Community Chat

[colliegirls]

My mother in law would not use a "walker" but would use a rollator !!  Very handy!

[twinkies]

Take away her cane. Then she will have to use it.

[A60_Chevy]

Thank you,

I use assistance myself.

I was not sure if I was going to come back here.. this is day 3 for me.  I was harassed yesterday so I logged off.  

[Moonchilde]

Like @Suhse, I had a very bad fall (flat on my face) a couple of years ago. At first they thought my patella was broken, but no. I was off work for 4-5 weeks, my leg black from knee to ankle. I was terrified of falling for a long while afterwards, especially as I'd injured that knee before. I used a cane just because I felt more secure. I was paranoid I'd trip again. At my job (also hospital) you came back with no stipulations, fully functional, or you stayed off. No concessions for me except that my dept paid valet parking for me for 2 weeks so I didn't have to walk 4 blocks from the parking lot. Big deal.

I may be weird, but I've never thought that needing a walker would make me appear "old", senile, doddering, incompetent or whatever. I look at people as individuals and figure each has good reasons for using a walker.

If/when I need one (hopefully not for another 15-20 years), it wouldn't occur to me to fuss about it. I'd rather use one to get around faster, independently and safer, than not use one out of vanity.

[Yardlie]

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@twinkies wrote:

Take away her cane. Then she will have to use it.

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Knowing my mother, she would just walk without her cane...very bull-headed lady.

[Yardlie]

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@63Chev63 wrote:

Thank you,

I use assistance myself.

I was not sure if I was going to come back here.. this is day 3 for me.  I was harassed yesterday so I logged off.  

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@A60_Chevy, please don't go away. There are so many wonderful ladies (and gentlemen) on this board. Yes, you will run into someone who is rude now and then (like on all boards). Best to just ignore them. Usually the webmaster keeps an eye out for those types of comments. Please join in the fun!

[Yardlie]

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@colliegirls wrote:

My mother in law would not use a "walker" but would use a rollator !!  Very handy!

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This is very similar to what my mother has...only with hers, you lift up the seat, and there is an enclosed basket under it so no one can see what you put in it. Getting her to use it is the trick!

Incidentally, for anyone who might be interested in purchasing one of these, they do come in a few different sizes...pediatric, regular, bariatric. My father was a large man (6'3"), so he had the bariatric size. My mother is only 4'10 l/2", so hers is very small.

Our physical therapist told us never to use the three-wheeled ones that have only one front wheel, as he has seen people literally go head over heels in that type. Everyone's needs are different though.

[Tinkrbl44]

@Yardlie

Obviously, I don't know everything about your situation, but maybe you can mention something she may not have fully considered ..... that if she falls and breaks a hip, she WILL have to go to a Rehab facility for 3 or 4 months .... to care for her until she can walk again.   If her hip never fully mends, and she is not ambulatory, she WILL end up in a nursing home.   There's no way you can provide the 24/7  care that would require, regardless of her "pride".    I would hope that breaking bones is something that would concern her.  

Perhaps she will re-think what's "the lesser of the two evils", so to speak.   Stuck in bed unable to walk to the bathroom initially sounds like something she's want to avoid. 

I also like someone's idea of "misplacing" her cane.   

[Moonchilde]

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@Brinklii wrote:

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@63Chev63 wrote:

Thank you,

I use assistance myself.

I was not sure if I was going to come back here.. this is day 3 for me.  I was harassed yesterday so I logged off.  

---

@A60_Chevy, please don't go away. There are so many wonderful ladies (and gentlemen) on this board. Yes, you will run into someone who is rude now and then (like on all boards). Best to just ignore them. Usually the webmaster keeps an eye out for those types of comments. Please join in the fun!

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@Yardlie, just to clarify - no one harrassed or was rude to this poster. I did not make the post she speaks of, but I saw it. She also complained of how she was "harrassed" in another thread; she was not, she apparently simply doesn't understand the mechanics of forums and perceived an ordinary reply she didn't understand as being rude and harassing when it was neither, nor was it meant to be.

[Moonchilde]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@Yardlie

Obviously, I don't know everything about your situation, but maybe you can mention something she may not have fully considered ..... that if she falls and breaks a hip, she WILL have to go to a Rehab facility for 3 or 4 months .... to care for her until she can walk again.   If her hip never fully mends, and she is not ambulatory, she WILL end up in a nursing home.   There's no way you can provide the 24/7  care that would require, regardless of her "pride".    I would hope that breaking bones is something that would concern her.  

Perhaps she will re-think what's "the lesser of the two evils", so to speak.   Stuck in bed unable to walk to the bathroom initially sounds like something she's want to avoid. 

I also like someone's idea of "misplacing" her cane.   

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Alas, it never worked for my mom. Fortunately, she never broke anything before she went into the nursing home, but the threat of it potentially happening never fazed her, she was like yeah okay whatever about it. When people get to an advanced age, many of them are very fatalistic and basically shrug at whatever "might" happen, including death.