Motorized Wheel Chair

Just a few notes on how life has become more accessible for people with motorized wheelchairs.

For millions of  people who experience certain types of disabilities, the wheelchair has come as a boon. Many of these people who just cannot imagine life without their wheelchairs. With rapid advances in technology, such as solar powered wheelchairs or wheelchairs which can be controlled by the tongue, wheelchairs have become more user-friendly and help people having problems with walking, to lead as normal a life as possible. One’s daily life has been made more accessible.  Motorized wheelchairs have come as great news to those with disabilities, since they are easy to operate and maneuver. A typical day in the life of someone who uses a motorized wheelchair, although somewhat restrictive, can now begin with the ability to perform the daily tasks with less difficulty. The rapid advances in technology have meant that wheelchairs these days come with a host of features.

Commuting to work is one thing that has become a lot easier with the advent of the modern day powered wheelchairs. With motorized  wheelchairs, going to work has become a lot easier and there are organizations that also provide transit for wheel chair users. Similarly, people can also move about, near their homes and afar with ease, thanks to city planners that have made sidewalks and buildings wheelchair accessible. Whether it is going out for a breath of the fresh morning air or taking a ride around a garden or park, all these small things, which mean a lot to all people, have become a lot simpler.

Then there are portable wheelchairs.  Many of the latest motorized wheel chair models are portable enough to be folded and packed inside a car enabling people to travel and get around the city more easily. Many of the latest models also come with sophisticated technology in the form of software applications. You can now program your wheelchair to do certain functions. For example, adjusting the seat height or changing the recline of the seat are all now possible, with just a click of a button.

Wheel chairs are great to get around for handicapped individuals. However, sometimes one needs to transport the wheel chair to a different place. Wheel chairs are light and portable but for the handicapped individual, lifting them manually is out of the question. Today, wheel chairs lifts have become the norm in many buildings and automobiles.

Wheelchairs lifts function like any other lift by using electrical power. Wheel chair lifts today can be installed in a car or home without too much restructuring and can be done relatively cheap- installation of wheel chair lifts is standardized. There are many different models and makes on the market but before one buys a lift, go and see how one works. Each model of lift has different accessories and gadgets.

The most common wheelchair lift is the rack and pinion. The silent device works very effectively and widely used in hospital settings. However this model does cost anywhere from $5,000 to $15,000- a sum which can be prohibitively high for many elderly. The rack and pinion wheel chair lifts are designed in such a way that they require minimal maintenance and energy.

The cable based lift wheel chairs are cheaper but the ride is not always smooth and tends to jerk. Plus, the cable based lifts also require a lot more maintenance and are prone to breakdowns.

The screw based wheel chair lift is another option but again it does require a lot of maintenance.
The running chair wheel chair lift is used for heavy duty devices and only used when there is no other option. These lifts are extremely noisy, require frequent checkups and are prone to breakdown.

Wheelchair lifts can provide a lot more independence to the individual and offer a chance to go to places not before traveled. Each wheel chair lift has its pros and con but they all serve the same purpose. The best way to know what you should get is to surf the web, read about what is available and the costs.