Q: My wife, who is 84, has recently become disabled following a fall and a fractured hip. Since her return from the hospital, she has to use a walker. Howcan I make our home safer for her to lessen the chances of anotherfall and make things easier for her to handle?
A: As the population of this country ages, more peoplewill be faced with the problems of staying in their own homes with limited mobility, whether it be due to an accident, fall, arthritis or muscle weakness as a result ofadvanced age.
Read Also
Stock dogs show off herding skills at Ag in Motion
Stock dogs draw a crowd at Ag in Motion. Border collies and other herding breeds are well known for the work they do on the farm.
If you have not already done so, the first thing is to contact the local home care agency. It will send someone out to your house to assess its suitability for a disabled person. The agency can make suggestions about arranging furniture, kitchen cupboards, etc., and will help you order appropriate aids to daily living that will help.
These might include a raised toilet seat and sturdy handrails for the toilet and the tub.
A shower is easier to cope with than a tub, but you can now get bathtubs that open up so you can walk into them. There is also an inflatable seat type of contraption for the bath that inflates to get into and deflates to allow the person to soak in the bathtub. This is a better than putting a stool in the tub or shower. Don’t forget the non-slip mat.
In the kitchen, only the lower shelves of the cupboards should be used if they are reachable from a walker.
If not, you may have to put all the china, canned goods and cooking utensils out on the countertop. A microwave is easier for a disabled person to use than the regular oven or stovetop.
In the living room, make sure there are no loose scatter rugs for her to trip on. Hardwood or vinyl flooring should not be too slippery.
Here are the Calgary Health Region’s tips for using a walker.
- Stand the walker in front of and partially around you.
- Move the walker one step length ahead of you. Put all four legs of the walker on the floor.
- Move your sore leg forward, then push down on the walker using your arms.
- Move the good leg forward, even with or slightly ahead of the sore leg.
- Repeat to keep walking – sore leg and then good leg.
Sitting and standing:
- Stand with your back to the chair and with the walker close to you.
- Place the back of your good leg against the chair.
- Slide your sore leg slightly forward.
- Place both hands on the armrests or sides of the chair.
- Lower yourself gently onto the chair.
- Move back in the chair if necessary.
- Reverse the procedure to stand up.
- Avoid unstable or low chairs or soft sofas that are difficult to get out of.
Clare Rowson is a medical doctor with a practice near Belleville, Ont. Her columns are intended for general information only. Individuals are encouraged to also seek the advice of their own doctor regarding medical questions and treatments.
