Tag: power chair

How A Power Wheelchair Can Benefit Your Life

So what can a power chair do for me?

  • Have you ever wondered if a power wheelchair can actually be beneficial to your life?
  • In this article users will see how an electric wheelchair can benefit your life and also give you a further look into why you should purchase a power wheelchair if you have not already.

The Benefits of Power Wheelchairs

With such a large selection of power wheelchairs available with different options and features, some may say to themselves, how a mobility scooter can benefit your life?

One benefit all electric wheelchairs provide is comfort for users that have a hard time standing up or walking for long periods of time. Using a power chair will help users find an easier way of transporting themselves.

A great secondary option to avoid constant standing or walking when traveling is owning a vehicle lift. With a vehicle lift installed on your vehicle, you can bring your electric wheelchair almost anywhere traveling.

Another great example is the benefit of owning either a foldable or travel power wheelchair. Folding power wheelchairs are normally designed to be extremely light and easy to store away by simply folding up and travel power wheelchairs are usually very light and easy to break down into smaller parts, making them very easy to assemble or disassemble and store away for travel purposes.

These options help make it very easy and beneficial for users looking to use a power wheelchair while traveling away from home. Both styles of power wheelchairs take up little room when storing away making these power chairs very beneficial for users that cannot afford a vehicle lift or for those that plan on traveling on a cruise or by plane.

Another great benefit of handicap power chairs would pertain to the full size or heavy duty models. These types of models tend to weigh a lot more than travel or folding electric wheelchairs and because of this they usually have more power. Full size power wheelchairs tend to have great reliability and drive range allowing users to go to a much further distance helping users who may need to use a electric wheelchair to get around town and they’re depending on there chair to take them where they go.

They are also designed to provide more comfort and space due to more arm space and there larger seats for users to sit in. Another great benefit of both full size and heavy duty power chairs is the fact that they can support an above average sized body weight supporting in some cases almost double that of travel or folding power chairs. For example some models can support up to a 600 lb weight capacity and are equipped with seat width options between 20″ to 30″ making it great for users that are fit to users that are an above average size.

Another benefit of a power chair for those that look to get around very quickly, is the speed of mobility power-chairs with speeds going as fast as 8 mph. Users not only feel insured about there power chairs performance but also its unique style and looks. Overall you will find after using a power wheelchair for the first few times that it is a more convenient and beneficial piece of machinery to use when trying to get around.

In case you would like to view our wide selection, all of our power wheelchairs are available to view online. If you can’t find a power-chair that meets your specifications, contact us via phone (025-24656), email [email protected] or try our new live-chat option available 7 days a week.

Tips for wheelchair and Scooter Users

 

  1. Remove loose carpets and rugs. Especially if you have hardwood or tile floors, loose floor coverings can be a frustrating obstacle for wheelchairs and scooters. Removing them obviously doesn’t cost anything, and it can make a big difference in your ability to easily navigate your home.  Alternatively, an adhesive backing can be used to hold rugs in place.

 

  1. Move furniture to accommodate your mobility device. This seems obvious, but many people don’t know just how much room is needed for their mobility device.  As a general rule, arrange furniture to allow at least a 32-inch path and 5-foot turning radius.  Some furniture might need to be removed altogether to accommodate this.

 

  1. Tie strings to your door handles. To allow a wheelchair or scooter user to more easily pull a door closed while passing through doorways, add a 36-inch string to each door handle in your home.  This comes with little to no cost, and it makes a big difference.

 

  1. Raise your tables and desks. To bring some tables and desks to above knee level, it might be necessary to place furniture coasters or blocks of wood under their legs.  Whatever you use, just be sure the table or desk is sturdy and can’t easily be knocked off its footings when you’re done.

 

  1. Spruce up your device! One thing that can be challenging to get used to when first using a mobility device is the difficulty in carrying items and manoeuvring at the same time.  To help with this, equip your wheelchair or scooter with accessories to help carry everything from books and clothes, to drinks and medical necessities.

 

 

So, there you go! Some changes that will make a huge difference in your ability to get around your home in a wheelchair or scooter, that won’t break the bank or cause a lot of disruption.  As always, if you have questions about equipment you have purchased or are considering, contact the team at O’Sullivans Mobility Aids.

Mobility Aid Battery Maintenance

Do you have  a scooter? powered wheelchair, a powerstroll?

Batteries underpin these devices and failing to maintain your batteries can affect the product life of your mobility aid.

Here are a few tips for keeping your batteries in great shape

Always store your battery fully charged. When storing scooter or electric wheelchair for more than 2 weeks, charge fully and disconnect batteries for storage.

Do not disconnect the charger cord if charging is not completed. Battery longevity will be seriously reduced if the battery is repeatedly used without being fully charged. Therefore be sure to charge the battery fully every time. .

Always complete the charging until the LED light turns green. NEVER stop charging before it is complete.

If the LED is lit GREEN then the charger is switched on and has finished the bulk of its charging and the batteries can be used. However, we recommend that you leave the charger charging for a couple of hours after the green LED has lit. This will maintain and probably increase the capacity of your batteries.

When fully charged, the battery charger will still trickle charge the battery to ensure optimum range.

If you do not use your powerpack for a long time, it should be charged at least every week to keep the battery in a fully usable condition.

The ambient temperature will affect charging time. Charging time will be longer in the winter.

After charging, do not leave the charger socket plugged in to the scooter, as this will cause a power drain on the powerpack and temporarily reduce its range.

Batteries usually carry a twelve-month manufacturer’s warranty. This warranty only covers issues relating to manufacturing faults, and not faults relating to failure to recharge the batteries as instructed above. So look after your batteries!!!

Only use the supplied charger, and recharge the battery to its full capacity every time. You may damage the battery if you use a charger which is not to the correct specification.

Please charge in a well-ventilated space where there is no direct exposure to the sunlight. Do not charge in surroundings where it is humid, raining or dewy.

Never disassemble or modify the charger.

These instructions are for a typical 12v 20ah battery with a 12V charger!

Always be certain to read your individual battery pack for subtle differences between manufacturers!

For more info click here