Any advice for someone buying a mobility... - Cure Parkinson's
Any advice for someone buying a mobility chair/ scooter?
Look for a good used one in your area. Many people purchase these and either don't use them or pass away quickly. Can save thousands of dollars.
That being said the chair is more mobile inside the house and can be used outside the house but weighs quite a bit so if you needed to travel to and from places outside as well you will definitely need a van with at least a ramp or a chairlift.
Scooters don't turn in a sharply but I find them more comfortable outdoors in many models are light enough to disassemble put in your trunk and reassemble quickly. These travel scooters are made specifically for that. In addition I've use them traveling with airplanes as long as you have the right batteries.
Firstly think about when and where you are wanting to use the Scooter or Chair. Is it for getting out of the house into the shops/visiting friends locally or are you wanting to transport it in a car, to use elsewhere? That would determine the size of equipment available. Larger scooters offer better suspension, comfort and range but require an adapted vehicle to transport. A smaller, portable scooter is more suited to fit in a standard car boot, but is lighter and generally has less features to provide a comfortable ride and has less power and range.
If you are primarily using the chair indoors, a powered chair is more manoverable in tighter spaces.
Consider your own capabilities, size and weight. Generally the larger the scooter, the more powerful and better specification..
Finally think about where you are going to store it? Do you have a shed or garage with power or do you need it to be compact enough to bring inside? Remember these are battery powered so need to be recharged using a household socket.
Hope that helps...
My advice would be to contact your insurance company. Many PD patients don't realize that most large insurance firms have nurses that can help you make decisions with high dollar purchases. You may be better off to skip the insurance and buy one second hand, but it doesn't hurt to call up the insurance agency and find out. I agree that you should check the size of the chair, batteries used, any motors replaced, and battery life span. Think of what all you will want to do with the chair. Make a list of what features are available.(There are as many as on a car & you can view them on the internet) Make sure you are happy with your purchase (especially if it comes through your insurance company), as you will be the one to use the chair for hopefully years to come. If you are not happy make sure you let them know as soon as possible. There is a chance that you may be able to get another type of chair. Blessings, JC
