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jimth

Active member
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
53
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
09/2009
Country
US
State
CA
City
Poway
I am beginning my search for a power wheelchair and would love to hear from those who have one as to the make and features that are best and what problems you have had with your chair. As you know this is a big decision and I want to make the correct choice the first time and not buy a piece of junk.

The 3 I have researched so far are Invacare, Pride and Frontier. I would like one that is center driven with 14" wheels so I can get around the property, we are on 1 1/2 acres of horse property, and get into the community, as well as use it indoors.

I am also wondering if Medicare allows me to choose the chair I want or do they dictate which one they will provide coverage for.

Thank you all in advance for your insightful information.

Jim
 
We have a Permobile 300, which was gotten through Medicare. I do not know the specs, but my husband likes it. HUGS Lori
 
Jim, sadly, the center wheel drive is great indoors with its tight turning radius, but lousy outside. A rear wheel drive would be better outside... I don't know where you are in this disease, but do keep researching before you commit. Do a search here (and read the "Drive Lock Out" thread on the General Discussion Page--it's still on the first page there.) None of my three center wheel drive chairs has been good outside, and we have lots "outside" I'd love to visit, but don't.
Ann
 
I have a PerMobil C500 RS which although technically front wheel drive behaves as a mid-wheel. I have no problems with it outside. I've been in wet grass on a sloped surface and although I will spin a little I've never needed as much as a push. I also have a Pride Mobility Q6000 which had many more issues with traction. Speaking personally I would never get a rear wheel drive.

I haven't been on either a Frontier or Invacare but as I said above I have a PerMobil and a Pride. Between those two I would easily go with Permobil. I feel it is a higher quality construction and has better traction. In addition the RS has anterior tilt which helps greatly with standing and transfers. Whatever you get you'll want tilt, recline, elevate and adjustable leg rest.
 
My husband has a Quantum 6000. In his opinion, this model does well outside and inside. In my opinion, it does well outside as long as you stay out of the mulched shrubbery (at which time you will require assistance to dislodge the chair)!

He has two complaints about the Q6000:

1. The arm rests are too skinny and rounded, thus allowing his arms to constantly slip off. The rep said a "trough" can be fitted on the arm rests, but good luck getting that done without pestering the heck out of the rep and paying extra (of course).

2. The foot rest seems to put the legs in a position of close proximity that is unnatural for my husband. This also can be remedied according to the rep, but once again good luck getting help from the company that sold the chair. I think we can fix the foot rest problem ourselves, but not sure about the arm rests.

I'm sure each Cadillac PWC has it's flaws according to each individual that uses it.

As far as I know, you can pick which PWC company you would like through Medicare, but they will only pay for the basic PWC package. (Be prepared for sticker shock!)

Have you visited with any reps yet to be measured?
 
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The Frontier mid wheel drives are the most serious outdoors mid wheel pwcs (there are guys withspinal cord injuries who live in cabins in the woods in them!), but I have never heard of Medicare covering them. If I could conjure any chair, though, it would be their x5! Those other brands are well covered.
 
I want a mini hovercraft....
 
I have a loaner Permobil C300 which I like quite a bit, but I have two complaints:

1. The head rest is adjustable from behind, but while sitting you basically have to leave it in one position. As the back reclines, the head rest moves up on my head. It is hard to find a head rest position which is comfortable both upright and reclined.

2. When reclined and/or tilted back, there is no support for my upper arms. The back rest is only as wide as my torso. So with my arms relaxed they tend to slide backwards into an uncomfortable position. I don't see how I could sleep in this chair unless I tied my wrists together.

Do any chairs out there solve these problems?
 
Hi Jim

I've had good luck with Pride and heard a lot of good about Permobil. I've been burned by Invacare, so no recommendation from me.

For a ranch, I have no problem with a mid wheel drive, I find it a smooth ride. I take mine (Pride Q6000) to my brother-in-law's ranch and no problem.

Get one with a good tilt function, I'd stay away from a recline mode (leans back like a Lazy boy) as you can tend to slide out of the chair. You might want to look at trough style arm rests, keeps arms from slipping off.

The back support and cushion are very important too, try a few out first. I use a Roho inflatable cushion for years and never had any sore spots on my butt.

Good luck and let us know if you need help.
 
I like being able to recline in my chair. I never used that feature in the beginning, but when it was obvious my chest and abdominal muscles were tightening, reclining made for a good stretch, and also relieves pressure points on the seat very well. I do put my arms on my lap if I nap in the chair. Hal, I've seen chest belts... maybe that would keep your arms from dropping down if you had a belt around them as well as your chest. And the headrest is set for me to use reclined, not when upright. I wanted both, but was told NO, LOL.

My soil is very sandy and loose. That, in a nutshell, is the problem with using the chair outside. Lots of trails, but sandy.
 
My rear wheel drive Vermeiren Forest is good autdoors an gives me freedom tho you do have to be careful about unseen stone s(got thrown out once) and mud and gravel. The trial one I had was 10 km an hour and that was better than the 6 km an hour one I have. The state did not cover the more powerful one. If you can get the more powerful, the less trouble you will have in manipulating outdoors. But beware you are going to have mud dragged through the house every time you come back in. These darne things just DO NOT wipe their feet.

iT WILL BRING YOU SO MUCH FREEDOM. hAPPY HUNTING
 
My rear wheel drive Vermeiren Forest is good autdoors an gives me freedom tho you do have to be careful about unseen stone s(got thrown out once) and mud and gravel. The trial one I had was 10 km an hour and that was better than the 6 km an hour one I have. The state did not cover the more powerful one. If you can get the more powerful, the less trouble you will have in manipulating outdoors. But beware you are going to have mud dragged through the house every time you come back in. These darne things just DO NOT wipe their feet.

iT WILL BRING YOU SO MUCH FREEDOM. hAPPY HUNTING
 
Thank you all for your replies, the information has been very helpful. As much as I like what I have read about the Frontier X5 my concern with this pwc would be service, that and as Beky stated, it probably is not covered by Medicare (I'll check on that). I think I have narrowed my preferences down to the Quantum 6000 or the Permobil C500, I'll have to test drive each as well as see which one has the better service in my area, the last thing I need is to get a chair, have something go wrong with it and then have it in the shop for an extended period.

As soon as my Medicare licks in next month I will contact reps for both and get fitted. I do know that I want the 4 pole motors and any heavy duty packages they offer as I am 6'4" and weigh 225.

Irismarie, you should see if there isn't some way to attach brushed to the chair which clean the wheels as you drive, this may help keep the dirt where it belongs, outside.

Thank you all for your input, I knew this was the place to go to get honest insightful information.

Jim
 
A related question... a seat elevator is often recommended. How does it help?

If you still have good use of your arms, that makes sense to be able to adjust to different heights of table/sink/etc. But if your arms have gone by the wayside, I'm curious to how a seat elevator helps.

Thanks... Brian
 
Brian, if you can help in transfers with the use of your legs, the elevated seat makes it easier to stand. That was my last way of transferring to bed... raise this chair, stand and turn, then sit on the edge of the bed.
 
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