Aging Parents-Mobility Aids: Thinking About Improved Devices

I’ve written a lot about accidental falls and described my experiences with parents who do not like mobility aids, even when they need to use them. Moreover, I’ve linked to sites that discuss how some mobility devices actually facilitate falls. Some of these posts are linked at the bottom of this page.

Now a class of students at the University of Cincinnati School of Design is thinking about how to improve walkers and canes — how they might look more appealing and function more effectively (safer). Students did all sorts of role playing exercises (see short video toward the middle of the page) to simulate the world of elderly individuals who might be using mobility aides. Read about their project and look at pictures of their designs.

Press release and description of the student project.
Slide show of some of the student designs. Note that once a picture appears it is necessary to hover over the image to get the caption.

Other Posts that Discuss Elderly Falling Problems