Can anyone recommend a good electric wheelchair? In 2012 I bought a very light weight wheelchair for my husband as I had to lift it into

[NannaB]

The back of my car. A few months later I bought a battery pack but has been pretty useless on our uneven pavements and steep hills. Now I have a wheelchair adapted Berlingo, I would like something easier to manoeuvre as getting my 15 stone husband about is ever more difficult. I no longer have to lift the chair as I have a ramp with a winch. I asked the OT at the hospice who told me to contact the neuro OT at the hospital. I told her what I needed and said I'd be prepared to pay, as the vehicle is paid for out of the Disability Living Allowance. I asked her to come and assess my husband so she could advise me what to get. A week later a wheelchair was delivered. The man who delivered it said they knew my husbands weight and height and the one supplied was the correct one for him. It wasn't electric. It was too narrow so the first time I took it out, as he was slumping to the right, when I went round a corner on a bend, the whole thing nearly tipped over. Then when I was getting him into the car, I hit the ramp with the front wheel and the tyre came off. Another long story as I wasn't at home. My husband slumps, usually forwards so I need a substantial chair but it needs to be powered other than by 5' 4" me. Any ideas please? I live in Kent, UK.

Nanna B

[Heady]

Hi NannaB, sorry can't be of any help. S not at that stage yet. Do you have any shops near you that specialise in disabled products? If so, try going into them.

We have one in our local town and the guy is very helpful. He has various wheelchairs on display, so you could try them out, if your husband can't do that, see if you can find a male friend or relation that can be an assistant!

Just use google, it should be able to find your nearest shop!

Best of luck

Heady

[NannaB in reply to Heady]

Thanks Heady. The shop where we bought the original chair only do the smaller motors which aren't suitable. Since posting, I found a hire company on the internet so may try hiring first, although a year's hiring fee came to almost the cost of buying but at least I'd get the right one before buying.

Best wishes to you and S and thanks for responding.

Nanna B

[Springbank4]

Your OT should be able to arrange the supply of a suitable chair via the NHS, especially as his needs are for an adapted one. Probably needs a head support/restraint to keep his body centralised. Keep pushing the OT till you get a solution.

[NannaB in reply to Springbank4]

Thanks Springbank4

[Sky2]

Hi NannaB,

My mum purchased a second hand electric wheelchair for my dad. He too is not a small person. The wheelchair is duel control so it means we can control it from a standing potion behind the chair. The make is a Pride LX, I don’t think this make is around anymore. However it originally came from a company called Pride Mobility Products Ltd. I had a look on their website which is centralised around a US company but I did find a contact for the UK office:

United Kingdom Pride Mobility Products Ltd. 32 Wedgwood Road Bicester, Oxfordshire OX26 4UL Telephone: [phone] Fax: [phone] –

Maybe you could ask them what replaced the Pride LX if they no longer make it.

Mum needed to replace a few parts on the wheelchair so contacted a company in Caterham, Surrey. Maybe you could try them titanmobility.co.uk/

Titan Mobility

12a High Street

Caterham

Surrey

CR3 5UA

Email Address:[e-mail]

Phone: [phone]

I hope that helps. All the best to you and your husband.

Thanks,

Esther

[NannaB]

Thanks a lot for this Esther. I'll definitely check the companies out.

Best wishes

Nanna B

[quickgel]

Hi NannaB, I'm a little concerned that it is possible for the wheelchair to turn over, are there no belt restraints anchoring the chair? Irrespective of the size and weight of the chair it should be strapped in position for the safety of you both. If there aren't any suitable anchor points I would ensure some get fitted by the car provider. There's little point strapping your husband into the wheelchair if the chair itself isn't restrained. I may have misunderstood the situation in which case I apologise for interfering as I am unable to help regarding a suitable powered wheelchair, we only ever had a manually propelled chair. Regards, Jerry

[NannaB in reply to quickgel]

Hi Jerry, thanks for your concern, you aren't interfering. I was pushing the chair when it nearly tipped over.

Nanna B

[quickgel in reply to NannaB]

Hi NannaB, it's not unusual for me to add two and two and make it six!!! I had horrible visions of the chair in the back loosely jammed in with shopping bags, stupid of me.

I never realised how difficult pushing a wheelchair was until I experienced it, there is no such thing as a level pavement and in my case the weight difference was all in my favour.

Best of luck with your search for a suitable powered chair. Jerry

[NannaB in reply to quickgel]

Thanks Jerry.

[jillannf6]

H nannab

sorry that you r having probelms with the wheelchair- i too have been not he list for an electric one (For indoors) and have fallen out of the system somehow

i have a manual one for outdoors which is ok but difficult to put in the car and takes up loads of room but it did not cost me anything so i am grateful 4 that

lolJIILL

[robertson]

What you need is a tilting chair, which like your present wheelchair goes up the ramp, and you secure with straps etc. but is much more suited to your husband's needs. Please see your OT about this. We had a different tilting chair for the shower which with the help of hoists will allow you to transfer your husband very comfortably into the chair.

[Pippalina]

Hi NannaB ...My husband has been provided with a wheelchair that has a power pack that is detachable so I can fold the chair and put it in the car.It is a lightweight chair and the wheels are detachable also.It was arranged by the OT and provided by the Mobility centre near where we live in Devon.The make is INVACARE ACTION NG RANGE.May I also say that this was provided at no cost to us.My husband has been diagnosed with PSP with some Parkinsonisms he has lived with this for 15 months (that we know of). Hope this is of use, good luck.

[NannaB in reply to Pippalina]

Thanks Pippalina

I bought a power pack but it was never very successful. It was just out of guarantee when it gave up completely. I was told last week it would cost £379 for repair or £600 for a new one. As it only ever worked on smooth, flat surfaces I have decided to go for something much more powerful. Yesterday I spoke to a lady in an electric wheelchair that easily climbed the curb. She said she never had any success speaking to the OT either and went to her GP who arranged for a proper assessment so think I'll try that next.

I hope your powerpack Is more successful than ours was.

Thanks and best wishes,

Nanna B