Is your elderly loved one using a walker?

In this post, I will go over 7 walker safety tips to ensure that your loved one is getting the best use of of their walker while staying safe.

Walker safety for the elderly

Make sure the walker is the right fit for needs and height

As a caregiver, it is important to ensure your loved one’s walker fits their needs and height.

Not having the right type of walker or having one that is not right for your height can cause pain in the wrists, in your back and opens your loved one up to injury.

So make sure to talk to a healthcare provider so that you get the right one.

Get a foldable walker.

A foldable walker is helpful because you will be able to pack it up into the car.

At night, if you want to keep it out of the way, it is easy to do so with a foldable walker as well.

Keep it out of the way at night (but accessible)

To prevent falls, it is important that you keep the walker out of the way for your loved one at night.

For older adults, a simple fall can lead to broken bones, a concussion or even death. Thus it’s always to keep “fall hazards” out of the way.

And for your loved one, leaving a walker in the way during the night could prove to be a fall hazard.

At the same time, it’s important for you to place the walker in an accessible spot so that when your loved one does wake up at night, they can grab the walker easily and transport themselves.

Use the walker properly on a staircase or steps

Climbing the stairs is inevitable.

Most places will have an accessible ramp that makes it easier for people using a walker.

But this is not always the case.

Here’s a video on how to climb the stairs with a walker.

The right footwear

It’s important to wear the right kind of shoes when using a walker.

Flat shoes with a firm grip on the bottom are the best choice to shoes to wear with a walker and prevent injury.

Remove any other fall hazards from the path of your loved one

Frayed rugs, wires that crisscross and other objects in the way of your loved one’s walker can pose an unsafe situation.

Make sure all of these are kept of out the path of your loved one.

Report any discomfort to your doctor

Is your loved one experiencing pain in their legs, arms or back when they use their walker?

Talk to your doctor about it so the right adjustments are made.

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