Help! What to look for in a powerchair??

[AO]

Hey guys, help please!

I need to get a power chair to drive my van from as I'm too unstable driving from my manual chair but I don't have a clue what I should be looking for as I've never been out of a manual.
The vendor started asking if I want front, mid or rear drive..
All I need is a very minimalist looking chair thats stable, small & maneuverable enough to use in a van.

Any advice is going to help.


Phil.

[Rbrauer]

PHil..

Not sure if it's a chair issue, or more a 'secure' issue. Is your current chair locked/clamped into place when in the van?

Rick

[spinky88]

hi phil,
i have been in a power chair for 12 years as of may 5. i just got my third one so maybe i can offer a bit of help.

first of all, shop carefully. my first chair, i had no idea how to go about it and just went with the first place i was told to go. they ended up charging 4000. more than other places had the chair for, but i was naive and didnt think there would be such a difference in prices. luckily for me, that first chair was provided by our state rehab as i was still able to work then and they were helping me to keep my job.

power chairs are as vastly different as they can possibly be. they come with different backs, different type leg rests, different type arm rests...the list goes on and on. a good salesman will talk to you and find out your needs and get input from your doc too. my last chair, i had to have a pt evaluation and my salesman went with me to hear what he had to say and talk to him about my specific needs. if you can find a salesman like that, you have found a real gem. (i dont know your location, but if you happen to be in southern va or in nc...pm me and i will hook you up with my guy)

since you have never used a power chair, i would suggest you find a place and go in and try out a few chairs. that will give you a basic idea of the difference. pay real close attention to how the chair fits and if the seat or back isnt right, they have tons of options and can change those out to the right one. they can mount the hand controls on either side, and of course if you can not use hand contols they have other options.

one special concern for me is always leg rests. i swell profusely and i have to be able to lift one leg or the other and some times both. some power chairs do not have adjustable leg rests. some have a center post and you have to lift both at the same time to the same height. my old chair had manual leg rest but my new one has motorized ones and all i have to do is push a button to lift or lower my legs.

power chairs come in different heights too. this was a concern for us because my new chair with its options was taller than my old one which barely fit into our excursion. in the end, my husband cut the canes off of the back and finished the handles off and made it fit. our salesman and my husband talked several times on the phone about how to modify it to make it fit so we didnt have to buy a new vehicle.

power chairs also have different speed capabilities. i like to be able to go fast! lol so i always ask about how fast the chair will go. they also have different levels of travel....like...some will go further on a charge than others and for us, one mile more is good.

as far as whether you want back wheel drive or center wheel drive, that is mainly determined by your lifestyle. some chairs are meant for more indoor use...paved surfaces...i guess easier travel. other chairs do that and also can handle uneven surfaces and allow you to do more outdoor things. this was a concern for me as we enjoy going to outdoor festivals, flea markets, things like that. i had to be sure my chair would go through areas like that and not get stuck in every little rut. there are some power chairs that can do even more aggressive terrain than i would need. so talk to your guy about where you go and what you do and how you need for your chair to perform.

the driving wheel also has a lot of control over how you take corners. i really love my new one...it is a TDX SP by Invacare. you can go to invacare.com and look at their chairs there to get some ideas. of course there are lots of other brands too. a basic chair would not be as expensive as mine but it all depends on your needs.

one thing that is important to me that i will pass along. it is horrible when you are out and your chair gives out of battery power. if we go out for a long day and i know i am going to be using a lot of battery power, we take an extra set of charged batteries. my last chair had the power level checked with...a green light came on at fully charged....when it hit orange you need to think about getting back to the car and when it hit red...you better be almost back to the car or you were sad out of luck.

i hated that because i never knew how close i was to the orange. they make controls with power indicator lights much like a car gas tank..well sorta...it counts down by bars. on my new chair i told him i ONLY want one that counts down by bars so i know how much i have left. so my new one has a little square that is sectioned off into little bars and as i use up my battery, it does down one bar at the time. that way i know how much i have used and how much i have left without having to wait until i am almost gone and see the warning light. this is a real important feature to me as i hate to give out and have to be pushed.

also on a power chair you will have to pick out a seat cushion. there are several types. there is foam which is not good for me and i doubt it would be a good option for most people but others might tell you differently. there is one good one called rojo which is filled with little bubbles of air. the cushion is sectioned off and you use a pump to keep it pumped up to the right useage for you. this helps to guard against pressure sores. there is also a gel seat. i understand they are pretty good but i have never used one. there could be other types but i am not familiar with them.

just so you know...if you dont...all chairs i have had use two batteries. your chair comes with those and a battery charger. when those give out, dont try to substitute car batteries to save money. it can ruin your chair...i have heard that over and over. the batteries on mine usually out last what they tell me they will go..longest mine lasted was around 3 years, but that is a record for me! two of those cost about 300. but insurance will cover that. you need to look at the way the batteries are installed. i have had 3 different chairs and all three had different access. this new one has the best as the batteries slide forward for easier access. my last one the seat released and tilted back to a point so you had to sorta lift them out from under the seat a bit. not a big deal but this one is easier.

i am sure there is a ton of other info you need and there are many here better to help you than i am, but i thought i would tell you some of what i look for in a power chair. i hope this helps some.

best advice i can give you is to find a really good company to deal with and a salesman you can trust. anyone can sell a chair but if you can find someone who genuinely cares about his clients you have half the battle won. you also need someone who will work diligently with insurance or medicare/medcaid to get the most paid as possible.

good luck in your search. take your time and find the right chair for you!

[forestranger52]

Front wheel drive if you are ever leaving the pavement. Plus they track better (steer straight) and turn tighter. The Invacare and Permobil chairs are good.
I have a TufTec Omegatrac but you will not need one of those.

[AO]

Thanks a million for the replies.
I'll take this info and try some out!

[leschinsky]

read this thread AO, it covers a lot of questions I had when I picked my new chair a Quickie P220. It's lightweight and relatively minimalist. When I take off quickly in my van the wheels come up a little but I use an ez lock to secure me.