ScOOTER/POWER CHAIR

[Guest guest]

I am finding it more and more difficult to get around in the house and feel I

need some sort of vehicle to get myself around.

I have a budget wheel chair (on Medicare) that is totally unsatisfactory now.

It is uncomfortable and klutzy to handle.

My house is not particularly handicap friendly........could not maneuver one

into the bathroom , for instance, but the living area is fairly open and I

should have no problem getting around this area.

At the moment our vehicle will not accommodate a chair or scooter but that is

another hurdle.

I am considering calling THE SCOOTER STORE for a consultation. Have any of

you used this product?

What I am looking for is a comfortable chair to sit at my PC and TV and to

have mobility to move around in my house without assistance.

Barbara Pond

Blacksburg VA

[Guest guest]

I am finding it more and more difficult to get around in the house and feel I

need some sort of vehicle to get myself around.

I have a budget wheel chair (on Medicare) that is totally unsatisfactory now.

It is uncomfortable and klutzy to handle.

My house is not particularly handicap friendly........could not maneuver one

into the bathroom , for instance, but the living area is fairly open and I

should have no problem getting around this area.

At the moment our vehicle will not accommodate a chair or scooter but that is

another hurdle.

I am considering calling THE SCOOTER STORE for a consultation. Have any of

you used this product?

What I am looking for is a comfortable chair to sit at my PC and TV and to

have mobility to move around in my house without assistance.

Barbara Pond

Blacksburg VA

[Guest guest]

Barbara

Before Jerry was on medicare BC/BS ins refused to pay for a lift or scooter.

We were fortunate to find a flea market dealer who handled quite a large

variety of scooters. We first looked at a fairly small one, then he spotted

a large one. It ended up too large because as you say places are not

particularily wc/scooter friendly. We got him stuck several times. A few

months later we had to get a wc and by then Jerry was on medicare and with

the doctors prescription it was no problem. We went to a medical supply

store and he picked a Jazzy. Really nice. Did not cost us a dime. In the

end when we were still taking Jerry to the doctors, church, etc it got to

where it was hard for him to really tell where he was going. He couldn't

look back when he needed to and of course the down/upward gaze problems. So

I walked beside him and steered it with the little handle at the end of the

arm rest. The scooters seats will turn sideways to let the person sit at a

table or desk. Even the small ones have really nice upholstery and padding

and are comfy. Some of them makes the patient too high to fit under a table

comfortably. A regular wc is not all that great because the patiens get to

where they do not have the strength to push themselves and sometimes one

side remains stronger than the other. but are earier for the caregiver to

handle.

While I am here I will tell what I did when Jerry leaned real bad. I had a

piece of plywood I used when I made extra large cakes. Instead of foil and

dollie covers, I put it in a pillow case and stuck it in his chair between

the cushion and arm. Kind of restricted his movement on the one side, but

at least it kept him from falling out. In church he would get out of his

chair and into the pew (always had help to transport) and I would let him

lean on me or put my arm around him. Everyone helped that saw him lean.

They soon learned he couldn't get back up on his own.

I also taught him a few words in sign language. We had reduced our

conversations to my explaining things in great detail and then asking him

yes/no questions when he could not talk. He could not handle NO so I taught

him NOT which he could do with ease. Then yes and the short version of I

LOVE YOU. Less than three hours before he died he wiggled his hand under

the covers. I raised his cover and he was signing I LOVE YOU. When we

turned his covers down when Hospice got here he still had his hand in the I

LOVE YOU position. I was in a state of shock and it did not dawn on me

until 2 days later and I really lost it. I couldn't even get the words out

to tell my kids what was wrong. They just knew it was something to do with

their daddy.

Hope I have been os some help

Lou Bartee cg Jerry deceased 3-5-02

ScOOTER/POWER CHAIR

>

>

> I am finding it more and more difficult to get around in the house and

feel I

> need some sort of vehicle to get myself around.

>

> I have a budget wheel chair (on Medicare) that is totally unsatisfactory

now.

> It is uncomfortable and klutzy to handle.

>

> My house is not particularly handicap friendly........could not maneuver

one

> into the bathroom , for instance, but the living area is fairly open and I

> should have no problem getting around this area.

>

> At the moment our vehicle will not accommodate a chair or scooter but that

is

> another hurdle.

>

> I am considering calling THE SCOOTER STORE for a consultation. Have any

of

> you used this product?

>

> What I am looking for is a comfortable chair to sit at my PC and TV and to

> have mobility to move around in my house without assistance.

>

> Barbara Pond

> Blacksburg VA

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Barbara

Before Jerry was on medicare BC/BS ins refused to pay for a lift or scooter.

We were fortunate to find a flea market dealer who handled quite a large

variety of scooters. We first looked at a fairly small one, then he spotted

a large one. It ended up too large because as you say places are not

particularily wc/scooter friendly. We got him stuck several times. A few

months later we had to get a wc and by then Jerry was on medicare and with

the doctors prescription it was no problem. We went to a medical supply

store and he picked a Jazzy. Really nice. Did not cost us a dime. In the

end when we were still taking Jerry to the doctors, church, etc it got to

where it was hard for him to really tell where he was going. He couldn't

look back when he needed to and of course the down/upward gaze problems. So

I walked beside him and steered it with the little handle at the end of the

arm rest. The scooters seats will turn sideways to let the person sit at a

table or desk. Even the small ones have really nice upholstery and padding

and are comfy. Some of them makes the patient too high to fit under a table

comfortably. A regular wc is not all that great because the patiens get to

where they do not have the strength to push themselves and sometimes one

side remains stronger than the other. but are earier for the caregiver to

handle.

While I am here I will tell what I did when Jerry leaned real bad. I had a

piece of plywood I used when I made extra large cakes. Instead of foil and

dollie covers, I put it in a pillow case and stuck it in his chair between

the cushion and arm. Kind of restricted his movement on the one side, but

at least it kept him from falling out. In church he would get out of his

chair and into the pew (always had help to transport) and I would let him

lean on me or put my arm around him. Everyone helped that saw him lean.

They soon learned he couldn't get back up on his own.

I also taught him a few words in sign language. We had reduced our

conversations to my explaining things in great detail and then asking him

yes/no questions when he could not talk. He could not handle NO so I taught

him NOT which he could do with ease. Then yes and the short version of I

LOVE YOU. Less than three hours before he died he wiggled his hand under

the covers. I raised his cover and he was signing I LOVE YOU. When we

turned his covers down when Hospice got here he still had his hand in the I

LOVE YOU position. I was in a state of shock and it did not dawn on me

until 2 days later and I really lost it. I couldn't even get the words out

to tell my kids what was wrong. They just knew it was something to do with

their daddy.

Hope I have been os some help

Lou Bartee cg Jerry deceased 3-5-02

ScOOTER/POWER CHAIR

>

>

> I am finding it more and more difficult to get around in the house and

feel I

> need some sort of vehicle to get myself around.

>

> I have a budget wheel chair (on Medicare) that is totally unsatisfactory

now.

> It is uncomfortable and klutzy to handle.

>

> My house is not particularly handicap friendly........could not maneuver

one

> into the bathroom , for instance, but the living area is fairly open and I

> should have no problem getting around this area.

>

> At the moment our vehicle will not accommodate a chair or scooter but that

is

> another hurdle.

>

> I am considering calling THE SCOOTER STORE for a consultation. Have any

of

> you used this product?

>

> What I am looking for is a comfortable chair to sit at my PC and TV and to

> have mobility to move around in my house without assistance.

>

> Barbara Pond

> Blacksburg VA

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

lou

Your note really made me cry. What a touching story. I care for my husband

Mark. We have a man coming to our house tomorrow to measrue Mark for a

scooter. He is still able to walk fairly well with a cane. It's just that

he tires very quickly. We're hoping our insurence will pay for it. We

already bought a mini van last week so we'll need a lift. I don't know if

that will be covered. The journey of this illness is taking a toll on my

nervers.

Gert

[Guest guest]

lou

Your note really made me cry. What a touching story. I care for my husband

Mark. We have a man coming to our house tomorrow to measrue Mark for a

scooter. He is still able to walk fairly well with a cane. It's just that

he tires very quickly. We're hoping our insurence will pay for it. We

already bought a mini van last week so we'll need a lift. I don't know if

that will be covered. The journey of this illness is taking a toll on my

nervers.

Gert

[Guest guest]

Gert:

If you just bought a mini van you can ask the dealer for a voucher towards a

lift. We bought a used swing lift for around $1200 installed and had a voucher

for $750. That was 6 years ago. I think the vouchers are more now. Our

insurance along with Medicare bought a scooter for my husband with the doctors

orders. Jack could only walk about 20 - 100 feet with a cane. Later they

bought a wheel chair. The physical therapist did not want Jack to have an

electric wheel chair in the house because she wanted him to use his feet as much

as possible. At the end he had a hard time making it go, but if he had an

electric wheel chair he would have made our house a shambles by banging into

everything. Each person is different, but that is what worked for us.

Take care, Judy

[Guest guest]

Gert:

If you just bought a mini van you can ask the dealer for a voucher towards a

lift. We bought a used swing lift for around $1200 installed and had a voucher

for $750. That was 6 years ago. I think the vouchers are more now. Our

insurance along with Medicare bought a scooter for my husband with the doctors

orders. Jack could only walk about 20 - 100 feet with a cane. Later they

bought a wheel chair. The physical therapist did not want Jack to have an

electric wheel chair in the house because she wanted him to use his feet as much

as possible. At the end he had a hard time making it go, but if he had an

electric wheel chair he would have made our house a shambles by banging into

everything. Each person is different, but that is what worked for us.

Take care, Judy