[nfb-talk] walkers?

Tue Dec 27 18:33:28 UTC 2011

Dear Terri,

Some places do not know about these "feelers".
You need to check with a surgical supply house to get them most likely.
There is also a White, with Red tip, support cane for the blind as well.
It looks just like a regular support cane, with the hooked handle, but i.e. 
White with a red tip on it.
Another place to check is a surgical supply catalog company to see if they 
carry them.
Here, where I live in south Florida, they seem to be very common, both the 
feelers and the Blind support canes.  It may be different where you are at. 
I live here in the "elephant's Graveyard".

David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E]" <Terry.Powers at nih.gov>
To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 9:25 AM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] walkers?

> David;
> I wonder why the store, where I got my walker did not tell me about these. 
> Good imfo to have in case my sight gets much worse.  He knew I had a sight 
> problem.
> This has never been mentioned by the NFB.  Are there any other walking 
> aids for the blind?  I have pain in my feet and find myself using my white 
> cane, when stepping off cerbs as if it was a regular walking cane.
> Terry P.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Evans [mailto:drevans at bellsouth.net]
> Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 1:04 PM
> To: NFB Talk Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] walkers?
>
> Dear Gena,
>
> The feelers can be placed at a spot on the frame of the walker so that 
> they can be used to locate curbs and most steps , going up, as well as 
> walls and furnature.
> One feeler is pointed straight ahead and another is pointed slightly to 
> the side, on each side of the front rail of the frame to sense walls, 
> curbs and steps, before you hit them and the ones on the sides are there 
> to help you follow a wall or find the sides of a door frame opening.
> The feelers are flexible and bent when they hit something.  You can feel 
> this and change your direction according to what the feelers are telling 
> you.
> There are also the ultrasonic glasses the vibrate when there is an object 
> in front of you that can also be obtained and used too, but I think it is 
> overkill for the most part.
> I do not know what might work for you, so I am just throwing it out there 
> for your knowledge.
>
> David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "d m gina" <dmgina at samobile.net>
> To: <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Friday, December 23, 2011 10:05 AM
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] walkers?
>
>
>>I didn't know about the feelers, do they help with finding curbs before 
>>the
>>front of the walker does?
>> Or steps things like that?
>> Interesting to me.
>>
>> Original message:
>>
>>> Dear Chris,
>>
>>> You can get little "feelers" to go on your walker to help you sense
>>> things
>>> in front of your walker.  The just clamp on the frame of the walker and
>>> you
>>> can use either two or four of them to help you "feel" your way along.
>>> The two in the front will feel things in front of you and if you put two
>>> on
>>> the sides, they will feel things on either side of you for trailing a
>>> wall
>>> or finding openings such as doorways and counters.
>>> The feelers are only about a foot long, are spring loaded and flexible.
>>> They are usually white in color and have Red plastic tips on them.
>>> You should be able to get them from the same place you get the walker or
>>> from a surgical supply store.
>>
>>> I hope this helps and you recover quickly.
>>> Happy Holidays.
>>
>>> David Evans, NFBF and GD Jack.
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Marsha Drenth" <marsha.drenth at gmail.com>
>>> To: "'NFB Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 9:47 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] walkers?
>>
>>
>>>> Chris,
>>
>>>> Sorry to hear about your fracture. I don't have much experience using a
>>>> walker, although I know it can be done. As my mother, is at the LCB
>>>> center,
>>>> uses a walker because of balance issues and issues due to her diabetes.
>>>> She
>>>> has a walker with very big wheels, and that has a seat for resting
>>>> purposes.
>>>> I have never heard of a ruling walker. I do believe that there is a 
>>>> list
>>>> on
>>>> the NFBnet site for people who use walkers and wheelchairs. If you were
>>>> asking about a wheelchair I could help you there, as I have done this
>>>> several times sadly.
>>
>>>> Good Luck, feel better soon.
>>
>>>> Merry Christmas!
>>>> Marsha Drenth
>>
>>
>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>>>> On
>>>> Behalf Of Chris Westbrook
>>>> Sent: Thursday, December 22, 2011 7:08 PM
>>>> To: NFB List
>>>> Subject: [nfb-talk] walkers?
>>
>>>> I have unfortunately lost quite a bit of balance due to a stress
>>>> fracture
>>>> and possibly other things, and when I was at physical therapy today my
>>>> therapist showed me and recommended I get a ruling walker.  I'm
>>>> considering
>>>> it for around the house and longer distances possibly, but I am
>>>> wondering
>>>> if
>>>> I could really use one in an unfamiliar environment.  Clearly using a
>>>> cane
>>>> with one would be out of the question because of holding on to the
>>>> walker
>>>> with both hands, but is there a way of doing sighted guide or something
>>>> with
>>>> one of them?  I suppose someone else could put their hand on the handle
>>>> with
>>>> me and guide me that way.  Does anyone have any experience wit using a
>>>> walker?
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nfb-talk mailing list
>>>> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> nfb-talk:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/marsha.drenth%40gmail.
>>>> com
>>
>>
>>>> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
>>>> signature
>>>> database 6735 (20111222) __________
>>
>>>> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>>
>>>> http://www.eset.com
>>
>>
>>
>>>> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
>>>> signature
>>>> database 6735 (20111222) __________
>>
>>>> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>>
>>>> http://www.eset.com
>>
>>
>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nfb-talk mailing list
>>>> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> nfb-talk:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/drevans%40bellsouth.net
>>
>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nfb-talk mailing list
>>> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nfb-talk:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/dmgina%40samobile.net
>>
>> -- 
>> --Dar
>> skype: dmgina23
>>  FB: dmgina
>> www.twitter.com/dmgina
>> every saint has a past
>> every sinner has a future
>>
>> Email services provided by the System Access Mobile Network.  Visit
>> www.serotek.com to learn more about accessibility anywhere.
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nfb-talk mailing list
>> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nfb-talk:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/drevans%40bellsouth.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-talk mailing list
> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nfb-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/terry.powers%40nih.gov
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfb-talk mailing list
> nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nfb-talk:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/drevans%40bellsouth.net 