I'm anxious to purchase a VERY high-quality, lightweight wheelchair that I can use for my 93 year-old mother. I am in my early 70s, and the wheelchair we have is much too heavy and cumbersome for me to handle. My mother is currently using a walker, but we REALLY need to have a wheelchair very soon! Does anyone have suggestions?
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Ours has been in heavy use for a few years now and really holds up to the abuse! We are on our 3rd person using this and it still is holding up! I used for months with ankle fusion recovery, my mom used it, and now my dad. That thing has been used and abused - pushed through small doors, lots of doctors appts, and even up north at cottage. Folks up nicely, is light, durable, and looks better than any wheelchair. Easy to fold up footrests, and fold up unit. Yup!
The one downside of the transport chair is that they don't usually have foot rests. They are lighter than a regular wheelchair but not as light as putting a walker in the car.
Another thing to consider would be putting one of those lightweight carry brackets on the back of your car and putting the wheelchair on that. Much easier that struggling to get a chair in the car or trunk.
I am 79 and find it hard to even get a rollator into my car.
A few things I've discovered over the years:
Some give good service. Others do not, and are not cooperative. It's hard to really know, but insight from physicians' and staff can help.
One DME supplier told us removable arms weren't available on their wheelchair models. I don't know if that was ever true, but no effort was made to inquire whether they could get one, which meant that board transfer from wheelchair to another seating arrangement, including a car, was not possible.
If you can get removal arm rests (and leg rests), that's mandatory.
I've also discovered what I would consider a high end wheelchair, at a rehab facility of all places (sometimes they just have junk. This model has 2 rods which extend in the back to act as brakes on the wheels. This is in addition to the locks at the side of the wheelchair seat.
There's a secondary device to lock and prevent the chair from accidentally moving when stationary, but I don't recall what it is.
The back wheel locks though were something I've never seen. I had seen the rods and wondered what they were.
My mom’s wheelchair was managable. Medicare paid for it. We usually just took her walker as hospitals and dr offices had wheelchairs available.
She used her wheelchair as a dining chair at home more than for transport. She liked the height and security when going from walker to chair.