Electric wheelchair advice needed

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Tomswife

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Aug 22, 2022
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688
Reason
Lost a loved one
Diagnosis
08/2022
Country
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State
NJ
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Livingston
PALS has a manual wheelchair. We will be getting the "big heavy" power wheelchair in a few months, and a loner from ALSA in JANUARY. Those power wheelchairs will need a van that I can rent for a day.
This post is about the less heavy electric power wheelchairs I see on Amazon. To be able to go out in our car without renting van.
The Crv back is 36" high. Including the transom edge it is 33" High. If I get a folding ramp do you think i can get one of these chairs in the back of the honda Crv by powering it up into the car?
It weighs 50 lbs. I cant pick it up. And i dont think i can push it up a high ramp.

Example
Porto Mobility Ranger Discovery Lightweight Foldable Weatherproof Exclusive Electric Wheelchair, Portable, Brushless Powerful Motors, Dual Battery, All Terrain (Silver, Standard)
 
I just learned there are hitch mounted wheelchair rack/trailers. Did not know. Amazing what I do not know and need to learn about.
 
I don't have any direct answers for you, but are some thoughts and experiences I have had.

1. We got the wheelchair (a large Permobil C500) before getting a wheelchair van. We bought 8 ft folding ramps so that we could load the wheelchair into our SUV, a 2006 Lexus Lx 470 that is larger than your Honda CRV. We have used the ramps twice. Once to test loading and unloading the wheelchair. Second, to transport the wheelchair to where we bought our wheelchair van. The wheelchair took the ride home in the wheelchair van, which we purchased used off of craigslist. Using those ramps was so impractical that we have not used them again. We have them in case of an emergency, but that is the only situation in which we are likely to use them. Among the problems we encountered were that the anti tip wheels on the front of the wheelchair hit the ground when transitioning onto or off of the ramp, the wheelchair did not have enough power or traction to climb the ramp, and it was not practical to reach the joystick as the wheelchair made it further into the vehicle.

2. Hitch mounted wheelchair racks have a few drawbacks. First, they expose the wheelchair to the elements. Wheelchairs are vulnerable to expensive damage when they get wet. Riding on the back of a vehicle will expose them not only to precipitation, but also to all the stuff thrown back by a car (including salt, in your area). You would need to find some kind of cover for the wheelchair, including the bottom side. Second, vehicles with a receiver will have a limited amount of weight they can handle. Be sure yours can handle the weight of the hitch, rack, wheelchair, and any extras on the wheelchair. For example, my wheelchairs generally weigh over 400 pounds. A hitch rack for a wheelchair can weigh 100 pounds. Most are rated only for group 2 and 3 wheelchairs (my wheelchairs are all group 4). A quick google search reveals that a 2017 to 1022 Honda CR-V is rated for 525 pounds tongue weight. That tongue weight is valid when hauling a trailer, which has wheels on the ground to help stabilize the load. The wheelchair hitch rack has no wheels and will be bouncing around everytime you go over a bump, which greatly increases the forces placed on the receiver. I have seen people using hitch racks, so it can be done, but be sure to do your research first.

3. I live in a resort area. In the summers, I have seen quite a few people in light weight, folding electric wheelchairs similar to the Air Hawk Electric Wheelchair. These are very workable solutions for folks that do not require rehab seating (that is, a seat with full support and power tilt, recline, and leg lift). Be aware many of these style wheelchairs use a type of lithium ion battery that poses risk of fire under certain circumstances. That is OK if it is used outside and the user can quickly evacuate the wheelchair. Note that I use Lithium Iron Phosphate (LIFEPO4) batteries in one of my wheelchairs, and those are NOT very susceptible to fire. Air Hawk says they use a "Lithium Ion Battery" (note the missing "r" in "Ion"). From worst to best for fire would be Lithium Polymer (LiPo), Lithium Ion (Lion), and then Lithium Iron Phosphate (LIFEPO4). I would only consider using LIFEPO4.

Any of the lightweight wheelchair options will be temporary, so I would encourage you to pay for them out of pocket. Save the insurance claim for a suitable wheelchair with rehab seating. List prices for the Air Hawk start around $2,000, whereas the kind of wheelchair I use starts at around $50,000 and can easily approach $100,000 in the US the way I like them configured. Note those are list prices. The actual prices paid can vary quite a bit.

Steve
 
I had a Golden Lite rider loaned from ALS assoc. Easily breaks down with heaviest part 35 lbs. My wife was able to work with it. worked well until I became uncomfortable transferring into the car.

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Based on the rate of progression that Tom's had so far, I wouldn't bother with a "non-rehab" power chair. It won't be long before he's uncomfortable in it and/or sitting in the car without adequate support. Steve has pointed out some of the other logistics/safety issues.

If a van is not right for you, besides whatever NJT stations/stops you are near, I would expect Livingston like other urban areas to have an Access van for people who live too far from a transit stop or are otherwise unable to access transit without door-to-door service. This is the County link and this is NJT's.
 
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I also agree that you could find yourself quickly spending tens of thousands on these bathroom and transport items that may only last you weeks or a couple of months. I would carefully follow all the advice and information Steve can give as he is truly our PWC king. Read back some of his old posts to get a feeling for his depth of insight.

That wheelchair will quickly become an issue as Toms core muscles start to fail.
I think that if you have a loaner coming in January, give that lots of attention and check out all your local transport options. This could be a great opportunity to really get yourself clued up on everything you will need to know.

Have you ordered his own PWC yet? If not, I would be making that the priority as it can take so long for them to arrive. Once you get fitted for, test and decide on the PWC you are getting you can start thinking transport vans.

As you go through the process of finding a chair, I know our Steve will help you unravel the sales pitches with the things that will actually be most important for Tom.
 
Swalker and all. Thank you very much.
Yes big pwc is in work. We had in person meeting and home eval.
I should have mentioned i am 70 years young with arthritis in my hands and I tore my right rotator cuff 4 years ago (Blaming the dog. ) So my weight lifting is limited.
I think the hitch mounted thingy is out.
I found a place nearby that will rent us a wheelchair van.
1-2 days: $164.94/day

3-6 days : $143.61/day

7-14 days: $132.95/day

15-29 days: $116.96/day

30 days (+): $99.89/day

I think this is reasonable. No mileage charge under 150 day. No additional fees.
This may be a good way to start.
 
Fabulous - do you know what make and model chair you are getting for Tom?
 
We dont know yet. It will be a Permobile. 18x18 mid wheel. Thats all i know. I have to call the techical expert to understand next steps.
 
We have rented wheelchair vans while travelling. They have worked out very well for us.

If you are getting a mid wheel drive Permobil, then it is likely going to be an M3. That is a nice wheelchair. I prefer front or rear wheel drive wheelchairs, but many folks really like the mid wheel drive ones.

18x18 probably refers to the seat pan size. There will be many measurements, such as for the width and height of the backrest, the height of the seat, the length of the legrest, etc. The fit can be adjusted in an amazing variety of ways. About the only thing that is fixed is the width of the backrest. Changing that requires a replacement backrest shell and upholstery. There are many youtube videos showing how to make adjustments to Permobil's Corpus 3G seating system.

Steve
 
I would suggest renting a van for one day for a trial run. Some people are not comfortable driving vans. I do think those prices are fair.

Yes, there is so much to think about. Just make sure you don't hurt yourself. It's very important that you take good care of Tom's wife. I'm sure he would agree.
 
Definitely taking care of yourself is critical. That is where I feel looking at the longer term strategies will serve you well.
Great suggestion too from Kim on just renting for one day first - see it as a test drive ;)
 
I would add to check to be sure the vans the rental company offers will accommodate the height of the PWC. We purchased a van, and some for sale did not.
 
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