went to church with her I lost my complete balance as we were walking' out o'church,

because of the fall problem I have, and I almost knocked an old lady down. So that was a

concern for me and I wouldn't go back to church. Y'know, since the stroke I've lost

confidence" Another man commented, "Well, well, like I tell you, I stutter, I stutter

more, I wobble and uh that's why I don't, I don't get out in the streets to much, I could, I

have enough energy to go walk and more but I don't" Others discussed limiting higher

level skills, for example, "Well, now I can't (laughing), now it's impossible for me to

climb a ladder. Now I can't do it because I can't get up the ladder (unintelligible), I fall."

 Participants also discussed the use of assistive devices such as walkers, canes, and

wheel chairs to reduce falls and feel secure in their environment. As an example, one man

said, "Yeah, I use a cane ... ahhh ... just to ... for protection like in, so I don't fall.

Because, you know, somewhere along the line there was times when my leg felt like it

was going to give out, but it didn't." and another stated, "I keep my cane because I

never know whether one of my legs is gonna decide to give out, so I keep my cane with

me." Other individuals expressed their use of assistive devices with the following

quotations, "Like that cane. Once I, I got it set right by the door over there, 'cause I go

out that door, I'll grab that cane, keep my balance ... And when I get out the door I got

things I can hang onto but once I get away from it I can't. I gotta have that cane. So I

gotta have that cane handy" or "Mainly the only reason I use the walker is for balance."

Interestingly, some even used the furniture or walls as an alternative to assistive devices.

One participant stated, "I feel safe, like I say, the only thing that I am, ahh, really

concerned about in here is after I walk so long that my hip starts giving away and then I

might fall into somebody of up against something and break something, so I watch that.