Chair Needed

[cclark315]

Hello All,

I'm new to this. My mother has MS. Mostly she sits in a kitchen chair (regular table), and uses a wheel chair/walker to get around when she has to.

Recently, sitting at the kitchen chair she has started leaning to the sides and can no longer hold herself upright. She has trouble with other areas she is using to pick up her weight (for the areas that are lacking). I would really like to find a place that sells wide kitchen chairs, with arms, that are a little higher than normal.

Any information on where to start, or tips for aiding this problem is much appreciated.

[jazzgirl]

Hi Cclark, and welcome to MSWorld!

Here's what I did when I finally gave in to the fact that a wheelchair would keep me safe AND mobile...I called my chapter of the MS Society and got the name of a vendor they'd recommend. . I was a dancer in my previous life , so getting a wheelchair was a difficult decision for me. I don't love needing one, but I DO love that I can get to what I need very quickly (and that includes the bathroom! ).

The vendor came to my home to measure me, I chose what I wanted for the chair, and it came to me a few weeks later. I got something that reflects my personality...it's pink, is made for people who are athletes (specifically wheelchair basketball players, which I am NOT) and the small front wheels (called frog legs) light up when I roll. It's a real conversation-starter!

Your first step, of course, is to make sure your mom even wants one, though. Then, call her chapter of the Society and get started on having one made for her. Check her insurance to see how much they'll pay and how much she'll have to pay, if necessary. I did have a co-payment for mine. Good luck, and keep us posted!

[hunterd]

welcome!!!! something to keep in mind is progression down the road. get what you need to do the job AND what you may need in the future. wheelchairs are not cheap!!!!!! better to be equipped for the job than to wish when the time comes. good luck.

dave

[MrsBones]

Hello All,

I'm new to this. My mother has MS. Mostly she sits in a kitchen chair (regular table), and uses a wheel chair/walker to get around when she has to.

Recently, sitting at the kitchen chair she has started leaning to the sides and can no longer hold herself upright. She has trouble with other areas she is using to pick up her weight (for the areas that are lacking). I would really like to find a place that sells wide kitchen chairs, with arms, that are a little higher than normal.

Any information on where to start, or tips for aiding this problem is much appreciated.

If I'm reading this correctly, you are looking for a kitchen chair suitable for Mom's needs (wide with higher arms) not a wheelchair, yes?

Try looking for bariatric furniture. It's designed for those with a large frame/build ( height and/or weight) so it will be wide, sometimes tall and always sturdy. I'm not sure quite how wide you're looking for, but Googling "bariatric furniture" may give you some ideas at least. Here's one result I found : http://www.newcaretherapies.com/bari...ure.html#stack

In the meantime, if her usual chair has arms, consider creating some "stuffing" around her to add support. Some pillows strategically placed may help keep her more upright.

Hope that helps!

[heliotrope]

I know this may sound weird, but have you tried the major furniture stores? Pottery Barn and others are expensive, but they can often ship something if your local store doesn't have it. Also, you might have some luck with resale store. Some older (by which I mean early 20th century) homes didn't have separate kitchen sets... and older dining sets sometimes have arms on the end chairs.

[MSGina]

Depending on how your mom is dealing with these daily living changes emotionally, you may want to try something like a belt. You will need one large enough to encircle the chair and your mom.

If she's more concerned about appearances, the type of dining chair you are looking for is called a Captains Chair.

I'm curious, does her wheel chair not fit to the dining room table?
If not, it may be time to have her re evaluated for her wheel chair.

Access to the kitchen/dining table is important as we can get so much done there if we have a wheel chair that will accommodate us there.

It saves our energy folding laundry, chopping vegetables, rolling out biscuits or pie crusts, writing letters, paying bills etc.

God bless your mom and you, she's lucky to have you looking out for her =)

[nightflyer]

I've been in a power wheelchair for 6 yrs. I was 49 then. It was hard to accept...but I could go outside with it too! They have safety belts on them too.

Make sure, if later, she needs to use it in the bathroom or small areas it can fit through the doors etc. Medicare will pay for one sometimes, you can buy one on Craigslist or at auctions etc.

If a wheelchair is not the right choice, the ideas in the above posts are good ones. Take good care of you and yours.

[Marie12]

just my journey, don't know if this will help. I was using a walker a long time because of my "ego." I don't know why. But I realized my upper body strength would not hold me up if I fell, and I read that maintaining upper body strength is good for health. And I know that using a walker did nothing for my upper body strength, and I was getting very weak. So I looked on craigslist Dot com and searched in our community for a wheelchair. I had my husband take me to the residence on a Sunday afternoon. It was manual and a little small. But it is an Invacare brand, and I wanted a small one to help me be able to get through doors and halls.

It works good and I have really increased my upper body strength using the manual chair. The fact that it is a little small for me has made it easier for me to wheel on the wheels, etc. Just my journal, not an expert. And my ego is fine. Even the neighbors starting driving down my street since they saw me on our drive in a wheelchair. I never saw them come over to help me since they've known I've had MS for over five years. Oh well. I'm not their boss.

**Post broken into paragraphs by Moderator for easier reading. Many people with MS have visual difficulties that prevent them from reading large blocks of print.**