Wheel chairs

[tedjohnson]

Does anyone have the trouble I have using an electric wheelchair which has a mind of its own? It's a six wheel quickie Salsa with the drive wheel in the middle under the seat. If I drive forward the back wheels go one way and the front the other way usually into a door frame or the skirting. So far I have used half a box of Polyfilla and a tin of paint to repair the damage. Is the four wheel chair easier to drive as it has only got two wondering wheels at the front rather than four wondering wheels which I have at present any easier to use?

Anyone's help and advise would be appreciated

Best wishes. Ted

[Cuds]

Hi Ted,

the wheelchair you have is classed as a mid-wheel drive. They are very good indoors because they have a very tight turning circle. It may not feel like it is good indoors if you are not driving it correctly or if the controls are too sensitive. What you are describing is called 'fish tailing' - when the wheels keep flicking from side to side and you don't go in a straight line. If you got it from wheelchair services then contact them and they will send someone out to adjust the controls for you (there are lots of adjustments that can be made to suit your skill level or disability needs). If you bought it from a dealership then they should provide aftersales service and come out and adjust it. If you are having problems getting help then contact Sunrise Medical directly (they make the chair) and they monitor the dealerships selling their products. You can contact them on sunrisemedical.co.uk

There are 2 types of powered wheelchairs with 4 wheels - a front wheel drive and a rear wheel drive. The front wheel drive is good indoors but some people find it difficult to drive because it is not very intuitive (children are great using front wheel drives!). The rear wheel drive is used on a lot of standard powered chairs - the ones to get you from A-B. These are better outdoors unless you have adapted doors inside or wide turning space. The properties of a chair should be chosen on what you need it for, where you are going to use it and how comfortable and in control you feel using it. I hope this is useful?

Good luck,

Carol

[tedjohnson in reply to Cuds]

Many thanks Carol. I have asked the supplier to call round and your comments give me some help. I think the advise to get him to adjust the controls may help me

Kind regards. Ted

[tedjohnson in reply to tedjohnson]

Following your comments the dealer came to my house and found that I was driving far too fast!!

I have now trained myself to 'slow down' and the chair is much better to control He spent a great deal of time with me and explained a lot of things in connection with furniture, rugs etc

I hope this may help other 'fast drivers' to manage their chairs. Regards. Ted

[sylviagreenhalgh]

I had terrible trouble with the powered wheelchair but after I had my shunt I can walk again. I thought if I need a powered wheelchair again I will look at buying one privately- the one I had from the nHS was very heavy and yes all my door frames suffered ! perhaps with practice you will get better but I found it hard. all the best Sylvia

[Veteran250 in reply to sylviagreenhalgh]

Hi Ted..... As you know I have a powered wheelchair( four wheels) mine is an Invercare Mirage(sounds like a plane).

The way I control mine is using the joint between thumb and forefinger and other fingers holding arm of wheelchair, put the speed control on its low setting until you get used to using it, then you can raise the speed control as you become more confident .

Hoping you and your family are keeping well. 👍😀