What to do about my stubborn mother's foot at parks?

[JillyBean1899]

I think I'm a bit confused. If a person has foot pain, how does a rollator help? The person still has to walk everywhere and in most queues you're moving at least a little bit most of the time so it's not like she'll get much chance to sit in line. I definitely see how it can help for waiting for parades and shows and how it can help for people with balance issues, but I don't see in general how somebody who can't walk long distances can benefit from a rollator. An ECV I can definitely see being beneficial.

The way I understood it was that she had pain in one of her feet if she walked too long, not that she couldn't walk distances. The rollator would be halfway between crutches (which I know from experience are rather clumsy, and I'm a "fit" mid 30s person) or a cane and a wheelchair. It would give her enough support to not have to put her weight fully on her foot, and a place to sit. She'd probably be able to scooch through the queues while sitting on it if they're moving slow enough.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Knee scooter?
Medical supply places rent them.

http://www.activeforever.com/knee-walkers-scooters

 

[clanmcculloch]

The way I understood it was that she had pain in one of her feet if she walked too long, not that she couldn't walk distances. The rollator would be halfway between crutches (which I know from experience are rather clumsy, and I'm a "fit" mid 30s person) or a cane and a wheelchair. It would give her enough support to not have to put her weight fully on her foot, and a place to sit. She'd probably be able to scooch through the queues while sitting on it if they're moving slow enough.

That makes a lot of sense. I hadn't considered all of that. Thanks for taking the time to explain.

 

[MsDiz]

My 3 year old son (back in '97) was too much of a "big boy", his words, to not use the stroller when fatigued. So when we went to Disneyland, we brought his stroller to carry "our stuff" in. Later when he was tired, he was cranky and said that it was HIS stroller that we were using and said that we could continue to cart our stuff in it if he could sit in it too. He fell asleep in it soon after.
After a bad car accident in 2012, I was left very unsteady due to Traumatic Brain Injury. My son (now adult) convinced me to hold his arm while walking so that HE would be more relaxed by not having to keep looking towards me constantly. I guess it came back to me full circle.
Sometimes trickery for kindness is good?

 

[anagantios]

I got her to think about a knee scooter by telling her I saw one for sale at CVS. She thought about it, I even reminded her that she would be a burden without it, lol. But she then claimed she'd be a burden with it because she "just wants to jump on and off rides" and shot my idea down. My stubborn mother, everyone!

 

[JillyBean1899]

I'm not sure a knee scooter would work very well in an area with hills/inclines.

Did she shoot down a rollator, too? Even though she could just hand it off to the employee at the loading station and get it back at unload?

 

[bidnow5]

Not a knee scooter if you don't use one every day going to Disney and trying to use it for 8 or 10 miles a day isn't going to work her knee will hurt more then the foot

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I got her to think about a knee scooter by telling her I saw one for sale at CVS. She thought about it, I even reminded her that she would be a burden without it, lol. But she then claimed she'd be a burden with it because she "just wants to jump on and off rides" and shot my idea down. My stubborn mother, everyone!

I get it. My mom requires wheels at Disney and she has since a fairly young age (40s). But--it had gotten to the point where her mobility was severely affected. She had felt patronized at our suggestions. We didn't mean to be. But when you have to rest every 5 minutes, something is up. We finally refused to so family trips with her unless she got something. Little did we know that her husband had issued the same ultimatum. The compromise is that she rents scooters. It improved her quality if life on her Disney trips immensely. It also helped that we were all dead serious about not doing any visits with her unless she humbled herself to do what she needed.

Others make a good point about the knee scooter. You need a strong knee and upper leg for that to be more of a help than a hinderence.

 

[Bete]

It's sounding like until you get there and your mom sees what an actual day will be like at Disney that she may not be too receptive about suggestions. It's hard for many people to imagine the scope of walking that is involved at Disney.

Although more expensive you can always rent a scooter or wheelchair in the park on the spot when it becomes necessary. Hopefully, the scooters won't be all gone at that point. That's one risk with waiting through the day.

I would watch her carefully for any pain signs. If she is limping or showing facial hurt (expressions can be worth a thousand words sometimes) or any moaning and so forth then you better make sure she has an aid for walking. You don't want your vacation to turn into a hospital visit there.

I would definitely schedule your day if she is walking with doing a ride and then a show for rest, then doing another ride and perhaps a parade, and then another ride and perhaps a meal for rest. Alternate the activities so there are rest periods. Also, I wouldn't plan on long days in the park.

You might even want to consider renting two scooters at least for the first day; so, she doesn't have to feel she sticks out like a sore thumb. If someone else in your party rides a scooter she might feel better about it. Once she feels the relief of having a scooter then you go back to one scooter only.

Also, please make sure the family understands the situation clearly and not to make her feel bad about slowing the pace at Disney. Everyone gets very excited in the parks and it's easy to forget someone may be in great pain.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I got her to think about a knee scooter by telling her I saw one for sale at CVS. She thought about it, I even reminded her that she would be a burden without it, lol. But she then claimed she'd be a burden with it because she "just wants to jump on and off rides" and shot my idea down. My stubborn mother, everyone!

I'm trying to figure out what she's picturing for getting on and off rides with an ECV. For most attractions, she would take the ECV through the queue right up to the boarding area, with no difference than if she was walking. A CM will then move it to the exit when she stands up to get on the ride. When she gets off, the ECV will be right near the exit and she'll just walk over to it and drive out the same way everybody else is walking. Explain this and the fact that her pain without one will be much more burdensome than having it because getting on and off rides when you can't stand without pain will end up likely requiring some moving walkways to slowed and for family to help her in and out. Without pain she'll more likely be able to handle it all without help.