hi as l am unfortunately getting a little worse with walking and even finding it difficult with stroller,
I wondered if anyone had any recommendation's .
I would prefer one that folds and could be used for travelling and possibly indoors………?
electric mobility scooters /wheel chairs - PSP Association
electric mobility scooters /wheel chairs
Written by
Grandmadippy
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10 Replies
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Hi Grandmadippy!
Pspuser makes some interesting suggestions:
“Make sure doors are wide enough for a wheelchair.
Have safety door levers (the ends turn in so they are less likely to catch on clothing) rather than knobs
Ideally a wet room should be at least 2m by 2m to allow for turning a wheelchair.
Sink, towel rails, toilet roll holder should be at a height suitable for a wheelchair user. Taps on sink & shower need to be easy to use.
If she is using a walking stick consider where she will put it when using the facilities. My wife was constantly knocking hers over, and then wasn’t able to pick it up.”
Use mechanical wheelchairs with seat belt and anti-bedsore cushions (our anti-bedsores cushions: SYSTAM and JAY - Sunrise Medical Ltd or similar) There are also air bubble mattresses with changing pressure that prevent a certain part of the back from being continuously subjected to the pressure exerted by the weight of the body. Make suitable changes in the bathroom. Set up handrails on each side of the bed. Make use of an articulated bed. Also use a plastic wheelchair (type ETAC) special for hygiene and shower.
During the time that the patient was not in bed, we used an articulated chair (power recliner) with an anti-bedsore cushion that allowed the legs to be arranged horizontally.
On our case: The wheelchair is made of aluminum and is foldable, easily transportable in the car trunk (aluminum wheelchair is Ergo Lite 2 from KARMA Brand or similar). Weight supported: at least 70 kilogram. After hip fracture wheelchair was necessary no more falls but steady progression of PSP symptoms.
Hug and Luck.
Luis
Thank you again Luis most helpful, l have most of those adaptions now in place, thank you again
Hello dear,
You may have noticed in other posts that the recommendation may be for "carer controlled" wheelchairs, since it can be very difficult to use wheelchairs safely with PSP.
I fully understand you want options that maintain some independence for you, however electric wheelchair might not work out, especially not indoors.
My husband bought a (nicely used) electric scooter and absolutely loved it. I had to insist he could only use it when accompanied by myself or a carer. His impulse control deteriorated and he would overestimate his own abilities so we did crash into a few inanimate objects and bits of vegetation. He also entered the reception of our doctors surgery at high speed but luckily nobody got in his way 😅. A couple of times he would go off course and be going up the verge at the side of the road - once tipping backwards and ending up on his back with the scooter on top. Still, nobody injured, help arrived quickly and we laughed a lot (well, my laughter was probably more anxiety than amusement).
I got rid of the scooter eventually, since the mishaps became frequent and I figured he might not always be so lucky. He was most unhappy about that.
I think what I am saying is - yes, you might get some benefit for a while from an electric scooter (including the ones that will go in the boot of a car), but please make sure it is used safely and that you can trust someone to tell you when it's time to stop. Independence comes at a risk 🌻
I hope you can continue to get out and about and that there are friends and family who can accompany you - for the safety of yourself and others 🤗
Thank you so much for the kind information and advice. Yes l will be safe currently awaiting DVLA driving mobility test, but l have always said to friends if they feel unsafe under my control to say and l would immediately surrender license x
hi,
As always I would suggest getting an assessment by Social Services. They should sent a physio around to see what you need.
I would think it very difficult to use a mobility scooter indoors. A small lightweight electric wheelchair might be possible. For indoors a three-wheeler, which is more manoeuvrable, may be better, but they are more unstable and I would be very wary of using one outdoors.
As you are aware, the first ‘P’ stands for Progressive.
We are collecting quite a hoard of equipment that helped for a short period of time but is now no longer suitable .
We are currently using a big heavy electric wheelchair which has dual controls, but my wife only drives on very wide pathways, and still gets stuck in the mud either side.
Indoors she uses one of those zimmer frames with two wheels at the front. This she pushes along, rather than lift the back two legs as intended. The physio has confirmed that this is the best device at the moment, and suggested she no longer use a four wheel rollator, which tends to run away with her
Thank you for your input l had bought an enfoldi 3 wheel electric folding scooter but found very unstable on the pavements and had a few mishaps etc so definitely would not recommend that one
Hi Not sure what to advise for motorised scooters etc but a U Step Walker is good as a better alternative to standard walkers for use both indoors and out. They gave reverse breaking, a stronger wrap around frame and more wheel and are designed for people with neuro conditions. My husband has quite advanced PSP and still uses this.. Maybe worth looking at and pushing OT/ physio to supply.
That looks good, did you get it on the NHS?
We asked the OT, they said "ask physio", physio came out months later and said no. We purchased the UStep walker and found it good but at this point my husband had to be accompanied (with gait belt) and he couldn't navigate it safely indoors. Still, for outdoors it was fantastic and I wish we'd bought it sooner. I've now given it to our private Neurophysio who has found a new home for it, so it was not wasted.
We have been loaned it by neuro. But I know of others who have been successful getting it via their OT. Getting support from neurologist eg letter explaining why this specific walker is appropriate for psp should help. There are also a number of other neuro walkers on the market cheaper and more easily foldable but less robust if they won't fund u step they may fund. You have to push and not accept standard equipment.
