How to Stay Mobile With a Power Wheelchair
Wheelchairs have been around for centuries. Even though this is true, in the entire world today, only 1% of people who could really use a wheelchair even have one. Obviously, the need and have are not evenly distributed. The main purpose of wheelchairs is to enable people to be more independent than they could be without them. For those living with a permanent disability this is a new found freedom and an important step.
Consider yourself and your family fortunate when you are able to do this. If you feel sorrow about your good fortune simply help others in addition to enjoying your luck instead of feeling guilty because you are luckier than someone else. Some people are relatively indifferent but at the other end of the spectrum are very sensitive people who have a hard time dealing with the knowledge of others suffering even when they themselves don’t.
The level of disability and what caused it influences which type of device is best. A patient resting a broken or injured leg does not have the same wheelchair needs as someone else temporarily ill but needing extra support while in the bathroom. These are both quite different examples that someone who does not have all their legs, or has only one or something of that nature. In fact, scooters suit some people better than others. I personally once saw a man using a scooter. He had no feet but everything appeared to be intact and working normally. I observed him in a library in London, England. The device was small enough for the elevator/lift and fast enough for him to move around in an urban environment. It was quiet enough to not be disruptive to the others using the library at the time.
If you have a disability that makes even walking difficult then the level of liberation offered by a wheelchair is incredible. You will be more dependent on one than you had expected once you allow yourself to adjust to a lifestyle that incorporates it. As a consequence, being able to maintain it will prove to be highly important. It will help if you are aware of this from the beginning.
There are restrictions, at least some of the time, that are not caused by the person or the wheelchair. Elevators are fine, but stairs are impossible. For those learning to live with a wheelchair for the first time, it may require some new investigations into the local terrain in order to get a sense of what is going on. Once learned, some of these things can be changed, but some cannot. People should know that efforts can be made to have ramps and other wheelchair accessible entries included in buildings. It is good to know that there have been some efforts to improve conditions for those disabled people able to make use of wheelchairs to obtain greater freedom of mobility.
As an expert in mobility products Nathan Mattel has been involved with disability devices for over 15 years. He specializes in San Diego wheelchairs. He is heavily involved in the San Diego mobility community.
