What Mobility Issues?

 

Amazing! The wave of the future and not just for mobility issues. I can't imagine riding this in Manhattan, but you never know. Out of the way, slowpoke!

scoozy

The Chinatown Experiment

 

When I could walk, I used to go down to Chinatown, once a week at times. Usually, I would walk one way and take a bus, either on the return trip or going there. But walking started to get tiring eventually, and then I would take the bus all the time. Taking the bus felt relaxing and a breeze to what I was doing,

But times and incidents change, so I could not go downtown, period. I fell on my way, using a simple shopping cart for stability. (Something was up that I needed this aide!) My attempt was a disaster. My legs had no strength. I gave up. I could not walk. Weeks, months went by. Luckily, this was post-Covid and my deli was delivering. I started to get better and better, including my attitude toward my walking.

As I pushed myself to do exercises, both mental and physical, I tried to go to Chinatown again. This time I would take a taxi. I had my simple walker with me. This was last year, I had some success at the Silk Road Cafe, where I used do writing work and eat their dumplings, but no bus was readily available on the way back, so, being the big shot I think I am, I decided to walk. With my walker, of course. This had its challenges. Chinatown has very narrow streets, and there are lot of people, tourists and residents, so that walking those streets with a walker was no fun. But I went on and on. As I was getting very tired, I had to stop and rest. (The walker has a seat, but the New York streets can be tight, and the corners, with their plastic bumps, can be murder.) Nearing the place where I live in Stuy Town, I was so tried, I promised not to do something similar again. Nevertheless, I proved that if necessary, I could go all the way, tired or not.

A Wheelchair?

 

 

Above, a nice comparison of a few foldable wheelchair mobility aides. 

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One of the mobility aides I am now looking at seriously is a wheelchair. While I don't need a wheelchair, there are certain foldable types that seem enticing for long distance walking in the city. I want something that I can use as a walker and that be converted to a rollator when I need it. What I have now, the Acre model, is fine, but its seat is narrow, and one can't rest comfortably if one is walking far. There are walker/rollater models that are dual. Expensive, but not so much as the Atto, which can cost around 3.000 dollars.But these models are electric wheelchairs that will, if you want, do "the work for you." And that does look promising. 

I recently learned after trying to strengthen my legs and walking that it takes time, and there is no guarantee that I will get back to what I was even a decade ago. I still do not know what part "the mind" plays in holding one back. It does play a part, for sure, but how much?

Being in a wheelchair has another "mind" issue. Can one be in a wheelchair outside and not be considered a cripple? (I use that negative word on purpose here.) Ideally, nothing matters but myself and my difficulties and challenges, but that is not the truth. So, for me, I would be outside using a mobility aide as a rollator, but a distance away, I would probably convert it to a wheelchair and have it move electrically. Can I do this on the city sidewalks or will I still have difficulties?

In New York, where I am at, there is a way to go around on a city bus. I haven't tried that yet with my problem, but that, and the expensive taxi trip, doesn't not limit me. But I would much rather "do it myself," and go down to Chinatown, which I used to do regularly, in one of these wheelchairs,that I can fold when I reach the Chinatown cafe.

There are a couple of promising models coming up next year, like the Smart Walker. But can one wait? And will these new models have problems we still don't know about?

A Review from the UK

 

Though I don't need a wheelchair and don't live in Britain, I found this review interesting. It was done well and addressed a few issues that all mobility aide users have, even those without a wheelchair. But the cost in the USA!!!