"Ilene"
Ilene is an 81 year old woman suffering from early stage dementia. Ilene lives in a special type of assisted living facility (ALF) that caters to the needs of those who suffer from dementia.  Ilene is very social, participates in many staff-run activities and enjoys regularly being up on her feet with her walker saying hello to staff and other residents.  

However, Ilene unfortunately suffers recurrent falls at a rate of about one per week. Her vulnerability to a fall is highest when she transitions from sitting to standing to her walker - she places her hands on her walker from a sitting position, attempting to stand and struggling mightily as the walker begins to tip backward. With a simple cue from nearby staff to place her hands on the armrests of the chair she’s sitting on, she complies and stands without issue. 

Helping Ilene remain mobile is important for her enjoyment and longevity. She has gotten stronger with Physical Therapy and staff have become well aware of her habit with a Fall Prevention Plan in place. While it's more intuitive for her to push from the armrests of a chair and stand with less struggle without her walker, she is less stable walking around without it. Unless a caregiver were to stand next to her constantly all day long to simply remind her of the correct technique to stand, she inevitably has moments of struggle that lead to falls.

Ilene’s type of difficult, catch-22 scenario is not uncommon. If Ilene had a mobility aid designed to enable her transition from sitting to standing fairly easily on her own and with an understanding of her common technique, her risk of falls and burden to caregivers would likely decrease.