Motorized Wheel Chair

With so many different brands of motorized wheelchairs available, sometimes choosing the right one can seem overwhelming. There are a multitude of brands out there such as Pride Mobility, the Jazzy wheelchair, Quantum, Permobil and Levo.  If you are also concerned about the environment, you could even go for a solar powered wheelchair.  However, if you were to follow certain guidelines, and examine your needs and requirements and with the help of your medical professional, you can easily make the right decision without too much difficulty. It is very important that you do some preliminary research before you go about looking for a new power chair.  Remember, it must suit your physical needs, your body size and with all the extra accessories that will make life easier.

Regardless of whether you buy from a retailer or order at an online store, the first thing that you need to do is to identify the particular type of power chair that best suits your needs. I suggest that you make a list of your requirements. You can do this by considering certain key factors.  The first factor that you need to consider is to be the place where you will be actually using the wheelchair most often.   This is, of course, your home and you will have to take into consideration the dimensions of your home, your place of employment, the places you visit and if you plan to use the wheelchair out of doors often and over what kind of terrain. Remember, that some of the wheelchairs are geared more towards outdoor use, sidewalks, curbs, rough terrain, shopping malls, etc, while there are others more suited to using in your residence.

The next important aspect that you need to consider is the overall external width of the wheelchair. After all, if you want to use your chair inside your home, it should be able to pass through the narrowest doors and other tight corners. You should therefore take a close look at the width of the chair and also its maneuverability for angular turns around halls and between rooms.

The size of the wheelchair is also an important factor when buying a wheel chair.  You have to consider the size in order to make sure it can carry your height and weight.  The seat must fit and the wheelchair must be able to carry your weight.  On most wheelchairs, this can be adjusted somewhat but you will need to check out each particular model’s features.

Another aspect that you need to consider is the transportability factor. If you are someone who frequently goes on long drives or travel , then it is always best that you go in for a model that can fold and fit inside the trunk your car or conveniently pack for airplane travel. The final factor that you need to consider is the weight of the chair. You should choose the optimum weight that you are comfortable with. Once you consider these factors choosing a wheelchair becomes a rather simple process of elimination.  Once you’ve got all the logistics of buying a motorized wheelchair and have decided on the brand, all you have to do is choose the color you want and most are available in an assortment of colors.  Add on some wheelchair accessories and you are all set to buy your new power chair.

Up until a few years ago, buying a wheelchair was an easy task. It was almost as simple a process as that of buying grocery or vegetables. With technology advances in the world of wheelchairs though, things are no longer as simple as that. Sophisticated motorized wheelchairs such as the all terrain Permobil, a solar powered wheelchair, or the Levo C3 from Levo which takes you from a seated to a standup position in a matter of seconds have made their way into the market and it is quite a daunting task to choose from among the wide range that is available. It is therefore important that you know how to decide on the best motorized wheelchairs to suit your needs and then make an informed purchase decision.  So I decided to share some advice on purchasing a wheelchair.

There are various factors that you need to consider whenever you are looking for the best motorized wheelchairs. If you want to know how to buy a wheelchair, you should ask yourself a few important questions.  These factors include your lifestyle, disability, age, height and weight and your other areas of personal interest.  You should first of all analyze the kind of support that you want from the wheelchair and the needs of your lifestyle. Use the services of your home care consultant or medical advisor.  Many of the wheelchair manufacturers are also willing to help find you the exact wheelchair to suit your needs.  Know your budget and also find out what kind of funding whether from health care insurance or an assisted devices program.  Then you should carefully study the market with all these facts in hand and find the wheelchair that is best suited to your needs.

These days’ wheelchairs come with a host of features and accessories. There are many models of wheelchairs in which programmable software too is installed. Recently, the Dynamic Controls company released an iPhone app which comes with a speedometer and a battery charged indicator among other things.  There are many automated features that are part of the modern day wheelchairs. Do you need a cane holder, a drinking cup holder, a carrier for your groceries or other shopping?  It is therefore always preferable that you do some preliminary research before you make your final choice. Ask yourself these questions and make out a “shopping list.”

One of the best ways to choose the right wheelchair for you would be to get in touch with professional wheelchair prescribes such as the manufacturer, the sales consultant at your local home care store, physicians or occupational therapists, which can gauge the right power chair for your needs. You can also talk to other wheelchair users and get valuable tips from them too.

Photo of  a WheelChair store from MobilitySpecialists.net