Thinking about getting new wheels?

[calypso45]

I have been thinking about getting a scooter. I miss taking walks in the neighborhood, shopping and light gardening. I am hoping to receive some feedback here on the board so I can make a decision. Here are my questions:

1. It has to fit in our car we have a small SUV.
2. Does the battery last let's say for a spin around the neighborhood?
3. Does private insurance pay for this if my doctor gives me an RX?

What should I look for in a scooter? What is the difference between a scooter vs. a power chair? Appreciate any suggestions or recommendations.
Thanks,
Calypso

 

[CathyP]

I bought a used Invacare Panther that was in super good shape. It had been stored in a garage the last 10 years. The man that bought it new only lived a year after he bought it and then his widow left it sitting in garage. It needed 2 new batteries. $50 scooter and $200 batteries. I LOVE it. It weighs 175 lbs and is 24" wide. The tiller (handbar assembly) folds flat and seat comes off. It is still heavy to pick up. Portable ramps would help you load it in your vehicle if you have room for it. The new batteries last for many trips for me between charges.
I had read that Medicare only pays for a new wheelchair or scooter or motorized lift chair once every 5 years. So I decided to buy the scooter out of my own pocket. Doctor will write an RX for what he thinks you need. He may think you can't support yourself enough in a scooter and write it for a pwc. You will need to contact your insurance and ask what they will pay and how much. I think it is called durable medical equipment. Most pay 80% to 85% of the cost.

 

[momap53]

I'm not sure if you will have issues with your trunk muscles down the road as we often do with ALS. A pwc with tilt/recline will provide more support for yor back as the trunk muscles weaken. If you have issues with weakness in your hands and arms the pwc would provide support for them as well. I'm just recently experiencing R hand and arm weakness, have lost full independent ROM but am easily able to control the joystick on the pwc. I have leg onset and at this point would be unable to step onto a scooter platform.

Talk with your doc and PT/OT to see what they think about the issue. We have many that were able to use their scooter for months then transition to the pwc. You'll have to check with your insurance carrier about coverage. Many have bought their scooters out of pocket so that insurance would cover the purchase of a pwc when the scooter became unsafe.
My pwc ran about $28,000.00.

Good luck!

 

[AKmom]

When I first started considering a mobile device, I researched my options. I made a list of exactly what I wanted to use it for. For me it was to use for times that a lot of walking or if I was fatigued. It needed to be able to travel easy because that is what I do for a living (tra vel ag ent). It needed to be light enough to be lifted to the back of the suburban. I decided that a scooter would not be a good fit for me because; 1 my arms get very fatigued when I use the power shopping carts at the grocery stores. They give no are support when using tiller. 2 the ground clearance on most of the models in my price range was too low to navigate uneven surfaces (i was planning to take whatever I bought to Eu rope). 3 I wanted a tighter turning radius for indoors.

What I ended up buying is the Jimmy power wheel chair (you can see picture of it in my album on this sight). It covered all the things listed above and weighs 99lbs. It comes apart in three pieces and can fit into most trunks. If the seat is down, my son and hubby can get it into the suburban with no problems.

I did get a prescription but decided to pay out of pocket because our insurance would only pay for in house use only and they would not buy another for 5 years. Since the jimmy was only thirteen hundred I figured it best to wait for when I need something bigger.

As for durability, I have had it over a year now. It has been though several airports and some pretty tough terrain in the Mediterranean. There are some plastic pieces that have broken or have gotten lost from being roughly handle by airport employees. But it still runs well and can go all day without a recharge (unless I do a lot of steep inclines).

So in telling you all this, is to encourage you to consider all your needs and all the options out there. I will eventually need a bigger reclining chair if my upper body continues to decline. However for me, the jimmie has proven to be a good starter pwc

 

[calypso45]

Thanks for all those who replied. AKmom I love your pwr chair. I like the idea of making a list of what I will use it for. I definitely need it to fit into my SUV. Do most of you use your wheels in the house and outside? I use a walker in the house as my legs fatigue if I stand too long. I wish I had a crystal ball and could see what my needs are in next few years.
Thanks again!
Calypso

 

[momap53]

Pwc in the house too full time now. It was time to make the transition once I began to fall withthe walker. It also helped with the fatigue as I was increasingly too tired to do anything once I got to where I was going with the walker.
Pwc with assessible van for traveling is also a plus when getting in and out of standard vehicle becomes sketchy.

Good luck with your research and let us know if you run across that crystal ball!:lol::lol:

 

[John1]

Hi Calypso,
Clearly you are a very slow progressor if you were diagnosed 4 years ago and are still walking. I am somewhat similar in that I was diagnosed in 2000 and began using a scooter in 2005. I am still using them for my mobility and can no longer walk. I actually use three of them, small (Pride Go-Go Traveller Elite, not the low clearance Go-Go Ultra), a medium sized Pride Sundancer and a large 4-wheel Pride Legend XL. The Go-Go is about 100 lb with the large battery but breaks down quickly into three pieces, the largest of which is 45 lb I think. It is ultra portable and we use it when travelling and don't have use of our rampvan. I have the three wheel version and is very maneuverable inside and has a reasonable 2" clearance. My wife, all 105 lb of her, can quickly disassemble it and put it in the trunk of even a Corolla.

I prefer the larger Sundancer or Legend XL for outdoor use but do use the Go-Go for outdoors when travelling. You might rent one and try it out where you plan to use it. They are cheap, about $1000 on-line with the large battery (recommended). Again, the cheaper Go-Go ultra is a poor choice because of the minimal ground clearance and lack of the larger battery option.

 

[ltbeauti]

I am also a slow progressor in that for 5 years I had only bulbar/speech symptoms with muscle weakness in hands and legs.
Then several years ago balance and muscle stiffness in legs issues. I have very gradually over the last several years gotten weaker to where I, like Deb, am just too tired to do anything by the time I get to where I am going. I have been blessed to have a lot of equipment from the AlS loan closet mostly. I have 2 walkers that I use. One is a big Hugo 4 wheeler,I use for cooking and around the house. The other is a small foldable 3 wheeler. Very compact and very light. I use this for short trips.
The ALS loan closet gave me a 4 wheel scooter that I uses for gardening and going for a walk(scoot) around the neighborhood. It is too big to carry in the car.

My newest toy is a chair, like John1 speaks of". It is a power chair like a go chair. An Avante Jr. I love this thing. I can take it out of my house and down the ramp to the garage and transfer the the yard scooter. I haven't taken it out yet, but it does break down into 3 pieces(25lbs.,30lbs, and 54lbs.) most of my friends are not too keen on lugging out the 50lb piece.
They do make a PWC that breaks down into 4 pieces where no piece is over about 26 lbs. if I were to have to buy one. I would buy the 4 piece one. That way more people of who I go out with would be able to lift the pieces without straining.

Recently my legs have been getting stiff and sore at night,so I have been using the Avante PWC in the house too. So it is useful to have. I am more productive in it because I can move faster.

Lisa

 

[calypso45]

Thanks everyone for all of the ideas. I had not thought of myself as a slow progresser. I started complaining of pain and stiffness in my legs in 2008. I was able to walk with a limp up until January this year. It became increasing difficult to balance/some falls so I started using a walker. Now 9 months later I can still walk but can relate to being tired after I stand or walk too much. I also have begun to experience the clumsiness in both arms. Becoming more and more tired, for example if I can't get a scooter at the food store by the time I push the cart up and down the aisle I am very tired by the time I get to my car. Luckily my husband goes with me and actually loads and unloads the groceries from the car. So I think I need to take the next step for my mobility needs.

I am going to go to one of the mobility stores and see what kind of scooter or power chairs are available. Do most of you have the ability to get your scooter/pw chair into your vehicle and what or how does a ramp work? Have most of you had to have a certain kind of vehicle modified or just a standard car/SUV?

I assume the scooter store will work with me and my insurance company to assess my needs. Thanks again for all of your feedback.

Calypso

 

[AKmom]

I just got back from traveling to California with just my 13 year old and I. I managed to be able to handle the pwc and take it apart and get it into the trunk of a compact 4 door car (a chevy but don't know the model). I could still lift all the pieces although I had to strain some. The heaviest piece is about 42 lbs.

I very rarely go anywhere by myself anymore. But it was nice to be able to do this without any help. Although my 13 year old is a great help with getting the electrical hooked back up and securing the seat screw and the locks for the wheels all situated to the correct possitions. Bending over is really never a good idea for me anymore!

Since when I am at home, my husband and son are usually the ones that take the chair out of the back of our suburban. We have looked at vans that have been converted and I am sure that eventually that will be our next vehicle, a converted van with a ramp that comes out the side. If we had one now, I would probably be able to go places by myself alot more.

 

[John1]

For a couple of years I was able break down and load the scooter by myself into the trunk.
Assembing/dissassembling is very fast (seconds) as things just fit together. No screws, bolts or wires to mess with. When I lost that ability I took the next step and bought a used side-loading Braun rampvan. The van now gives me the freedom to go to work, shopping, etc without assistance. I can carry nearly $100 worth of groceries by hanging the groceries in their plastic shopping bags from the handles, putting in the front carrier and some more on the floor. Many of the new scooters have tiny carriers and wrap-around handlebars; the latter pose a major problem for carrying things by hanging them from the bars.

 

[calypso45]

AK Mom - Good for you traveling and being able to handle your pwr chair. I know I don't go too many places by myself either. Being independent is something we try to hold onto as long as we can!

 

[notme]

Thanks everyone for all of the ideas. I had not thought of myself as a slow progresser. I started complaining of pain and stiffness in my legs in 2008. I was able to walk with a limp up until January this year. It became increasing difficult to balance/some falls so I started using a walker. Now 9 months later I can still walk but can relate to being tired after I stand or walk too much. I also have begun to experience the clumsiness in both arms. Becoming more and more tired, for example if I can't get a scooter at the food store by the time I push the cart up and down the aisle I am very tired by the time I get to my car. Luckily my husband goes with me and actually loads and unloads the groceries from the car. So I think I need to take the next step for my mobility needs.

I am going to go to one of the mobility stores and see what kind of scooter or power chairs are available. Do most of you have the ability to get your scooter/pw chair into your vehicle and what or how does a ramp work? Have most of you had to have a certain kind of vehicle modified or just a standard car/SUV?

I assume the scooter store will work with me and my insurance company to assess my needs. Thanks again for all of your feedback.

Calypso

You have the advantage of living here in FL where PWCs and scooters can be found VERY cheap on CL.

I've had my GO-GO 5 years now. I have replaced batteries $110 twice in that time. GOGO also makes an inexpensive PWCS.

those with PLS can get by with low end devices longer than those with ALS.

My scooter was enough til my arms started to get too bad. Mime has arm rests a d the extra comfortable seat. It can easily be transported in even the smallest of car trunks.

I fall entirely too often not to use something. When I get rich, I'll buy a portable PWC that comes apart for my car.

Only problem with the scooter is that if you're like me, you won't be able to lift it I'm and out of a car by yourself.

With an SUV, you can find collapsible ramps to use to get it in the SUV by yourself.

Save the one Mecicare will pay for til you find exactly what you will need later.

 

[WillyB]

I have a Permobil M300 and love it. It elevates 9 inches so you can reach the cabinets, tilts back the whole chair or just the back, raises your legs up, has a indoor and outdoor mode (very fast) will go over a four inch curb, center wheel drive with independent shocks and suspension for more stability on rough terrain, and will turn completely around in a 22 inch radius. I would also suggest that you go get fitted for the chair if you plan on spending much time in it. That makes the difference in being in your chair for two hours or 12 hours.

 

[calypso45]

Thanks everyone for your feedback. The mobility company is coming out today for my in home evaluation. Next I will be looking for either a scooter or power chair. I went to some web sites but they don't post the estimated costs. My doc wrote the RX so I will be dealing with my private health insurance. Do they typically pay for these and how much do they cost if I need to come out of pocket for like 20%? Anyone have experience with private insurance? Trying to anticipate what this will cost me.
Thanks
Calypso