“Rollators” are the 4-wheel walkers that are popular for folks needing relatively minimal mobility assistance. They provide support, space to carry belongings, and a seat for when the user needs a break. They are also pretty inexpensive, so they tend to get replaced rather than repaired.

Knowing that, we spotted a woman using one of these devices, crossing the lobby of a county-owned apartment complex where we had set up a free, 1/2-day, onsite Roll In workshop. We were between repairs and could see even from a distance that one of her rollator wheels was suspect. We caught up with her, explained what we were doing, got her device on the stand, and did an assessment…

We replaced failed bearings in one wheel, removed hair that was jamming two others (a common problem for these devices, particularly for folks with longhaired pets!), adjusted her brakes, and installed proper fasteners to replace the bread bag wire ties holding the brake cables in place.

That service took about 15 minutes and was delivered in the common area of her apartment complex. Another mobility device stayed in use, saving the owner money and keeping it out of the waste stream, all at NO COST to her family thanks to supporter contributions to WheelCare.Health.

(PS: If your organization is interested in scheduling a Roll In, please contact Kirk Knestis.)