Choosing A Wheelchair

He is an Old English Sheepdog who has severe arthritis in his back, I have to help him to stand up, and carry him up and down stairs, he has trouble walking as he has no muscle mass on his back legs, he is currently on meds for pain. He loves to walk, but he falls all the time, so I would like to help him enjoy life more by making him more mobile.

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2008-05-05 05:20:12 by coonrapper

www.mobility4america.com - When you're choosing a wheelchair to rent or purchase, it's wise to get the answers to a few questions first ...

They tell you they spent all this money on helping her to walk with walking aids and now she decided to use a wheelchair instead.

Well I could understand the parents frustration, but I would have to also take into consideration the daughters reasons, after all the choice is ultimately hers.

The reasons she may give could be related to the type of disorder/disability and if she is any sort of pain, certainly trying to walk even with aids can cause additional pain, thus increase fatigue, frustration etc.

Or it could be ease of movement in and around the home, school etc (especially school, due to having carrying around her text books etc). Walking aids do not always make it easier to move around and if people don't move for her to enter/exit a building etc, this will also cause frustration.

Where as being in a wheel chair she may find people move for her, and she can carry her books etc with ease.

So ask what is her reason, and see if a compromise can be made, that maybe after school or on weekends she uses her walking aids.

2008-05-07 23:21:31 by jobees

My father is currenty unable to move much and needs help getting in and out of the wheelchair. I need help choosing a comfortable wheelchair for him, plus we don't have a lot of money. Not powered please!

Thank you...

Your dad needs to be measured for a custom chair by either an occupational therapist or a physical therapist; all he needs is a prescription from his doctor.
If he has Medicare and Medicaid, it won't cost him a penny. If he's a veteran, he can get services there. If neither is the case, your county's public health department/hospital can help at very nominal cost, if any.
He should also be seen by an OT or PT, either through a home health agency or as an outpatient at a hospital (though it does sound like home health is the appropriate choice.), at least to teach family members about safe transfers and proper positioning.

2008-02-20 19:22:49 by niconbc

Price: $30.00

I can walk, but with extreme pain, though I have not yet been diagnosed with anything the pain is also there when I am not walking and is in various parts of my body, I also have weakness in my ankles, knees, and one hip, and back pain. Walking causes my to be fatigued too and I end up spending much of my time in bed.
I chose to get a wheelchair, which I self propell when I can, at a daycentre I go to during the day, and when I go into town, and at times of severe exhaustion my partner pushes me.
The pain is much less and I find that I am not so worn out when I get home, and it has felt so much better that I am currently using the chair all of the time when out of my home.
I have had very negative reactions from staff at the daycentre I go to - who have called me lazy, (despite that using the chair I am getting more exercise than I have been able to in years), and say I am too young to be taking to a chair (I'm 30), they keep telling me to get out of the chair and exercise, even though this defeats the object of allowing me to rest my body. I think they would rather I suffered the pain or didn't come to the center.
My parents have also been very against me using a chair, and say it will make me less mobile because I am not using my legs when I'm out of the house.
Because I already have mental health problems the way people are treating me is really affecting and hurting me.
How can I deal with this sort of reaction and show them that I am actually better off using the chair, even if I do so for the rest of my life?
Although as I said I do not have a definite diagnosis, I am waiting to see specialists for more tests, I have been told by the doctors who I have seen so far that using the chair is best for me at this point. Apologies for not being clearer about that, and thanks so much for all the replies, I appreciate them all.
Also, in ref. to Madkins reply, I am not a full time user and do walk for short distances and in my home, albeit with difficulty. I am not resigning myself to becoming a permanant chair user and if the tests which I have lead to me being given options to avoid using a chair then I will follow that advice.

These people do not understand the way the body works. If your body gets over tired and you keep on moving you can end up hurting yourself. Once you lose your mobility it is harder to get it back versus keeping your mobility and using it when you feel good. I do more than I ever did using a scooter than I did when walking once things got rough.

Use your chair when you are going to be out for a long time. And try to maintain your mobility on your legs at home. Balance between using and not using will get you farther.

2008-08-08 13:07:50 by knitty_kitten

If so PLEASE read this.
My wife is disabled and has to use a wheelchair.
I have seen so many people assisting disabled people in wheelchairs in an unsafe manner that I offer some suggestions.
Most important: NEVER push a wheelchair forward over a bump (like a door sill). Always back a wheelchair over bumps because the big wheels go OVER bumps and the small wheels in front can catch on bumps and dump the person right out of the chair.
Always have the brakes on when the person is getting in or out of the chair or when the chair is resting on a grade.
If you choose not to use the footrests, make sure the patient has their feet raised enough to not get caught and dragged under the chair.
To me, this is just common sense, but I have seen so many people assisting the disabled in an unsafe manner and it makes me cringe when I see it.

unfortunally i am a recipent of a wheelchair i have illnesses that limit my walking due to pain and my husband pushes me in the store where ever we go, he is very careful when i get in the chair and get out and always looks around for distractions when we go down each aisle but i have seen ppl push others in wheelchairs and they are very careless even tho they are health proffesionals, i have seen ppl fall out of wheelchairs,fall on thier caretaker,. a 10 year old can probably take care of a disabled person better than most adults i see and yes its just common sense to look at the chair and check it out before letting someone who is disabled get in it

2006-09-14 00:55:13 by opjames