Seniors on Tricycles (90 with Alzheimer's)

Could you talk to his doctor and find out if this is out of the question. I know you can rent bikes, perhaps if it is okay with the doctor, take him to a park where you can rent a bike and ride with him.

My mom is 85 and very fit except for her mind and a little bit of shortness of breath. I bought her a tricycle last summer and she got on it once, scared her because it is harder to turn and balance than you think it would be. When the weather is nice we just walk around the block instead and my grandkids and I ride the 3 wheeler so the expense of buying it wasn't a total waste. I think he just probably feels cooped up and wants to get out. Take him for car rides so he can at least get out and see things. My mom goes to an adult daycare 2 or 3 times a weeks and it gives me a chance to run errands etc., and she enjoys being with people her own age. This day care is run by the hospital and specializes in people who have memory problems, strokes and or brain injury. They try to keep them engaged do some exercises with them ,play games etc. She can't remember much but she does remembered that she likes to go to the "Senior Center."

Hi Madeaa & Seven4real - Dad in a fit of paranoia revoked POA from family members so his doctors will not speak to me. I think that he is more frail than he believes he is and like your mom, would find it hard to balance and steer. Funny, when I offered to take him for a test drive he changed his mind so who knows what is going on. He gets out and takes the buses so he does get outside. He also walks around our neighborhood so he gets plenty of fresh air. I think it was just a musing and nothing he really intended on acting on. Thanks all!

Good, maybe he is just happy to know he could if he really wanted to, i.e. the test drive, he sounds content because you honored his desire by taking into consideration, sometimes that is all we need.

Madeaa, I hope you are right! Thanks!

It is true that they still believe that they are still young and want to have the control.I know I have to pick and chose my battles. My mom just fell by just getting out of the car. Never wants help and pushes me away when I try. Now I am having to be more adamant with her because she did get a hairline crack in her rib and is hurting, needs to have pain meds( ibuprofen) and I have to remind her to let me ice it. She doesn't even remember that she did fall and gets irritated with me when I tell her why she needs these things and has to be more careful. My mom who was always so smart and capable still thinks she is that same person even though she is more like a child now, and really can not make decisions or reason. I just try to make things as good for her here as my hubby and I can. She will always be the mother and resit the child having control, I think that is natural though. Good luck, it is hard I know.

I am researching tricycles for the Alzheimer's population, and have found that there are trikes called 'recumbent', which remove a lot of the balance issues because they have back support. There are a variety of styles, some too low to the ground, but some that would just require someone to give stand-by assistance to get on or off. For the well elderly and some with disabilities, I believe that riding should be explored as a wonderful way to maintain health, and quality of life.

My young daughter in law bought a trike, because she thought that it would be fun, even though I told her that they are not. As mentioned above, they are hard to steer and peddle. She wasted $350.00 on hers and hasn't been able to re-sell it. She is in Bisbee, AZ.