Hello everyone,My name is Linda. Im fairly new to the forum, but not to Parkinsons. My late father had the condition and my husband Jim was diagnosed 6 years ago. His decline has been slow until the last few months but he is struggling now to walk for any distance over a few hundred yards. He finds it hard to keep to a steady rhythm and he has a festinating gait which causes him to overbalance.
He would love to get out and about more and we were wondering whether a rollator would help. I would really appreciate some advice here. I have looked at rollators from byAcre, rollz and lets go out by Trustcare. I wonder if anyone uses these? Are the brakes user friendly? Any stability issues?Any other issues I need to be aware of? My husband is 6ft tall and slim if that is of any help.
Best wishes to all
Hello Linda24 … “Struggling to walk over a few hundred yards” … I’m impressed & a little jealous as I doubt I could walk 1/2 of that. I have a few of the mobility issues you mention. I am 70 years old & was diagnosed 15 months ago. I live on my own & use a walking stick. What I was thinking that my next step would be to get a wheelchair that I could push for as far as I can & then ride in it, propelling myself, also rest sitting on it if I needed a rest.
If there are two of you, one to push & one to ride, I think it would work well.
Not the question you asked but an option.
Best wishes
Steve2
Hello Steve.Thank you for your reply. Im sorry to hear that you are struggling to walk. Your idea for a wheelchair sounds good and I hope it works for you, I dont think my husband is at that stage yet, but we will keep that option in mind.
Best wishes to you
Linda24
Yes “we” use a rollator. My hysband also uses walking frames indoors. There are problems with both of these. Basically if one leans forward too much…the feet often don’t follow and you get stuck in a difficult position or even fall. It is v.helpful in so far that I dont need to physically hold him but I need to give him constant instructions instead. If you want to have a chat…you could phone me ? My husband waĺks very well at certain times of a day, not linked to on/off periods…so difficult to adapt to such discrepancies. 
Morning Joleyn. Thank you for your reply. I understand exactly what you are describing. We have a long awaited appointment with a neuro physio next week, so hopefully will get some good advice regarding rollators and walking frames.
Hi linda
I think it was through my gp I got an nhs rollator.
Previously I had asked for a wheelchair assessment which my gp also arranged. I used it for a while, mostly pushing it
because I hated sitting in it (I have akathisia – inability to sit still). I wanted to know I could manage when I was out by myself (both balance & freezing). But it was too heavy to get on train by myself & having to get assistance BECOMES SUCH A FUSS.
So after dropping it down the tube steps I swapped it for a rollator. First an nhs one then I bought my own.
I got one called trionic which felt more solid. It’s heavier than the nhs one but I can still lug it up steps if there is n o lift
Brakes are important otherwise it goes all over the place when parked on public transport.
And you don’t want to encourage hurtling forward with his gait
It was pretty expensive but I have haD IT FOR YEARS & can order new pARTS WHEN NEEDEd.
enough aDJUSTAbility would be important given your husband’s height. I’m 5’6 but if I was taller I don’t think it would do my posture any good – I’m always trying to correct that as it is when walking
hopefully you could see what the nhs has aVAilable & get suggestions from the assessor to find something that fits your husband’s needs
I have BLEPHArospasm which means my eyes are often closing. So the walker is useful to crash into things before I do. Mine has plenty of room for shopping & I can fit a small backpack in if I AM TRAVELLING
Usually I cycle a lot with a recumbent trike (Hase kettwiesel) so that solves balance & bad walking days. But it caN be hair raising when you can’t keep your eyes open
So when the weather is good & I don’t mind how long it takes, the rollator is more relaxing. Anything that promotes independence.
I have to remember to check the right screws are tight - I have lost a few. Sometimes the wheel comes off too & the front wheels haVE quite a fiddly mechanism.
Earlier this year I was on a trip and I didn’t see a step so I kind of half fell & must have knocked the wheel lever so the wheel came off. I was immediately pounced on by some young people trying to help…oh dear sometimes people should ask first…one young man was so insistant as If I should back off from fixing my own piece of equipment…. Eventually he gave up & his friend was making a phone call. I asked who he was phoning - the police he said. To help…really?
So then the policeman asks for my passport ( I was in Holland) & do I know where my hotel is…5 minutes away. Did I want a lift to my hotel – no – I’m trying to go for a walk…
I guess my parkinson face & slow imprecise speech – I was trying to remember my dutch from 50 years ago when I lived there…
Perhaps they thought I haD DEMeNTIA. Anyway eventually they all cleared off & I could concentrate & fix the wheel back on all by myself.
Hi Appletree. Thankyou for telling me about your experience with both wheelchairs and rollators I will have a look for Trionic, because as you say, brakes are very important.
Hi Linda. My husband has serious balance issues, no tremor, and we bought a Rollz motion performance 15 months ago. It has all-terrain wheels/tyres and can be used simply as a rollator, or as a wheelchair with the included seat module. It’s now available in an electric version though ours is manual. We often take it along as a mobile seat at outdoor events, better to sit on, more supportive, than a rollator seat.
It’s an amazing piece of kit and we both love it. Excellent brakes which are easy to operate in rollator or wheelchair configuration. It manoeuvres well in tight spaces too. Height adjustable handles across a wide range, which can face forwards or backwards. More sturdy and stable than many but light enough for me to lift in and out of the car boot. Very easy to convert into wheelchair mode and back.
Our neuro physio had suggested a wheelchair when my husband could no longer walk as far as previously, push it there and be pushed back rather than limit our walks, but that wouldn’t have worked for us. We are much the same age - late 70s - and needed something I could lift into our car by myself. We first saw these being used by others during a trip to Amsterdam as not many around in the UK.
Hope this helps and you find something you’re both happy with. x
Hi Mountainair,
I have looked at Rollz motion Performance and, reading how it helps your husband, I think it may be just what we are looking for,
My husband is in hospital at the moment with an UTI, The infection has cleared but he is quite frail so I will wait a little while, and hopefully, his mobility will get back to where it was before I go ahead.
Many thanks for your advice
Sorry to hear your husband is in hospital Linda. Hope it won’t be long before he’s well enough to go home.
Remember to look after yourself too. X