[rehab] Suggestions for Using a Walker Along with a Cane

[Dick Davis]

Hi Mary,
A friend of mine was able to work with a therapist to design an assembly
that attached to the handle of her walker.  It had a swivel on it so she
could move her cane while using the walker.  It also had a clamp to hold
her cane so there was no likelihood that she would drop it.  The therapist
was able to construct it after she told him what she wanted.
Dick Davis

-----Original Message-----
From: rehab [mailto:rehab-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Christopher
Tabb via rehab
Sent: Friday, September 08, 2017 1:33 PM
To: Rehabilitation Counselor Mailing List
Cc: Christopher Tabb
Subject: Re: [rehab] Suggestions for Using a Walker Along with a Cane

Mary,
Depending on the type of walker you have, and the type of terrain you are
traveling across, such as thick carpet compared to tile, the strategies
may vary a bit. With a rollator type walker, the kind with wheels on the
front and back and often with handbrakes, you can basically use one hand
on the walker and the other on the long cane. If necessary to minimize
veering, you can also keep the side of your cane hand on the handle or
grip of the walker to keep it more aligned with your direction of travel.

The style of walker that is on sliders, tennis balls, or other non-rolling
type of ground contact, you will need to change to more of a sweep then
walk pattern. This is quite tedious at first but becomes more fluid with
use.

Hope that helps for starters!

--
Chris Tabb

christabb at me.com <mailto:christabb at me.com>
Mobile:  512.660.2750

> On Sep 8, 2017, at 12:50 PM, Mary Donahue via rehab <rehab at nfbnet.org>
wrote:
>
> Good afternoon everyone,
>
>
>
>                I am mainly calling on cane travel teachers to answer
> this question, but anyone who has suggestions can respond.
>
>
>
>                Last month, I fell in our bedroom when I was getting
> dressed to go to work and bumped my right side on the end of the bed
> frame. It might have knocked my balance out a little bit. At any rate,
> I have been out a couple of weeks from work to make sure my balance
> did not interfere with my work as a braille proofreader.
>
>
>
>                Last weekend, when one of my co-workers came to visit
> with us, she found my old walker in the closet. I had to use a walker
> in 2011 for a couple of days after I had surgery on my right knee.
> Currently, I am using the walker to cross open spaces, such as from
> the couch to the entertainment center and from our built-in bar to my
> armchair, as well as to the front door going outside. . Yesterday, I
> used the walker and a cane to go to my physical therapy evaluation and
> to the doctor's office. However, I have never used a cane and a walker
> at the same time, and I start back to work on Monday.
>
>
>
>                If any of you have some suggestions on techniques to
> use a cane and a walker, please bring them on. Any suggestion you may
> have will be very much appreciated. I do not want to ggo through the
> Division of Blind Services, as it will take too long to get a case
> opened, and I do not want them involved. If I use a cane travel
> instructor, I would rather pay him or her with the resources I have.
> That way, I can interview the instructor beforehand, and I can work
> with someone I can trust. I have had too many bad experiences in the
> past with DBS and cane travel instructors that I would rather not go
that route.
>
>
>
>                Thank you for your suggestions in advance.
>
>
>
>                Before I forget, the walker I have has two rails on
> either side of it. This is just something added in case the question
> comes up later.
>
>
>
> Mary Donahue
>
>
>
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