How To Assist Someone With a Walker
If someone has had a fall, surgery or has become unsteady on their feet for any reason, using a walker can help prevent falls and provide support. If the person you’re caring for needs a walker, you might be feeling unsure of how to help them with it. In this video, we’ll review some tips on how to use a walker safely.
If someone has had a fall, surgery or has become unsteady on their feet for any reason, using a walker can help prevent falls and provide support.
If the person you’re caring for needs a walker, you might be feeling unsure of how to help them with it.
In this video, we’ll review some tips on how to use a walker safely.
First, make sure you have the right type of walker for the person you’re caring for will help make sure they’re safe.
A physiotherapist or occupational therapist arranged by your local government health care access centre, or your local hospital will be able to decide what’s the best type to use and adjust it to fit the person you’re caring for.
You’ll also be able to rent a walker through government services so the person you’re caring for can try it out before they buy one at a home health store. When helping someone use a walker, let them control the speed that you’re both walking.
Stand beside or behind them for support with a hand on their lower back. Never pull or push the walker forward.
Encourage them to keep their head up and look forward instead of looking at their feet When they’re walking with a walker, they should follow a pattern that’s easy as 1,2,3.
Push the walker ahead of themselves slightly.
Step into the walker.
repeat!
You can help them by making sure their walker isn’t too far ahead of them. Check for this by making sure the person you’re caring for is standing upright and they don’t have their arms too far out in front of them.
If they have to reach out and bend forward to keep ahold of the walker, it’s too far away from them. Keeping one hand on the walker, with one hand on their back to keep the walker close by can help them get used to it.
If the person you’re caring for is sitting, remind them not to use the walker to pull themselves up. Pulling on the walker to stand can make the walker lift off of the ground and can cause a fall.
Instead, encourage the person you’re caring for to use a chair with armrests and use the armrests for support to stand up.
The best thing you can do to help support someone who needs a walker is to encourage and remind them to use it at all times and make sure pathways are clear with no clutter or area rugs in the way.
Helping the person you’re caring for use a walker properly will help them stay free from falls and prevent pain and possible hospital stays.
For more videos that are made to help caregivers, visit our CareChannel.
Resource Information:
Type: Video
Length: Short (< 5 minutes)
Conditions: Disability/Impairment
Share:
Related Resources:
How To Help Someone Shower
Many people find themselves in the awkward position of having to bathe someone else. If you feel uncomfortable assisting someone with their personal care, you’re not alone.
How To Care For Someone On Their Menstrual Cycle
At times the person you’re caring for may be menstruating and may need assistance to manage their cycle. Helping someone stay clean and dry during their cycle will help prevent skin rashes, infections and help them feel better.
How To Assist Someone With a Cane
As a caregiver, and like the majority of us, you are up and down countless times in a day without giving it much thought. However, this task may be difficult for the person you’re caring for. If the person you’re caring for has an injury or becomes unsteady on their feet they may need to use a cane, you want to make sure they’re safe.