Rollator Talks
Elisa from Germany
What’s it really like to use a rollator – not just the practical part, but the life part? Is it awkward at first? Empowering? A bit of both? We asked rollator users to share how it all started, and what changed. This is Elisa’s story.
Say hi to Elisa – a social pedagogue and life coach from Germany who helps couples through tough times. She’s been married to Klaus for 15 years, enjoys quiet forest walks, and the beauty of Paris.
Elisa has long loved yoga, both as a practice and as a teacher. These days, hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome – along with several vascular compression syndromes like Nutcracker, Dunbar, May-Thurner, and pelvic congestion syndrome and chronic pain syndrome – make it harder to keep up with, but meditation remains her go-to for calm and clarity.
Now, let’s hear the rest from Elisa herself:
It’s quite difficult. People get confused when they see someone using a rollator who doesn’t have a visible limitation. In our society, disabilities are often associated with visible signs. So, people are confused.
This makes it harder to use a rollator – I often feel like I have to explain myself or that people don’t take me seriously.
Never heard about hEDS?
Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) is the most common type of EDS, a group of conditions that affect the body’s connective tissues — the structures that support the skin, joints, and organs.
With hEDS, that tissue is more fragile, leading to overly flexible joints, frequent pain, easy bruising, and stretchy skin.
Other symptoms can be:
- Extreme tiredness
- Stomach issues
- Dizziness
- Heart-related problems
Because it looks different for everyone, hEDS is often misunderstood.
Time for extra support
I realized I needed a mobility aid after a total breakdown during a trip to Paris in January 2023. I had a circulatory collapse – my muscles were completely exhausted and shaking. I thought, “Okay, maybe now is the time I really need a tool – a rollator.”
At first, it was very hard. I had all these images in my head of elderly people using rollators, of hospitals and senior centers. It was tough to accept that I would need one myself.
It took over a year. I needed a long time to fully process and reach acceptance.
There was a woman who helped me, who doesn’t know that she helped me. I could identify with her, because she had the same clinical picture, she was my age. And that was the point of acceptance.
There was a woman who helped me, who doesn’t know that she helped me.
It was at a university hospital in Cologne. And my husband and I, we were waiting at the registration. And in front of me was this woman my age. And she had a pearly white modern rollator.
And I thought: wow. Okay, she’s my age and she has a rollator. And I also thought: wow. What would it be like if I could just sit down now while waiting, because it was really a challenge. We had to wait 20, 30 minutes to register.
And I could identify with her, because she had the same clinical picture, she was my age. And that was the point of acceptance.
Lack of guidance
Never recommended or discussed my doctor mobility aids with me. Healthcare professionals should explain the advantages. It’s not going backward. It’s moving forward in the truest sense of the word. That’s what patients need to hear.
It would have been easier for me if a healthcare professional had done that. Because then it would have been just more normal. If he had said, or she had said, you can do this, although you are quite young, I would have accepted it.
It would be so important to just tell the advantages of a rollator. And it’s not regression. I also thought at first it would be regression, a step back, when I would use a rollator.
But it’s not regression, it’s development, because it’s a personal development. You get back your independence, your freedom. You can do things with a rollator that you would not do without it.
So, this cannot be a step backward. It’s just moving forward in the true sense of the word with a rollator. And I think this would be very important to tell the patients.
Choosing the right one
Design and style were important, of course. But also, functionality. It had to suit my needs.
I have severe wrist pain, so I needed good handles and easy handling. Lightweight was key – I didn’t want to lift something heavy. That mix of features was really important.
The Nordic Pioneer was my first rollator. I liked the look- it was visually appealing and suitable for both road and off-road use. It was a great starting point and had a good price-performance ratio.
Actually, my husband and me were doing research together on the internet for “younger” rollators. My husband, who is a physical therapist, really likes my rollator because of its weight, handling, and the handles – very ergonomic – and also the modern design. Often, people walk with a rollator like they’re pushing a wheelbarrow… these handles help avoid this.
Later, my husband and I wanted to go on more nature walks. The Carbon Overland was the perfect choice for that. Its real air tires offer great stability, which is exactly what I needed.
My daily life
I use it regularly when I need to walk more than 20 or 30 minutes – it depends on the day. I also use it when I’m unfamiliar with the terrain. It allows me to sit down and take breaks when I need them.
If there are benches, that’s perfect – I can sit on the bench and rest my legs on the rollator. I also use it when I must wait in line. Knowing I can sit down makes all the difference.
I can walk unfamiliar paths without fear. It gives me confidence, freedom, and independence.
We can take short walks in the woods. When we’re on vacation and I don’t know the terrain, the rollator gives me a sense of security.
Challenges of invisible conditions
It’s quite difficult. Because people are confused when they see me or other people with a rollator with no visible limitation. I think in our society, disabilities are associated with visible limitations, for example, the lack of limbs. So people are very confused.
And it does not make it easier to use rollators, because I always have the feeling of explaining myself or not being taken seriously like that.
People do look a lot, and you have to deal with it and get used to it.
And maybe also ignore it sometimes. But it’s the same thing. They’re not used to a younger woman using a modern rollator.
It’s not the picture they are used to. So, it’s confusing. It’s just normal.
I have the experience, for example, of a young woman who stopped at the door for me, even though I was hundreds of meters away. She was just standing there waiting, smiling at me, and that was so kind and nice. People also react very positively.
A reflection of myself
If you like how your rollator looks – its color, design, style – you’re more likely to use it and show it off.
That’s how we challenge stereotypes. People might say, “Oh wow, that’s a rollator? I’ve never seen one like that.” That’s how we change stigma.
I think I named the rollator even before I bought it. My first rollator is called Pepper – like salt and pepper. Because pepper enriches life – and a good dish. So, I called it Pepper.
A rollator is a very personal thing. Naming it makes it feel more like a friend. And going out with a friend is always nicer.
When you have a rollator that you identify with – because you love its style and design – you naturally use it with more confidence.
It can reflect who you are. I love accessories and fashion, and my rollator can reflect that part of me.
To everyone who hesitates
First of all, remind yourself that you get a lot of advantages with a rollator. You get back your freedom, your independence. You can do things you cannot do without it. You don’t dare to do without it, maybe.
It’s not a regression. It’s a personal development and gives you back freedom. And I also think: we are many. There are many people with invisible disabilities or health issues. We have to be brave. We have to use the rollator and show it to the world. If we do not, nothing is going to change.
Our stigma can only be reduced if we show ourselves and if we show modern rollators to people. To change their point of view, to change their pictures in mind. That also younger people use modern rollators or elderly people use modern rollators.