Carers UK Forum

It continues to happen. The wheelchair won't turn on again and turns itself off when hubby's just been sat doing nothing to it. Every time he tilts the seat back (for a/l/f airing, for instance) it won't turn back on again and we spend the next ten minutes jiggling the wires and wiggling plugs underneath whilst he pushes chin buttons on and off and on and off until suddenly, it'll come on again.
It even happens when he's in mid-trundle sometimes. It's got to be sorted out, cos it's downright dangerous, we could be in the middle of crossing a road (Saturday's wedding and Monday's hosp visit for two). I wish the SellyOak guy was back from hols sooner, will have to wait until Monday when he returns to work and just hope and pray that it doesn't 'stop' on either of the days mentioned above. For the wedding, we have to park in Morrisons car park across a very busy road (Wellington, David C), cos the registry office's car park is too weeny for us to contemplate. Please let it be all right, cos it happens without warning.

Do the wheelchairs have anyway where you can "manually override" the system in anyway? I know you can do it when the batteries run flat or you develop a fault on mobility scooters but I've never had any experience with the electric wheelchair as yet. If you can over ride and push them when you need to, would it help to put your mind to rest if you are walking behind your hubby with your hands on the handles ready to intervene should you need to.

I know he might not like you interfering (a lot of carees don't) but he should understand that you are only doing it to remove him from the immediate danger and if need be, you can fiddle with the cables when you are in a safer location.

Summer

The combined weight of the occupant and the powered wheelchair is exceedingly heavy (roughly 25 stone in my sons case!) and thus very difficult for a carer to push any distance - especially if one is trying to lift it onto a pavement.

Eun

I've only ever pushed wheelchairs and it's always been a struggle.