Evaluating your mobility needs

At some point when living with Kennedy's Disease, the time might come when you have to consider a wheelchair.  I would recommend that you take more time researching the type of chairs, configurations and options available than when you buy a car. Why … because at some point you will spend more time in the chair than you do in your car.

It is also important to consider your current and future needs. The worst thing you can do is purchase a chair based upon your current needs and find out in three-to-five years that the chair no longer satisfies your mobility needs. It becomes very expensive to have to buy another chair in a couple of years because it no longer supports your mobility needs.

I have written about the importance of seeing a ‘seating specialist’ to help evaluate your current and future needs and also show you, and allow you to test drive, the options available.

Another KD’er told me about this website that has helpful information, videos and other considerations for selecting the correct wheelchair (manual or power). I perused through the site and found the videos and comparisons quite helpful. The videos help you see a chair being used and its potential limitations.
 

• For an overview on several potential chairs including 32 videos: http://www.christopherreeve.org/site/c.mtKZKgMWKwG/b.8124165/k.D9D4/Power_Wheelchair_Comparisons.htm
• For a comparison chart of these chairs:
  http://www.christopherreeve.org/atf/cf/%7B173bca02-3665-49ab-9378-be009c58a5d3%7D/WHEELCHAIRCOMPARISONCHART.PDF

Other articles that might be of help:

• http://kennedysdisease.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-heck-is-seating-specialist.html
• http://kennedysdisease.blogspot.com/2011/11/wheelchairs-what-is-right-for-me.html
• http://kennedysdisease.blogspot.com/2010/01/power-wheelchairs-and-medicare-part-i.html
• http://kennedysdisease.blogspot.com/2010/01/power-wheelchairs-and-medicare-part-ii.html