Now that I’ve reached a certain age, I interact a lot with people who are getting new hips and knees. They assume that’s what’s going on with me.

Q. My friend who is 84 years old has a chronic condition that affects her balance. Unfortunately, her condition is progressive. She is quite fashionable, well dressed and uses an elegant leucite cane.

In the Victorian Era, “canes were an essential part of gentleman’s attire.” At least that’s what it says on walkingcanes.com, a website designed to tell you everything you need to know about … yes, ...