Wheelchairs provide freedom for thousands, but they can also present challenges to the very freedoms they offer. You don't have to be a 'stuck at home' statistic. Discover 5 secrets to gaining your freedom and mobility away from home without awkward and difficult manual transfers from your wheelchair to your car. Realize for yourself the joy of going shopping, eating out or vacationing once again!
Before you start, always lock your chair and detach all movable parts i.e. footrests, accessories, trays etc.
Follow the next 5 steps for achieving freedom of mobility!
Secret #1
Keep the sitting surfaces equal in height. Impossible? Easier than you think. Short of letting the air out of your truck tires or buying a new car, (unless you need a good excuse!) park next to a curb so that the wheelchair is a curb's height closer to the level of the vehicle seat.
Curb height to car seat keeps gravity in check by somewhat leveling the two surfaces.
When you have arrived at your destination let gravity work as you transfer from your high profile vehicle down to the wheelchair. No curb at home? Build a platform that you can roll the wheelchair up onto -- now you have a curb!
Secret #2
Remember friction in physics? Transfers are all about minimizing friction! Put a plastic garbage bag on the car seat and then a towel over that for easy sliding, adjusting or pivoting once on the car seat.
There are many expensive products on the market today that seek to accomplish this same feat. Empty grocery bags are free. Suit your fancy. Watch out though, this slick surface is easy to slide off of when you don't want to!
Secret #3
To increase legroom in smaller cars, Slide the car seat all the way back AND the recliner seat back all the way down (for legs that aren't bending as much as is necessary or total hip replacements that need to follow a 90 degree precaution). Now you can scoot backward and slightly up hill on the car seat so that your legs can clear the door jam. Once inside, return the seat to a comfortable upright position.
Secret #4
The steering wheel is a sturdy "grab bar" when scooting. The handhold that some cars have above the outside mirror (inside the car of course!) work well too but they aren't for heavy duty pulling.
Remember when standing for transferring, safety first. You should push up from the wheelchair arm instead of pulling on the door, the door jam or your helper. Doors don't have muscles to strain or discs to herniate -- you and your caregiver do!
Secret #5
For the caregiver, once the patient is in the car, Walk around to the driver's side, crawl in, be careful while you grab that towel and tug. The towel, placed on the bag will slide quite easily for this final step of transferring a patient into the car.
You can buy or use wheelchairs almost anywhere. Goodwill and senior citizen centers usually have them at low-to-no cost. Manual wheelchairs are also often found at a doctor's office, and power scooters can be found at the grocery store, however, there is nothing like your own wheelchair!
Now, go out and enjoy your freedom of going!
If you need more assistance, you may want to look up a home health care agency in your area to see if their physical therapist can assist you with your freedom and mobility goals.
I am confident that my fifteen years of also trouble shooting wheelchair transfers will help you to get that awkward chair into your trunk while saving your back! Visit us now to find out how.
Got other home health care physical therapy questions? You've got goals -- we've got answers!
