I have noticed over the months that there can be quite a few searches of people looking for information on how to use a zimmer frame, although i have a post about that very topic and its possible that plenty of people would imagine a zimmer/walking frame to be an easy mobility aid to use, i wonder if maybe not enough guidance and advice is given to new users of frames.

Its understandable that the most basic and standard walking frames and even the ones with wheels on the front will not appear to most people as something that a user will need much training and guidance to learn how to use properly but even though they are some of the most basic looking mobility aids, it must be remembered that the user might have a variety of health issues that can affect balance and coordination and even strength challenges in various parts of their body that may affect their ability to get comfortable with and confident using the frame.

If you are a user of walking frames or have been in the past or maybe you have a friend or a relative that uses one, do you feel that you or they have been given enough advice and guidance on how to use it and have any other health issues that you or they live with been taken into account to ensure that yourself or others are assured about how to use the walking frame?

Once you have purchased a mobility scooter, there are plenty of extra attachments that you can find to purchase, both online and at your local mobility products retailer.

Everything from a holder to place a drink and bags to store light shopping to various types of covering to protect you and your mobility scooter from the weather, as well as items like alarms, covers for the control panel and so much more.

Some of these may seem less important than others, while some are very useful like a holder for an oxygen bottle that makes it safer for the user to be able to have their oxygen bottle near enough with it still being held in place securely.

Each person has their wants and wishes, ideas that they think would be a good addition to their own mobility scooter, even if its not something that everyone else would want or need it may be very useful for you if it was available or maybe you even build some of your own extras to be fitted to your mobility scooter.

What have you thought would be really great if you could purchase it for your mobility scooter but have not seen available for them yet?

Unless you have been abroad recently and have been lucky enough to escape some of the rough weather that britain has been experiencing then you will have had a taste of how severe mother nature can be when she wants to.

Although we have more than our fair share of rain each year, and were no stranger to gale force winds and other weather conditions, it can become dangerous when those conditions persist over a few weeks, leaving people living in some areas in real danger.

As Cumbria has been hit hard recently, as are other areas each year when we get heavy rainfall, or other weather conditions that are sometimes referred to as freak weather, especially if its not common in certain areas it can bring devastation and even deaths unfortunately.

Even in situations where people may feel that they are not in immediate danger, maybe viewing something from what they may feel is a safe enough distance, it can still put them in danger when the unexpected suddenly happens.

If an individual has mobility needs and if using anything from a pair of crutches or a walking stick, to a mobility scooter or a wheelchair then in most situations the danger for the individual is increased as they may not have the help of someone nearby and this could place them in very real danger if weather conditions cause them to be stranded or unable to remove themselves from an area or a situation hit by bad weather conditions.

Even if you’re venturing out into your local neighbourhood and feel that you will be ok, with the strong winds and sometimes heavy rain that is with it, depending on where you are in the UK it is still best avoided if what you’re going out to do is not important.

The winds may not be strong enough to blow a mobility scooter or a wheelchair over, but if you’re using a walking aid and are usually a little unsteady then it might make even a short trip outside substantially more risky for you.

If you need to go out then of course theres no need to stay indoors because the weather has been a bit rough in the UK recently, after all, we have coped with a lot worse before.

Just make sure that you are fully prepared, with waterproofs if necessary, even the temperature has been up and down so much lately, one day its milder then the next its quite chilly.

Take care while using your mobility aids out there during this wet and windy time  and throughout the rest of the autumn and winter.