Motorized wheelchair

[Elo]

Does anyone know when the right time is to get a motorized wheelchair? Do you also know if a middle drive has more advantages over a rear drive

[terri]

Hi Elo,

From our experience, order it before you are dependent on it. For us it took six months to get. Also, go for all the features, tilt, recline, elevator seat and electic leg lift. It took some doing for Medicare to approve all of this but eventually they did. I don't know what we would do without each feature.

Good luck,
terri

[Jane]

Elo, the middle drive chairs need much less space for turning than the other types. My sister had one and was able to make right hand turns from the hallway of an ordinary 3 bedroom home ( not a large home) into her bedroom. Also I agree, go for all the frills, especially get an air cushion (Roho is a good one) it makes a lot of difference when you need to be in the chair for long periods of time. Hope this helps take care

Jane

[Al]

I would agree. Get it before you really need it. I am in the process of getting a porch lift in and a handicapped bathroom. This weekend with the heat the lift was a godsend. I didn't have to do the stairs. Saved a lot of energy for other things.

[Elo]

Thanks for your information and listing the detailed features.
Thanks Jane for your input on the operation of a middle drive chair.
Thanks Al for your input on this also. Re the handicapped bathroom, is there an easy way of getting in and out of the shower/bath. My husband has the bench and it is still not easy for him to get in and out. Your porch lift sounds good, Do you have this at the front entrance of your home?
Elo

[Elo]

Thanks Terri for listing the detailed features for a motorized wheelchair.
Happy belated birthday Al, seemed you had a great day!

[MarciaA]

I know we're not supposed to promote any one type of product here, but could any of you provide me with websites of the best motorized wheelchairs? The middle drive ones would probably work best for my sister as well. They have an older home with tight corners. She doesn't need it yet, but she is using a walker quite a bit these days. I'd appreciate any info you can provide! Thanks!

Marcia

[Al]

We designed the bathroom floor and shower floor with a small hill in it. The plan is when I need it we get a wheeled bath chair and Lee'll be able to either get me out of bed and wheel me in or transfer from wheelchair to bath chair hose me down and blow dry me or whatever. Our tub now has a grab bar clamped to the side which helps me getting in and out.
We live with our daughter and son in law. They have a bungalow with a walkout at the back. We built a good size apt with all 36 inch doors and lots of turning room to allow me free movement when I need the chair full time. We had a 20 by 40 ft concrete patio put in and the lift sits on one corner and goes up about 6 ft to the wooden bridge and off there to the sidewalk and around the end of the house to the garage. We count our blessings every day that the kids wanted us to live with them and have helped us adapt the place to our needs. When I get the work finished which should be another week I'll take some pictures of the shower and lift and post a site so you can have a look. It's really quite neat.

[terri]

Hi Elo,

One more thing we got for LB's chair were some grab handles at the front of the seat. He has a Permobile but was having a difficult time repositioning himself and getting far enough back in the seat. These have been wonderful. Because he still has good arm strength he can use these to help transfer himself. If hands or arms are too weak these probably would be of no value though.

[Elo]

Hi Al, your bathroom really sounds accessible, something that would really help my husband right now, as he doesn't have much strength in his upper body to grab handles on bath and pull himself out of the bath anymore. We have to make some changes to our bathroom soon. You are very lucky to have such a thoughtful daughter and son in law. Your lift sounds fantastic, would love to see pictures of these when the work is done. Elo

[Elo]

Hi Terri, the grab handles sound good. We are working with our occupational therapist and have asked for all the things you mentioned. He thinks we may not be eligible for all but we are giving it a try. Thanks again for your help

[terri]

Just keep trying, Elo. If you have Medicare just keep doing what they ask for proof of need. They kept requesting more proof of need from the doctor and the PT. All expenses of visits were at our cost. Wording is so important in the reports. So be sure to read the paperwork yourself to make sure they dotted and crossed their " t's and i's.'

We did not know about the grab handles when we ordered the chair and the therapist did not mention them. It was only when the chair arrived and LB couldn't move in the seat that we went "oops" They were $300.00 through the Permobil folks. We have filed them with Medicare but I don't know their answer yet. Even though we thought that was way to expensive they have helped LB very much. We just think of it this way, for less than a dollar a day moving is easier!

Good luck!

[rolark]

Has anyone had any experience or knowledge of an all-terrain wheelchair.

My wife loves her walks through the forrest and around the island gravel road at her parents cottage. The walks are becoming very difficult.



Tim

[TBear]

Hi Elo:
Don't know where you are from but I had the difficult task of moving my wife in and around the woods at our cottage as well as on the dock. The thin tires were a pain in the butt, and I wish that I'd had fat tires on the chair, but couldn't locate any that could be used in an all-terrainsituation. I suspect the fatter and lower the pressure the tires are, the better able to handle the terrain would be... however the more work will be required to move the chair.
Sorry I didn't have a source but maybe you could try "Shoppers" to see if they know of any. Maybe your O.T. will have some ideas.

CHeers

T.

[Al]

I have a friend in a chair due to a massive back injury and he was here today and I asked him about ATV tires on a chair and he said you can get just about any tires you want now. His chair has much smaller tires on the front than mine but he is mostly in town whereas I'm more urban. I have no idea if the ALS Society took that into account when they sent me my chair but I have seen other chairs around that have had wider tires on the main wheels. Never had to give it a thought before though.

[Elo]

Hi Terri, our OT said that a motorized chair is not available with tilt and power seat together. Just wondered what make LB's is and is it a middle or rear wheel drive, thanks, Elo

TBear, we are from the Mississauga/Oakville area, thanks for your input.

[TRACY22]

this site http://www.wheelchairjunkie.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=3 has a search button in the upper right where u can find info 4 the questions asked in this post. join them as they are open in suggestions also. we are mostly novices in wheelchairs but there they are long time users. fyi

[Elo]

Hi Tracy 22, thanks very much for the link, Elo

[terri]

Hi Elo,

LB has a Permobil 300. It has everything-tilt, recline, elevator seat, and electric legs. I sure wouldn't stop until I got it all. It has been a great help to him. The only thing that I could not seem to get was the standing option. The drive??? I don't know. I would have to ask him and he's sleeping right now.

Good luck,

terri

[Elo]

Thanks Terri, I will check the Permobil 300 out on the internet, Elo

[RDA]

Thanks for your information and listing the detailed features.
Thanks Jane for your input on the operation of a middle drive chair.
Thanks Al for your input on this also. Re the handicapped bathroom, is there an easy way of getting in and out of the shower/bath. My husband has the bench and it is still not easy for him to get in and out. Your porch lift sounds good, Do you have this at the front entrance of your home?
Elo

Elo
I'm having the tub removed and installing a roll-in shower in it's place, will be getting a shower chair as well, it's like a toilet seat on a wheelchair frame so you can wash all 2000 parts

[Al]

Hi Elo. I was going to suggest the shower chair too. I just use a stationary one now but when I need the other one I would think I'll get up from bed, transfer to the chair and get wheeled in and hosed down. Maybe we'll get one of those leaf blowers to save on drying time too. LOL. My Monday project is to take pictures of the bathroom and porchlift so I'll try to post them on yahoo or somewhere so those that are looking for ideas might be able to use some of what we did. AL.

[Elo]

Hi RDA, thanks for your reply. Not sure what a roll-in shower looks like but will check on the internet, sounds like a good idea also the shower chair.

[Elo]

Hi Al, thanks for your reply. The Leaf blower sounds good. Looking forward the seeing pictures of your bathroom and porchlift. Saw your picture, you look great. You have a lovely family.

[rbtro]

Hi All,

I am in the process of ordering a powerchair and have had an ADA certified Shower installed on the ground floor. My wife rolled me in this morning and I had a nice long hot shower. When I was finished I told her to get the leaf blower, but she would have nothing to due with it. I thought it was a good idea. I have trouble getting the towel over my shoulder and around the back. A good blow dry would have been nice. I am learning that it is the little things in life that make it a great day. Feeling good after a hot shower.

Rich

[Al]

Hey guys I was making a joke about the leaf blower. Can you imagine the racket in a closed in place. We'd be deaf after one shower.

[Elo]

Hi Rich, thanks for your ideas, something to think about when we put a bathroom on the ground floor. Elo

[rbtro]

Well all,

Finally got the powerchair from the Ebay auction. I am ecstatic. I had it delivered to work. Arrived just before lunch Tuesday. I uncrated it and looked it over it looked great. Just like new as advertised. I read the book during lunch and fired her up immediately after. I made a run up to the front offices where I had not been since March. I was surprised at how quickly I got the hang of it. I have since been using it everyday at work. It has power leg lifts and tilt and recline. I have taken to flipping myself up to allow the fluid to drain from my swelling feet and ankles. Thursday the wife closed on a used Ramp Van and picked me and the chair up. Eliminated a couple of transfers.(really nice). Got home and decided I would like a shower. Drove out of the Van down the new walkway ramp to the back of the house and rolled right inside. Figured I couldn't take the powerchair into the shower. So I transferred to the manual chair. As we have been doing my wife removed my shoes socks and shirt and rolled me into the shower. I have been holding onto the grap bars and standing until she slides the transfer bench into the shower and removes my pants. This night I decided to try and get my feet off of the foot supports myself. I tried to lift my right leg off and couldn't budge from the knee. I then leaned forward to grip my calf, when all of a sudden the chair tipped forward. My lift assist seat fired and dumped me on the floor of the shower. Now here I am laying in the drywall dust and my wife can not get me up. Here we go call 911 again. I am getting to the firemen by name. I have been to the local ALS support group where I met with the Patient services regional specialist. She is working on getting me a lift from the loan closet. My problem is what to do in the meantime. She came to the house for a visit and was quite impressed with changes we have instituted. But the only changes we have made were a matter of necessity. My only complaint with the support system is the same I have with the insurance company too little too late. I need it now not next week or month. I am scheduled for my first ALS clinic the 19th of September. I pray that I have slow progression.

Rich

[Elo]

Hi everyone, thanks for all your replies and explanations to postings, haven't been on for a while. My husband is experiencing a burning tingling sensation in his lower back and all over his legs, today. Not the fasiculations he experienced earlier when diagnosed, he was diagnosed middle of last year and is confined to a motorized wheelchair, a loan to him, but will be getting a tilted one hopefully in a few months. He doesn't sleep on his back. He has been taking Effexor the past week, don't know if this could cause that, will call the neurologist soon to see what he thinks.

Has anyone experienced this?