Wheelchairs

Wheelchair Information

Buying A wheelchair is a quite a hefty investment. Every aspect of a wheelchair must be thought out, from making sure the wheelchair is a good fit and is comfortable for its user to determining what features are required. Wheelchair has become more common with the rise in the average person’s life expectancy.

Types

1. The two most common types of wheelchairs are manual and power wheelchairs. Manual wheelchairs are significantly lighter and are moved by the user either pushing the wheels manually with their hands or with the aid from another pushing the wheelchair. Most of these wheelchairs are foldable for easy transport into a vehicle. Power Chairs are for people requiring more help. They move with a joystick. Power wheelchairs are motorized by a battery that will have to be charged every couple of days.

Categories

2. There are numerous kinds of wheelchairs. Some wheelchairs have seats that rise, recline or even tilt upward. There are also wheelchairs that are used for special circumstances such as shower wheelchairs, beach wheelchairs and wheelchairs designed for specific sports.

Purchasing

3. You can more easily self pay or insurance might cover a fraction of the cost. For a manual wheelchair, your doctor must state that the proposed user requires the wheelchair for use inside the home and outside the home. For power chairs, the doctor must state that the proposed user does not have the upper body strength it takes to utilize a manual wheelchair and requires a wheelchair for daily life. This procedure does not move quickly. It will take weeks or sometimes even months before the client receives the wheelchair. In the majority of cases, Medicare or private health insurance will pay 50 percent to 80 percent of the cost of the wheelchair.

Children

4. Nearly all disabled young children utilize a manual wheelchair until it is thought that they can correctly and responsibly manage a power chair. Nearly all insurance companies will not supply a new wheelchair until at the very least five years pass since the previous one was purchased.

Cost

5. According to online resources, a manual wheelchair’s cost from $500 to upwards of $5,000, with a typical cost of about $2,000 to $3,000. The cost of a power wheelchair generally runs from $1,600 to $7,500, though the cost can be significantly greater with each additional custom feature. There are several various types of chairs that come in a variety of colors and designs to match each individual’s personality.