Selection a wheelchair is a major decision. It is all the more daunting if you are new to the experience. If you've been dreading the moment when it would be necessary, the prospect of having to choose a chair probably feels more like an unpleasant task or maybe a sentence to prison than a shopping adventure.
Perhaps you expect a recovery, so you wonder why you should even bother to get a wheelchair at all. No matter how true it is that you might recover, if your physician is recommending a wheelchair, odds are your mobility will be limited for at least a while. There is still a lot of wisdom in getting the right chair. It will optimize your mobility, minimize your fatigue, keep your spirits up by allowing you to be more active, and protect you from hazards that can result from the wrong chair, including some that can impede your recovery. You will want to maintain the best possible health. The right wheels will help you do exactly that.
The professionals who are advising you will talk with you about many issues and options. They will ask you a lot of questions. They may give you catalogs for a variety of chairs that have all kinds of features to choose from. It will likely seem overwhelming. You might think, "Just sell me a wheelchair!"
The best advice is to relax. This is a process that takes time, and it is extremely important not to rush it. You'll have much to learn and many questions to consider. If you find the right people to work with, they will help you identify the chair that will make it possible for you to have the fullest possible life your disability allows. Inform yourself. Trust your advisors, and trust the process.
This chapter will encourage you to begin shopping for your wheelchair when it is time, explains the roles of those who will advise you, and discusses a typical consultation.
When you need one, you need one
Sometimes there is no question about the necessity of obtaining a wheelchair. For instance, if you are coming from a rehab environment where you have been cared for after a sudden disability, you are more likely to realize the need for a chair and look forward to the process of choosing one.
On the other hand, some people particularly those with a progressive condition may fall into a gray area. You may be having difficulty walking, but are not sure whether it is time to start using a chair. People with conditions such as multiple sclerosis, some of the muscular dystrophies, or Freidrich's Ataxia, for instance, struggle with when the right moment is to adopt a life on wheels.
Your quite appropriate concern is that you might be surrendering what strength and balance you still have by wheeling instead of walking, but keep in mind that using a wheelchair is not an all or nothing decision. The main priority in your decision should be your safety. If walking puts you at risk of a dangerous fall, you should seriously consider whether maintaining strength is worth that risk. (Remember, exercise can help you keep your strength even if you are using a wheelchair.)
Perhaps you expect a recovery, so you wonder why you should even bother to get a wheelchair at all. No matter how true it is that you might recover, if your physician is recommending a wheelchair, odds are your mobility will be limited for at least a while. There is still a lot of wisdom in getting the right chair. It will optimize your mobility, minimize your fatigue, keep your spirits up by allowing you to be more active, and protect you from hazards that can result from the wrong chair, including some that can impede your recovery. You will want to maintain the best possible health. The right wheels will help you do exactly that.
The professionals who are advising you will talk with you about many issues and options. They will ask you a lot of questions. They may give you catalogs for a variety of chairs that have all kinds of features to choose from. It will likely seem overwhelming. You might think, "Just sell me a wheelchair!"
The best advice is to relax. This is a process that takes time, and it is extremely important not to rush it. You'll have much to learn and many questions to consider. If you find the right people to work with, they will help you identify the chair that will make it possible for you to have the fullest possible life your disability allows. Inform yourself. Trust your advisors, and trust the process.
This chapter will encourage you to begin shopping for your wheelchair when it is time, explains the roles of those who will advise you, and discusses a typical consultation.
When you need one, you need one
Sometimes there is no question about the necessity of obtaining a wheelchair. For instance, if you are coming from a rehab environment where you have been cared for after a sudden disability, you are more likely to realize the need for a chair and look forward to the process of choosing one.
On the other hand, some people particularly those with a progressive condition may fall into a gray area. You may be having difficulty walking, but are not sure whether it is time to start using a chair. People with conditions such as multiple sclerosis, some of the muscular dystrophies, or Freidrich's Ataxia, for instance, struggle with when the right moment is to adopt a life on wheels.
Your quite appropriate concern is that you might be surrendering what strength and balance you still have by wheeling instead of walking, but keep in mind that using a wheelchair is not an all or nothing decision. The main priority in your decision should be your safety. If walking puts you at risk of a dangerous fall, you should seriously consider whether maintaining strength is worth that risk. (Remember, exercise can help you keep your strength even if you are using a wheelchair.)