Walking Cane Resources for Your Aging Parent

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Providing senior home care to our aging parents definitely keeps us busier than the normal member of the Baby Boomer Generation. Helping with grandkids makes the Sandwich Generation one of the busiest times in our lives. I say that in spite of, once upon a time, having had three kids in three schools at one time, not to mention swim lessons and girl scouts as well!

Because it is such a busy time, it is easy to overlook small changes creeping their way in. I was reading an interesting, new-to-me blog by Maddy, a fellow Sandwich Generation grandma.  She wrote about just recently noticing changes in her mother-in-law that she realized had been showing up for the past few weeks. They were so small, and she was so busy, she had not caught on to them at first. Very understandable! And something we all deal with.

One of those small changes can often be an aging parent becoming a bit less steady on their feet. Then again, sometimes there is no warning. One day they are walking fine, the next day they take an unexpected tumble. Either way, the end result is that they are now walking a bit shakier and falling much easier. It’s probably time for them to get a walking cane.

The best place to start is their doctor’s office. Unfortunately, convincing them to get a cane can often be very difficult. The word itself evokes a major negative exclamation point in their mind. Or perhaps the tumble happened at a time when the doctor’s office is closed. They don’t need to go to the emergency room, but they do need something to help them. Then again, you may have had a similar incident as one of my senior friends. After going to the doctor to check out a couple of bruises for a fall, and admitting to a couple of other falls over the past couple of months, his doctor told him he should get a cane, but my friend brushed it off, saying he would later. One way or another, later has arrived, a doctor’s visit is not required, accepted, or needed. So where can we shop?

Walmart, Target, Walgreen’s, and Rite Aid are all good places to begin. Shopping at one of those is probably one of your best ways to save money on the cane and they will have a couple of choices. Not a lot, but it’s often enough. But, what do you do if you can’t find what you want?

Did you know Amazon carries canes? They have a large selection and the prices can be competitive. I priced quad canes recently, and found they were only a couple of dollars more than what I eventually paid at Walmart.

Another option, though finding one is getting harder and harder these days, is a local medical supply store. We used to have a wonderful one close by but they closed about a year ago. When I broke my leg, they were terrific. They carried just about everything I needed to help me, from crutch pads to shower protectors. I didn’t need a walking cane at that time, but I noticed they had a large selection of them available.

One last place I found online is Walking-Canes.net. Not only do they carry canes, but they have a large selection of articles about how to select a cane, how to size a cane, the different types of canes, and so much more. Would you believe, they even give tips on how to carve your very own, very unique walking cane!

Well, hopefully this will give us a good starting point on our quest for just the right walking cane to help our beloved aging parents. And with all this interesting info, perhaps they will be more receptive to the idea as well.