Wheelchairs may be necessary for a wide variety of reasons including sudden illness, physical ailments, diseases and conditions and may be needed for both the short and the long term. An electric wheel chair can provide mobility along with convenience for someone bound to their chair and offers a number of distinct advantages over their manual alternatives.
Wheelchairs have actually been around for thousands of years with evidence of crude facsimiles dating back to the days of the ancient Greeks. Several hundred years later the Chinese people created movable chairs and finally in the mid 1600s, a paraplegic watchmaker invented a chair that was able to propel itself; however, electricity was yet to be discovered.
The very first electric wheel chair powered by a motor was created in Europe in the 1900s and it was rather heavy and cumbersome, but a groundbreaking invention nevertheless. Today, electric wheelchairs, often called power or motorized wheelchairs, can be quite expensive, although some insurances and medical coverage programs either defray some of the cost or may cover the fee completely.
Some companies and makers of the electric wheel chair will allow potential buyers a “test drive” and allow them to use the chair at home for a certain amount of time, giving them the opportunity to see if the wheelchair is the right choice before spending any money buying or customizing the chair. A used power wheelchair is another option to consider if the price of a new one is prohibitive.
When buying an electric wheel chair always measure the doorways and hallways of your home first to ensure you will be able to navigate with ease, and also check the weight limit, which will vary by model, for safety and performance purposes. Many electric wheelchairs come with two batteries, which is helpful as it allows one for use while the other is being charged.
Features of the Electric Wheel Chair:
An electric wheel chair may either be designed for use indoors, outdoors, or both. Some chairs are too bulky to easily navigate the outdoor terrain but may be perfect for moving around the house or office. Some motorized wheelchairs will be able to go up and down curbs or hilly areas, but others won’t have the power or mechanics necessary for such feats.
Some electric wheel chairs feature front-wheel drive while others are rear or center-wheel driven, each of which with their own handling and maneuvering capabilities. This type of wheelchair can further be classified depending on its seat type, the most popular of which is the “captain’s chair” style resembling the front seat of a car.
The control systems on power wheelchairs are rather sophisticated. Many of them feature a joystick to operate by hand, or if that’s not an option, other types are available for people such as quadriplegics or those with spinal cord injuries who are unable to move their arms or hands and would then require what’s known as a head control system. Chin controls and those that can be operated by the mouth can all be installed on an electric wheelchair.
Special customizations can always be made to motorized wheelchairs, at additional cost, of course, in order to make them more comfortable and functional for the user and their individual needs. As technology continues to advance, the electric wheel chair continues to improve and become more useful, providing people with mobility, convenience, and independence.
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