posted on October 1, 2011 - 3:35pm
Whether choosing your first power wheelchair or your next power wheelchair, picking the correct drive system for your needs is one of the first and most important decisions you’ll make.
The location of the drive wheels (the wheels powered by the motor) in the rear, middle or front of the chair has a definite effect on the chair’s performance in different environments.
Making an informed decision is the key to avoiding buyer's remorse
posted on July 1, 2011 - 4:14pm
I have buyer’s remorse.
Like most people, my closet contains a few items I never should have bought.
A paper-thin broom skirt that was shredded by my wheelchair tires the first time I wore it. A bright red handbag that lacks a shoulder strap, forcing me to choose between clutching the accessory or holding onto my wheelchair every time I exit the ramp of my van.
Until now, the majority of my...
Tech-savvy Girl Scouts designed and built an award-winning wheelchair backup camera for friends with SMA
posted on May 25, 2011 - 12:18pm
Ten-year-old Quinn Schnitzlein has been using a power chair since he was 3, so he’s a pretty good driver. But the boy from Marietta, Ga., who has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), often bumped into things when he backed up.
One day last year, Quinn and some friends were at a fast-food restaurant. “We were at different tables,” Quinn says, “and when I’d try to turn around to talk to them, I kept...
Wheelchair-accessible and very affordable, this Southern city is a hip destination for leisure travelers
posted on March 31, 2011 - 11:05am
Bright red and warm gold foliage creates an autumn bouquet shimmering through the tree-lined streets of downtown Little Rock. Restaurant windows are wide open to capture the crisp November air. Walking along the busy sidewalk, we are tempted to reach out and shake hands with the patrons. Fall has arrived in the Arkansas capital.
Both offer health benefits, and enhance convenience and independence for wheelchair users
posted on January 1, 2011 - 4:35pm
Mobile standers and standing wheelchairs are for people who want to stand without having to stand still.
Medical professionals agree that standing is good for the musculoskeletal system, and most experts recommend standing 30 to 60 minutes a day, depending on users’ level of tolerance. (Note: Always consult a doctor before starting a standing program.)
Custom rigs make the great outdoors more accessible
posted on January 1, 2011 - 3:55pm
Full-time wheelchair users with a hankering to enjoy the great rugged outdoors may find that their standard chairs can’t always take them where they want to go. That’s where these specially designed conveyances can step up to the job.
Even extreme locations like the climbers’ camp at the base of Mt. Everest have been reached and conquered by severely disabled people riding in these unusual-...
Foreign travel with a wheelchair is possible — and fun!
posted on January 1, 2011 - 11:18am
If you dream of seeing the world but hesitate because you use a wheelchair — don’t.
Of course, it will be challenging. Countries that are hundreds of years old are going to present physical barriers, but there will be much to see and do.
Every place you want to visit may not be accessible. Even in the United States, wheelchair users face obstacles every day, despite significant advances initiated...
