What to Consider When Renting a Wheelchair – Health-Planing (2023)

FAQs

What are considerations for wheelchair users? ›

When choosing a wheelchair, take into consideration the different seating and support components such as the headrest, seat, cushioning, leg rests, footplates and armrests. These are generally customised to fit your body and lifestyle so your comfort is maximised.

If you or someone you love is having problems getting around on their own, it may be time to consider a wheelchair. Sometimes, help is needed on a temporary basis, such as recovering from an accident or injury. Other times, a person may need a wheelchair to aid in their overall mobility for the long term.

Individuals who use wheeled mobility devices often experience poorer health outcomes compared to the general population. There are some distinct health challenges related to the physical effects of long-term wheelchair use, such as shoulder overuse injuries, skin breakdown, and urinary tract disorders.

Comfort and safety are two important factors affecting the quality of life of long-term users. "Design features must be matched to the user`s functional ability and posture support needs, and also to the environmental and durability requirements.

Installation of automatic or more robust wheel locks as well as use of a wheelchair maintenance schedule may reduce injurious falls. Improper transfer techniques (from wheelchair to and from bed or toilet) as well as unassisted transfers may also increase the risk of injurious falls.

In most cases the physical assessment will also include a full musculoskeletal examination of the users range of motion, joint flexibility, muscle length, and skeletal alignment, with neurological issues such as tone and spasm pattern also noted as they affect posture and muscle length.

Then we need to check the following: Is their weight within safe working limits for the wheelchair being used. Can they be correctly positioned when in the wheelchair. Are they likely to shift or tip when in the wheelchair.

What not to ask someone in a wheelchair? ›

Common wheelchair injuries include soft tissue and nerve damage, sprains and strains, abrasions, and contusions, as well as injuries to the shoulder, arm, elbow, forearm, and wrist. More serious injuries like fractures, head injuries, and brain injuries can also result.

Safety risks posed to the person in the wheelchair may include hazards such as the rider sliding out of the wheelchair or a poorly secured wheelchair rolling in the cabin or tipping over. The injured wheelchair user could suffer head and neck injuries, broken bones or other serious injuries.

The average lifespan of a wheelchair is around four years and if you give it special care it may last for about five years on average. However, several factors contribute to the overall lifespan of the wheelchair.

Practicing basic wheelchair safety like setting the wheel locks (in manual wheelchairs) or turning off the power (in electric wheelchairs) before transferring the occupant, and lifting the footplates before getting in/out of the chair can prevent adverse events from occurring.

These barriers are attitudinal, organizational or systemic, architectural or physical, information or communications, and technological.

Keep the patient's personal possessions within patient safe reach. Have sturdy handrails in patient bathrooms, room, and hallway. Place the hospital bed in low position when a patient is resting in bed; raise bed to a comfortable height when the patient is transferring out of bed. Keep hospital bed brakes locked.

What precautionary measures are needed to support a client on a wheelchair? ›

If required, assist the client to place their feet on the footplates, with their heels well back. Ensure that the client's elbows are not sticking outside the wheelchair when going through doorways. Also ensure that their hands are on their laps and not hanging outside the chair where they can catch in the spokes.

So why has it been so difficult to implement? The most common barriers to patient mobility can be grouped in four categories: equipment, patient availability, staff availability, and unit planning.

Challenges Faced by Disabled Persons in the Workplace

Lack of education. Trapped in Poverty. Stigmatization. The disparity between supply and demand.

Make them comfortable

Lower your friend or family member into the wheelchair slowly and steadily, making sure they are fully seated in the chair, not perched on the edge. If they are able to stand and lower themselves into the chair, stand behind it and hold on to the handles to make sure it doesn't move.

Some persons with disabilities die up to 20 years earlier than those without disabilities. Persons with disabilities have twice the risk of developing conditions such as depression, asthma, diabetes, stroke, obesity or poor oral health. Persons with disabilities face many health inequities.

The 'Letter of Medical Necessity' is a letter written after your wheelchair assessment to the insurance company paying for your wheelchair that justifies your need for the specific chair requested. This letter is very descriptive and tells all about what equipment is recommended for you and why.

How do you interview someone in a wheelchair? ›

Speak directly to the person being interviewed. If he or she reads lips, speak at a normal rate while facing the person and be sure to keep your hands away from your mouth. Do not exaggerate your lip movements, but speak expressively because the person will rely on your facial expressions, gestures and eye contact.

You do not need to lean down to get closer to someone in a wheelchair to have a conversation. It is completely appropriate for you to stand upright and talk to someone who is sitting in a wheelchair.

Positioning of wheels and armrests makes the wheelchair very difficult to push independently. Lack of a pressure relieving seat cushion may cause pressure sores or other serious health problems. Short wheelbase makes the chair unstable and pneumatic front tyres are very difficult to repair or replace.

The frame is the most basic unit of a manual wheelchair and the most influential in terms of performance.

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is one of the most common disabilities that requires wheelchairs, a disorder in the United States with nearly 800,000 people being affected.

Adults with disabilities are 3 times more likely to have heart disease, stroke, diabetes, or cancer than adults without disabilities. Nearly half of all adults with disabilities get no aerobic physical activity, an important health behavior to help avoid these chronic diseases.

People who spend too much time in their wheelchair are at risk of reduced bone density, osteoporosis, muscle atrophy, pressure sores, spasms, changes in blood pressure, joint problems and even cardiovascular conditions.

Not everyone with a disability becomes depressed, and those who do become depressed may not be depressed because of their disability. However, people with disabilities face unique challenges and stresses which place them at increased risk for depression.

What are the safety concerns regarding the use of wheelchair? ›

In most cases the physical assessment will also include a full musculoskeletal examination of the users range of motion, joint flexibility, muscle length, and skeletal alignment, with neurological issues such as tone and spasm pattern also noted as they affect posture and muscle length.

Under the customer service standard, each university must ensure that its policies, practices and procedures address the requirements of the standard, and use reasonable efforts to ensure they are consistent with the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.

Be patient and respectful

They may have different abilities for picking up social cues or processing information and they could become overstimulated by noises, smells, or the people around them. Never assume someone needs help.

The following steps should be followed when getting ready to transfer a patient: To get the patient into a seated position, roll the patient onto the same side as the wheelchair. Put one of your arms under the patient's shoulders and one behind the knees. Bend your knees.

Avoid letting the person put his arms around your neck or grab you. Use a transfer belt to balance and support the person. Place transfer surfaces (wheelchair and bed) close together. Check wheelchair position, brakes locked, armrests and footrests swung out of the way.

Stabilize the client's knees by placing your own knees firmly against the front and side area of the patient's knees. Help the client lean over the knees by pulling him or her forward from the shoulders. The client's head and trunk should lean opposite the direction of the transfer.