Parkinson’s is a progressive disease.
My mother has Parkinson’s and it truly sucks.
It’s a thief that steals small parts of your life in painful increments. You might lose your ability to control your movements, or you can’t move at all.
Your balance is affected and lots of people experience something called dystonia, where your feet or toes clench in spasms, making it really hard to walk.
Everyone’s experience of Parkinson’s is different.
My Mom's disease is fairly advanced. Over time, it has affected her balance as well as her ability to walk.
As things progressed, Mom’s partner did his best to support her, finding the equipment she needed. First, there was a cane to help her balance. Eventually, he found her a walker.
It belonged to his friend, who no longer needed it. And best of all, it was the right price: free. Being careful with your money is a generational thing, I understand, but sometimes it’s important to spend your money to take care of yourself.
It wasn’t what I would have done, but I kept silent. I was trying to be respectful of their boundaries. Who was I to come in and tell them what to do?
Unfortunately, Mom hated her walker.
I would drop in for a visit and she would come to greet me, leaving her walker in the bedroom.
She would careen down the hallway, bouncing off the walls. Then when she reached the living room it was a matter of letting go of the wall and pushing off, hoping to reach the kitchen chair before she lost her balance.
It was a sight to behold.
Mom didn’t like the idea that she was getting older. She didn’t want to lose her independence and was worried she was losing control over her life. Her partner kept hoping she would somehow ‘get better’ so he wasn’t thinking about the long term.
More than once I was called to help because she had fallen. Most of her falls were fairly minor, but they were becoming more frequent. We would take her to the emergency for an x-ray. When you’re her age, it’s easy to break bones, so it was better to be sure.
One time she fell and no one else was home. In her Parkinson’s brain-addled state, she forgot about the phone. Then she crawled to the side door and yelled for help until a neighbor heard her. When I arrived, she was lying on the couch, bleeding from her head, wondering what all the fuss was about.
We kept pushing her to use the walker, scolding her when she tried to walk with just the cane. We told her she’d end up with a broken hip if she didn’t stop falling.
When she did use the walker, she’d curse it, banging against the walls as she made her way through the house. Sometimes she’d use a set of crutches instead, insisting they were the better option.
One time we went for a walk in her neighborhood. Halfway around the block, there was a slight slope and she started to go faster than her feet could manage. I helped her stop and she sat on the seat for a rest.
That’s when I realized that one of the brakes on the walker wasn’t reliable. It released and she did an abrupt swing into my arms, almost losing it and crashing to the pavement. It was a lucky catch.
I was still trying to be respectful of my mom’s and her partner’s wishes. When I asked about finding a newer walker, they both said no. He didn’t want to spend the money and she didn’t want a walker at all. There didn’t seem to be any way around the problem.
A solution
So I took things into my own hands.
The next day, I visited our local medical equipment supplier to see what was available. As I looked at the different options, I was surprised at the variety.
The three main types I was looking at were:
Standard walkers, a lightweight, rectangular frame with four non-wheeled legs. These are the ones that you lift and move forward one step at a time.
Front-wheeled walkers, which have two small wheels on the front legs.
The front wheels make it easier to move the walker forward without lifting it completely off the ground.
Rolling walkers, which had four wheels with hand brakes and a seat for resting.
The rolling walker was similar to the one my Mom had, but boy oh boy was this one different.
It was bright pink, with a neat little storage pouch with a zipper. There was a padded seat for resting on and best of all, there were locking hand brakes.
It also came in four sizes and I chose the smallest one because my Mom is a tiny person.
I decided to buy it as a gift.
The day I brought it to her house, I was worried she wouldn’t accept it.
When she saw her new wheels,her eyes lit upand she reached for it right away. Not only did it make it easier for my Mom to accept the equipment, but it made her experience enjoyable. She zipped down the hall and back again and didn’t bang the walls once.
I was filled with relief mixed with guilt. Relief that she accepted it, and guilt that I hadn’t insisted on a walker that fit her properly from the start.
Here’s a picture of her new wheels:
The right fit is essential providing:
Safety: A properly fitted walker provides stability and support, reducing the risk of falls and accidents. An ill-fitting walker may compromise balance and stability, increasing the chances of slips, trips, and injuries.
Improved mobility: This one was big for my Mom. A walker that fits well lets her move more comfortably. It helps with her mobility and independence, letting her navigate easily.
Reduced tiredness: The right-sized walker helps her distribute her weight evenly. This reduces strain on the muscles and her feet, so she doesn’t get tired as quickly.
Ease: When the walker fits correctly, it can be maneuvered with greater ease. This is particularly important when navigating through tight spaces, doorways or obstacles.
To achieve the right fit, it’s a good idea to look at handlebar height, handgrips, width, and the overall size and design of the walker.