, everyone. Welcome back to another daily 00:00:03.080 --> 00:00:06.219 Senior Safety Advice podcast. I'm Esther Kane, 00:00:07.160 --> 00:00:10.060 a retired occupational therapist and a certified 00:00:10.060 --> 00:00:14.480 aging in place specialist. And in honor of March 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:18.239 being Mobility and Independence Month, today 00:00:18.239 --> 00:00:21.079 we're going to talk about when to consider a 00:00:21.079 --> 00:00:24.780 Rolator Walker. Now, in case you don't know, 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:30.820 a Rolator Walker is a mobility aid, it's a walker, 00:00:31.140 --> 00:00:34.920 but it has wheels, it has hand brakes, and it 00:00:34.920 --> 00:00:39.119 usually has a built -in seat. It helps people 00:00:39.119 --> 00:00:43.060 walk safely while maintaining balance and independence. 00:00:43.560 --> 00:00:46.759 And unlike a traditional walker that you must 00:00:46.759 --> 00:00:50.140 lift with each step, or even a traditional walker 00:00:50.140 --> 00:00:53.420 with wheels in the front or the back, the Rollator 00:00:53.420 --> 00:00:56.740 rolls very smoothly on wheels, which makes it 00:00:56.740 --> 00:00:59.880 very easy to move around. And if you have that 00:00:59.880 --> 00:01:02.740 at that seat, then you can put on the brakes 00:01:02.740 --> 00:01:06.120 and you can use it also to just sit and relax. 00:01:06.219 --> 00:01:09.420 My mom -in -law had a Rollator walker and she 00:01:09.420 --> 00:01:13.480 loved it. She used it all the time. um, while 00:01:13.480 --> 00:01:17.340 she was doing her one to two mile walk every 00:01:17.340 --> 00:01:22.299 single day. And I honestly, as an OT, and even 00:01:22.299 --> 00:01:26.659 now that I am in my late sixties and I have friends 00:01:26.659 --> 00:01:30.519 now in the same age group and older, you know, 00:01:30.519 --> 00:01:34.340 I can see some of them getting to the point and 00:01:34.340 --> 00:01:37.439 even myself a little bit sometimes getting to 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:39.719 the point where I need a little more help with 00:01:39.719 --> 00:01:44.079 my balance. But I hear All the time people saying 00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:47.319 things like yeah i don't need a walker yet i 00:01:47.319 --> 00:01:51.420 don't need a cane yet i'm not that bad and honestly 00:01:51.420 --> 00:01:55.480 most people tend to wait longer than they really 00:01:55.480 --> 00:01:59.500 should. What i've noticed over the years is that 00:01:59.500 --> 00:02:03.180 most individuals don't usually wake up one day 00:02:03.180 --> 00:02:06.799 and suddenly need a walker or roll later of any 00:02:06.799 --> 00:02:10.689 kind it's actually more subtle than that. You 00:02:10.689 --> 00:02:14.189 may notice someone start holding on to the furniture. 00:02:14.889 --> 00:02:17.330 You may notice someone or yourself, you know, 00:02:17.370 --> 00:02:20.750 leaning on the shopping carts, avoiding taking 00:02:20.750 --> 00:02:24.870 longer walks, getting tired faster. Sometimes 00:02:24.870 --> 00:02:28.310 you or they don't even connect those changes 00:02:28.310 --> 00:02:32.229 to being safe. And here's where this really matters. 00:02:32.509 --> 00:02:37.650 A rollator walker is not about weakness. It's 00:02:37.650 --> 00:02:42.270 about stability. It's about energy and it's about 00:02:42.270 --> 00:02:45.469 your confidence. I've seen people become way 00:02:45.469 --> 00:02:48.289 more independent after starting to use a rollator, 00:02:48.409 --> 00:02:51.150 not less. And isn't that what it's all about? 00:02:51.210 --> 00:02:54.349 You want to be independent, but as safe as possible. 00:02:55.030 --> 00:02:59.430 So let's talk through some of the signs, just 00:02:59.430 --> 00:03:03.219 like we would, you know, if we're face to face. 00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:08.719 One big sign that indicates that you may be in 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:11.680 need of a rollator walker, or you may decide 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:16.259 this may be a good choice, is that your balance 00:03:16.259 --> 00:03:21.000 is off. If you feel unsteady when walking, especially 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:24.960 on uneven ground, that really matters. If you 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:28.379 feel fine standing still, but shaky once you 00:03:28.379 --> 00:03:31.810 start moving, well, that's important too. Balance 00:03:31.810 --> 00:03:34.569 issues don't always mean you're going to fall 00:03:34.569 --> 00:03:39.110 today, but balance issues do tend to get worse 00:03:39.110 --> 00:03:42.469 over time. So unless, of course, you're working 00:03:42.469 --> 00:03:48.069 with a physical therapist or trainer to help 00:03:48.069 --> 00:03:52.389 improve that. Another sign to look out for is 00:03:52.389 --> 00:03:55.909 fatigue. If your legs get tired quickly when 00:03:55.909 --> 00:03:59.490 you walk, if you feel like you need to sit down 00:03:59.490 --> 00:04:03.449 often, If you cut your outings short because 00:04:03.449 --> 00:04:06.030 your body gives out before your interest does, 00:04:06.550 --> 00:04:10.810 then those are all huge clues. A rollator gives 00:04:10.810 --> 00:04:13.169 you built -in rest, you know, because it has 00:04:13.169 --> 00:04:16.389 the chair. And you don't have to look for a chair 00:04:16.389 --> 00:04:19.350 or keep walking until you get to a chair. You 00:04:19.350 --> 00:04:22.569 don't have to rush. You can stop, sit, breathe, 00:04:22.689 --> 00:04:26.300 and keep going at your own pace. And I've seen 00:04:26.300 --> 00:04:29.879 that simple change, you know, really make it 00:04:29.879 --> 00:04:32.800 much easier for anyone to leave the house. That's 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:36.620 how my mom -in -law, you know, in her late 90s 00:04:36.620 --> 00:04:39.540 continued doing her lengthy walks around her 00:04:39.540 --> 00:04:43.259 neighborhood was with that rollator walker. Now, 00:04:43.259 --> 00:04:46.600 let's talk about posture. If you notice yourself 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:50.000 leaning forward when you walk or hunching to 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:53.319 feel more stable, that can throw your balance 00:04:53.319 --> 00:04:58.170 off even more. A properly adjusted rollator can 00:04:58.170 --> 00:05:01.069 help you walk more upright, which helps with 00:05:01.069 --> 00:05:03.769 your breathing, your endurance, and overall, 00:05:03.990 --> 00:05:07.610 your safety. And besides, you don't look like 00:05:07.610 --> 00:05:11.509 walking down the sidewalk or wherever you are 00:05:11.509 --> 00:05:14.709 all hunched over. And here's something that a 00:05:14.709 --> 00:05:18.329 lot of families don't notice. Using the walls, 00:05:19.089 --> 00:05:23.980 countertops, or other people for support is absolutely 00:05:23.980 --> 00:05:28.279 a sign that you need an assistive device to help 00:05:28.279 --> 00:05:32.259 you like a rollator. If you're reaching out constantly 00:05:32.259 --> 00:05:35.720 to steady yourself, your body is already asking 00:05:35.720 --> 00:05:41.079 for more support. Another big indicator is fear. 00:05:41.660 --> 00:05:44.699 If you're afraid of falling, if you hesitate 00:05:44.699 --> 00:05:48.279 before walking, if you avoid certain places or 00:05:48.279 --> 00:05:51.259 activities because you don't feel steady, all 00:05:51.259 --> 00:05:54.759 of those things are basically fear of falling. 00:05:54.980 --> 00:05:58.540 That fear changes how you move. Your steps get 00:05:58.540 --> 00:06:01.439 smaller, your muscles get more tense, and the 00:06:01.439 --> 00:06:05.839 risk of you falling actually goes up. So a rollator 00:06:05.839 --> 00:06:09.459 can lower that fear. And when fear goes down, 00:06:09.699 --> 00:06:14.259 your movement improves and you do more movement. 00:06:14.740 --> 00:06:17.600 Now let's clear up a common misunderstanding. 00:06:17.959 --> 00:06:21.839 A rollator is not the same as a standard walker. 00:06:22.139 --> 00:06:25.220 Rollators have the wheels, they roll smoothly. 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:28.860 They usually have hand brakes and most have a 00:06:28.860 --> 00:06:32.220 seat. Now there are walkers that have wheels 00:06:32.220 --> 00:06:35.600 as well. but they're not the same as a Rolator. 00:06:35.759 --> 00:06:39.959 A Rolator has the handbrakes and the seat. They're 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:43.560 mostly designed for people who can walk but need 00:06:43.560 --> 00:06:47.160 a little bit of support and rest. That makes 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:50.939 them great for longer distances, outdoor walking, 00:06:51.519 --> 00:06:55.040 stores, community outings. And choosing the right 00:06:55.040 --> 00:06:57.939 time to use one can actually help to prevent 00:06:57.939 --> 00:07:01.730 falls, not just respond to them. And that's a 00:07:01.730 --> 00:07:04.689 big shift in thinking, being proactive versus 00:07:04.689 --> 00:07:08.310 reactive. I've also seen rollators help with 00:07:08.310 --> 00:07:12.449 confidence in social situations. People feel 00:07:12.449 --> 00:07:15.370 less rushed. They're less embarrassed about needing 00:07:15.370 --> 00:07:19.189 to sit. Now, independence grows when you stop 00:07:19.189 --> 00:07:23.649 fighting your body and start supporting it. All 00:07:23.649 --> 00:07:26.250 right, now let's talk about safety for a minute 00:07:26.250 --> 00:07:29.180 because this part... is really what it's all 00:07:29.180 --> 00:07:32.720 about when it comes to aging in place. A rollator 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:36.220 should be adjusted to the right height. You should 00:07:36.220 --> 00:07:39.139 be able to stand upright with your hands resting 00:07:39.139 --> 00:07:42.339 comfortably on the handles. The brakes should 00:07:42.339 --> 00:07:45.560 be easy to squeeze and you should always lock 00:07:45.560 --> 00:07:48.879 them before sitting down. If someone hasn't been 00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:51.920 shown how to use one properly, that's very important 00:07:51.920 --> 00:07:55.660 to address. And if your senior loved one is using 00:07:55.660 --> 00:07:58.860 a Rolator but has any cognitive decline issues 00:07:58.860 --> 00:08:01.740 such as dementia or Alzheimer's or anything else 00:08:01.740 --> 00:08:05.720 and you fear that they may not remember to put 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:09.000 on the brakes or are not able to use the equipment 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:12.389 properly, then a rollator may not be the right 00:08:12.389 --> 00:08:15.069 thing for them. This is where you would need 00:08:15.069 --> 00:08:18.470 the assessment of a physical or occupational 00:08:18.470 --> 00:08:21.670 therapist to help assess whether the person can 00:08:21.670 --> 00:08:24.329 use the equipment safely. Because let's face 00:08:24.329 --> 00:08:27.449 it, any piece of equipment can help us, but if 00:08:27.449 --> 00:08:29.850 we don't know how to use it properly, it can 00:08:29.850 --> 00:08:35.690 also hurt us. Okay, using a rollator doesn't 00:08:35.690 --> 00:08:38.809 mean you'll use it forever. Sometimes it's just 00:08:38.809 --> 00:08:42.110 temporary. Sometimes it's just situational, depending 00:08:42.110 --> 00:08:47.289 on what your situation is. You might use it outside, 00:08:47.429 --> 00:08:51.149 like my mom -in -law did, but not inside. Or 00:08:51.149 --> 00:08:55.049 on longer outings, but not on shorter ones. That 00:08:55.049 --> 00:08:57.990 flexibility is really part of your independence. 00:08:58.669 --> 00:09:01.289 And if you're a family caregiver, encouraging 00:09:01.289 --> 00:09:05.370 a rollator can be tricky, I know. It helps to 00:09:05.370 --> 00:09:08.690 focus on what it allows. not what it replaces. 00:09:09.370 --> 00:09:13.389 More walking, more outings, more safety, not 00:09:13.389 --> 00:09:17.389 less. I've seen people go from isolated to engaged 00:09:17.389 --> 00:09:20.289 just by having the right support. I used to do 00:09:20.289 --> 00:09:22.789 that, see that all the time as an occupational 00:09:22.789 --> 00:09:26.350 therapist. So if you're noticing changes in your 00:09:26.350 --> 00:09:29.549 balance or seeing your loved one's balance, stamina, 00:09:29.990 --> 00:09:33.629 posture, confidence, A row later may be worth 00:09:33.629 --> 00:09:37.750 considering, not as a last resort, but as a tool, 00:09:37.929 --> 00:09:42.090 a tool that helps you keep doing the things that 00:09:42.090 --> 00:09:45.629 matter to you. Well, that's all that I have for 00:09:45.629 --> 00:09:48.309 you today. I want to thank you again for being 00:09:48.309 --> 00:09:51.309 here with me. If today's episode gave you some 00:09:51.309 --> 00:09:55.350 useful insights or new ideas on this great little 00:09:55.350 --> 00:09:57.789 product, then please share it with someone who 00:09:57.789 --> 00:10:00.450 you think might find it helpful too. And you 00:10:00.450 --> 00:10:03.370 can discover even more expert tips and helpful 00:10:03.370 --> 00:10:06.929 guides for seniors and caregivers at SeniorSafetyAdvice 00:10:06.929 --> 00:10:10.129 .com. And hey, if you're searching for an aging 00:10:10.129 --> 00:10:13.429 in place specialist or any services to modify 00:10:13.429 --> 00:10:16.590 your home so you can age safely in your home, 00:10:16.990 --> 00:10:19.549 visit our website at aging in place directory 00:10:19.549 --> 00:10:22.509 dot com and come back tomorrow for even more 00:10:22.509 --> 00:10:26.269 useful tips, insights and ideas right here on 00:10:26.269 --> 00:10:29.250 the senior safety advice podcast. And if you 00:10:29.250 --> 00:10:31.309 haven't yet subscribed to our YouTube channel 00:10:31.309 --> 00:10:33.710 or the podcast yet, then please go ahead and 00:10:33.710 --> 00:10:36.769 do that right now. That really helps us to reach 00:10:36.769 --> 00:10:39.210 more people who could use this kind of support 00:10:39.210 --> 00:10:43.029 and information. So until next time, take care 00:10:43.029 --> 00:10:45.009 of yourself and the ones that you love.