Source One Medical Blog

Choosing Between A Scooter Or A Power Chair?

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 If you have been having difficulty getting around your home just to do simple tasks, you may be thinking about getting an electric chair to help you get around. Your doctor may even have suggested you get a mobility device like a power wheelchair or mobility scooter because you are having difficulty getting around or have problems with your balance. Cost can vary quite a bit between the two. Depending on your insurance coverage and the severity of your lack of mobility, it may be covered by your insurance (see if I qualify click here). While both have similar features, there are several differences that can determine which is best for you.

Mobility Scooters

• Scooters are usually for people who will not be spending most of their time on the device. Power chair users generally are in their chairs more and our designed for comfortable all-day use. Prolonged use of a scooter on a daily basis can result in developing problems with posture and discomfort.
• Because scooters have a “front end,” you can’t get as close to things while on them— tasks like dining, cooking, and other household tasks can be difficult.
• A scooters turning radius is much wider than a power wheelchair. This can make turning in tight places inside the home difficult.
• The seat on a scooter cannot recline like power chair can.
• Many can be broken down to fit in a trunk for easy transport.
• Scooters are generally less expensive than power wheelchairs—although cost shouldn’t be your only factor to think about, it is important. The cost for a scooter starts at around $1,500 and up. Many people with insurance coverage get a power wheelchair for inside the home and purchase an additional lightweight scooter for doing errands outside the home.

SHOP SCOOTERS CLICK HERE

Power Chairs

• Power chairs can range from $3,000 to $10,000 or more depending on the custom options you need and your weight. They are also much heavier than scooters.
• The superior seating on power chairs offer much more support for your back and head. Many can also recline for added comfort.
• Some seating options can include air seating and gel seating as an upgrade to foam for added comfort when using for prolonged periods of time.
• The controls are located at the end of your armrest which allows you an easier reach than using the handle bars on a scooter.
• Power Chairs can be operated with one hand enabling you to accomplish many tasks or holding onto something while operating the Power Chair.
• Power Chairs offer superior in-home maneuverability, fit almost anywhere, and turn on a dime.
• Power Chairs are a safe a secure option for individuals weighing over 350 pounds.
• Most Power Chairs offer 6 wheels. Two of which are anti-tip wheels for safety which are not offered on a scooter.
• Some higher end Power Chairs offer suspension for a more comfortable operation.

How to Maintain Your Power Chair And Mobility Scooter

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If we take care of our possessions, they’ll last longer. If you have a mobility scooter, you want it to run efficiently and safely, and last a long time. Here are basic maintenance tasks to achieve this:

1. Battery and charger: It’s a good idea to recharge your electric mobility scooter’s battery each night and after each use. Therefore, you won’t be surprised by a dead battery when you’re ready to go. A partially charged battery will start your scooter, but you may not get the best performance.
2. Tires: Try to keep your tires free of debris. Look them over regularly to make sure there aren’t any punctures or worn areas. Carefully remove anything that’s wedged into the treads. The tires should be inflated to the level that the manufacturer recommends. An under-inflated tire will affect your scooters performance and an over-inflated tire is at risk for a blow-out.
3. Keep it clean and dry: Your scooter should be stored out of extreme temperatures and away from moisture. If you have to store your scooter outside, consider the use of a weather-resistent scooter cover to keep it dry. Wash off dirt whenever necessary—it can eventually damage the scooter’s paint.

By keeping up with routine maintenance, you will make sure that your warranty will be honored if you need to have any major repairs done.

Medicare Supplemental Insurance

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If you’re eligible for Medicare, you want the best coverage available. You have several options for basic Medicare benefits. You can go with “Original” Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan (MA), which is Medicare coverage that is offered by a private insurance company. MA plans often cover additional benefits like vision coverage. They also usually provide Medicare Part D, which is your prescription coverage.

Medicare Supplemental Plans

Even though both Original Medicare and MA plans cover most of your medical expenses, you are still responsible for paying for the services and products that are not covered at 100% by Medicare. That can include co-pays and you also might have a deductible to meet with certain plans.

To help cover some of your medical costs, you can enroll in a Medicare Supplemental Plan or Medigap insurance plan, which covers those “gaps” in your coverage. Insurance companies are required by Medicare to only sell you a standardized Medigap policy and the policies must have specific benefits so you can compare them.

There are up to 12 different standardized plans to choose from: Medigap Plans A through L. It’s important that you compare the plans because costs can vary. You will still have a certain amount of out-of-pocket costs.

You should consider the following:

• How much do you pay for each visit or service (your co-payment)?
• What is the plan’s yearly limit on our out-of-pocket costs for all medical care?
• Does the plan charge a monthly premium and how much is it?

Electric Wheelchair Basics

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Electric wheelchairs, also called “powered wheelchairs” or “power chairs,” can enhance the life of someone with mobility issues. If you or a loved one has completed a mobility assessment and is getting a power chair, you’ll want to learn as much as you can about them. The following information will get you started.

Drive Systems
Power chairs are available in front-, mid- and rear-wheel drive. Each one has specific handling features.

• Front-Wheel Drive: These models are easy to maneuver and can be used both indoors and outdoors at lower speeds. They have large wheels in front of the seat that allow the chair to go over uneven surfaces.
• Mid-wheel Drive: Also called center-drive, this model is best for navigating indoor spaces, especially in smaller areas. These chairs have six wheels—two large wheels attached to the base and four smaller wheels around them.
• Rear-wheel Drive: Although rear-wheel drive chairs aren’t as easy to maneuver as the other models, they do provide the most stable ride. They are also the best all-purpose power chair. This model has the largest turning radius, can operate at a higher speed and can travel inclines easily.

Seating Options
Some power chairs will look like a traditional manual wheelchair with a sling seat and frame. One of the most desirable options is a well-cushioned captain’s chair style seat. These usually also have padded armrests.

Customizing Options
Beyond these features, aspects of the power chair your older adult chooses will be increasingly customized for their specific needs. Some options include the type of “tiller” or control to operate the chair that they are able to use.

Switching to a Power Wheelchair

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Switching to a Power Chair

For many SCI survivors, recapturing independence is your single most significant achievement. You view any concessions to that independence - accepting more help, using more or different equipment - as giving up, as failure, as the ultimate defeat. But it's hard to deny the fatigue and pain that may come from years of pushing a manual chair. Switching to a power chair actually could be the way to maintain that independence.

Symptoms & Signs:

Accepting change is rarely easy. Many survivors choose to ignore the signals which indicate that a power chair would be appropriate for them. Picturing themselves in a power chair or admitting they might need one can be one of the most difficult adjustments for those with SCI. Physical therapists say there are three major issues that result in symptoms which cause people to make equipment changes: level of injury, number of years post injury and age. These three factors often interact, and they result in:

• lower strength or function
• increased pain
• decreased mobility
• weight gain or loss
• less activity
• skin sores
• posture problems
• fatigue
• aging of the primary care givers

Stigma:

The stigma of disability keeps many people from increasing or changing equipment. Some find that they must let go of their 'live for the moment' attitude. Others, some of whom were injured during "the super quad" era when more equipment seemed to mean being "more disabled," may struggle to accept the idea that changing equipment doesn't mean going backwards.

Even caregivers, family or friends struggle with stigma issues. Some family members or friends need to be needed. Others may not understand the necessity or wisdom of conserving energy and function in order to preserve quality of life. They may need to hear that equipment changes such as power chairs can save shoulder muscles and joints, thus making more things possible in life.

It's Not Always Obvious:

Sometimes fatigue and pain can get in the way too slowly or gradually to notice. People may eliminate errands in order to avoid the car transfers or they may skip certain chores at home. They don't have the energy to do the things they want or need to do, like playing with their kids or stretching each night. Quality of life becomes the issue. Power chairs allow people to do more things with less pain, less fatigue and more mobility, resulting in more independence.

It's for Real!

New research is indicating that over half of long-term SCI survivors are making equipment changes to preserve their mobility, their function, their independence, or to preserve the well-being of their caregivers and attendants.

In a study of 279 British SCI survivors, all of whom had been injured at least 20 years, 59% reported having made changes in durable medical equipment - new wheelchairs, cushions, hoists and lifts to ease transfers. Almost 25% listed fatigue and/or weakness as the cause for change. The same number listed medical problems. Others cited stiffness, pain, other injuries, or their age.

In this British research group, over 31% of all those interviewed reported shoulder pain. Forty-seven percent had experienced postural changes, while 54% were dealing with fatigue. The changes come because SCI is not the static condition we once thought it was.

Forty percent of the 180,000 spinal cord injury survivors in the United States already are over 45; one in four has lived with injury for over 20 years. Some feel that the changes of aging come sooner to people who have spinal cord injuries. Findings from the British study, where functional declines appeared in subjects in their late forties and early fifties, certainly support the belief of accelerated aging.

When Is It Time to Change?

A personal inventory can be helpful in determining if a switch to a power chair is worth thinking about:

• do you find yourself avoiding going certain places - places you used to go or want to go, but don't - because it's just too hard or simply not worth it?
• do you have persistent shoulder pain when wheeling?
• do you find yourself using more energy wheeling and not doing those things you want to do, like working, going out, entertaining or playing?
• do you have noticeably less fatigue and pain on days when you don't wheel much?

Roadblocks to Change:

But power chairs are big and bulky. Most don't jump curbs. They do cost a lot of money. They are a hassle to travel with. But the hassles of lifts and power chairs may be small potatoes compared to the hassles of needing an attendant or simply not being able to work or play at all.

People use lots of reasons to avoid changing to a power chair - money, exercise, strength, travel. Often, their reluctance is really about not wanting to give in to aging and decline of function. Used equipment, family help, charitable organizations, Medicare or Medicaid can help pay for equipment. Different types of exercise can be less destructive to shoulders and arms, while preserving strength and stamina. Travel can be more fun without fatigue.

The costs of "hanging in there" and putting off getting new equipment may be greater than we had imagined, not just in money but in muscle pain, strength loss and general quality of life.

Prevention, Tradeoffs, & the Future:

Sometimes more equipment can prevent future problems and can mean more independence. Equipment changes in response to warning signals can help control or prevent chronic conditions such as scoliosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, degenerative shoulder disease or major muscle imbalances. Power wheelchairs and other equipment changes can also serve to project a more positive, independent and functional image, as they are faster, more maneuverable and energy conserving.

Taking action prior to major problems can also help prevent skin problems or the onset of some chronic pain. Some survivors are little more than a shoulder injury away from major dependence on others. They may need permission not to work so hard, not to be in so much pain, not to be so independent. While changes in durable medical equipment cannot totally prevent functional decline in all SCI survivors, they can delay or minimize decline or the need for additional help.

Change rarely comes overnight and is often the result of trade-offs that are not readily apparent, like paying for fatigue with less time for kids, friends or other obligations, fewer hours on the job, or a major decline in social life. Sometimes we simply need overwhelming evidence in order to know just how necessary change is.

When the price for not changing is a clear decline in quality of life, then change may be easier to accept. No one has a formula for how to figure this out - everyone is different. What is clear, though, is that survivors who have made the change to a power chair clearly report less pain and fatigue. If pain and fatigue from pushing a manual chair are ongoing problems and threats to independence in your life, a power wheelchair may be a logical and appropriate response.

This is one of more than 20 educational brochures developed by Craig Hospital while it was a federally-funded Rehabilitation Research & Training Center on Aging with Spinal Cord Injury. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of the funding agency, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research of the US Department of Education.

content from Pride Mobility