Despite the fact that walkers are meant to assist persons who may have
trouble on their feet, walkers could use some safety improvements. For
many, walkers are hard to grasp; require the use of two hands, thus preventing a
person from carrying items; and have a tendency to "catch," often quite
dangerously, on carpeting and other surfaces that are not perfectly smooth (or
ironically, don't slide well on smooth surfaces).
Here is a short guide to maintaining walker safety, along with a list of some
items that will assist in this goal:
Walker hand grips are often anything but. Standard grips are smooth, hard, and
unfriendly to the human hand. Not to mention, slippery when one's
hand is wet. And don't you just love the feeling of cold steel on your
hand in the dead of winter? Walker hand grips come in terrycloth or
fleece, slip on in a snap, and help you to "keep your grip."
Manufacturers have been responsive to consumers in recent years by providing
a wide range of carrying accessories for walkers. The classic "big front
bag" for walkers has been improved upon, and other bags, boxes, and cases have
been added for more specialized purposes.
You really can't beat the big front bag for carrying capacity. These
bags tend to come in washable fabric and are nearly as wide as the walker
itself. Often, you will find segmented compartments within these big front
bags. Pockets can be accessed from the front, or from both the front and
the back. Standard colors tend toward the darker hues, to resist dirt and
staining, but attractive quilted walker totes are available, too.
With less capacity but easier to manage are the side bags, some large enough
to accommodate books and magazines. Water resistant fabric keeps your
valuables high and dry, should you get caught in a sudden downpour.
Even small items, such as cell phones, glasses, and keys can occupy one of
your hands--at a time when you need two hands on the walker. Smaller
cases, including some hard-shelled cases, can be found which free your hands to
move the walker along.
One major complaint of walker users is that they are hard to move on
carpeting and other non-smooth surfaces. A moving walker that suddenly
stops moving is a recipe for an accidental somersault. Or the opposite
problem is that the rubber tips won't slide on smooth floors!
Deal with uncooperative surfaces with neat walker accessories that help you
glide along. While they won't help you slalom down the slopes, walker skis
pop easily onto the walker legs and help you slide, rather than snag, on
carpeting.
Skiing not your sport? How about tennis? Ball glides ingeniously
use tennis balls to help the walker slide along over smooth surfaces like wood,
tile, and vinyl flooring---and never leave a mark.
