A Primer on Motorized Wheelchairs
Once upon a time, being reliant on a wheelchair offered a person two options; maintain sufficient upper body strength to drive yourself, or have an assistant to wheel you around all day. Needless to say, not every wheelchair bound person enjoys a healthy and functioning upper body. Hardly any of us have the finances to employ a personal attendant, and it is even more unlikely to have a husband, wife or child with the time and devotion needed to be an assistant. The good news is, nowadays we are able to own a motorized wheel chair that permit us to enjoy our independence without compromising another person’s.
Motorized wheelchairs are manipulated by specialized joysticks, so you just need the use of your hand to maneuver this chair. Motorized wheelchairs are generally more maneuverable than manual wheelchairs, since the rider isn’t required to put their hands and elbows out past the edges of the chair. The motor permits motorized chairs to provide mechanical postural supports, like power tilt and recline. These capabilities enable the user to alter their position often enough to prevent pressure sores.
One or two kinds of motorized chairs are able to lift the occupant to a standing position enabling them to move around upright rather than seated. Motorized wheelchairs come with more tire and powerbase options, and usually include spring suspensions, which enable them to move over rough surfaces effectively. While transporting a motorized wheelchair in a wheelchair accessible bus, this chair can be connected to the vehicle and used as a attached car seat; a possibility which is not available with the majority of non-powered wheelchairs. You may also need a wheel chair lift.
Motorized wheelchair have some issues, however. First, they will prove very heavy. These chairs are energized by powerful batteries which weigh more than enough all by themselves, and when that weight is thrown in with the substantial suspension and the rest of the support structure, you will be dealing with nearly 300 lbs of machine before the owner is actually in it. As a result of the required weight and size, even travel power chairs are not really easy to go through an airport with, and when it’s time to take apart and stow these types of chairs, you will probably require one more person.
Predictably, motorized wheelchairs could also be incredibly high priced. They can cost between $1600 and $7500, while in quite a few situations, Medicare can subsidize as much as 80% of that expense. Quite a few retailers are very happy to help you with the Medicare paperwork, by the way, and many will submit the paperwork for you.
Motorized power wheel chairs & lifts are ideal options for customers with extremely limited mobility who choose not to limit their activities. These chairs will give any user the mobility and independence required to enjoy an active lifestyle.
Comments are closed.