Look What’s New in Mobility!

[Dagmar Munn]

Many pALS continue to travel, go on cruises or visit their local shopping at the mall with the help of rollators and mobility scooters. Others find it hard to do so, due to not having a vehicle that can carry a scooter or, needing something that combines the features of a rollator and a scooter.

Here is a short list of new designs in mobility aides plus accompanying links and/or videos.

• Travel Scoot: a small, lightweight 3-wheel scooter that folds up for transport. (video)
• Standup Walker: a walker with unique design to aid in getting up from a seated position. (video)
• Hugo Navigator: a 4-wheel walker that converts into a transport chair (modified wheelchair). (video)

If you’ve tried any of these, please share your experiences and rating. Are there other new mobility devices that you’d recommend?  Share your comments with our members.

[Diana Belland]

I purchased a Hugo Navigator in September, 2019 after watching the demonstration video by Bob and Brad on Youtube.  After an online search, we were lucky to find one on EBay in excellent condition, previously owned for only few months.  The Navigator works very well as both a rollator and a transfer chair.  It’s a bit wider than my Drive Nitro rollator, but it handles very smoothly at the Y where I exercise and in restaurants.   I usually walk into the Y using the Hugo in rollator mode.  It folds easily to stand next to machines I am using.  When my husband comes to pick me up after my workout, we often use the transfer chair mode to leave the Y and return to the car.

The Hugo handles well in restaurants.  It has a very generous back rest which makes it comfortable for using in transfer chair mode to sit directly at the table for 2-3 hours.

I have found that when making the switch from rollator to transfer chair mode that the brakes must be on securely and that I must have support from my companion or something solid to hold onto while I move from standing  behind the rollator to standing in front so that I can then turn around and sit down.   It took a little practice at first because my balance is not good, but now it goes smoothly.

I would not recommend using the Hugo as a transfer chair for lengthy outings.  It’s fine for taking short breaks from walking but it doesn’t have, of course, the cushioning and lower back support that an actual wheelchair provides.

Overall, I have been very pleased with the Hugo.  It has given me the opportunity to keep exercising my legs while also providing a safety net when I feel fatigued.

I would highly recommend the Hugo for pALS who are still walking well with a rollator but may need to take rest breaks to conserve energy while on an outing.  And it’s great to have the option of switching to transfer chair mode to navigate slight inclines and or other challenging surface conditions.

We paid $250 for our eBay purchase and we feel it has been well worth it.

 

 

 

 

 

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