Medicare will be willing to pay for only ONE walker (with doctor's prescription) so although your present need may be only temporary, don't forget that seniors' health generally worsens with age so you may need a walker again. Walkers come with no wheels, 2 wheels and 4 wheels. Medicare will make a flat contribution to a walker ONCE (then maybe again in 5 years, but they prefer to pay for repairs rather than give you a new one). If your senior is confined to the house, the no wheel and 2-wheelers are fine, since he or she can sit down on nearby furniture. They do require though that the senior be able to lift them a bit which can get tiring. If you are going to be going outside though, I seriously recommend that you get a 4-wheeler with a seat as your initial investment, even if it requires a co-pay. Outside, my mother generally only walks to the mailbox (150 ft) but some days she has to do it with two or three stops, and the seat is very handy. She also uses it in the house since it is less tiring than lifting her two wheel walker.
If you are wondering why we have two walkers it is because my mother has dementia. We had been well advised to get the 4-wheel walker initially which we did, but after my mother's fall, she was having trouble using the 4-wheeler because she had forgotten how to use the brakes, so it would skitter away and pose a fall risk. This is apparently QUITE common and is dealt with in occupational therapy in the rehab centers, but still it is a drawback to the 4-wheelers since the rehab training is quickly forgotten once you get home. It is also the reason that I recommend that you start out with the 4-wheelers: to try to train your senior into using the brakes naturally and automatically so they can use the walker as long as possible. Mobility is incredibly important for seniors (and their caregivers).
Then there is the question of leasing or buying, but that will be for another post.
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