temporary wheelchair.

If you or someone you know is a member of Freegle / Freecycle could be worth putting out a request for one on that. It can be surprising what turns up on e-bay reasonably priced from time to time – I got a powered bed lift thingy that I needed to get me over a temporary blip after I did my knee in – it proved to me that that wasn’t the brand I’d have gone for if I was making a considered purchase and spending more but it did the job and I was very grateful!

@marcopolo991 wrote:

Hey guys,

Just a quick one, where can i get a temporary wheelchair wheile I wait for my assessment.

I need one for work, when or if I get one.

I know the Red Cross do them but I’m after an active lightweight wheelchair something like the Quickie GPV.

Any help- would be great..

Marc

I wonder if it would be worth advertising in your local paper, in the “Wanted” section ? :?:

So you got your temporary wheel chair??? and how was your assessment? would like to hear from you
Regards

@littlestef wrote:

hey peeps. I don’t know if any of you remember but at some point last year. I mentioned my consultant suggesting that I start to think about getting a wheelchair. well, my legs are getting worse and im falling more. so im going to bite the bullet and ask you lot for advice. I wold appreciate if you were to suggest power chairs that are the best for the following.

1. speed
2. battery length
3. how far I can travel before the battery dies
4. prices

I would also like to know how I go about getting a ramp into my home installed. thanks

Hi Littlestef,

Seeing as your consultant suggested you think about getting a wheelchair, I suggest you get on to him[or her] and say yes, please I would like a wheelchair, and how do I get one? My powerchair was supplied from my local rehab unit at hospital, after my consultant said I should have one, so I don’t see that it should be any different for you. You shouldn’t have to think about buying one for yourself if the NHS can help you. The rehab engineer and OT asked me loads of questions and eventually showed me a model they thought would suit me.

I’ve got an Invacare Harrier Plus. It goes faster than I want it to and we charge it after a couple of trips out [Indoors, I use a smaller indoor powered wheelchair that I bought which is more like an office chair which I can manoever into my bathroom, so am not in the Harrier all day every day.] The booklet that came with the Harrier says it has a range of about 12 miles but I wouldn’t attempt even half that. It’s hilly where I live and I find that really knocks the life out of batteries. The cold weather does too. I think if you were using a powerchair all day, you’d be charging it overnight every night.

Sybylla

Stef,

I can only advise/make suggestions based on my experience. The beginning of my experience & eventual “adoption” of me chariot started when my OT first suggested using a powerchair. Like you, I was initially strongly opposed & for the same reasons.

My then OT, Hayley, had been appointed to me after I moved into the previous bijou bungalow. I was unjustly indignant to the mention/suggestion of said chair. I had been in-between a home before this bungalow & Mum & Dad’s & my old bedroom was home. I had become used to other people being around me but, not just any peeps, my parents no less & the reacquired freedom & independence was embraced big time.

That independence was limited in definition, independent from my parents but, confined to the bungalow. After another visit from Hayley on an unrelated issue we spoke of the powerchair again & I agreed to try it.

A lady from my local wheelchair service came & measured me for the chair, the seat height, armrest length, foot plate length, seat cushion depth & back pad type. I am lucky to have the chair supplied by my local health service/wheelchair service. It’s value new is around £4,000. It is serviced & maintained on contract by C.F.Hewerdine from Surrey. It wasn’t new & it’s on loan to me as such but, it’s made all the difference to me, to my life. Without it I am housebound & rely on everybody & I don’t want to… I never want to be without it. It’s got an old fashioned black bulb type bicycle horn fitted on the side & rechargeable lights I bought, front & back & I love it so much. I really do.

My particular chariot is a Sunrise Medical Quickie Samba II, I don’t believe it’s made anymore. I was supplied this particular model because it has an almost on the spot turning circle & in a very limited operating environment that was a major factor. Prior to the on-going problems that I & Hewerdine are trying to resolve now with regard to battery performance since the old (original) batteries were replaced in May, the chariot would reliably give me at least ten miles of distance before any of the ten indicating lights on the pilot control would extinguish, on a prior full charge. Once the first light goes out they tend to then go quite quickly… if you maintain the same operating conditions that got you to that point in the first place, in my instance, travelling on cycle paths around the ring road at full speed homeward bound. If you slow down accordingly & don’t experience inclines, rough terrain or temp extremes (hot or cold), then you’re still safe for some time & distance & don’t have to rush home, just adjust accordingly, same as if you’re low on fuel in a car.

I believe the old batteries were 12v50amp but, not replaced with like for like. Range on a full charge is model, battery capacity, environment & operator’s weight dependent but, my chariot new was quoted with a 25-30k range. I would use that as a loose guide. You really have to find out the range & limitations of your chair supplied based on your experiences & operating in the area & environment you live. Pounding the ups n downs of the footpaths where you live & getting you to & from town. The manufacturers quoted ranges are suggested possible maximums in optimal conditions. Powerchairs can operate at 4mph (top speed for pavement) or can be two speed & go up to a maximum of 8mph (to be driven at this speed on the road only & requires road tax). It’s mostly the larger scooters that are two speed. 8mph outdoor model powerchairs are few to choose from, expensive & not designed for use indoors. Sole use – outdoors. They looks the mutts though. Would defo get a designated outdoor use chariot if I win the lottery.

In case you’re wondering, the difference between a powerchair & scooter is not just cosmetic. There are many different (some costly) additional features & functions of chairs to adapt the chair to your specific needs normally (if you have the money to purchase from new) & also powerchairs are crash tested to an industry standard, or should be & hopefully widely accepted on public transport for that reason. Scooters are not, as I understand it. To be honest, I haven’t been brave enough to put it to the test yet & use public transport but, I’ve read stories & your experience can depend on the bus driver or platform guard at that time. Some will get the ramps out, some won’t.

If I don’t get the battery issue resolved to my satisfaction via Hewerdine I have researched replacing the batteries myself, they’re readily available. Two new 12v50 or 60amp batteries are in the region of £150 for decent ones, so you have an idea. I would hope your local wheelchair service can help you with regard the supply of a chair, otherwise I guess you use the DLA to get one. I have a backpack secured to the rear of the seat which contains spare trousers, a jumper, a light coat, gloves, a hat, wipes, anti-perspirant & a bag for life. The side pockets on the arms hold a pen, a radar key, loose change, pain killers, indigestion tablets, mp3 player & headphones, paper, micro usb charging lead & normally at least two 10ml vials of aftershave samples (personal choice cos I’m a tart ).

That’s me & my chariot.

hey peeps. well I finally bit the bullet and got things moving on the wheelchair. I was originally told to ring adult social services, as they dealt with everything. simple enough I thought to myself.
so I ring them and they told me that they would come round and see what adaptions I required. for e.g grab handles etc. I then asked if I could have a wheelchair ramp installed. sure they said, no problems. I then get asked if theres anything else I require. so I said a power wheelchair. to which they replied ‘we don’t supply them, you have to go through your surgery’.
the next day, I ring the surgery and the dr said he would fill all the paperwork out.
Friday morning, I get a letter from leeds teaching hospitals and inside was a form for me to fill out and return. so I filled the questions out and prepared to return the form, when I notice that at the bottom of the form. there is a sentence saying ‘to qualify for the indoor/outdoor wheelchair, applicants must be’. need full time use of a wheelchair both inside and outside.
now my flat is an upstairs flat and I can walk to the kitchen, toilet etc using my walking stick.
does this mean that I wont qualify for a power wheelchair?
also it says ‘we suggest you take out 3rd party insurance’. what is 3rd party and whats it for?
p.s can you peeps please explain things to me, like im a 6yr old. thanks

hey peeps. heres an up date on things. well I got the paperwork through for an indoor / outdoor chair. i’ll admit that I was confused as to what they are. so I rang and asked. boy was I shocked to learn that I only get a chair if im a full time wheelchair user. I explained that I wanted it because my legs become unstable after walking for about 20ft, so I didn’t require one for indoors. they said that as I didn’t need it for indoors as well, I wasn’t entitled to one. so id have to effectively give up my mobility. which to me seems just mad.
so, ive decided to buy my own and got in touch with adult social care for the various adaptions, such as wheelchair ramp and plug socket. 3 days later the adaptions officer visited. he kept on insisting that I was talking about a mobility scooter. yes peeps, wheelchair sounds like mobility scooter and would have to move to a bungalow. yes, should I hold my breath waiting for one to become available. I think not.
I therefore asked for his email and today i emailed a picture of the foldawheel PW-999 folding wheelchair.
what do you know. I just received a call from him saying that hes putting me forward for the required adaptions.

hi sybilla. I haven’t tried it out because going by researching it. ive only come across Amazon, who seems to be selling it in the UK. so I suppose i’ll be taking a risk and hope it fits me.
has any of our other members come across places that sell the Foldawheel PW-999UL.

Totally agree that you should not move if you are settled and do not have to. What is the
point in getting you home adapted and everything at the right heights and angles and hen
having to start again.

To answer your question, my next door neighbour had the same problem two years ago and used
the organisation I have mentioned several rimes “Care and Repair”. They just charged her materials and ten
pounds an hour way less than any commercial organisation. Thy did a purpose built ramp
for a powerchair that was a great success.

Care and Repair in our area are now “We Care and Repair”, we noted they had simlar offshoots in different
parts of the country.

Chagrin told us about this chair, with superb videos, it looks superb. Let us know how it works out,