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Best Mobility Aids for Seniors: A Comprehensive Guide
As we grow older, our bodies may have a harder time maintaining their mobility, which can make it challenging, and sometimes dangerous, to move around as we once did. Falls are significantly more dangerous in older adults, with 20-30% of seniors who fall suffering from moderate to severe injuries.
However, you don’t have to succumb to a sedentary lifestyle and embrace a life spent solely in your house—mobility aids are available to offer you the support you need to keep moving, and we’ve gathered the best mobility aids for seniors to help you know what features to look for, and which mobility aids have them.
Features of the Best Mobility Aids for Seniors
When it comes to mobility aids, the sheer number of possible features can be overwhelming to wade through. However, Assist Mobility can help—we have clear criteria that we keep an eye out for before naming a mobility aid as one of the best.
Easy to Transport
Your mobility aid is useless if it’s too hard to bring it with you. This is why we favour mobility aids that are lightweight and capable of folding compactly.
Walking sticks are at the top of the list of lightweight mobility aids as they are incredibly light and, thanks to their small size, can easily be stored in your car or bag.
However, rollator walkers for seniors can also be lightweight if they’re designed with that in mind. We also like to highlight those with a compact folding design, as that makes it easier to fit them in whatever vehicle you’re using to travel.
The whole point of a mobility aid is to allow you to move more often and easily—a bulky design will only hinder this goal.
Durable
You shouldn’t be afraid that a small ding on your mobility aid will cause it to lose its functionality. Just as you can go on after stubbing your toe with no outward manifestation of the injury, so too should your mobility aid be able to keep up with whatever you throw at it.
Not to mention, when you pay good money for a mobility aid for seniors, you want to know that your investment wasn’t a poor decision—purchasing a sturdy and dependable mobility aid is the best way to guarantee this, as it will become an investment into your mobility that lasts.
When sifting through different rollators, we look for those made of materials that can handle life’s challenges, a challenging feat considering we also want the rollator itself to be lightweight. Even more, we’re looking for designs without brake cables hanging around too low, as that only increases the odds of something getting caught and then ruined.
Sleek yet durable is the goal, and only the best meets these standards.
Comfortable to Use
Along with a mobility aid being useless if it can’t travel with you, it’s also more likely to collect dust than miles if it’s uncomfortable to use, which is why the best mobility aids for seniors also emphasise comfort. Specifically, they ensure that any handles are ergonomically designed so that your hands don’t feel unnatural grabbing onto them.
The handles should also have a rubber grip, which makes it easier to grab and hold onto. Additionally, any handles should be adjustable to meet your height and ensure you maintain your correct posture. Otherwise, more problems may arise.
As a bonus, walking sticks that have a partial cuff for your arm are easier and more comfortable to use while also increasing their safety due to the increased support.
Multi-Functional
As with most tools, the best mobility aids serve more than one purpose. For example, rollators can also have seats so that you can rest wherever you may be, or some wheelchairs can also function as rollators, depending on your support needs for the day.
Rollators that have accessory options are also more appealing. These accessories can include a backrest to make sitting more comfortable, a cane holder so that you don’t have to perform a juggling act, or even an attachable grocery shopping bag to make it easier to grab food for tonight’s dinner.
When there is the possibility to add on, the rollator becomes even more valuable because it can more easily meet you in whatever stage of life you’re at and whatever level of mobility support you need.
The Best Mobility Aids for Seniors
Now that we know what features of mobility aids to keep in mind, let’s see which mobility aids stand far above the rest.
Best Walking Sticks for the Elderly
When the elderly need walking support, walking sticks are an excellent option.
With lightweight designs and ergonomic grips, walking sticks can provide the extra bit of support that seniors need. Whether you’re recovering from an injury or need help with balance, walking sticks allow you to not only keep up with your daily activities but continue to perform them safely, granting you continued independence.
Trust Care’s Lets Twist Again crutches, in particular, are one of the best walking sticks for the elderly. Their style includes an easy-to-grip and ergonomic handle along with partial cuffs for the forearm that offer extra support. In addition to being more comfortable to use, this also makes these walking sticks a safer option.
Using a walking stick doesn’t have to be boring, either; with the Lets Twist Again walking sticks, you can choose a colour that matches your style, offering yet another way to express yourself.
Yet another great option is the Yonder Walking Stick, which can easily fold to 36 cm with just the push of a button, allowing it to easily fit into small bags or cars. When life keeps you traveling, the Yonder Walking Stick gives you no reason to leave it at home.
Best Rollators for Seniors
Rollators are yet another popular mobility aid; they are perfect for those who need a little help with balance and stability but still want to maintain their natural gait.
The Rehasense Space LX rollator contains the best of our sought-after features. Its aluminium frame is lightweight and allows for easy movement, the handle heights are adjustable so that they are more natural and more comfortable to use, and the wheels are hard-wearing, so you don’t have to worry about them getting ruined. Yet another appealing feature of this rollator is that it includes extras, such as a backrest, bag, and cane holder.
We’ve also gathered other mobility equipment that meets our high standards—browse today and see which mobility aids meet your unique needs.
Finding Your Best Mobility Aids
Looking for a great mobility aid can be a challenge, but Assist Mobility is here to help by gathering mobility aids that meet our expert standards. With features that include increased durability, ease of use, and higher comfort and stability, we want you to feel secure that your mobility aid can keep up with you wherever life takes you.
Don’t let age slow you down; over 20% of older adults use mobility aids to keep up their independence, and you can see their benefits, too.
If you're looking for a rollator or walkers designed to help get their freedom back.
We stock a selection of the UK's most popular wheelchairs.
View our range of mobility aids to help you in the home and when you are out and about.
References
Gell, N. M., Wallace, R. B., LaCroix, A. Z., Mroz, T. M., & Patel, K. V. (2015). Mobility device use in older adults and incidence of falls and worry about falling: findings from the 2011-2012 national health and aging trends study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 63(5), 853–859. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.13393
Falls. (2021). World Health Organization: WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls
About the Author
Jessica Guht
Jessica is a freelance medical writer with a Master's degree in Biomedical Engineering.
Learn more about the author on Jessica's website.