Wheelchair woes !

[Julie_17071234]

My husband has mobility problems as well as Lewy Body Dementia and so to get him out and about we have to use a wheelchair . The medication he takes for the hallucinations and voices he hears ( part of his LBD) have caused him to put on lots of weight and his current wheelchair is really not strong enough for his weight . I’ve started to look at the heavy duty wheelchairs which are fine for him but I find them so heavy for me ! It’s not just the weight of my husband but of the chair as well to move around , also lifting it in and out of the car as I have arthritis myself and don’t want to aggravate it to much as I still have to help my husband in the home with washing and dressing etc ! Does anyone know of a lighter weight Wheelchair (or the lightest weight) For heavy duty users please ? I’d love to hear any recommendations please before I take the plunge and spend the money as they are not a cheap item once you get to the bigger wheelchairs ! Thank you

[Londonbound]

You need to get a wheelchair with an Aluminium frame instead of heavy steel, my caree purchased a heavy duty wheelchair up to 140 kilogrammes, was about 140 pounds.

The foldable wheelchair weighs 12 kilogrammes as opposed to the steel ones weigh about 20/25 kilogrammes.

Just browse an internet search site or a well known auction site.

Have you tried NHS wheelchair services, they can supply a free NHS wheelchair and sometimes an electric wheelchair.

Going up to an electric wheelchair you can get a WAV , a wheelchair accessible vehicle, converted to have a ramp and flat floor for a wheelchair to drive straight in and have seatbelts.

Again if you are eligable for used to be DLA but now PIP, Personalised Independent Payments, a high rate would enable you to get a vehicle through Motability.

We got a second hand WAV, you can buy them again through the internet as little as £500.

They are just literally the same as a family car, many are now based on family cars, but are converted to have the ramp etc in the back.

Get back to me any more details or i am sure other members of the forum will be able to advise.

[sunnydisposition]

Have you tried your local wheelchair services. An O/T or G.P. referral is required. You should not have to spend your own money. If you husband requires it and the service can also give a certain amount. If he should requires a type of chair they don't stock. And the chair he needs costs more sometimes you can get a top up voucher to spend. Also, does he claim DLA OR PIP which he could get a wheelchair though Motability scheme. There are wheelchairs that have attendant controls. So you would be in charge of controlling the chair.

Many charities also offer help with financing a chair. But you are requires to have been though wheelchair services. And been turned down before you can apply to them.

[Julie_17071234]

Thank you for the replies they’ve been really helpful and given me some good ideas to check out .