Patient/caregiver was educated on features to look for on a cane to enhance safety and comfort as follows:

• Individuals with health conditions, such as, arthritis and gout, involving small joints of the hands, can have poor grip on the handle of the cane. The inflammation in the small joints of the hands limits the range of motion of the fingers and prevents the individual to form a firm grip. Canes with large handles, padded or foam handles can offer better grip for such individuals.
• Make sure that the rubber tip at the end of cane leg is not worn out. These caps are slip resistant, offer improved grip on surfaces, and prevent the cane from slipping away, especially while on smoother surfaces. Worn out rubber tips disturb the even placement of the cane leg on the ground, impair balance, and offer poor grip on the surfaces, which can increase fall risk for users. Replace the rubber tip at the end of cane leg periodically, as recommended.
• Standard canes also come with detachable bases and a broad base with four legs could be fixed on the regular standard cane, thus converting it into a quad cane. With bigger base and four legs, quad canes offer more support for individuals with compromised balance and needing more support than a what a standard cane offers.
• Canes can come with a convenient wrist strap. Having the wrist strap helps to keep the cane securely with you hanging at the wrist and yet use both hands to perform tasks. This reduces the chance of the device falling to the ground and posing difficulty for individuals with limitations and balance issues to bend down and pick it.