Anyone around who uses an electric wheelchair

[ManyNameChanges]

And would be happy to share their knowledge/experience with me?
(In chat as I’m hoping it will be more visible)

I need to get an electric wheelchair. I’m currently using a manual one but DH has to push me (I can’t move it myself) so I’m still feeling very stuck at home.

BUT, as I am starting to look at powered chairs, I’m feeling really overwhelmed and I dint seem to get a feel of what would be best.
In many ways, I feel like there is no wheelchair that can do all the things I’m hoping to do with it…..

So if you have any word of wisdom, things you have learnt are actually important, or even recommendations, I really welcome them.

At the moment, I’m looking at folding chairs so they can go in the boot if the car. Lithium battery so I can take the plane and go to see my parents in Europe. On the light side but I’d love one that could also handle a rougher terrain so I can have a ‘stroll’ in NT places.

The same company which makes the Dashi also makes what looks like a decent lightweight power drive for manual chairs. This too is not cheap.
dashrehab.co.uk/todo/

However if you're not normally able to self-propel, I don't think it would offer you much/any benefit over a powerchair.

@WhatIsFairForAll I’m not far away from you (Yarm) and have the same issue with cobbles……
These things are a nightmare.

Thank you all.
You’ve all been so helpful.

For comparison OP, I definitely wouldn't recommend the Dashi for what WhatIsFairForAll needs in Durham.

It has smaller rear-wheels than that FreedomChair A08L, and they are solid not pneumatic, so in a town-centre like that you'd spend a lot of time planning routes carefully and being uncomfortable.

X-posted again. Yeah if you have cobbles, don't get the Dashi...

Is there a local mobility centre that you could go and try out some different chairs and get some proper advice?

I love Yarm, but sadly haven't able to park on the high street let alone wheel along it!

Thanks @HubrisPolice . I've got my current chair for another year yet so there's plenty time to find a new one

Apologies to @ManyNameChanges for the thread hi-jack!

Reading this thread with interest. I have a manual chair for bad days, but honestly it's exhausting if I have to self-propel for any length of time. That Dash chair looks great as it's so light. Can I ask about the kerb issue though, how do you find reversing up kerbs? Around me, cars park everywhere on pavements, forcing me to go into the road and around them so often, (but that's a whole other thread). I can just about do this okay in my manual chair with its nice big wheels, but I can see this being an issue with the small wheels on an electric chair. It's so frustrating! A mobility scooter would be better for this but I really need something I can use on buses (my main mode of transport) or fold up to fit into my car boot.

The car parking on pavements means I wouldn't be able to get to the bus stop on my own, if it can't go up and down kerbs, as it's an issue along my entire route of wheeling.

I’m amazed at you all having to but powered chairs. NHS Wales will provide them for those who meet the criteria cognitively and can drive them safely.

now I’ve typed that I’ve realised perhaps you’re all speed demons who drive like hooligans…….

I had a look around and the disability shops here (or the ones I went to) were crap.
i mean one of them started with querying whether I need the EWC…. Well yes I can walk. But then you don’t see me exhausted and unable to have a shower the day after….

It's a bit further to travel, but have you tried the North East Mobility Warehouse in South Hetton? They have a large range and are happy for people to test drive in their large shop

@SeensBeens My chair just about copes with low dropped kerbs, but it is a bit of a bump and I have struggled with slightly higher dropped kerbs - I generally plan my route very carefully so that kerbs are as flat as possible. Otherwise I will have to step out of my chair and bump it up the kerb. Parked cars on pavements are also the bane of my life

I'm not in your area, but in my county the local community health run centres and often you can get an assessment. I suspect some, just want your cash!

I started using mine last year and while it felt a huge step, it has been lifechanging. I needed to be able to get mine in and out of the car alone and went for a fitted power hoist in the boot. Which meant the most useful thing turned out to be to talk to the power hoist people, who were brilliant, and when they knew what model of car I had could then give me a list of the power chairs that would work with a hoist in that car, and I chose from that list. My current chair is an Igo, which is great for current need of inside work/shopping, but my next one will have to be one that's more resilient over outside/rough ground.

DS uses an Invacare TDX SP which will go virtually anywhere but will not suit your needs at all. But it's a great chair and still going strong (albeit with new batteries) at 12 yrs old.
He tried a folding powerchair but found it couldn't cope with the sort of gradient he routinely accesses in the TDX. That was a scary day!

Hi,

I have a live well mobility which is lightweight chair with lithium batteries. It folds quite well and I can lift it into my car (with a bit of oomph).

It's indoors and road/pavement only really.

I also have a mobility scooter which I've had for years and that really is a pain. Large turning circle, really can't use it inside shops etc. you have to take it to bits to get it in the car. Much bigger range though and it copes with grass/hills better.

I barely used the mobility scooter after a while as it was just such a pain I preferred my manual.

The live well mobility is so much better.

There’s a brilliant charity run assessment centre near us where you can try lots out and get expert advice, there may be one near you. Ours is called William Merritt and I know they have more centres.
We went to a mobility show called the One Show last summer where we could try more out and the Freedom chair definitely stood out as the best all terrain lightweight chair. We ended up sticking with manual for now so we don’t have to change car or get a car boot hoist for the chair, but would get the Freedom if we change our mind.

There are disability equipment fairs held all over the country @ManyNameChanges Maybe going to one of these might help you chose something that will be right for your needs. It's something we are considering doing.

Our wheelchair options are below, and not really what you are after, but thought I'd mention. I have seen a chap walking his dog around the park in his wheelchair with the powered upright front wheel attachment someone else posted and he gets around really well.

My ed has a RGK self propelled wheelchair chair which is very light, and expensive, but she got it at a time the nhs were still giving funding towards these things. She bought a clip on single front wheel as she was finding the little caster wheels were too firm on the ground for her (she has CRPS) and has off road tyres, both help with vibrations. She is loathe to go for a powered option, but I won't be able to help her up hills etc forever, so she will have to go down that route at some point.
Yd currently uses a nhs 'lighter' wheelchair which is lighter than her previous one but she still struggles due to arthritis, JIA, hyper mobility & fibro. She is looking for a super lightweight wheelchair and then looking at powered wheels. But ouch! they are expensive!

It really annoys us that a wheelchair is so much more expensive than buying a car. I understand wheelchairs are more niche but they are so essential for so many people. Literally their legs.

The freedom went over muddy grass, big kerbs and rutted concrete when we tried it at the show. I think it separates into two pieces to put in a car but was still a bit too heavy for me to lift comfortably into a boot

Dh manual is the mobiquip all terrain chair which copes with cobbles

Yes, this is exactly the story for the Dashi too. If there's anything more than 1 inch, it's starting to be a problem.

Reversing up is working so far BUT I've only tried kerbs less than 2 inches. Haven't had much experience yet. The rear-stabilisers might start to catch at 2 inches.

There is a side-road near me which my scooter can manage but which has:

• 1.5 inch kerb
• uneven ground
• v narrow pavement beside garden wall, so v little room to manoeuvre.

The Dashi hates it, though I did get up in the end. It's basically all its weaknesses in one place.

Stepping out of the chair is likely with any very challenging kerb. The stabilisers mean it's also a bit harder to pull up a kerb while standing than a big-wheeled manual. On the other hand it's so light and moves so freely that, in my case, in the end I'll always be able to get it on the pavement by hook or by crook.

I have one of these and it has been the best thing I have purchased. I am entitled to higher rate PIP mobility but decided I didn't want to have that monthly benefit totally swallowed up by motability fees because I had recently purchased a v. new car (ex-demo). I sourced a firm to fit an electronic hoist in the boot of my new car. Then took delivery of the Quickie. It has transformed my life. And, although the cost of the chair itself and the hoist was about £3600, I originally justified the cost by working out that my back mobility pay (from the months it took them to process it!) paid for a fair amount and then six months ongoing PIP paid for the rest. So then I could use the PIP after that 'paid off' time for useful things like cleaning and gardening... But, I was uber lucky in that I was then able to claim quite lot of it back through the Access to Work scheme so it was a total win situation...
store.easylivingmobility.co.uk/shop/powered-wheelchairs/lightweight-folding-powerchairs/quickie-q50-r-electric-wheelchair?gclid=CjwKCAiA85efBhBbEiwAD7oLQNmBQWawWadhvHfrnKjCcsJrCPfpgko33tNu5q1HynO0TldkONgb_RoCJJoQAvD_BwE

I need to add it that it does cope with more 'rugged' terrain like grass, sand etc. and has an excellent battery life. It also folds up very quicklly and easily and fits in the boot of slightly bigger cars.