Anyone knows wheelchairs, specifically power assisted but operated by the carer

[YogaLite]

We are looking to upgrade my adult ds manual wheelchair because we are starting to struggle.

The council wheelchair services don't offer power assisted wheelchairs operated by a carer.

Does anyone know whether any help is available to get one or even hire one apart from buying outright ourselves - they cost ££££ so massive expenditure.

I’d try to through health again after all it is impacting on his choices of where you can manage to take him.

This sounds very odd that WCS (NHS, not council) wouldn't supply an attendant controlled powerchair, unless they don't consider he needs a powerchair at all of course, and that can be down to where he is using it rather than actual 'need'!

Many power chairs can have the controls placed on the back or dual controlled and you can get power add ons and attendant controls for manual chairs too - they do tend to be very pricey and quite bulky though.

I personally wouldn’t expect WCS to fund a carer driven powerchair - my local one only funds powerchairs if the user can drive it themselves (they regularly assess to be sure the user is still safe) and if they need to use it at all times including at home for a minimum of 6 months.
It’s apparently not the same everywhere but most areas have similar criteria.

@MichaelBurnhamFan, that's exactly what ours say.
Which makes me think that there must be another place to apply because usually the person who can't operate it themselves are more severely affected. A lot of these places talk about independence but mine is not going to ever be independent so how do they expect us to carry on I wonder.

We haven't yet been formally assessed for the wheelchair, I only got it a few years ago in a hurry through a local charity after I fell over trying to support ds outside.

I have contacted social services and waiting to hear. Also waiting for some other (unrelated) appointments in between all that.

The handles on our current wheelchair are not adjustable and the surfaces are never really totally level so any ramps etc mean I bend pushing it.

@YogaLite it sounds like it would be worth being assessed by wheelchair services then - even if all they give is a more appropriate manual that might help? And a personal wheelchair budget might be an option.

I was offered an attendant push manual chair by WCS, and had I been able to fit one in my home, would have been offered the power chair.

The criteria here (west midlands) is that you need to use a power chair inside your home, whether thats independently or for a carer to move you around.

To get a chair with outdoor capabilities (and that would only be an indoor/outdoor chair, never an outdoor/indoor...) you'd also have to prove you needed it for accessing work/education. They do not take the need to shop, socialise, get out etc, as a qualifying factor.

I declined, the bariatric chairs were too wide, and totally useless, neither me or DP could propel either and neither could be used in my house. I took a voucher and got an active style manual and then 'upgraded' (downgraded mobility wise) to a self propel power chair 5 years later via WCS.

They should take carer needs into consideration though, so do get a referral via your GP, though don't bank on getting anywhere with it quickly, some places are taking a year to see people and then a further 6+ weeks to get a chair, longer if you have to get a voucher and find a private supplier and fund the extra yourself.

Thank you @WiddlinDiddlin, we are in the south. I wonder whether attending a day centre would count. My ds condition is progressive so and although at the moment he can still just about move around the house (with occasional falls), we will need to use the wheelchair inside in the near future if he has a really bad fall.

We are on a waiting list for other specialists via GP so this would be another one.

@MichaelBurnhamFan, thank you, i will bear that in mind when talking to GP