Powered Wheel Chair Advice

[Poet Chistopher Robin]

The power wheel chair they have loaned me is a spectra plus, great and fine outdoors but a little too large for indoors, I keep catching the door frames, does anyone in the forum here use more than one power wheel chair.

Just so everyone knows we are loaned these by local Government here in England. I’m debating seeing if they have anything smaller, which is difficult due to my height as I’m very tall at 6 foot 4

I'm willing to buy a smaller one if needs be

 

[momap53]

Chris, we had to take a couple of doors off and remove the door stops on two of the door frames. There are special door hinges you can get that will allow you a bit more clearance and keep your door. I'm able to pass through these doorways just fine now.

 

[rachelg]

Chris - you ought to see the state of our door frames and infact our walls. Mark used to have a spectra plus and as it didnt turn without a lot of area he was always knocking in to things. Is it the armrests that catch or the wheels - if its the armrests - ask wheelchair services if they can modify. Mark has a T D X for outside use and a manual for indoors - the manual is tiny - its an invacare rea azalea but I guess that would give you no independence. Mark can no longer operate a wheelchair so it doesnt matter to us that its a manual for indoors.

Wheelchair services always hand out Spectra Plus in the first instance - nag them for an indoor home wheelchair assesment.

If you have no luck let me know and I will give you the contact details of the Oxford specialist OT who is employed by the MNDA to provide suitable wheelchair - she may be able to help with a new chair or modifications to the spectra plus.

 

[tomby]

hi chris,
i'm your height, have a quantum 600, long seat tall back, but only 26 inches wide. center wheels, so turns easy. great outside too. must be something comparable on your side of the pond.
even so, more than a few dings in the walls
tom

 

[Fluvanna]

Go to permobil. com, and check thier chairs. Best on the market.

 

[Okie2]

After a year I still try to widen some doors every once in a while. I just get cocky and don't quite pay attention like I should. My wife just says it gives the walls and doors character. Also paints the arm of the wheelchair whatever color i scrape. My chair is a Permobile C300, about 26 inches wide, center wheels, turns very good. Works good outside too.

 

[Poet Chistopher Robin]

Thank you all my friends, sincerely, its my height that causes the problems, they have a new model of the spectra plus that lets the seat go upwards too, I'll be mailing my OT as soon as I'm done here see if she can pull a few strings