Do your arms and shoulders ache after rolling around in a manual chair? Are there bumps, scrapes, and bruises on your hands and fingers from rolling that wheelchair? If you answered yes to either of these questions, you may be experiencing “wheelchair fatigue.” This term refers to the physical strain and discomfort caused by prolonged…
Hearing a squeak from your wheelchair lately? Listen closely. Wheelchair maintenance can eliminate that squeak. It may be easy to miss because you have become accustomed to it. Feeling a rattle occasionally from your wheelchair? Pay attention. Your wheelchair needs your attention to keep it maintained in functional condition. It is essential that the wheelchair…
Which wheelchair ramp will work best for you? Our home was evaluated by a physical therapist when my mother-in-law was returning from rehab. She had fallen and broken her hip, and required surgery. Now she was ready to go back home, and we all knew it would take a lot of effort to regain her…
Several years ago, my mother-in-law fell while trying to sit down on her bed. At first, there seemed to be no apparent injury. But after a few days, it was determined she had a fractured hip and would require surgery. She was 80+ years old and needed a wheelchair more than 50% of the time.…
No sagging seats, please! No sagging seat in your wheelchair, please. You probably thought I was talking about sagging pants. No, I think a sagging wheelchair seat is worse than sagging pants because it is more uncomfortable and looks terrible. When the upholstery of a manual wheelchair seat is worn out, it does not support…
The amount of wheelchair use in America is not negligible. As seen in the list below, 2.2 million people in the U.S. use a wheelchair daily. In fact, you probably know someone who uses a wheelchair. I have one in my garage, left-over from my caregiver days. You never know when it may be put…
Why bother? Manuals can be so boring. A manual is full of multiple languages, legal jargon, and dry technical writing. There’s always one set of variable instructions for different products models. So you’ll have to determine which product you have before you can use the manual. Do we really need this? I mean, there’s a…
As winter approaches, many of us know all too well the feeling of dry, itchy, and cracked skin. For older adults, whose skin is often thinner and more delicate, this can be a serious issue. Inactivity and spending a lot of time indoors can also make their skin even more fragile. As a caregiver, I…