Wheechairs

[westernind]

Does anyone know about wheelchairs? My mother has asked me to find out prices for 'a bog standard non motorised wheelchair'. The situation is that having lost a huge amount of weight rapidly through undiagnosed diabetes, muscle wastage means that her legs sometimes collapse beneath her without warning and she falls and hurts herself. Although physio makes things a bit better, she wants a wheelchair because she doesn't feel safe. Her arms are also not strong enough for sticks.

Finding out the basics isn't so hard, a google search brings up the Help the Aged site and Wheelchairs-R-Us(!). What I'd like to know is what makes a good wheelchair? Any review sites? She'd be pushed rather than propelling herself. In the meantime, Venice in four weeks' time arrrgggh. Finding a chair that can cope better with cobbles would be good. bigger wheels? But lightweight and transportable also necessary.

PS
Do not go on crash diets, kiddies. :-(

Comments

Wheelchairs and recycled souls

[badgersandjam.livejournal.com]

Two things to look out for are weight, and padding in the seat area. Wheelchairs realy are very, very uncomfortable, and even just being pushed around an airport in an insufficiently padded one is enough to bring on my sciatica. I don't know if you can find somewhere that does demo models you can try for a day, but that might be worth asking.

I also like the big-wheeled kind, because it means that in a pinch I CAN propel myself, whereas the standard tiny-wheeled ones don't give that option. Plus I think the big wheels make for a better ride.

And there can't be as many as 10,000 people, surely? Three K at most.