Getting a wheelchair

[Lucylucciano]

Hello,

I am in hospital at the moment and I have been enquiring about getting a wheelchair. When the airways become narrow it can be difficult to get around so I asked at the hospital. My doctor isn't really sure how you go about getting one and he said it might be something I have to buy myself. He said he would look into it but I was just wondering if anyone on here uses one and how they got theirs. Thanks

[deniseann]

Try contacting your local council social services ,I was assessed after a visit from my community nurse attatched to my doctors surgery.

I got several helpful aids,was offered a wheelchair but did not feel as though I needed one just now.

It could be worth a try.

[John_Mills Volunteer]

Also the red cross loan wheelchairs out free of charge..to see how you get on with an ordinary wheelchair... you can loan them for up to about 3 months.... if you are receiving benefits I think you can have contribution towards an electric wheelchair.... if you are looking at electric wheelchairs for the future you can hire them out before buying...

discountmobilitydirect.co.u...

discountmobilitydirect.co.u...

take care

Susan

[tracynoe]

I had to get my own I contacted my local council Occ Therapy dept and although they did provide other equipment I was told that unless i had a prescription for a wheelchair that they were unable to help.

I bought a manual one first as I was very ill at the time and my Hubby needed some way of getting me to appointments easily. I still have it but I can not propel it on my own so was still unable to get ant form of independence, now I have a powerchair which I can use on my own and with the addition of a hoist in the car I can get out a little although still have to be careful as it leaves me washed out and back to square one if I try to do to much. I don't use the chair around the house and garden and still walk into GP's and some Hosp appointments, it is used as an additional help so I try not to rely on it to much otherwise my muscles would give out entirely. There is a fine line between doing too much and not doing enough.

Good luck

Tracy

[Lucylucciano]

Thanks Tracy, Susan and Denise

Some useful ideas there, thank you. It is not something that I need all of the time, just when my breathing is bad and I am feeling exhausted. It's not too bad when I don't do a lot in the week but if I have a few things planned or a weekend away I find I am exhausted by the time I get there from all the travelling. I don't know about anyone else but I find times like Christmas really exhausting too, I love it but I get so exhausted by Christmas day as my body doesnt like me doing too much. Other times I don't go out as my breathing is worse so it would be nice to have the option if I had a wheelchair. I am happy to just have a manual one as I want to try and be mobile as much as I can. I've just had an operation last week at Addenbrookes as my airway narrowed below the voice box and also almost completely in the left bronchus. This happens a lot and it is a continuous cycle of going to hospital for dilatations so when they have been opened I can walk around more easily. It is when they narrow and if I have a chest infection that the breathing becomes much more difficult. Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the support and advice xxxxx

[PatriciaAnn]

I have a wheelchair. It's quite light-weight. It's OK for when there is someone there to push it, but there is no way I could propel myself round. I'd be more exhausted than trying to walk.

I also have a little Go-Go scooter. That breaks down and fits into the boot of the car. Although the pieces are relatively light I can't manhandle it in and out and fix it up myself - so something to think about. Also it says they will do six or seven miles. No-way, not with a little scooter. Perhaps if it was completely flat terrain.

As Susan & John say if you have higher rate mobility you can use some of your money to buy a scooter. I bought mine myself. You would be looking at probably anything from £200 for a wheelchair to about £800+ for a small scooter - depending on where you bought it from. I think motorised chairs cost a lot more, but I'm not sure on that one.

PatriciaAnn

[vivdunstan Volunteer]

I've had my own wheelchair since 1998 or so. I have cerebral vasculitis in a very MS-like form so have considerable difficulties walking and always use at least one stick. I bought my own chair, wanting to get one quickly and without going through any more hoops or delays than need be. I bought a low-cost one from Boots disability catalogue and still find it very useful.

I don't use it often, but there are times when it's very handy. For example I'm newly back from a trip to the Edinburgh Book Festival. They have 2 free wheelchairs for hire, but that's a very small number, and because my event was early in the festival I wouldn't even have been able to try to reserve one until 2 days before I needed it. So I took mine instead, and arranged suitable hotel accommodation, and managed my time at the book festival very well. I also took it for the first time on a plane journey recently, on a week long trip to an academic conference at Trinity College in Dublin. Again having my own wheelchair was a real boon, with hubby accompanying to push me.

I also use supermarket wheelchairs a lot, for example if I'm going shopping, but find that I'm struggling too much weakness / legs wise. Then my husband will fetch one for me to the car.

[hamble99b Volunteer]

I use the supermarket or shopping centre scooters.. I've bought one to fit in the car but I can't lift it - might get ramps. the social worker said I might be able to get an electric wheelchair.

I'm thinking of getting a WAV maybe a peugeut partner anyone any advice?

sandra