New guy.
New guy.
Hello everyone, I've been disabled for 1 1/2 yr after having back surgery by quack, I've got a good manual w/c, but my shoulders & upper back muscles are starting to hurt, so I want to get a power w/c, specially an all terrain one. I looked at the Hoveround, but when I checked the reviews, they were all bad, specially about service. So I wanted to ask, which one you recommend, I just moved to Port Charlotte, Fl. so if anyone is from this area, can you tell me where to look? Thanks for any help. Louie.
With power chairs you get what you pay for literally. Pride do some good inexpensive chairs, but the quality is rough, and they are noisy - they creak and groan a lot. I use one for my inside chair. Most of the time I prefer to be in my Permobil - they are excellent chairs, but are about as expensive as they come. Very well built, silent, but not very manoeuvrable in tight spaces (I have a 6 wheel centre drive - hence the indoor chair.)
If you are comfortable in a chair with a basic rehab style seat, Amazon has such chairs for less than $2,000 - they are good chairs, I had one of that type, with a basic seat for six months, before insurance paid up and got me my first Invacare.
The basic rehab style chair costs from 1100 to 2000, and are real chairs. Some of the cheaper 'chairs' are really scooters with a chair on them - not good for full time use, and not very strong. Dumpsters around medical supplies often have such 'chairs' in them - they don't last long, and are not worth repairing.
Insurance will pay for a good chair - that is normally the only way to get them - my 'tricked out' Permobil costs $28,500 - way beyond the reach of the people who need them.
If you are comfortable in a chair with a basic rehab style seat, Amazon has such chairs for less than $2,000 - they are good chairs, I had one of that type, with a basic seat for six months, before insurance paid up and got me my first Invacare.
The basic rehab style chair costs from 1100 to 2000, and are real chairs. Some of the cheaper 'chairs' are really scooters with a chair on them - not good for full time use, and not very strong. Dumpsters around medical supplies often have such 'chairs' in them - they don't last long, and are not worth repairing.
Insurance will pay for a good chair - that is normally the only way to get them - my 'tricked out' Permobil costs $28,500 - way beyond the reach of the people who need them.
Thanks for your reply, this would be my 1st power chair, I've got a very good manual one, but it's starting to be a pain, for real. My shoulders & upper back are killing me, & my hands r very sore. The insurance will pay for one, I just got do my homework & find a good one that won't make their wallet cry out in pain. Permobil looks very good, but it's expensive. Thanks again. Louie.
If you have insurance, the way to get a power chair is a little complex, but not difficult. Firstly you need a doctors prescription for a powered wheelchair. Then to ease the purse strings of the insurance, you need assessing for that power chair by a qualified practitioner - they are all over the country, and will determine what level of power chair, what type of seat and more importantly what options you need.
My chair is expensive, - I got it with nothing refused, by going through the proper channels. The practitioner determined that I needed power footrest, for oedema, power tilt, to provide an 'anti-gravity' posture to relieve pressure on my butt and thighs, a recline seat back to allow for me to move position and not get stiff, and an eight inch extending lift to allow me to transfer easier. Total cost $28,500. Cost to me, co pay only. Originally they objected to the three thousand dollar elevating seat, but the company told them again, that the assessment determined that I could not transfer up, had to transfer down to a lower surface. The chair had to have adjustable height.
Do it that way, and the insurance will pay for it.
My chair is expensive, - I got it with nothing refused, by going through the proper channels. The practitioner determined that I needed power footrest, for oedema, power tilt, to provide an 'anti-gravity' posture to relieve pressure on my butt and thighs, a recline seat back to allow for me to move position and not get stiff, and an eight inch extending lift to allow me to transfer easier. Total cost $28,500. Cost to me, co pay only. Originally they objected to the three thousand dollar elevating seat, but the company told them again, that the assessment determined that I could not transfer up, had to transfer down to a lower surface. The chair had to have adjustable height.
Do it that way, and the insurance will pay for it.
If you want 'all terrain' there are few options with an insurance purchase.
A front wheel drive chair is terrifying on anything other than near level hard surface. A rear wheel drive chair is not so scary, but does not do well on grass. A centre wheel drive with correctly set up suspension does WAY better on hills, grass and uneven ground. My Permobil M300hd goes up and down my Very steed driveway with ease, the loaner Premobil C300 did not - it tipped me out. With my M300 I can traverse grass, and even a grassy hill with ease - the limit was my bravery not the chair failing. I had the magic V6 offroad chair demonstrated for me - it is badly made, does not instil confidence and is only very marginally better than the M300 I already have. I am looking into a Track-chair - they are reasonably priced, but are 43 inches wide - will not fit on a standard lift, and are too long to manoeuvre inside a house. ( will not fit through a standard doorway.)
I am thinking of this chair because I like to go through the forest, and go to parks etc, that a normal chair will not allow.
A front wheel drive chair is terrifying on anything other than near level hard surface. A rear wheel drive chair is not so scary, but does not do well on grass. A centre wheel drive with correctly set up suspension does WAY better on hills, grass and uneven ground. My Permobil M300hd goes up and down my Very steed driveway with ease, the loaner Premobil C300 did not - it tipped me out. With my M300 I can traverse grass, and even a grassy hill with ease - the limit was my bravery not the chair failing. I had the magic V6 offroad chair demonstrated for me - it is badly made, does not instil confidence and is only very marginally better than the M300 I already have. I am looking into a Track-chair - they are reasonably priced, but are 43 inches wide - will not fit on a standard lift, and are too long to manoeuvre inside a house. ( will not fit through a standard doorway.)
I am thinking of this chair because I like to go through the forest, and go to parks etc, that a normal chair will not allow.