wheelchairs in and out of house?

[Marie12]

I have a question. I currently have a manual wheelchair in the car trunk and another manual wheelchair in the house. They both cost under $100 each. My question is, do any of you have an electric wheelchair or cart, that you use inside and outside of the house.

I know I am over the top, but we have always removed our shoes before we enter our home. It is partially carpeted, part linoleum, part hardwood floors.

I am thinking of the future, when I need to use an electric wheelchair, both inside and outside.

As you all know, with the cost, even insurance copayment, or even in insurance will pay for more than one. Do any of you use a wheelchair in and out of the house? How do you keep the wheels, house clean?

I am just asking, and need your info. Thank you, Marie12

[CaroleL]

Hi Marie,

I have a made to measure wheelchair but its not electric. I use it inside and outside.

I also have a huge dog. When I go out onto my deck, just outside the kitchen, the dog hair tends to get into the wheels somehow. When I enter the house, the hair falls into clumps in the entranceway. I could just pick it up or sweep it quickly.

If you have carpets, that's another matter. I'd look into getting a hand held carpet sweeper for the little messes. I find that the dust, etc. from the chair comes off within a few feet of coming in.

Another point, I find that carpet makes it more difficult to roll the chair. I find it much easier to get around on a bare floor. If you're thinking long term, you may want to remove the carpet and keep a broom close by. I don't think there's much that can be done about the dirt.

[lori]

Marie,
A powerchair in the house can be troublesome. They roll up throw rugs and can stretch carpets. And yes, bring in dirt. I make sure the ground is dry before I go out in the yard. Our grass is pretty thick, but if I look down and see wet dirt it'll more than likely get in the treads.

Just like all the rotten compromises that come with MS, I try not to let my wc impact my life more than it already does. I stay on the concrete or deck if it's rained, but I go outside. My husband vacuums the bits of grass, leaves etc. (we bought a little dirt devil hand vac that sounds like a power tool...he loves it) We also have a low-pile piece of carpet in the garage that stays put on the ramp.

I wish you the best,
lori

I wish you the best,

[Milhous]

It is hard to keep all dirt from coming in with your power chair it has tires like the treads on running shoes and stuff gets caught up in them and even when it has not rained and the ground is dry you can still pick up dust. You can have a rug where you come in and it will pick up a lot of it-- long enough that your wheels can turn completely 1 or 2 times
Lots of luck

[MSMOBILITYMAN]

I use different powerchairs...for inside and outdoors

I have a Pronto M51 that is narrow enough to get around in the narrow house...it still scrapes the walls-cabinets-and door ways...but what can you do about it?

For outdoor travels I use the larger Pronto M91...it won't fit
in the doorway without scraping badly...so it stays outside all the time under a custom water proof cover.

I can't transfer from one to the other without high grab bars
you can check out my mobility collection on this site
http://ownersclub.pridemobility.com/profile/15801
my id is
a mobility use little-jim

[palmtree]

This is the dilemma I have been worrying about. It's so good to know I'm not the only one bothered by the thought of a wheelchair dragging dirt into my house. Two wheelchairs. That's the answer!

[zenhead]

Heartway

i use a manual chair (Karma Ergo 125) that i bought online, which has been a great little chair - light, portable, durable. but i had to get a power chair for around the house, as i can't drive myself all day without pain/fatigue. i bought a Heartway P-15, which can fold up to go in the car. it turned out to be pretty useless unless it is on a hard, flat, level surface, so outside, (except places like a mall) are still pretty inaccessible. i am looking to acquire a small scooter for out-of-the-house use.