This study aimed to clarify the use and satisfaction with rollators and “shopping carts” (wheeled walkers with storage) among frail elderly people, who were certified by a long-term care insurance system as users of facilities that provide day-service nursing care and rehabilitation.
The study identified 1247 frail elderly people who used day-service facilities, and evaluated their actual use of, and satisfaction with, rollators and shopping carts.
Forty-four (3.5%) individuals used rollators, and 53 (4.3%) used shopping carts. The shopping cart group contained more individuals who were certified as care level 1 than the rollator group, and 52.8% of the shopping cart group was certified as care levels 1-3. The scores for “repairs and services” and “follow-up” from the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology second version (QUEST 2.0) survey were significantly higher in the rollator group than in the shopping cart group.
The QUEST 2.0 scores revealed that shopping cart users exhibit insufficient “repairs and services” and “follow-up” scores. As frail elderly people with poor care status accounted for >50% of the shopping cart group, these individuals urgently need walking aids that are tailored to their care status.
The study concluded that walking aid fitting must be tailored to each person’s care status, and suggest that a system should be established to allow occupational or physical therapists to provide this fitting.