Mobility solutions
Our staff will collaborate with you, your physical or occupational therapist, nurse, and family to provide the best solution possible for your mobility needs.
What are Mobility aids?
Mobility aids are devices designed to help people who have problems moving around enjoy greater freedom and independence.
Who Needs Mobility aids
Typically people who have disabilities or injuries, or older adults who are at increased risk of falling, choose to use mobility aids.
These devices provide several benefits to users, including more independence, reduced pain, and increased confidence and self-esteem.
Anyone who has a mobility issue, either temporary or long-term, can benefit from mobility aids. The type of mobility aid used will depend on the needs of the individual
What types of mobility aids are available?
The type of mobility aid required will depend on the mobility issue or injury. The most common types of mobility aids include:
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Canes
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Crutches
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Walker's
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Walker Rollator Hybrids
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Rollator's
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Knee Walkers
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Transport Chairs
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Wheel Chairs
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Mobility Scooters
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Safety Modifciations
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Lift Chairs
Canes:
Canes are similar to crutches in that they support the body’s weight and help transmit the load from the legs to the upper body.
However, they take less weight off the lower body than crutches and place greater pressure on the hands and wrists.
Assistive canes are useful for people who have problems balancing and who are at risk of falling.
One main reason may need:
Arthritis or pain, especially of the knees and hips, and on one side. Mild balance problems. Injuries to one foot or leg.
Common types of canes include:
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White canes: These are designed specifically for assisting people who are visually impaired. White canes are longer and thinner than traditional canes and enable the user to detect objects in their path. They also inform other people that the user is blind or visually impaired.
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Single Point Canes: have a single shaft and a single tip with a rubber gripper on the end.
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Pivoting feet canes: have a single shaft and a pivoting tip or base on the ground end. They are more freestanding than a single-point cane but can still fall relatively easily. They provide good traction with the ground and are good on uneven surfaces.
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Quad canes: These have four feet at the end of the cane, providing a wider base and greater stability.
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Folding seat Canes: have small attached seats so you can take a rest while using it.
Some canes are adjustable or foldable. Canes which are used for non-medical purposes, such as by hikers, are known as walking sticks.
Crutches:
Crutches can help you recover from leg injuries such as a fracture, surgery, sprain (over-stretching of the ligaments) or strain (over-stretching of muscles and tendons). By reducing the amount of weight placed on an affected leg, injuries can heal quicker and allow you to stay mobile.
Walkers:
designed for people who are are unstable to walk, have difficulty walking more than a few steps, or are recovering from surgery and need additional support and stability while walking.
walkers come without wheels or with wheels on the front two legs.
A standard walker without wheels offers the most support but requires you to lift it with every step you take.
A walker with wheels is useful if you need some help bearing weight as you move, or if lifting a standard walker is hard for you. It can be easier to stand fully upright with a two-wheel walker than it is with a standard walker. Walkers with front wheels are better equipped to accommodate uneven surfaces.
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Rollators:
A rollator is a great choice if you can balance yourself but need a place to sit frequently or you need help carrying oxygen tanks, or other necessities. A rollator is also helpful if you have weakness in your arms and you have a hard time lifting up a regular walker.
A rollator is a more mobile stability aid. Rollators are available in three or four wheel versions. They come in a variety of colors and are a bit more stylish compared to walkers.
A three-wheeled rollator fits in smaller spaces, can make sharp turns, and has increased maneuverability. They’re lighter than four-wheeled options, however, their design means that they don’t offer a seat.
A classic four-wheeled rollator offers stability and easy mobility. Rollators enhance mobility and walking speed. Because they have four wheels, rollators require steering and easy hand brake operation.
A rollator seat gives you a place to sit and rest on longer adventures. Most rollators also have a basket (often below the seat) to hold your belongings.
Rollator/transport chair hybrid
Users can move it under their own power or accept caregiver assistance, has adjustable, optional footrests and armrests and height-adjustable handles to meet the needs of each user and operator.
Knee Walker's
Knee Walkers are a medical mobility device (also referred to as Knee Scooters or Mobility Scooters) that provide a safe, comfortable, and easy-to-maneuver alternative to crutches for those recovering from below the knee injury or surgery, which requires the foot and/or leg to be non-weight bearing during recovery.
Knee Walkers are designed for weight-bearing relief for those who have injuries that include: fractures, diabetic wounds/ulcers, torn Achilles’ tendon, sprained ankles, or surgery to the foot/ankle. They can also be used for partial or complete amputations of the foot for permanent mobility, or while waiting for the wound to heal and/or fitting of a prosthesis.
Knee Walkers utilize an elevated padded platform to rest the knee on and provide continuous support for your injured lim. This design enables the user to balance naturally using two legs, versus just one like crutches force you to do. You then move yourself by pushing off with your good leg and steer the unit by turning the handle bar to control the direction of the front wheels. Your injured leg will remain elevated and fully non-weight bearing during operation.
Transport Chairs
A transport chair is a type of wheelchair that is designed specifically for the purpose of being transported from one location to another. Unlike a regular wheelchair, which is meant to be propelled by the user, a transport chair is intended to be pushed by another person. This makes it an ideal option for individuals who have difficulty moving themselves around but do not require the full support of a regular wheelchair.
There are several key features that make transport chairs different from regular wheelchairs. The first is their size and weight. Transport chairs are typically much lighter and more compact than regular wheelchairs, making them easier to maneuver and transport. This is especially important for individuals who need to be transported in a vehicle, as transport chairs can easily be folded and stored in the trunk or back seat of a car.
Another key feature of transport chairs is their design. Unlike regular wheelchairs, which have four large wheels, transport chairs have four small wheels that are located at the corners of the chair. This makes them more stable and easier to push, as the small wheels provide better traction and maneuverability. Additionally, transport chairs often have armrests and footrests that can be adjusted or removed to make it easier for the user to get in and out of the chair.
How to Choose a transport chair?
When selecting a manual wheelchair, it's essential to consider factors such as:
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Seat Dimensions
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Weight Capacity
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Frame Material
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Wheel Size
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Features and Accessories
Wheel Chairs
Manual Wheelchairs:
A manual wheelchair is a mobility device that is propelled by the user or by an attendant pushing from behind. It typically consists of a frame, seat, backrest, and footrests, with large rear wheels for self-propulsion and smaller front casters for steering. Manual wheelchairs are versatile, lightweight, and easy to maneuver, making them suitable for a wide range of users and environments.
What is a bariatric wheelchair?
A bariatric wheelchair is a type of wheelchair specifically designed to accommodate larger individuals who require additional support and stability. Bariatric wheelchairs feature a reinforced frame and wider seat dimensions to accommodate higher weight capacities, typically ranging from 300 to 700 pounds or more. These wheelchairs offer increased durability and strength to safely support heavier users while providing comfort and mobility.
How does a manual wheelchair work? Manual wheelchairs operate on a simple mechanism that allows users to propel themselves forward using their upper body strength. The user grips the hand rims on the large rear wheels and pushes them forward in a circular motion, propelling the wheelchair forward. To steer, the user applies pressure to the hand rims on one side, causing the wheelchair to turn in that direction. Manual wheelchairs are easy to operate and offer users greater independence and mobility.
How to Choose a Manual Wheelchair
When selecting a manual wheelchair, it's essential to consider factors such as:
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Seat Dimensions
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Weight Capacity
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Frame Material
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Wheel Size
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Features and Accessories
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Lyft Chairs
A Lift Chair is a piece of medical equipment that looks similar to a standard reclining chair. It can be used in an upright position or reclined with just the push of a button. The difference is that the Lift Chair contains a powerful lifting system that can be triggered to tilt the base and back of the chair forward, assisting the user in returning to a standing position. The user operates a Lift Chair by pushing buttons on a remote rather than manually engaging a lever or switch.
There are a number of different names used to describe Lift Chairs. You may see them marketed as “Power Lift Recliners”, “Pop-Up Chairs, “3-Position Recliners”, or “Infinite Position Recliners”, but each of these terms refers to the same type of device.
Lift Chairs are available in a variety of sizes and styles, with numerous optional features. Available in small to large widths, petite to tall heights, cloth, vinyl, or even leather upholstery, and with options including a number of positions available, heat, and massage, Lift Chairs can be customized to suit your specific needs.
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Who Benefits from a Lift Chair?
Lift Chairs are ideal solutions for anybody who has difficulty transitioning from a seated position to standing due to limited mobility or balance issues. However, the benefits extend far beyond assistance simply sitting down and standing up.
With optional heat and massage features, Lift Chairs provide therapeutic benefits to those with stiff and sore joints, back pain, arthritis, and a variety of other conditions. They provide excellent, affordable alternatives to expensive bathtub modifications for those who require heat and massage therapy.
Lift Chairs can be used for more than just reclining while watching your favorite television programs. Whether you like to use a computer or telephone, read
books or magazines, or engage in a number of other recreational activities, the variety of positions available from your lift chair can comfortably accommodate. Many individuals even opt to sleep in their Lift Chairs rather than in their beds because of the variety of positions available. Most models can be reclined to a flat position, but can also be modified to different angles and elevations for maximum comfort. For individuals who must keep their legs elevated while they sit or sleep, Lift Chairs are an ideal solution.
Even individuals who have had surgery in their shoulders, arms, or other areas can benefit from a lift chair. According to one 101 Mobility® of Maine customer,
The ‘pop up chair’ as I call it, has worked out extraordinarily well. I can not imagine going through the recovery without having a chair like what I have rented from you folks. I highly recommend it for anyone having had shoulder surgery of any kind, especially replacement (like I had) or rotator cuff repair where they do not want any shoulder/arm movement for quite a long period of time. It’s a must have item, especially if you want to get any sleep at all…….trying to sleep flat on your back is VERY painful. The recliner chair lets you pick a comfortable sleeping angle from vertical to flat out.