Hi…am at stage that will need wheelchair/scooter when out and about as I am sick off not being in my hubby and 3year olds daughter’s gang!..should I get both as will only b able to use wheelchair when hubby there to push me and local dhss will provide it…I can walk about 50 yards but not well?
I suppose I would suggest a scooter as you can go just where and when you want to. We have a Go Go boot scooter that is quite easy to assemble. However even thought it is light, the lightest bit I find quite heavy. But it does the job.
Have been looking into a Luggie, which seems much neater, smaller but is around £2K?
At least you will be able to be more a part of what is going on when you are out and about. My husband took a lot of persuading before he would admit that he needed a scooter, but he only has me to motivate him, not a 3 year old!
Hope you enjoy it.
Hello Rose 117
Various things to consider such as size of the boot, will other things need to go into the boot as well as wheelchair/buggie, will there be somebody else to lift it out of the boot, will somebody else assembe and disassemble buggie, how much are you prepared to spend, how far do you want to go, are hills included…
The lightest 3 wheeled mobility scooter is Travelscoot, it weighs 18 Kg, costs about £1200 and folds down to size of large golf bag. You buy it from Germany so actual cost depends upon Euro exchange rate. The luggie has been mentioned, it is heavier and more expensive. There are other options on the market but read the blurb very carefully. The battery is the crux, dry cell ones (Lithium Ion) weigh about 2 Kg and size of a carton of 200 cigarettes, Wetcell ones are bigger and heavier, they weigh about 20 Kg +.
If you want to go across fields, muddy tracks, puddles etc then that is another consideration. I write about the Travelscoot on my website, type Travelscoot into the search bar. Also I own one. I think they are good but they have limitations. It suits me & does what I want.
Good luck with the hunt,
Patrick
Hello Rose,may I humbly suggest you get a scooter.I’ve got a road going one and a titchy four wheeler.It is a Heartway Medical Products S34 PIXI.I imagine you’ll find it on Google and all the technical blurb.I’ve had it 12 months with no problems and it’s been on trains,buses, in taxis and broken into bits in the back of cars.I paid £500 from a local dealer and it is the third buggy I’ve bought from him.
Because he must regard me as a good customer he got it a shorter seat stem,which suits me better and the way I’m silly on it sometimes.I can’t do the lifting in and out of the boot,but the battery pack isn’t light,so I reckon if you find one somewhere, it might be best to try the hoying in and out.
It is pink.
Wb
Remember there are other things to consider - which I didn’t. I bought a portable scooter- a Sterling Sapphire 2 - because I wanted something fairly stable and robust which I can use out and about without feeling like I’m going to topple over, plus I wanted us to be able to take it with un the car. In reality, my husband thinks it’ll just about fit in the boot of his Focus, and then only with part of the back seat folded down as well. It’s far too heavy for me to take apart and put back together on my own. Also, we keep it indoors in the hall and had to get a threshold ramp so I can get it in and out without getting a jolt every time, plus thanks to the spasticity in my right arm I can’t always reach the under-seat lever that lets the seat swivel, so although I can get it out of the house I can’t lock the door behind me! I also discovered that a lot of the pavements near where I live are in a bad state of repair, being either far too bumpy or narrow to feel safe. On the plus side, when I do use it it feels good. It has a delta grip for steering so I can drive with either hand which is great, but if I had a bigger budget - and the experience I’ve got now - I’d probably chose something different. I bought it with money that was gifted to me, so had a fixed budget plus other stuff I needed to buy.
Hello hcd,
With the benefit of hindsight … I have no idea how many times I’ve said that. Just occasionally I do get it right first time, Travelscoot is an example but that was more down to good luck than good judgement
Incidentally have you spoken to an OT re the ramp.
Patrick
lf possible - go to your nearest Shopmobility centre and try out the scooters. They nearly always have ‘For Sale’ cards with details of secondhand scooters. l have used scooters for 25yrs - and have had some good bargains. Only once did l purchase a new one.And that was last year when l decided to buy a new Tramper - the previous one - secondhand - l had for 11yrs - and Tramper gave me a good trade-in price for it. l expect you want a smaller one to go in the car. Still get your OT to arrange for you to have a wheelchair - as they are useful to have as well.
F.
l see you can walk about 50yds. Thats much more then l can - but l can get around with my rollator - it has a seat so that l can safely sit down when necessary. l also use it to carry my tea/dinner on it to the table. But l can also get down the garden with it - and put it in the car to use when l got out.
l had a hospital appointment last week. l got dropped of outside the main entrance with my rollator - and l was able to get to out-patients. All the chairs were taken - so l just sat on my rollator.
F
I got both, we use the wheelchair all the time when we go on hoilday and the scooter for days out here, especially when we go shopping as my o/h was always pushing me past things I wanted to look at, not on purpose he said, he he, I really like the scooter because you get that feeling of freedom and independence, good luck, Jean x
I think eventually you end up with all three… rollator, scooter and wheelchair, as they each suit different situations.
I use rollator when going in taxi or car as scooter is too big. Scooter for all local stuff (it’s the best thing I ever bought!), and am in process of getting wheelchair as when I go on little trips I can no longer manage.
In your situation I would definitely advise scooter. You can go at the same speed as your family (and faster!) and they give you full independence with no one having to push you. Lots of small ones on the market now which fold and fit into car boots.
Have a good look at different ones on internet. Campion’s idea of trying them out at Motorbility is good. Don’t impluse buy. Consider all options. Where will you charge it? Where will you keep it? Do you only want it for town where there are good pavements and kerb drops (hopefully!) or for more rugged terrain?
When you do get it, insure it against theft and in case you cause an accident. Lots of good insurance schemes around.
Good luck… it will change your life!
Pat x
Just an idea, most big towns have a shopmobility, I use one when I go to Eastbourne and I hire a scooter for the day it only costs £4 for the full day they also have wheelchairs, you could try a scooter and a wheelchair. I would suggest that you try them for a full day out each to get a true picture of which suits you best, I know I would hate for someone to be pushing me in a chair when I wanted to windowshop. I have a class 3 scooter at home as I like my independence.
Hi
You do need to consider what is right for YOU.
You say that you can have a wheelchair provided so it would seem that you’ve nothing to lose by getting it.
If you are also considering getting a scooter. The most important question is what do you want it for? The more portable the scooter the less well it will cope with uneven terrain. You may also need to consider your car boot size and who will get it in or out.
At the moment the scooter gives me more independance than a wheelchair as I am not reliant on others to push me but that may change.
I have two scooters one that goes in the car boot (but I couldn’t dismantle and put it in myself) and another more sturdy one, which wouldn’t go in the car boot, for local use.
Using a scooter has given me so much more independance, I would thoroughly recomend getting one.
x
My children were 1 and 4 when my husband accepted the need for mobility!! We started with me pushing him - that quickly turned into me ushing him and the youngest, then him and both of the kids! My husband wasn’t a heavyweight but he had a couple of stones on me, plus the extra few for the kids - it did kill me pushing him all day if I’m honest!
So, definitely go for something which can go under it’s own steam. My husband also hated being pushed past things, without me asking whether he wanted to stop and look - and the fact that he felt completely marooned and vulnerable if I so much as needed a wee!
So, we got an electric wheelchair with a wheelchair hoist for the car. It fitted into our CRV without the loss of rear seats, and left room for the buggy and a week’s luggage when we went away (just about). Best thing we ever did. IF we went up the park, he could chase after the kids, he could browse in shops at his own pace, and he was quite happy meandering with the kids solo (not near main roads though, although he did once take them to the shops on his own). The batteries/motor are VERY heavy though, and you do need the hoist (which against all regulations and advice, I shall covertly tell you is easy enough for a 3 year old to operate!)
Hi again,
This was launched today! You put in all your details and they recommend scooters just to suit you!
http://www.ukmobilityscooter.co.uk/which-mobility-scooter/
Pat x