He falls a lot, currently lives in an assisted living but may soon be needing more advanced care. He falls all the time and is sent to the hospital a lot. He uses a walker but many times just trips over his feet. He is doing physical therapy but it does not seem to make him better. He does have a wheelchair but does not like to use it.
https://www.ustep.com/
Like the “Alinker” I gave a link to just before this post, the ustep is used in an upright standing position so that the user doesn’t hunch. The ustep has a seat to rest upon if one gets weary standing and walking, a low center of gravity to help keep it stable with multiple small wheels, and perhaps most importantly, it won’t move until you grip one or the other of the hand brakes: gripping the hand device lightly releases the brake so you can roll, and the minute you need to stop you just let up on the hand brake and it will stop. This is a tremendous feature so the rollator can’t run away from you. I watched the short video on their website and was majorly impressed.
Best wishes again to you in finding solutions for your dad.
https://www.thealinker.com/
Fingers crossed you can find solutions for your dear dad!
Hope this helps someone.
My bullheaded Papa insisted on living alone, at home, FAR longer than he should. His doctor went along with it because he felt sorry for the “old guy”.
So we bought him a scooter and he drove it INSIDE the house. That way he only had to take a step or two into the bathroom, or to his chair or bed. It really cut down on his falls.
He tried a walker and a rollator, but because his balance was shot, he just took them down with him when he fell.
This is a tough journey you both are on. You’ll probably think I’m crazy, but humor helps a lot. They are embarrassed by the loss of control and the change in their life. Humor helps, believe me.
I think we paid around $40/$45 for the used model. This was perhaps 6 -7 years ago.
https://www.myamigo.com/healthcare/
Another option is a rollator, with brakes so that the individual can more safely operate it. It can also be used to carry things, something a walker can't do well even with a front loaded basket. If I ever reach the stage of needing support, I intend to bypass walkers and go straight to a rollator.
https://justwalkers.com/collections/rolling-walkers
We got ours at a DME supplier affiliated with a local hospital. It was new, but I don't remember the cost. I was glad we bought it from a DME source b/c we learned more about how to operate it, as well as its benefits.
One of the important issues is to use the brakes when stopping and getting off it, so it doesn't roll (like a walker could).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082NYHJ76/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
She was using a walker, but you can fall with those too. She wasn't really strong enough to use a normal wheelchair and roll the wheels. And she felt like it made her 'old'. Ha! With this she feels like she can go anywhere and do anything and that it's as easy to maneuver as a walker, but it's not as 'noticeable' as a big wheelchair. I admit it's a lot of fun to cruise around in it. He might like it.
I checked out all the various models and this one seemed like the best at the best price. I was afraid she wouldn't use it, but once I showed it to her and how easy it was to get in and out, she loved it. There's a video on that link on amazon that shows a guy setting it up for his mother.
They say it's 41 lbs and comes with a carrying case, but it feels a lot more than that. It's portable, but not every day portable. Good luck.
Parkinson's is called the falling disease.
In AL, aides are a pull-cord away from coming to help your dad do transfers or whatever else he needs help with. I'll bet he won't call, though, right? That was my mother to a T.
It's time for dad to use a wheelchair fulltime now b/c Parkinson's and other neurological diseases reach a point where it becomes necessary. Physical therapy is not a miracle cure; it will reach a point where it's useless, which is what happened with my mother too. She had bad neuropathy and during a hospitalization in 2019, the doctor said it was past time she went into a wheelchair full time. So she did. She wound up falling out of the wheelchair a lot and during transfers she insisted on doing HERSELF, but they were shorter falls at least, all 55 of them. She stayed in the same AL but moved into Memory Care after that hospitalization. She still never went to the ER for any of her falls b/c she wasn't injured, believe it or not.
Remind dad that he doesn't have to 'like' using the wheelchair, but it's time TO use it now. Otherwise, the AL may ask him to leave and move into a Skilled Nursing Facility and he'll like that even LESS than he likes a wheelchair, and they may require it TOO. Advanced old age and disease really stinks, but it is what it is, you know?
Wishing you the best of luck with a difficult situation,.