Yesterday we went to collect a new Rea Azalea wheelchair for my husband which is quite a lot more comfortable for him and is reclinable has lumber support, brakes, all in all a great step up from his last wheelchair and something that he is now in need of.
Great, but niggling me at the back of my mind, was the weight of the thing compared to his last wheelchair.
The only thing was that when we arrived home, I couldn't push the new wheelchair up the slope at the front of my house! I took all the removable parts off and still couldn't manage......the only neighbour home was my friend across the way who is 89 years old and he could see that I was upset and in a bit of a predicament ,anyway he was able, luckily to help me push my husband up the slope.
I was so upset....The first time that I have cried for ages, everything was fine until then and now what?
I am investigating the idea of a powerpack for the wheelchair and maybe to get some rails fitted on the sides of our ramp for extra safety.
The powerpack is going to cost nearly £1000 and hopefully the social services will fit some rails but I wondered if anyone had bought a powerpack for a wheelchair and how you were finding it!
I didn't want to pay all that money and find that it wasn't going to be the thing to help with the weight of the wheelchair and the slope.
Luckily also, I have an older smaller wheelchair, which I bought ages ago and have used only indoors...a bit battered now........but I can use for now ,until my problem is solved.
I am feeling a tiny bit better today and as my neighbour who helped me said, ''there is always a solution!'
Den. X
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DenB
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We have just invested in a power pack for the wheelchair ours is called a power stroll and is operated by the carer via a leaver on the hand grips. I have found it a great help especially as I'm not quite 5ft and Brian is nearly 6ft and has got a good couple of stone on me.
we paid about £500 but you can get them cheaper on line i think georgepa paid about £250 for his one.
Hi DenB. I have been given a similar chair for Margaret, a REA Clematis, as you say very good support especially for her head. The snag is the weight. I have had to resort to only using it round the house as when I took M out in it my back went after about a mile luckily only metres from house so able to get in. I contacted the wheelchair providing service and was told off for not asking for a powered chair in first place. I was told to contact the GP to request a powered chair but it would take at least 6 months. GP sorted out the request and I have been told to expect a replacement chair by October. In the meantime I am having to get a wheelchair adapted vehicle as my present car is not suitable for this chair and the new one. Power pack is available but costs between £400 and£800 with fitting costs as well but wheelchair service should be able to provide a powered chair, but ensure it is not a user controlled chair, must be a carer controlled chair. Best wishes Tim
Thanks for that Advice Tim, I didn't sleep a wink the night we brought the new wheelchair home but my darling son came to our rescue and after looking at a few local companies , he has purchased a power pack at the huge cost of £800 and hopefully will be fitted within the next few days! I just hope that this is the solution.
The thing is,when I rang the wheelchair service and told them that it was too heavy for me to push up to my house, the OT there just told me that I should buy a powerpack for it....just like that!.........I went back today , and only after a bit of rangling with him, (he wasn't supposed to let me have more than one wheelchair)and took back the old wheelchair until the power pack is fitted onto the new one, otherwise My husband would have been stuck indoors with no means of getting out, and so would I!
The old wheelchair would probably only been shipped out of the country anyway, or so I have been told.
I am so fed up with all the extra stress at times!
Anyway, It's a nice afternoon here and I am going to go outside in the sunshine and try to relax for a bit. Hope you can too.
hi Den, just read your message, are you in the U.K.? I have a tga power pack from my husbands old wheelchair, we have moved to a bungalow now so don't need it, it fixes onto the arm of the chair and has different speeds for going up hills etc, I was going to sell it on eBay for £75, if you like I will check it out and charge it, they heavy, so may be quite a lot to courier
Thanks so much for the offer of your power pack but I did buy one good few months ago now.
Really kind of you to reply. I have found the power pack invaluable and has helped me getting about with my husband in his wheelchair and although expensive, I have tried to spread the word about the benefit of owning one.
If I hadn't already have bought one I would definitely consider your offer!
I have just fitted a TGA power pack to my wife's rea Azalea wheelchair. It seems to be quite good so far although, as you say, this is still a fairly heavy package. However, the power pack has managed every slope I have met so far.
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