[nfb-talk] walkers?

d m gina dmgina at samobile.net
Tue Jan 3 04:02:55 UTC 2012


I am pleased you feel comfortable with this way of traveling.
I would be concerned of the side there wasn't a person.
Will you try to get the feelers as I would call them for the sides of 
the walker?
Or just trust.

Original message:
> It occurred to me that I hadn't written a response to update you all 
> and thought I would if any of you are interested.  I got my walker on 
> Thursday.  It is a walker with two wheels on the front facing away from 
> you and two legs on the side that is toward you with two handles on 
> either side for holding on to.  I find I  can navigate around my house 
> pretty well, although it took some getting used to because I had to 
> judge turns and landmarks differently because of my bigger size.  As 
> far as people guiding me, I  have either had them give me verbal 
> directions with a little help occasionally or grab onto the side of the 
> walker away from me and pull me along.  This kind of works but I am 
> careful who I let do that as they need to pay attention and not walk 
> too fast.  I would hate to go flying off a curb because someone forgot 
> they had a walker behind them.  But if I really trust the person and/or 
> there is no sets around that works well.  Just thought I'd let you know 
> how things wer
>  e going.  Let me know if you have any questions.
> On Dec 27, 2011, at 1:33 PM, David Evans wrote:

>> 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:
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>>>>>> com


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>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>> --
>>>> --Dar
>>>> skype: dmgina23
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>>>> every sinner has a future

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-- 
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  FB: dmgina
www.twitter.com/dmgina
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