Re: Wheelchairs and Scooters

[Guest guest]

The day before Christmas my second son brought to me a newer walker than the one

I use when I have to go anywhere except a few feet. He is a mortician and one of

the women who came in to pre-plan had this walker, she requested that he give it

to someone if she was to die as she knew how important getting around can be.

He asked her if he could give it to his mom as she really could use a better

one. Of course was her response. Little did we know that within a week she was

going to go to heaven. So I received the walker. It is just the kind that has a

seat on it and allows you to sit when you get tired. I love it.

The day after Christmas my daughter who is 18 and I were able to go to the

mall and actually go to 2 stores. We have for the last 5 years been shopping

together by cell phone. I would sit in the car in the lot and she would go in

and describe to me the things she was looking at. Color, size, etc.. we would

talk while she tried them on with her describing to me how it looked and all of

the other stuff. Yes, it is kind of odd but it worked and we have many fond

memories of car shopping together. This even brought tears to both of our eyes

as we walked in the store together. What an amazing thing!

I have talked to the doc about a scooter or motorized wheelchair as I would

need help to pay for it but he does not think going shopping is a reason. At

the bigger stores you can use the carts, which I do, but there are just lots of

places I cannot go. The doc has told me that this year we will seriously talk

about him autrhorizing my need so I can get one.

I have said all of that to say, anything you can do to help yourself get

around is great! It is not confining in my opinion it is the most freeing thing

you can do. Who cares how you get around just get around! Sitting at home is

okay when it is cold, or you hurt very bad, but get out by any means you can and

you will find that the things you deal with are so much better just because you

saw something and did something different that day. Gwen

[Guest guest]

Gwen wrote:

> I have talked to the doc about a scooter or motorized wheelchair as I would

need help to pay for it but he does not think going shopping is a reason. At

the bigger stores you can use the carts, which I do, but there are just lots of

places I cannot go. The doc has told me that this year we will seriously talk

about him autrhorizing my need so I can get one.

One very important thing to take into consideration when you're making a choice

between a scooter and an electrical wheelchair, is how you are going to be using

it.

An electric wheel chair is usually easier to manoeuvre in a smaller home.

(especially ones with clutter). However, they are extremely heavy and need a

ramp to get them into a vehicle or in and out of the house. Of course, the

vehicle normally needed to transport an electric wheelchair is an SUV or a van.

A scooter, while a little less easy to manoeuvre indoors in a smaller home, is

great for going outdoors. It comes apart to fit in car trunks, so no special

vehicle is needed. It doesn't take a strong person to lift the individual

pieces either. (Just someone healthier than most of us :-) The scooters also

go faster than the wheelchairs and handle curb cuts and door sills better than

electric wheelchairs.

There is also the matter of price. A top of line the scooter, cost less than a

bottom of the line electric wheelchair. The new price of a little runabout

scooter is usually less than a thousand dollars, whereas, even a very basic

electric wheelchair is over $3000. Most run around $5000.

The ideal thing would be to have one of each. However, most of us can't afford

such a luxury.

--

Lyndi

(in work mode)