How To select a Rollator / Roliing Walker

A rollator is a type of wheeled walker with brakes that is designed to support upper-body weight and help people with walking challenges enjoy greater mobility and avoid fatigue. Unlike traditional medical walkers that need to be lifted with each step, rollators glide easily across smooth indoor and outdoor surfaces, and can be customized with a host of options that allow for comfort and convenience. If you are considering a purchase, first talk with your healthcare provider and seek counsel on models and components that best accommodate your size, needs and lifestyle. Here are purchase considerations to discuss and evaluate: •Frame Type. You will find frames built with either steel or aluminum. Steel is a stronger, heavier material than aluminum and is designed to support greater body weight. Though, aluminum frames are lighter and more easily pushed for those weighing under 200 pounds. •Number and Size of Wheels. Rollators come in three- and four-wheeled designs. Three-wheeled models are more maneuverable around corners and in tight spaces. Models with four wheels are more stable and easier to push. Wheel size is another consideration. If you are planning to spend a lot of time outdoors and on uneven surfaces, choose a model with larger wheels. Small wheels are designed for indoor purposes on flat surfaces. •Handle Adjustment. Choose a model that allows you to adjust the handles to an appropriate height for your size. Some designs allow a greater range of adjustment than others so be sure to take a “test drive” before purchasing to ensure comfort and proper fit. •Brake System. Your brakes need to be easy to reach and appropriately responsive for safety. Pressure brakes are easy to use for many individuals because when someone exerts weight or leans on the frame, the brakes engage and stop forward movement. For pressure brakes, the weight of the user is a consideration because a petite individual may not be able to apply enough pressure on the frame for the brakes to respond and a heavier person may cause the brakes to engage too often. Cable brakes, similar to those found on bicycles, are another option. The user squeezes the breaks with both hands and the wheels instantly stop. There are also one-handed cable brake systems. Reverse braking is another option where the rollator's brakes are locked at all times unless they are manually released by squeezing the brake handles. In addition to a range of stylish designs and colors, you can outfit your wheeled walker with a host of accessories including a built-in seat, seat back, cup holder, baskets, hanging tote bags, cane holder, oxygen tank holder and other features.www.frontlinemobility.com The Best online Wheelchair,Scooter,and Liftchair Storewww.frontlinemobility.com

Roosevelt led this country from this wheelchair

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), who was elected four times as president of the United States, serving from 1933-1945—some of the most turbulent years in U.S. history—was the very image of a strong leader. Hidden from the public was the fact that Roosevelt, a victim of polio, could not walk. He was almost never photographed in his wheelchair. Although attitudes toward disabilities had changed dramatically by the time a memorial to FDR opened in Washington, D.C., in 1997, a statue of the former president, nevertheless, depicted him wearing a large cloak that all but obscured his wheelchair. “We felt it would be unconscionable for school children for years to come to go through that memorial and have no sense that Roosevelt led this country through the Great Depression and to victory in World War II from his wheelchair,” says Michael Deland, president of the National Organization on Disability. Deland, with help from the honorary chairman, former President George H.W. Bush, launched a campaign to raise funds for a second, more honest statue. They welcomed their first donation—$378.50 from a bake sale held by a group of New Jersey schoolchildren—and went on to secure $1.65 million more from private donors. Dedicated in 2001, the second statue shows Roosevelt seated in the wheelchair that he designed and used every day. Installed at ground level, the sculpture is easily accessible. Children gravitate to it and clamber onto the lap of the bronze president. People in wheelchairs can reach out and touch it and read the inscription on the wall behind, which is also printed in Braille. “The constant refrain,” Deland says, “is from older people with disabilities or from teachers or parents saying to kids, ‘Look, Roosevelt led this country from this wheelchair. You can do anything you set out to do, disability or not.’“