Electric wheelchairs
Where to Start
1) Discussing your choices with an occupational or physical therapistis a good way to get recommendations or to be put you in touch with others who have recently purchased a chair you are considering. 2) Next, determine your needs and budget, for example:
The above factors along with budget will help you to determine which wheelchair best suits your needs. Prices range from $1500 - $7500. If Medicare is your primary insurance carrier they may cover up to 80% of the costs (with your doctor's approval). If you are using another insurance company, you'll need to check with them.
3) Wheelchair review: Once you've determined your budget and needs, start reviewing the different
brands. Here are some Wheelchair manufacturers that offer great quality:
Drive train: Front, rear and mid-wheel drive: Power chairs come in different drive choices. Why choose one over the other? Again, this depends on your needs. Rear-wheel drive chairs are the most common: they travel at the fastest speeds and are the best choice if you need to get up steep hills. Front-wheel drive offers the best maneuverability, however, they run at a lower speed than rear-wheel drive models. Mid-wheel drive also provides a tight turning maneuverability, but can sometimes be a little unsteady during starting and stopping. Wheelchair typesSimilar to mobility scooters, you'll find a variety of types available; for example, those that are lightweight and designed to fold up for easy transport and heavier more sturdy electric powerchairs, designed for outdoor use. You will find that an electrical wheelchair designed with transportability in mind, may weigh less than 100 pounds and can be partially disassembled to fit into the trunk of your car. For tight spaces or narrow doorways these chairs can be quite useful. Other power chairs, such as the powerbase chairs offer more suspension and are built with a low center of gravity to make the ride much smoother and more stable. But with these you'll need a van outfitted with a lift or a ramp to transport your chair. If you do need to travel long distances you can find power chairs to accommodate your needs. These are built with larger wheels and motors (and batteries). Related Articles: Electric Indoor Wheelchair Information |
|||||||||||||||