Powered Wheelchairs

I've always wondered if wheelchairs and powered wheelchairs have any detrimental effect. Companies are quick to offer brands like "Hoverounds" to people, but I was wondering if by severe lack of activity if they do more harm then good?
Are people who receive these already past a point of needing to stay active?
It just seems like there might be a danger of losing even more mobility than when they started, but I have no information to base this on, hence the question. Does "Use it or lose it" apply here?
And just to clarify, it's not really an argument for either powered or unpowered, I was just asking about both kinds.
Cause say an elderly person couldn't walk so well, and decided to use a wheelchair, would they slowly lose what ability to walk they had before?

Hey :). I get where you are coming from and on some people, sure. They are choosing to loose abilities by opting for the easy option. However in some powered wheelchairs are the only option. Take muscular dystrophy, a disorder which means you can no longer produce a chemical to maintain your muscles and they just deteriorate.

When the ability to push your body weight becomes impossible they can continue using an electronic wheel chair for years. This means more freedom. Another example is someone who only has use of one hand like a stroke victim (don't want them going in circles now do we?) Also some people might do weights and choose electronic wheelchairs just because it means they can get up that hill and not roll backwards into the traffic.

I speak from the experience of being a aged/disability support worker. I hoped this helped!

Edit: For your question about old people it depends what they use the chair for. If they are just using it to help them get around supermarkets as they are afraid they would fall walking and they don't have the armstregth for pushing their own weight (which very few of them would). But still walk at home then they wouldn't deteriorate rapidly. If they just decide to heck with it Im going electronic then yeah, they probbably would loose it but most aged people really value their freedom and whats left of their abilities.

I would think that most old people would only use a manual wheelchair if they can't walk around the house and have someone to push them outside of the house (I have done alot of pushing :P).

Walkers are also a great option!

2008-01-23 05:00:58 by sldishmael

Josep Mora, designer from Barcelona, adapts this vehicle for people with reduced mobility. Watch out the hand break to keep the vehicle standing ...

My family is going to the Omaha zoo. My mom has to be on cruches because she hurt her knee so she cannot walk around the zoo. Can we rent a powered scooter/ wheelchair at the zoo?

Yes, they do rent/offer scooters, and most of the place is wheelchair friendly- even the tram rides.

2009-07-22 11:30:11 by kaleoc70859

Price: $5,400.00 $688.48

Adjustable 45° infinite position reclining back.
Upgraded swivel captain's seat.
Adjustable height, width and angled arms.

I refuse to answer this question as my sense of humour has been removed.

2006-07-31 05:48:26 by WasNotWas

Price: $4,389.00 $1,624.23

Programmable VR2 controller with adjustable joystick mount.
Swivel and reclining captains seat with adjustable head rest.
Mid Sized rear wheel drive.

My buddies and I love to get drunk and have races. . .but of course, this sometimes means a little damage to the chairs. . .the way I figure, we're having way more fun than any of the old folks in the nursing home ever have with those chairs, so it isn't really wrong. Am I just rationalizing?

Yes I worked in a nursing home as well and you know how sad it can be there. What if you damaged on and that meant less people on the bus for the bus trip. I'm not saying every person that has ever worked in a home hasn't thought about it but you've had your fun, just name the last guy who won the retired ruler of Wheelchair derby. That way you don't have to play anymore.

2007-06-18 16:29:16 by cdrfishj

This, almost certainly, will have to be the type that is steered by a helper at the back but is battery powered - the wheelchair user has impaired vision and the helper is not fit enough to push it up the hills in Lourdes unaided. Any ideas, especially websites or email addresses for anyone hiring such wheelchairs would be greatly appreciated.

Best is to contact the Lourdes site itself. They have a whole system to greet and help pilgrims, I'm sure you're not the first one to ask that question. Click on contact, you have telephone and email. I heard you could also have helpers to push the wheelchairs for you.

http://www.lourdes-france.org/index.php? goto_centre=ru&contexte=en&id=40 5

2009-08-01 13:41:09 by woofpetservices