Couch Cane - Because Getting Up Can Be a Chore

I have recently gone through watching several older friends before joint replacements. Doctors won't replace joints while there is a certain level of mobility still available. This may be the right way to go medically, but it means many folks spend a couple of years as their mobility levels decrease having difficulty with certain tasks such as getting up and down from chairs or sofas.

This cane turned out to be a godsend for one friend of the family who eventually had two knees replaced. She could walk fine, but getting up and down from her own sofa was difficult. The couch cane helped to offer her a bit of freedom by allowing her to sit on her own couch when no one was around to help her get up.

The cane doesn't go with the person. It has a 40" long solid base with skid pads that goes under furniture. The skid pads serve a dual purpose of keeping the unit in one place and keeping the floor from getting scuffed. The cane portion can be adjusted to the appropriate height for the person who will be using it and the particular piece of furniture. It works for sofas and lounge chairs, though I won't suggest using it if someone needs total support on a recliner - more of a device to help someone get to the edge of the chair and to have a little extra stability in getting up.

Putting this device together is not difficult. I could have figured it out without instructions. It does, however, include instructions. It took about a half hour to set up the first time I did it for someone and about 25 each subsequent time. There are other devices available that may be more sturdy. I know of some that bolt to the floor, and I know people who wouldn't allow anything to mar their beautiful hardwood floors. While the folks to whom I gave this device tended to keep it in one place, it is designed to be relatively portable. I wouldn't suggest that someone carry it around from place to place all day, but it can be taken on vacation to someone else's house if one's going to be away a few days. It can also be moved to another more convenient part of the house if one decides that it was placed in the wrong area. The unit can be set up to be right or left hand usable.

This device worked out well enough for the first person for whom I got one, that I have purchased several more. I know not every person is ready to concede they need a little extra help. For those who might need some, the couch cane can offer them a bit more mobility in getting up and down and a little extra meausre of independence. I would also recommend the Couch Cane for ladies who will find themselves home alone sometimes in the latter parts of their pregnancies.