Mobility Aids

The choice of mobility equipment available for those living with mobility issues varies greatly depending on range of motion. For example, if your mobility is mildly affected due to a condition such as osteoarthritis, then simple mobility walking aids, such as a walking stick or crutch, may be enough to help you continue walking independently. However, if you’re living with a disability which makes it difficult for you to move without assistance (such as cerebral palsy), your carer could use a slide sheet to help you turn in bed or transfer aid to help you move from bed, to chair, to toilet.

The mobility aids featured in this section are designed to help those who are older, or living with a disability, to maintain their independence. These mobility aids may be of help to anyone who is living with:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Joint pain
• Muscle weakness or pain
• Mobility issues
• Children who have mobility issues
• Obesity
• Balance issues
• Chronic fatigue syndrome

Mobility aids can make a huge difference to someone who is older or living with a disability, by giving them the opportunity to remain independent both at home or when out and about.

Indoor walking aids, such as the Duo Walking Trolley, can make for a safer home environment by helping to prevent spills and trips, with a top tray to place items on and a sturdy frame to help you keep balanced when walking from room to room.

There are also a number of outdoor aids, such as wheelchairs, rollators, and ramps that can help with travel from place to place, aiding your mobility. Wheelchair accessories such as cushions or gloves can also make travelling more comfortable while helping you to get around independently.

Being able to travel and get out and about can have a big impact on both your physical abilities and your mental health. Staying physically independent can help improve your state of mind by enabling you to meet up with friends and family, or take part in activities outside of your home, providing the opportunity to meet new people and learn new skills.

There are many different aids for mobility available, designed to suit individual requirements. If you’re looking for a little extra support when walking to the shops, the NRS Healthcare 3-Wheel Rollator will help reduce the risk of you falling and includes a built-in basket for you to store your shopping in, meaning less chance of you overbalancing. A 4-wheel rollator will also provide a seat if you need to stop for a rest.

Alternatively, the NRS Healthcare 2-in-1 Rollator and Transit Chair, can offer you a supportive seat whenever you need it and, if you’re out with others, you can flip down the footrests to turn it into a transit chair to use over short distances.

For parents of children living with a health condition that restricts their mobility in some way, our range of children’s mobility aids offer a number of solutions, from walkers and accessories, to pushchairs with optional accessories to meet your child’s individual needs.

Healthcare Pro also offer a range of plus size mobility walking aids so if you need a piece of equipment which is larger and sturdier, these products can help you stay safe and mobile.

Mobility aids are often seen negatively by older people and they can therefore be reluctant to use a walking stick or other aid for fear of looking old or impaired by others.

In fact, mobility aids could do with a new image to reflect the positive benefit they bring to people’s lives. For example, someone who is worried about their balance or about having a fall may be limiting when and where they go out. For them, a simple walking stick can give them the confidence boost they need to be able to meet up with friends or to walk down the road to collect the paper. The added bonus of exercise and the effect on a person’s wellbeing from seeing people and getting fresh air is immeasurable.

For a person who has breathlessness when walking, and therefore panics about going out, a 4-wheel rollator with a seat where they can stop and rest can take that fear away and let them to spend a day in the shopping centre with friends, which they otherwise would have said “no” to.

Perhaps they should be renamed “independence enablers” instead!

The team at Healthcare Pro, part of the NRS Healthcare family, take great pride in living up to our motto of “Putting People First”, and we understand that everybody who is looking for equipment to help them in their daily activities will need something to fit with their own individual requirements. That’s why the Healthcare Pro website has over 4,500 products to choose from, to make sure you can find the right products to suit your needs.

More than that, Healthcare Pro also has a team of Occupational Therapists on hand to manage their free Expert Advice Service. This gives customers who are unsure about which equipment to buy the opportunity to speak to a healthcare professional about their circumstances and receive free advice on which product is likely to be of most use to them. Simply call 0345 121 8111 for a friendly, informal chat.

Whether you’re a professional or family carer looking for equipment to help some live more independently or you’re living with symptoms of an existing health condition that are causing issues with simple daily tasks, take a look through the Healthcare Pro website and see which equipment could help you live better at home.