How Do the Elderly Choose Mobility Tools ?
When purchasing mobility tools for the elderly, it is necessary to consider the elderly's walking ability and intellectual status, which can be simply divided into the following four categories:
Phase 1: Normal walking ability (most of the elderly under the age of 70 are in this stage)
Phase 2: Difficulty walking (old people over 70 years old may have difficulty walking due to rheumatism, hypertension, heart failure, etc.)
Phase 3: Loss of walking ability, normal intelligence, and normal upper limb activity (some elderly people will lose their walking ability due to severe knee disease, stroke, diabetes, etc., but their intelligence is normal)
Phase 4: Loss of walking ability, degeneration of upper limb mobility, or dementia and semi-dementia (part of the elderly is very old, the limb mobility is degraded, or may be in a state of dementia and semi-dementia due to Parkinson's disease)
(1) Phase 1: Normal walking ability-use at medium distance (2-10km)
For middle-aged and elderly people between 50-70 years old, most of their walking functions are the same as those of young people. If there is no special disease, they can walk within 2km without taking a ride.
If you walk continuously for more than 2km, it will have a certain impact on the knee joint. In recent years, some middle-aged and elderly people are obsessed with walking and marathon exercise. When their own heart and lung function cannot match the function of the lower extremity, they are prone to many unexpected tragedies that should not happen.
The following two types of mobility tools can meet the needs of such elderly people, especially when visiting supermarkets and parks.
a. Traditional Mobility Scooter
b. Intelligent Scooter
(2) Phase 2: Difficulty in walking-use in short and medium distance
Two-thirds of people over 70 years of age will have difficulty walking. With the increase of age, they increase year by year, which seriously affects daily activities.
Stroke, diabetes, lumbar disc herniation, ankylosing spondylitis, high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, nerve endings and many other diseases may cause the elderly to have difficulty walking.
This part of the elderly, it is best to control the distance walked, otherwise it will cause unnecessary secondary damage to the body.
The following two types of mobility tools can meet the needs of these elderly people.
a. Ordinary Electric Wheelchair
b. Intelligent Scooter
(3) Phase three: complete loss of walking ability-all-weather use
When the elderly have completely lost their mobility due to illness, if their intelligence is normal and their upper limbs are movable, they may use electric wheelchairs or scooters.
(4) Phase four: complete loss of walking ability, and partial dementia-all-weather use
If the upper limb is completely weak, or has been demented, you can only use ordinary hands to push the wheelchair.
If the elderly have cervical problems, they also need to use the high back style;
If there is a problem with incontinence, a wheelchair with a potty needs to be considered.
