Cane / Walker Question

There are several kinds of devices to assist walking - canes, canes with three feet, walkers with wheels, walkers without wheels, etc. Who determines which is best for a particular patient?

To some extent the doctor, but mostly the patient him/herself. My grandma had one of those walker things that you can sit on when you get tired (http://www.valuemedicalsupplies.com/2156b.jpg) for her bad days, and just a cane for her good days.

My brother has been using two “canes” for quite some time, and is reluctant to move to a walker. He now has those canes that incorporate a brace for the upper arm which provide him with much more support and stability. He goes for long walks almost every day to maintain some amount of strength in his legs.

I believe it’s completely his choice in the matter… not his doctor’s.

Usually the patient does. I have a walking stick that I made out of a flagpole. My husband added an eye screw, and I braided six leather thongs together, and put beads on the ends, and put the braid on the eye screw. I also attached a leather drawstring pouch with beads on it to the eye screw. The end had a tendency to skid, so I put a rubber “foot” for a chair on the end, with a washer inside it. I get compliments on this stick all the time.

I also have a less stylish but more stable cane with four feet on it.

Which I use will depend on how stable I feel on any particular day, and whether I’m going to need to hop up on an exam table. The cane will give me more support, but the stick will boost my morale more.

If I ever need a cane I am totally going with theblow dart cane.

A doctor would decide whether a patient could be prescribed a wheelchair, though. They’re involved too. Although nothing is stopping any patient, regardless of mobility, from buying their own walker or wheelchair and using it, most older people with mobility issues have to prove a medical necessity to medicare to get walkers or chairs paid for.

Some of the devices are expensive, so it helps to have a doctor prescribe them to get them covered by insurance if you have it. However, you can also buy everything in medical supply stores.

What get used in practice is pretty much up to the patient, but a doctor’s advice and guidance is important and so is the info that can be given outside the doctor’s office by therapists or rehab specialists or any of the host of professionals that are available these days. There’s no one right answer, not even for an individual.

Need minimal assistance to stand up or walk? Use a cane.

A cane too shaky? Use a cane with a tri- or quad- foot (I don’t know what those are called, but they stand up by themselves).

Cane not good enough? Use a walker that you can lean on.

Can’t stand up with a walker? Use a wheelchair.

Wheelchair doesn’t work for you? Use a casket.

Well said. In my brother’s case his doctor provided him with a variety of options and he chose the one that worked the best for him. I didn’t mean to imply that he ignored his doctor’s advice, only that he ended up ultimately picking walking sticks as opposed to a walker or wheel chair. Of course, as his condition progresses he will eventually be limited to a wheel chair, but he doesn’t want to resort to that until he has no other choice in the matter.