Wheelchairs Galore Online

Ten years ago, if you were in the market for a good wheelchair for an invalid household member, your best bets are those medical equipment stores and the broadsheet classified ads offering both new and used wheelchairs for sale. These days, you have the internet where you can do your shopping right form the comfort of your home. The classified ads are still there of course, but you can also access online classified ads. If you’re in the market for good value pre-owned or second hand wheelchairs, the internet also has them.

Wheelchairs have gone a long way to where they are. Most wheelchairs go beyond the said hospital look and have combined ergonomic aesthetics with the functionality afforded by newer lighter materials and more sophisticated construction.

The conveniences allowed by direct-driving high torque motors and the advances in rechargeable batteries have found their way in electric wheelchairs for sale, both new and used.

For many invalids, owning an EPW or electric-powered wheelchair is now a necessity as they bring not only a higher level of mobility that allows the handicap to go further without tiring easily, they provide some degree of independence allowing them easy and responsive self-maneuverability that is difficult in manual wheelchairs or impossible for some.

Quadriplegics and paralytics from the neck down would not be able to navigate on their own, but with specialized devices that allow their chin or mouth to control a motorized wheelchair, what used to be impossible is now a reality.

It is to these special cases of total motor skill incapacitation that a new breed of wheelchairs has started to make their dent on the market. Called smart wheelchairs, they employ computers and sensors governed by Artificial Intelligence-based application often used in robotics.

The more sophisticated ones also have sonar, infrared and laser rangefinders to ensure the wheelchair will never have to collide with any object no matter how clumsy the rider’s control gets. They can also use small cameras to visually detect landmarks and obstacles to assist in steerage. It can be said that very soon, the most sophisticated wheelchair could very well impart near-robotic qualities to the rider.

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A short History

A lot of disabled persons take their wheelchairs for granted; little do they know that it has a rich history dating back to the ancient Chinese of the 6th century. Its invention in more recent times has been credited to no less than King Philip II of Spain. There were drawings of the king showing him in a chair with wheels, armrests and footrests.

While not anywhere near the common wheelchair we’ve come to expect, it looked more like a baby’s high chair being pushed by a nurse. But it provided the mechanical seeds for the modern wheelchair which was more an evolution from a cruder invention by John Davidson of England back in 1783.

It allowed crippled occupants to steer they way using a third wheel. During the 19th century, wheelchairs evolved where the occupant can turn the wheel with their hands. Finally in 1881, a second concentric rim was added to each wheel that allowed the rider to turn the wheel without getting their hands dirtied. 20th century wheelchairs further evolved to have more comfortable user adjustable arm and foot rests and constructed with lighter aluminum materials.

What You Have Today

You now have manual wheelchairs for sale from just about every medical stores and online merchants. They come in various sizes and sport features that attain a level of portability and ease of storage that were not possible before. Vans, cars, SUVs have wheelchair ramp tracks that can be attached and deployed to allow easy ingress and egress to these private vehicles.

In addition, you have airlines, ships, trains and buses that deploy pneumatic or hydraulic lifts that hoist wheelchair-bound passengers to access any of these modes of transport. Public parks and places, malls and buildings employ concrete wheelchair ramps with rails that make mobility a lot more convenient for wheelchair users.
Mobility gears like wheelchairs have indeed evolved with greater sophistication that when paired with road and street infrastructures as well as transportation facilities that can accommodate them, have elevated the mobility freedoms of the disabled that could not be enjoyed before.

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Not for Everyone

People often have the mistaken notion that second hand medical equipment exudes some kind of negative aura especially if they came from patients who have passed away using them.

For those who are squeamish about this, second disability aid may not be for them. Otherwise, a thorough disinfecting and reconditioning have been known to restore many used wheelchairs to top condition with only a fraction of the cost of new units. They provide the best value for you money.

Admittedly, not all second hand wheelchairs can fit your requirement. If they came from quadriplegics with special chin or mouth controls for control movement, they may not address the more generic needs of paraplegics who just need joysticks to navigate, and vice versa.

Considerations when Choosing

Shopping for one is no different from shopping for a used car or appliance and can bring you to a used wheelchair dealer, a private home of friends or from classified ads. Online merchants that offer used wheelchairs for sale abound. Once you’ve found the right wheelchair for your needs, be sure to check the often-used parts, like the wheels and the seat upholstery or fabric, and folding mechanism.

If they are electric powered, then you need to check for the motor condition, brakes, and the batteries. These 4-5 ampere deep cycle rechargeable batteries do not last long with repeated recharging and use. 2-3 years of use is often tops and you’d need to replace them. You can check how well conditioned the motor is by its responsiveness to the controls. A quick response often indicates good motor condition. You also need to look into the condition of the seats as well as the restraining harnesses or seat belts if still working. They are necessary if the wheelchair is for kids or those with difficulty controlling body movement that may case them to slip and fall sideways or forwards.

Lastly, check with your health insurance to get the maximum coverage. They are known to shoulder as much as 80% of the cost of wheelchairs if medically prescribed, whether new or used. Check as well with friends and relatives who have had a household member outgrown the need for one and you may end with a free used wheelchair as a hand-me-down.

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Paraplegics and feeble elderly folks consider wheelchairs and mobility scooters as their second legs just as visually impaired people consider their prescription spectacles as their second set of eyes.

When Wheelchair Rental Becomes Necessary

Patients recovering from a debilitating illness or injury that compromises their mobility can opt to use wheelchairs instead of crutches or walkers in the early stages of recovery when they are still too weak to manage.

Temporary situations like this are best addressed renting a wheelchair than buying one even if used. Online merchants abound offering wheelchair rental online. You may also consider checking with friends and relatives who have one stored away after a handicapped member who has outgrown the need. They may even lend it entirely for free.

Among wheelchair users, it is not uncommon to encounter problems that require wheelchairs to be taken out of commission for extended days undergoing repairs. This is prevalent with more complex electric powered wheelchairs where a failed motor or brakes can render them unusable or dangerous to continue using. Unless they have a second wheelchair as back-up, they may have no other option than to rent one.

The internet is full of online merchants offering electric wheelchairs rental options apart from being on sale, both new and used. Deliveries to their homes can be done and they can have their mobility support while waiting to complete the repairs on their own wheelchairs.

With a wheelchair as part of your lifestyle, there could be occasions when you need to look your best. Weddings, anniversaries or gala premier nights may require your attendance in a tuxedo or anything out of your usual denims and t-shirt.

Your overused wheelchair will certainly look out of place with you in a tuxedo. In times like these, you could rent one of those hip looking electric power wheelchairs with ergonomic seats elegantly styled with unobtrusive set of motorized wheels. Check your online wheelchair resources for an electric wheelchair rental you can enjoy for a day or two.

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lightweight wheelchairs also make it less stressful for the private nurse of caregiver in moving it around the house. And for invalids who prefer independence rather than being pushed around, lightweight wheelchairs are the most maneuverable. If the invalid is a kid with relatively weaker upper muscles in the arms to navigate one, lightweight is the most suitable.

But if the most mobility is what you need which would take the invalid outdoors and visit places and buildings, then it makes sense to go for a folding wheelchair that can make it make it easy to fold away the wheelchair for convenient storage in the trunk of a car of the rear of a van. It will also help you get a portable wheelchair ramp to help your invalid navigate his way over uneven elevation apart from alighting or getting into vans and cars.

Things to Consider

With space-age materials like Kevlar and aluminum that are both sturdy and light, you can have a lightweight folding wheelchair that’s constructed like lightweight racer bikes that are as easy to carry as they are to store. Monocoque frames that are not foldable or collapsible are lighter, of course, as they don’t have the added weight of folding mechanisms. But when talking about lightweight wheelchairs, these don’t matter when the benefit of easy storage can get higher priority.

Portability is the main consideration for their collapsibility but be prepared to provide more maintenance care as there are more movable parts in them. Most folding types can be easily handled by the ambulatory-challenged person as most types are foldable from the middle which makes it easy to collapse a wheelchair like an accordion. If your patient has reasonably strong upper muscles and arms to handle a collapsible wheelchair, get a lightweight version as they address both easy storage and deployment.

Banish any misconception that lightweight collapsible wheelchairs are not as sturdy or as durable as standard steel-framed wheelchairs. They have been designed with portability and strength in mind and can withstand the rigors of daily use. Of course, there are wheelchairs of various sizes and material strengths so it would be wise to know the weight and height of the person using it as that can also help determine the right folding wheelchair dimension you need.

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This is where the benefit of EPWs or electric-powered wheelchairs become a great advantage for many invalids who are otherwise able bodied enough to take care of themselves. These EPWs even come with wheelchair accessories that can make one useful for supporting their private needs independently.

Extending Comfort and Convenience in Mobility to Everyone

Just about all EPWs can be custom-rigged to suit the specific needs of an invalid. They can be designed to get around with easy controls for navigating the chair. Joysticks remain the most common feature for generic EPWs that even the blind can use. Even quadriplegics and those paralyzed from the neck down can be provided with suitable controls from the chin or mouth to control an EPW, giving them real independent mobility.

Unlike conventional manual wheelchairs, most EPWs are designed to have the most comfortable ergonomic seats. Headrests and backrests can be angled to suit your body preference. Legrests and footrests can likewise be raised or lowered according to your preference.

They are often packaged with a host of wheelchair accessories. Bags and tray baskets of varying sizes can be attached on the sides for easy access when using one to go shopping at your nearest convenience store.

Recognizing the needs of the young disabled, there are also wheelchair accessories for kids like straps and harnesses that secure kids to the seats. Belts and harness accessories are important to ensure the safety of kids whose ambulatory impairments may also cause poor body control that can cause them to slip and fall sideways or forwards.

Standard seatbelts on most EPWs may be adequate for the safety or comfort of the handicap child and may require added harness support. There are, however, special EPWs using alternatives to child safety such as tilt-in-space and postural support management structures.

There are also school bag attachments and side tables so the kid doesn’t have to leave the EPW while attending classes. You can also have attachments for a laptop PC. You can even have your headrests customized to include surround headsets for music listening from your iPods.

These EPW accessories may push the EPW price up but they can often provide the added safety and comfort features that can address specific requirements of different handicap persons.

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Paraplegics who have strong upper body muscles for coordinated movements of the upper limbs are often prescribed with mobility chair options using conventional manual wheelchairs.

The more severe non-ambulatory cases like quadriplegics and paralytics from the neck down who have lost upper limb control are best prescribed with motorized wheelchairs or scooters if they prefer to maintain some degree of independence in moving around.

The choice may often be determined in terms of practicality considering that an electric-powered mobility chair can cost more and severely disabled persons still need to spend for private nurses or caregivers anyway.

The industry for mobility aids on wheels covers just about every conceivable mobility needs of disabled persons, ranging from the simplest manual contraptions to the most sophistication and custom-configured EPWs and mobility scooters. The range of sophistication will definitely create cost variances.

Financing an EPW

Powered mobility aids such as EPWs and scooters are getting more popular these days. While most Medicare or health insurances do not cover them if not prescribed by the doctors are a requirement to support mobility, many who can afford prefer to use powered chairs.

But even if you can’t afford, you can always look for used or second-hand mobility chairs, powered or not. Just don’t be too squeamish about using wheelchair or scooters from previous owners who have passed away.

When fully restored or reconditioned they offer the best value for money. A thorough job at disinfecting them can banish any fear that the illness of the over owner will rub on you. In most cases, ambulatory cases are seldom contagious.

The first thing to consider when getting one is to check with your insurance or Medicare benefits if you can be entitled to charging a purchase against it. Bear in mind that Medicare will shoulder 80% of the approved amount once certain criteria are met before purchasing one.

This applies to both brand new and used mobility wheels. Check online merchants offering great discounts and pre-owned wheelchairs and scooters. Alternatively, you can wait for sale ads on your broadsheet classified section as families disposing one offer the best value.

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While the traditional medical crutches and wheelchairs have remained the main mobility aids for invalids, there are now power chairs or electric powered wheelchairs (EPWs) that make these aids a lot more convenient to use to bring the disabled to the level of 21st century lifestyles.

Looking for the Right EPWs

Unlike early power wheelchairs, most power chairs for sale use ergonomics with anatomically correct posture chairs that can be custom-rigged to accommodate even medical cases of problematic spinal conditions. They are often equipped with motors to power push-button tilting, recline, seat and leg elevation and other adjustments that enhance rider comfort. There are various options and accessories as well that allows them to be customized to the specific medical needs of non-ambulatory patients across all ages.

Paraplegics and blind people can operate them using the standard navigational joysticks. More severe cases like quadriplegics or those with weak upper body muscles can operate EPWs using chin or mouth controls.

Needless to day, these special controls bring power chair prices to astronomic heights. Prospective buyers are advised to check with their medical or health insurances if they are covered to reduce their upfront costs. Otherwise, there are alternative sources like used or pre-owned EPWs that promise better value for the money.

Maintenance Work

But like any motorized contraptions, EPWs need regular maintenance to ensure that the safety and comfort of the handicap are not compromised in any way. All EPWs use direct-drive electric motors to move around and are powered by one or more 4-5 amp deep-cycle batteries than can be recharged from the house AC sockets.
The more sophisticated models have small motors, hydraulics or pneumatics than can adjust the seat recline, height, tile, etc and they well need regular maintenance as well.

It may be wise to get a back-up manual wheelchair stashed in the closet in case your EPWs need extend maintenance work in a repair shop specializing in them. Invalids moving into these powered wheelchairs are advised not to dispose of any previous wheelchairs they may have and use them as back-up.

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For many others with medical and physical conditions where coordinated muscle control from the shoulders to the hands can’t be done to safely navigate your way around, these self-powered electric wheelchairs can be a big help.

More commonly referred to as Electric Powered Wheelchairs or EPWs, this makes it possible for patients to move around while enjoying independence from being wheeled by private curses or caregivers.

Features to Suite Special Needs

There are generic EPWs with basically 3-4 front-wheel, center or rear-wheel driven chairs using direct-driving motors powered by rechargeable batteries that you can charge overnight from your home wall socket. They come in various ergonomic designs and handling features from the large and powerful to the foldable portable types that you can store in the trunk.

Controlling their navigational features also varies depending on the special medical and physical needs of the handicapped rider. A joystick is the most common, generally employed in so-called generic EPWs that the blind can use.

Keypads can also be used for those who can only use their fingers and there are chin and mouth controls for quadriplegics and paralytics from the neck down like the one used by deceased Superman actor Christopher Reeves.

Needless to say, the more sophisticated or customized an EPW gets, the more expensive it becomes.

Who gets to enjoy one?

A handicapped person with full functioning upper torso and limbs strong enough to control a manual wheelchair may not get insurance or Medicare coverage of an EPW. Unless it can be medically shown that you don’t have the strength to do so, Medicare will shoulder any part of a motorized wheelchair cost.

But the modern conveniences of the 21st century often won’t escape lifestyles and that includes disabled people who can afford. Admittedly, these EPWs can be prohibitively expensive and Medicare is only allowed to shoulder the necessities in support of legislated mobility freedoms.

For those who can’t be covered by their health insurance, then have the option of getting used EPWs or take advantage of the many motorized wheelchair rentals available online.

Renting one is often advised on certain occasions when an otherwise healthy invalid needs to look his or her best without showing the stress of navigating a manual. Birthdays, weddings, gala premiere nights, etc. can occasion a good reason to rent an EPW.

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And for many who prefer independence from personal nurses or caregivers moving their wheelchairs, the more apt option is to get one of those self-powered motorized wheelchairs or more commonly known in the industry as EPWs, short for Electric-Powered Wheelchairs.

Things to Consider

An EPW has electro-mechanical parts consisting of the rechargeable battery that powers the motors to drive the wheels directly or indirectly using belts. They are easily maneuvered allowing you to drive forwards, backwards, even sideways as well as diagonally.

They can also be turned around on the spot while in motion. A simple joystick on the armrest allows you to navigate one. Older motorized wheelchairs for sale use belts to drive the wheels but modern ones are direct and require less maintenance as there’d be no need to replace these belts.

Prices vary according to the level of sophistication from the cheapest basic EPW using standard joystick to the more expensive versions that are custom made to support special needs of patients where joysticks cannot be used. Quadriplegics and those with severe spinal injuries from the neck down as well as those with neuromuscular dystrophy that render the upper limbs or wrists to have coordinated wrist control are better served with alternate means to control an EPW.
Financing your Wheelchair

One of the first things to consider when getting one is to check with your Medicare benefits if you can be entitled to charging a purchase against it. Bear in mind that Medicare will shoulder 80% of the approved amount once certain criteria are met before purchasing a disability aid.

It is not uncommon that EPWs are considered frivolous for some non-ambulatory conditions which may disapprove your application. When this happens, it’s good to know there are used motorized wheelchairs in the market. They are often well maintained as the families that own them for their disabled household member are very meticulous to ensure they are in top operating condition.

But just like any used electro-mechanical device, care and due diligence should be exercised in purchasing pre-owned EPWs. For the most part, be prepared to replace the rechargeable batteries as they are often the first to go with regular use over the years.

Pre-owned EPWs may not have the controls suited for the user and you may have to wait until the right one comes along. Patience is critical.

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