Manual Wheelchair Alternative Ideal For Elder Care Facilities

Mobility assistance for visitors to elder care facilities can be difficult

. Many visitors are elderly themselves, although they may not be wheelchair-bound. Luckily, there is now a manual wheelchair alternative which is ideal for visitors, both in terms of ease of use and space and cost savings for the facility.

Manual, self-propelled wheelchairs and standard attended wheelchairs can be difficult for elderly visitors to use. Providing a space-saving, ergonomic alternative which can be used easily by trained staff, volunteers, and untrained, able-bodied visitors is a key benefit. The visitor's experience will be pleasant for mobility-impaired visitor and attendant alike.

When selecting a transport chair for visitors, elder care facilities should consider ease of use. Standard wheelchairs are difficult to push. Further, the user or attendant is required to manually set a brake when parking the chair. Use of a manual wheelchair alternative with an automatic braking system will prevent potential injury due to runaways. A higher, more comfortable push bar is also extremely helpful. Select a design which is intuitive and easy to use, much like an airport luggage cart or shopping cart.

Another feature to consider when selecting a transport chair for visitors is accessibility. Choose a model with folding arm rests. This will allow easy, no-lift transfer of the visitor from their car to the transport chair. Unlike standard wheelchairs, transport chairs with folding arm rests can be positioned at a table, just like a normal chair. This will allow for a better visitor experience, allowing visitors to share meals with elder care facility residents without the need to move from wheelchair to dining room chair.

For safety and comfort, an ideal manual wheelchair alternative should come with several key accessories. Retractable seat belts improve safety, as do automatic braking systems which engage when the attendant removes his or her hands from the push bar. Additional accessories such as oxygen tank holders, storage for personal items and IV pole stands are also helpful.

When storage space is a consideration, stackable wheelchairs provide an excellent means of reducing floor space footprint. By nesting wheelchairs, many more wheelchairs can be made available in the same amount of space required for far fewer standard wheelchairs, even when the standard wheelchairs are folded.

In high-traffic institutions, anti-theft features will also improve return on investment. Using no-fold, manual wheelchair alternatives make casual theft nearly impossible, as the wheelchairs will not fold to fit into the trunk of a car. Chairs which can be fitted to a self-service stand, either for rental or simply with a deposit return feature, provide an additional level of incentive for the user to return the transport chair at the end of their visit. This is especially useful in institutions where physical monitoring of assets may not be practical. Deposit return means that the transport chairs will practically return themselves to centralized gathering points.

Stacking, no-fold, easy to use manual wheelchair alternatives make an ideal addition to elder care facilities. Low maintenance and durable, they reduce maintenance cost while simultaneously providing a positive experience for facility visitors.

by: Amy Lynn Hart

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