Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Does such a creature exist?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Does such a creature exist?

    Finally admitting the time has come for a wheelchair. Sigh.

    I have decent upper body strength and was thinking about a manual chair to try to preserve that strength, however fatigue gets the better of me and an electric chair would be needed.

    Is there a hybrid? A manual chair that can alternatively be used electrically? The Interweb show either one or the other.

    My fear is using a power chair and finding myself stranded, with my luck in the middle of a busy intersection, should the battery fail.

    Open to suggestions, I'm also legally blind so this should be all sorts of fun!

    Peace,
    Anna

    #2
    Hi hobbit,

    There are battery (electric) operated wheelchairs. I believe the link I provided below is what you are looking for.

    http://electric-wheelchairs-review.t...hd-review.html

    (note: I am not endorsing or recommending this brand, it's just the first one I came across)
    Diagnosed 1984
    “Lightworkers aren’t here to avoid the darkness…they are here to transform the darkness through the illuminating power of love.” Muses from a mystic

    Comment


      #3
      Hi Anna,

      I don't believe any electric wheelchair is available that you could also operate operate manually by using your upper body strength.

      The wheels on electric wheelchairs just don't allow this. Batteries also make them heavier, so that would be another obstacle, no matter how strong your upper body strength was.

      There are ultra light weight manual wheelchairs you may want to check into, that are much easier to use. But if you are worried fatigue would still overcome you, you would need an electric wheelchair.

      Something to consider is the mileage an electric chair gives you on a full charge. Also make sure your chair is fully charged before going anywhere.

      Best of luck ,
      Kimba

      “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ― Max Planck

      Comment


        #4
        I LOVE my manual wheelchair and find my powerchair collecting more and more dust. Not only am I maintaining my upper body strength, but they are so much easier to transport, maneuver and navigate. The ability to easily and quickly add-on a motorized attachment allows for increased mobility and freedom. There are a number of options you can consider and you can start your research here:
        http://www.fscirc.com/articles/wheel...on-add-systems

        Many of these products are available for demo so try them out and see what best fits your needs. I was reluctant to look at wheelchairs, but I have never regretted the decision.
        The wheelchair has given me back a lot of freedom that I had lost. It's not all unicorns and rainbows, but it has definitely improved my quality of life. I wish you well ...

        Comment


          #5
          Thank you for sharing, Marco! I had no idea something like Wheelchair Power Assist devices were out there.

          I enjoyed the videos on the SmartDrive and watching how the woman could actually grocery shop with a cart. Sure can't do that with just a manual chair!

          Originally posted by hobbit View Post
          I'm also legally blind so this should be all sorts of fun!
          But, after watching the videos on that one, looks it would pose a problem for you, as there are small green "status" lights that are important to see. Outdoors, you would also have to keep watch to make sure you don't ride over an area where the SmartDrive wheel could get caught.

          I hope you find something else here that would work for you. Other possible options that popped up when I tried a Google search were the the Quickie Extender Power Assist and Spinergy ZX1.

          Please let us which one you decided on and how you like it if you do get one!
          Kimba

          “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” ― Max Planck

          Comment


            #6
            Thanks for sharing that, Marco. I don't need one yet, but have considering various options for when I do. I really like that e-motion chair. I've actually thought about those hub motors, which have been around for a while to put on a bicycle, and wondered why you couldn't use them for wheelchairs. Well, apparently someone else thought that too!
            PPMS
            Dx 07/13

            Comment


              #7
              I prefer the smartdrive to the emotion wheels because of the ease of installation, reduction in weight when not in use. When the smartdrive and battery is not installed the added weight to the chair is 0.4 lbs or something silly like that. The emotion setup is heavy compared to that.

              Again, we all have different needs and wants so it's important to look at all available options. The bicycle attachment thingy looks awesome, but I never demo'd that. I will some day ...

              Comment


                #8
                Yeah, the SmartDrive is the other one that I was considering. My reasoning in favor of the e-motion was that the system is just two wheels with hub motors that you put on a chair. Since I would already have to break a chair down to fit it in my teensy weensy car, that's really the same amount of work as a non-powered chair. And on one of the SmartDrive videos, it says that it's not recommended for a folding chair.

                There are questions I still have about the operation of both of these. After watching the SmartDrive, I feel a little intimidated by what they said about stopping. But maybe it's like a car in that you get used to it and it becomes an automatic no-brainer, but I'd need to test drive both of them at any rate.

                I got interested in the hub motor idea back when I could still ride a bicycle without risking life and limb, but was losing power in my legs to pedal up legendary Pittsburgh hills. I didn't have time to go for it before riding a two-wheeler was completely out of the question, though.

                Anyway, thanks again for sharing that list. It shows that there are a lot of smart people thinking about and working on better assistive devices to address our various needs.
                PPMS
                Dx 07/13

                Comment


                  #9
                  Thank you!

                  So many great ideas and suggestions! My computer time is limited by my eyesight so I will investigate as well as I can. I did find one option and the battery added 50 lbs. to the chair!

                  I was ready to admit I would need two chairs one manual and one power, nice to see (pun) options. My eyesight, or lack of is an issue, thank goodness for smartphones that have maps telling me "you are here"!

                  Peace,
                  Anna

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I did find one option and the battery added 50 lbs. to the chair!
                    You're smart to factor in the weight, hobbit. But one thing I'm thinking about concerning weight is how heavy the individual pieces that come apart are. For example, the one I was looking at (the e-motion) has a spec sheet that says the power wheels = 25 lbs each. So just like I'd have to break down even a regular non-powered chair to fit it in the car, I'd do the same with this, and lift each piece at a time, not lift the total weight of the assembled chair. I'm not certain if the 25 lbs is including the 5 lb batteries (also listed the spec sheet) that snap into the wheels or not. If it's 25 + 5 = 30 lbs, that might be getting close to the limit of my upper body strength. I don't know how it would work for you. I saw in the demo that it's not that hard to pop the batteries out, but it would still be nicer if 25 lbs is the total weight.

                    But maybe I'm overlooking what your needs are--are you looking at the weight because someone else maybe has to pull you up steps, or something? Or would you be using it the way I would, just on my own?

                    Oh, and one other thing I reread from your initial post--you are afraid that you could get stranded with a power chair. This particular one lets you disengage the motors and use arms only. I don't know it that helps.

                    (hey, maybe I should apply for a sales job with that company--what do you think?
                    PPMS
                    Dx 07/13

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Quick update: I used the Contact form on the website for the e-motion to ask about the weight, and they have already answered. The power wheel + the battery = 25 lbs. Just in case anyone else was considering this.
                      PPMS
                      Dx 07/13

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I'm extremely stubborn

                        J-Bo, I hate and I really, really, mean hate having to ask for help doing anything. Drives my husband crazy, lol.

                        Weight is a factor because I tend to think I have more energy than I actually do. If I wanted to lug around an extra 50 lbs. I would rather it be cheesecake!

                        Saw my Neuro and he wrote out an order for me, now I'm waiting for responses from Medical supplies that deal with Medicare.

                        I am impatient only because a 1/4 mile walk from the bus stop took me 30 min. rendering me useless for the majority of the day and angry with my body for being such a traitor.

                        Peace,
                        Anna

                        Comment


                          #13
                          H again, hobbit. I get your avoidance of extra weight, but I just want to make sure that you understand what I was saying about lifting the parts, not the whole chair.

                          I don't understand the rules about posting links here, or I would link directly to this, but please go to the frankmobility e-motion website (on that list Marco linked to), click the See the emotion videos! link, and then click Watch the new emotion video!. At about 1:50 into the video, you can see very clearly what I was trying to describe. You can see a woman very quickly pop the wheels off the chair, and easily put everything in the car. If you are able to do what she does, I really think that this could be a solution to the question you originally posted.
                          PPMS
                          Dx 07/13

                          Comment


                            #14
                            That's exactly the creature I want!

                            J-Bo and Marco you have great in saving me countless hours of research. This is exactly what I'm looking for in a chair. Now all I have to do is walk my doctor through the myriad of Medicare paperwork and we will be all good, fingers crossed.

                            Peace,
                            Anna

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Hey hobbit, so glad we could be helpful! I'm guessing that where you live in Illinois, the terrain is pretty flat, but here in
                              Western Pennsylvania, we have some pretty formidable hills. I have fantasies of cranking up a steep incline, and people saying "Hey look at that old lady climbing that slope liks e it'nothing! She must be some kind of bad ***
                              PPMS
                              Dx 07/13

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X