Mobility scooter vs electric wheelchair

[JustBeingJobless]

I’m having to face facts - I need some wheels as I’m struggling more and more with walking and I’m finding I’m just plain avoiding going places as I can only manage a short distance, even with sticks or my rollator/trolley. I very briefly had a mobility scooter last year, but it wasn’t really up to much (didn’t like hills etc) so I sold it in disgust after getting marooned on a pine cone on holiday

I’m now looking at either a better scooter, or an electric wheelchair. Wheelchair just seems so flippin” final though, if that makes sense? Scooter says I’m struggling a bit, whereas wheelchairs feels like I’ve accepted I can’t walk and I’m not sure I’m ready for that!

However, a wheelchair would, in many ways, work better as I’d like to be able to walk my dog more and they’re one handed operation as oppose to having a steering column, plus they’re smaller and more likely to be able to go in everywhere (booked to go somewhere in November that doesn’t allow scooters in, so would have to be pushed around in a hired chair by my friend and I really don’t want that!), and it would take up less floor space to store.

I also suspect that people would take me more seriously in a chair; wrong as that is. One of my friends said she sees a mobility scooter and often assumes the person is just lazy, whereas a wheelchair says more serious disability. That attitude annoyed me but she has a point I feel. However, part of me still doesn’t accept myself that I’m pretty disabled, and a wheelchair feels like an acceptance of something permanent as oppose to something that may just go away (realistically it’s not going to).

Any pros and cons of scooters vs chairs that anyone can think of? Any users of either that can help me make a decision? Many thanks :)

If you think wheelchair means you’ve finally accepted 'it', don’t get one. Get the halfway house. Psychology and mental attitude means a lot IMO

I don't use either personally but I know several people that do and share hobbies with relevant to you like dog walking and horse agility. ( I work involves teaching this )

The road scooters that do 8mph are much sturdier and can cope with grass. My friends operate and steer the scooters with one hand and hold leash or lead rope with the other. They can do some complex moves .

I know from pushing other friends over grass in manual wheelchairs it hard work !

Dogs leash can attach to a wheelchair for using two hands if you want.

Depends really on the sort or activities you want to do primarily really rather than what people think.. tho that's easier said than done .

I will see if I can find a link for wheelchair gamblers as they have great options for those who want more than the lighter 4mph pavement scooters.

Yes I think that’s exactly it. Problem is, by me not accepting it, nobody else does either and part of me wants to be taken seriously if you know what I mean? Nobody sees me struggle and they assume that I’m ok because I just avoid things I know I can’t do. But that also means I’m missing out on a lot of stuff because of my pride! Oh I don’t know

tazzle22 I’d need something that I could get in and out of my car boot, whichever option I go for, as it’d be used more for away from the home. That’s the other issue - everything is so damned heavy and I don’t want to have to ask for help all the time, so needs to be something me and 12yo ds can manage between us.

disabledramblers.co.uk

Some of the scooters are really big but some a little bigger than pavement ones. A good friend of mine has a three wheeler one in black and silver that looks more like a Harley Davidson motorbike than a mobility scooter !!!

The one that has surprised me with how it's stood up to punishment is the shoprider... not designed for off road but it has twice weekly batterings over our field and uneven yard.

If I were at your stage ... I just use crutches when my legs are bad... I'd look at what you do most of and plan for that.... if it's active stuff like dog walking and accessing hilly or grassy areas I'd go for a good scooter as you have crutches or roller for indoors. Pack the crutches on the back of the scooter for mixed days

Oooops sorry x posted . There are foldable scooters but not many 8mph.... try asking on the gamblers forum... they be best advice

RAMBLERS

tazzle22 thanks, that’s really helpful. Problem is, what I do most of at the minute is very little if it doesn’t involve being able to drive there! What I’d like to be doing however is long walks with my dog, and going up to see my friends horses like I used to. I love going round national trust properties, theme parks etc but have avoided those for a couple of years as I can’t manage them. I used to enjoy a day in town shopping, or a wander round Ikea but now I don’t bother as I can’t manage. Holidays have become pretty crap if I’m honest as I just can’t do stuff! We have a caravan and choose sites based on how close to the facilities we can pitch up and then drive everywhere. I’m marginally better on crutches but I can’t manage the dog with them. One of my big pushes is that my dog is getting old and, whilst she can still happily manage a long walk, she’s not actually that bothered, but she’s not going to be here forever and I will want another dog. I feel to meet the exercise requirements of a younger dog, I’d need a way of covering more distance which means some wheels of some description.

I use a liteway 8, it’s a 8mph one that you can take apart to go in a car, I love it.

The main difference for me is how it feels to be in a power chair vs scooter. I need to lean forwards onto the tiller a bit to support me whereas a wheelchair doesn’t provide that support, it’s all about tipping you backwards, which I hate!

I also feel more vulnerable in a chair as without the tiller there’s no physical barrier so people can get really close and up in your personal space.

I do need to get a wheelchair though eventually, but will have to save as I will need to get an ‘off road’ one so I’m not horribly limited and held back by it. Not sure what I’ll do about needing to lean forwards though, as the centre of gravity on them tends to be so far back....

The best thing to do is to go to a dealership and try a few out, remembering they won’t have the more ‘extreme’ ones at either end, so they won’t have the more portable 8mph scooters, just the massive ones, and they probably won’t have the more modern/diverse types of power chair either. But it will give you a general idea of what they feel like to drive and you can go from there...

For me I found scooter was better when I could get up and walk around a bit ie park up outside a shop but walk in and chair better when needing to stay in it. Consider how you will transport it, that’s the most important factor

@WellThisIsShit I had been looking online at the Liteway scooters as they appear to have decent ground clearance compared to a lot of others. What’s the 8 like on weight for getting in and out of the car?

You can get a hoist fitted to your car to lift a scooter in and out. Just thought I'd mention it in case you hadn't come across them. My DM has one and manages quite well with it

Hi @JustBeingJobless

My FIL has MS and relies heavily on his mobility scooter for day to day getting out and about. He only has use of his right side he can't lift his left arm or move his hand. He drives his scooter with one hand and does fine.

He has a robotic arm fitted in the boot of his car, he hooks the hoist onto clips on the scooter and it lifts it up and lowers it down for him. It's amazing! Then all he has to do is pull up the steering column of the scooter, it clicks into place and he's away. I know the details of the company who fitted it if you'd be interested

Im looking at getting a decent mobility scooter, trialed one at the local horse trials and it was eye opening to be able to easily reach parts of the show I hadnt seen in years. I prefer not to use a chair as I dont want to admit to myself things have got that bad.

But it may not be the answer for you. Do you have a local mobilty shop that can rent you one of each for a period of time, my local shop does this and gives you chance to trial various options.

They told me to go for one that is at least £1000 new (but are hunting a second hand one for me) as it will cope better with uneven ground.

My mom has no movement in one arm due to a stroke, she had a slight modification made to her scooter but manages it effectively with one arm. They do have a hoist for the car but the batteries still need lifting out first.

I know locally there was an issue my parents had with mobility scooters that were too big aren't welcome on public transport. I also know some places don't view mobility scooters as a disability aid so can refuse access etc which wouldn't happen with an actual chair.

That said though if you're looking at something like a tramper (I think that's what they're called) all terrain scooter then I'm not sure that there is an equivalent chair.

Make sure you get insurance if you do go the scooter route. Although the NEC never pursued it, my mom did manage to crack a floor to ceiling glass door (and I'm talking a very high ceiling at that) when she first had one. Spacial awareness wasn't her thing to begin with! She heard my dad say turn left and rather than thinking "turn left at the next available entrance" she just turned instead!

Hi, I have a travelscoot, weighs 30lbs and folds and reassembles easily. It is possible to operate it with one hand. If you google the name you will find loads of information.

I'm bookmarking this if I may. A motorised scooter's going to be my next Big Buy.

Thanks for the input everybody, I’ve got plenty to think about :)

What sort of house do you live in? They have been problems with battery’s and charging as small chance of fire or if there is a fire obviously they are a hazard. I know many housing associations and landlords will not allow you to keep or charge inside and must be away from other flammable things outside. Which may or not work for you.

I use electric wheelchair it’s hard enough to get around shops and indoors spaces, if you as able to walk around shops and places and just need from door to door then scooter would work. Personal I can’t sit up and hold my arms up that long. Because typically designed for blokes so even on shortest setting it’s miles away.

If you have a shop mobility near you try out scooter and a chair and see how you feel managing them to get around town centre and feel what you prefer.

Akire it’s my own property so no problem with that. To be honest, I’d probably charge the batteries inside my caravan anyway, as that’s plugged in all the time to keep the leisure battery on a trickle charge, so may as well make use of the spare plug sockets (serious lack of them inside the house!).

Manouvering around shops etc is something that concerns me with a scooter. At the minute, I can just about manage with sticks or a trolley, but going on how my mobility has changed in the last year, there’s a good chance I may not be able to manage in the future and I do tend to avoid going to bigger shops such as Ikea or Costco because of the pain I’ll be in after I’ve hobbled round, so that’s deginitely something to consider.

For me I'd choose the EWC over the Scooter every damn time.

Easier for :

Tightly stacked shops
Public Transport including taxis
Cinema and Theatre and Concert Venues with "wheelchair spaces"

IME Scooters = large, cumbersome, difficult to manoeuvre, space consuming

I speak from first hand experience

You can get a EWC on a bus you can't get a scooter on a bus.

ValleyClouds you make a very good point there re concerts etc. I’ve just missed out on a concert I really wanted to go to as I know I wouldn’t be able to manage the amount of walking/standing needed, and an EWC would’ve enabled me to go. Plus the public transport thing is something to consider, as, although I drive, there are odd days when I have little feeling in my left leg and can’t drive, but also can’t walk far enough to catch a bus, so I just stay home. I live in a small village, so a scooter would allow me to get round the village shops, but, without loading it in the car, I wouldn’t be able to get to and from the nearest larger town as there wouldn’t be enough range. With a chair, I could get the bus there and back.

My folding electric wheelchair is fantastic. Pops in the boot of my car, goes for days on one charge and is great for shops, crowds, narrow paths, lifts, everything really. One handed operation.

I wouldn't touch a scooter.

EWC = electric wheel chair?

Oh! I see that is is
As you were...