Hello again.
i think I need a powered wheelchair for outside use. Well actually I don’t think I know. I think maybe Motability may be the way to go. I can’t afford to buy one outright.
So, any suggestions, advice, recommendations or comments please?
Yes you just know when the time comes don’t you? 
Here in the Irish republic, I was blessed to be given a reconditioned Spectra by the health board. I didn’t want it at the time. Wasn’t ready to accept the need for it. My ot sort of pushed it to me. Now, boy am I grateful to have it!
It’s quite a bit smaller, tidier,than some of the tanks I have seen. Husband moved the control pad to the opposite side for me as I found the vibration made my weak right hand worse. I love it. I can’t think of any advice really.
Hi Flowerpot,
I have an Invacare - TDX2 NB - Modulite Configured M50 from Motability and they are very good.
I had to get one owing to keep on getting sores on me bum. The chair was superb for taking pressure off me bum as it reclined
I know it’s a little more inconvenient at first but the wheelchair services have more or less the and free regular servicing. So is Motability free servicing but my supplier was a little hit and miss and it costs nothing from W/S. Motability are £56.26 per week from my DLA.
I’ve absolutely ruined my house, taking gouges out walls and one door i have destroyed; but that’s me.
George
Thanks. I won’t be using it indoors. I’ve got a small powered one which I was given, which I use indoors. It’s very manoeuvrable, but doesn’t do inadequately dropped kerbs and won’t take me far.
Most of The chunks missing from our door frames and gouges out of skirting boards are thanks to my husband pushing the attendant push wheelchair!
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Hi Flower. Can I ask what make is the small one you use indoors? I’m struggling with my walker these days, but as we live in a shoebox(!) I can’t see anything that will do for indoors.
Hi Flowerpot,
Typical women reaction; blame it on the man/lol…
Tell me is he Bill or Ben?/lol
George
Hi Eve
I always remember Poll (Boudica) saying she wished she’d not got a power chair from Motability, because it ended up costing her loads more than if she’d bought it, and then after a few years it still didn’t belong to her.
So make sure you do the research before you get a chair from Motability. See what the equivalent chair would cost if you were to buy it (factor in servicing etc) and what it will cost you in PIP.
Hopefully you’ll get a better deal than she did.
Sue
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Hi
I have a powered chair through the NHS which is free of charge.
I had to meet there criteria and a home visit.
Try talking to your MS nurse or refer yourself to your Occupational Therapist.
Ronin.
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I too live in a shoebox! Sorry I don’t know what make it is. I was fortunate enough to have it given to me by someone who no longer used it. I was surprised at how manoeuvrable it is. I’m away from home for a few days, but if it’ll help I’ll take a photo of it when I’m home and if you pm me your email address I can send the photo. I can’t work out how to attach photos on here.
Thanks I’ll bear that in mind.
My experience of getting funding for anything through OT and NHS has not been very fruitful.
In the event of getting funding there’s a waiting list. I’ve a friend who’s been waiting years for a powered wheelchair.
The last OT I saw not very helpfully suggested “if you can get funding there’s a waiting list so you might as well buy it yourself”
Thank you. That might be helpful. 
My local wheelchair services gave me an assessment for a powered chair. Basically, they provide powered chairs for people who need them both inside and outside only. If you can manage round the house with a manual, then you won’t get a power chair. (At the time I had quite bad shoulder injuries from leaning too hard on a walker and self propelling round the house, so qualified.) They showed me their power chairs. The only kind they provide. My life would end up so restricted if I was living in one of those. My house isn’t tiny, but neither is it huge (the bashes into doorways and walls are pretty much my own doing!).
Luckily my shoulder got better. If I needed a power chair, I’d have to buy one, we already have a Motability car!
There’s no way I’d make myself even more disabled by using one of their chairs. The self propelling model they provide is OK. And we cope with that.
Sue