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My husband is finding it difficult to walk, stumbling forward at each step. He has dementia 5 years and non treatable bowel cancer 3 years. Would it make him weaker or would it give us both more freedom to go for walks, shopping, outings etc?

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Ask yourself this...
Would he be safer using a wheelchair?
Would I be safer with him using a wheelchair?
If the answer to the either one is yes then there is no question.

He WILL get weaker. With or without a wheelchair.
He will get weaker if he falls and breaks a hip.
He is struggling with 2 life limiting conditions. I think a wheelchair will make his and your life a bit easier.
You/he will still have the option to use a walker. So if he is resistant to the idea of a wheelchair compromise and say we will "try" the wheelchair when we go for long walks or out to the store. He can use the walker in the house.
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Reply to Grandma1954
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hunterm Aug 10, 2024
I totally agree.

My mom has been losing her mobility over the past 2 years. She has been using a walker in the house and walker/wheelchair on outings so that we can push her if she gets tired (which is happening more and more).

Yesterday we invested in a power wheelchair. She loves it! Mom was cruising around a local store within the hour. We're going to encourage her to use the walker as much as possible within the house so that she doesn't further decondition. But the power wheelchair (very light for lifting in the car) should give her greater independence while maintaining safety.

I think most of these mobility journeys require a hybrid approach depending on the stage of dementia.

Good luck with finding a solution(s).
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Transport chairs are excellent. Especially for short distances such as from the car to the doctors office. However, longer distances shopping, taking a walk, or any other trips they can be not as easy to push. The wheelchair we used for my mother could be both a transport chair and full wheelchair. They can be a little more expensive but in the long run, I think it saved me money. I could use the transport chair when it was the best option then I could put the back wheels on and use it as a full wheelchair for other situations. We probably would’ve ended up buying two chairs instead of one.

Putting my mom into a wheelchair was a difficult decision and I was warned that she would get weaker faster. However, safety for both mom and myself, as well as quality of life, led me to the wheelchair.

Remember to take care of yourself or you won’t be able to take care of your husband.
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Reply to CoffeePaula
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First I would invest in a transport chair instead of a wheelchair as they are much lighter in weight and easier to transport(excuse the pun).
Then I will tell you what my husbands neurologist told me many years ago and that was to let my now late husband keep walking when able so he wouldn't lose his ability to.
I only used his transport chair when I knew that he was weak or tired, or if we were going someplace that required a bit more walking than I knew he could handle.
And the neurologist was right, because when my husband almost died of aspiration pneumonia in 2018, and was hospitalized for almost a month, he ended up coming home completely bedridden and unable to walk at all and under hospice care.
So if you want to go on walks with your husband or go shopping, then perhaps it best to take along the transport chair, but otherwise I would let him walk with his cane or walker at home and for shorter stints.
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Reply to funkygrandma59
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Do what makes life better for both of you, get the wheelchair. I think you need to face the reality that losing his strength is inevitable and opting for a wheelchair is not going to speed that up, it's just part of that reality.
An inexpensive transfer chair may be sufficient for now but if the time comes that he is spending most of his day in it I encourage you to work with an occupational therapist to have him fitted for a customized wheelchair with all the bells and whistles - tilt in space, lateral supports, pressure relieving cushion (like ROHO) and head rests - they are expensive but there usually are supports to cover much of that cost.
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Reply to cwillie
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Start with a walker. Only use a wheelchair for treks that you know are too far for him to walk unassisted

Once you sit down a rely on wheelchair to get around, he will very quickly be unable to walk at all. As legs get weaker, they won't be able to help you to stand, to move from one seat to another.
Keep moving.

Even the recliners that do sit to stand lifting are problematic. Stop using leg muscles and arms to stand and push up, you lose the ability.

Get Dr to order home health care and physical therapy/ occupational therapy. One does waist down and one waist up.
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Reply to my2cents
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CD, sounds like it's different time for a wheelchair especially out of the house, for outings.

Weather or not it makes him weaker faster, won't matter if he has a sever fall, breaks a hip or hits his head.

So sorry about your husband's declining health
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Reply to Anxietynacy
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Thank you for your common sense views. Life is very difficult without any other help. It’s me that needs my husband in a wheelchair, so we can go back to walks along our nearby seafront. I will take the advice to get a transport chair. It sounds lighter to lift in and out of car. Thank you again
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Reply to cdmdudley
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Beatty Aug 10, 2024
Try out all sorts.

Transport model is lighter to put in/out car BUT smaller wheels mean harder to push.

Full size wheel model has heavier frame BUT much easier to push.
(Some have pop-off wheels that make it a little easier to fit in the car).

I am a slight female. I cannot lift any of the frames into my car.
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Yes to both. My mom has dementia and had problems with balance before her dementia. After her last fall while she was already in a residential rehab, she fractured ger pelvis in three places. She didn't need surgery, but I have her use the wheelchair even in the house. We also got a stair lift to make going up and down easier. She still uses a walker for walking 5 feet to get to the powder room and turn around to use the toilet, as well as her bathroom to transfer to the toilet or the sliding shower chair. It isn't an easy decision and I have to vigalent because she forgets that she is a fall risk, has poor balance, and needs help to stand or go anywhere.
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Reply to spectrum19007
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Getting a prescription from your doctor for an OT or PT consult should be your first step. You can ask the assessor about types of wheelchairs.
You can also find free chairs through your social services of department of aging community closet. They should have the info about where donated medical equipment is available
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Reply to MACinCT
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My MIL used a walker to go to the shops, which was quite a way through a housing area. When she tired, she sat down on the seat. People often came out to ask if she was OK, and struck up a conversation. She ended up with the trip being quite a social event.

She was highly resistant to getting the walker, and only agreed to hire one short-term when she came out of hospital after a minor op. After three months (minimum hire), she didn’t want to let it go. The hire company was delighted to sell it to her cheap, because it was an old model that wasn’t height-adjustable and was shorter than most people. MIL was just the right height, so she kept the one she loved.
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Reply to MargaretMcKen
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