Getting around in a wheelchair can really make a senior’s life so much easier and more comfortable. Not having to walk or get up when it’s difficult, besides it is easy, is also safer. When a senior walk and have trouble, they risk falling which studies show has increased in the last few years.
So when a senior gets into this type of situation, it is smart to be in a wheelchair. However, the question is, what type of wheelchair. The two people to keep in mind when purchasing a wheelchair are the patient and the person pushing it.
Lots of times, the person who has to push the manual wheelchair is overlooked. And sometimes it can even be a spouse of the senior where it might not be that easy to push to begin with. So a few things to keep in mind is, to purchase manual wheelchairs, which makes things so much easier when having to get them in and out of a car.
Making sure it is also lightweight can make it that much easier. Some wheelchairs come with added accessories, if it’s not needed, then there’s no reason to have them, as it just makes it more difficult for the person having to get it in and out of a car.
But obviously, the number one concern is the patient themselves. Making sure they have the right size is of absolute importance. Having the correct leg rests as well as the correct armrests, will make all the difference in the patient’s comfortability.
There are elevated leg rests or swing-away leg rests as well as full-length armrests or desk arms. An extremely important thing to keep in mind is the seat. If the patent will be sitting for long periods of time, a good comfortable cushion is highly recommended to avoid sores.