Being elderly carries a connotation of being infirm, in difficult health situations, and struggling to do basic tasks without the requirement of an assistance device. However, thanks to recent technological breakthroughs for assistance devices, being elderly does not necessarily mean those with difficult health situations can still be functional.

Among people 65 years or older, about 10% of men and 13% of women are living with asthma, and 10% or 11% of women are living with chronic bronchitis or emphysema. Unfortunately, many of these conditions occur with one another, fostering an environment that is difficult to live within. For instance, the percentage of those 65 and older living with diabetes is nearly 26%, or 11.8 million seniors.

There are other ailments as well, such as urinary incontinence, arthritis, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Many of these ailments are serious and require treatment and medication. Fortunately, at least with the following health situation, there are tools that can be used to mitigate these symptomatic situations.

Every 15 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall. These falls can be dangerous for an older adult, as broken bones need to be treated in a medical setting, whether in an emergency room or a primary care physician.

Fortunately, the risk of falling can be mitigated with proper equipment. These can be canes for elderly individuals, medical walkers, rollator walkers, or just simply mobility aids for seniors. These options are available for those who have trouble walking or moving without losing balance. They can also act as a replacement for those who may struggle with the strength to walk.

Take, for instance, the canes for elderly individuals. These canes can range in terms of color, as there are some even in hot pink, patterns, as there are some with intricate patterns, and even weight, with some manufacturers touting their canes for elderly individuals as light-weight or even ultra-lightweight.

When it comes to walkers and canes or walking aids for seniors, it’s important to look into the material and the manufacturer before making a purchasing decision. Whether the manufacturer offers shipping or the opportunity to try it in a store may help make your decision a little bit easier. Another important consideration is color and pattern. These canes give you a possibility of meshing the can with your color preference.

There are other options as well, other than a single cane. It’s possible to get walkers, which are like canes but have two sides and can generally roll. It all depends on the person’s strength needs and whether they want a cane, walker, or both. Mobility devices for seniors come out often and are gaining in popularity.

According to interviews with 7,600 Medicare beneficiaries in 2015, the use of canes and other mobility devices rose by 50% over the previous eight-year period.

It’s important to value your desires and choose the right mobility device for you.