Published by B. Cando on 01 Oct 2011
Choosing your motorized wheelchair
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.
