Mobility & Transfer Aids

Changes in strength, balance, endurance, or mobility can make getting around and changing positions more difficult. The right equipment can provide useful support for walking, standing, sitting, transfers, and everyday movement while helping a person maintain as much independence as possible.

This page brings together practical products for walking support, getting up and sitting down, transfers, wheelchair use, and moving around the home. Mobility equipment should be chosen based on the person’s abilities, environment, and individual needs. Some equipment may require professional guidance or proper fitting to use safely.

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Walking Support

Walking aids can provide additional support for balance, stability, or endurance when moving around the home or community.

Useful options may include:

Choose a walking aid that matches the person’s needs and environment. Height, handle position, brakes, wheel size, and the surfaces where the equipment will be used can all affect how well it works.

Getting Up & Sitting Down

Simple supports can make it easier to rise from a chair, couch, or other seated position when strength or mobility is limited.

Useful options may include:

The height and stability of the chair or other surface matter. Products that raise a seat or provide leverage should be appropriate for the furniture and the person using them.

Transfer Aids

Transfer equipment can assist with moving between beds, chairs, wheelchairs, toilets, and other surfaces when independent transfers become difficult.

Useful options may include:

Transfer equipment varies considerably in how much assistance and physical ability it requires. Some devices should only be used after appropriate instruction from a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or other qualified professional.

Mobility Scooters

Mobility scooters can provide powered mobility for people who can sit upright and operate the controls but have difficulty walking longer distances.

Useful options may include:

Consider where the scooter will be used, how it will be transported, turning space, weight capacity, battery range, and whether the person can safely get on and off and operate the controls.

Wheelchair & Transport Chairs

Wheelchairs and transport chairs can provide seated mobility when walking longer distances is difficult, unsafe, or not practical.

Useful options may include:

Choose based on how the chair will be used, whether the person will propel it independently or need assistance, and how often it will need to be folded, lifted, or transported. Consider overall dimensions, seat width, weight capacity, chair weight, and whether it will fit through the spaces where it will normally be used.

Wheelchair & Transport Accessories

Useful accessories can make wheelchair use more practical for carrying belongings, staying comfortable, and handling everyday activities.

Useful options may include:

For cushions and positioning products, comfort alone may not determine what is appropriate. People who spend substantial time in a wheelchair or who have skin or positioning concerns may benefit from professional guidance.

Moving Around the Home

Small changes and portable equipment can make common routes through the home easier to navigate with a walker, wheelchair, or other mobility aid.

Useful options may include:

Keep frequently traveled paths as open and predictable as possible. Rugs, cords, clutter, narrow furniture arrangements, and uneven transitions can interfere with mobility equipment.

Bed Mobility

Bed-related supports can make repositioning, getting into or out of bed, and reaching frequently used items easier.

Useful options may include:

Some bed rails and transfer devices have important compatibility and entrapment considerations. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and make sure any device is appropriate for the bed, mattress, and person using it.

Before You Buy

Mobility and transfer equipment is not one-size-fits-all. The right product depends on the person’s strength, balance, mobility, size, home environment, and how much assistance they need. Check product dimensions, weight limits, adjustability, compatibility with existing furniture or equipment, and the amount of space needed for use and storage. For walkers, canes, transfer devices, and other equipment that requires proper positioning or technique, consider asking a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or other qualified professional for guidance before choosing or using the product.

A product that provides helpful support for one person may not be appropriate for another, so choose equipment based on individual needs rather than features alone.