Buying an electric wheelchair today offers you a variety of options to choose from, but also leaves you with the task of figuring out what you have to know in order to make an informed decision when purchasing one.
Due to an increase in innovation, electric wheelchairs contribute to an easier life for physically impaired people. The days when only seriously injured individuals had the option to acquire a wheelchair are long gone. Today, those with minor injuries or those who because of age experience reduced mobility, can also enjoy help from wheelchairs. Because they make life so much simpler, people prefer electric wheelchairs more than they do the traditional manual wheelchair.
Electric wheelchairs today are smaller and lighter in weight, making them easily portable. There are also a wide variety of options to choose from as the market is saturated with manufacturers offering easily transportable wheelchairs which can be folded. The question to ask though is, out of all these brands and models of wheelchairs available, which is the right electric wheelchair for you?
When making a choice for an electric wheelchair, it is important to make the type of choice that take into consideration the features of the wheelchair. The right features will play an important role in the life of the user, just as much as the wrong features will negatively impact the life of the user.
When choosing a wheelchair, always keep in mind your needs. Will the wheelchair you chose be able to meet those needs. Let us take a look at a couple of features.
- The first feature you might want to look at is whether the electric wheelchair is lightweight and portable.
- Does it have an option to be modifiable? Meaning that should the user in future want to add an extra feature, this feature can be added or should be available without hassle.
- Look at the type of warranty that comes with the wheelchair. Does it cover an amount of time that allows you to familiarize yourself with the item to make sure it is exactly what you want and need.
- Does the manufacturer offer any type of technical help since this is an electric wheelchair and not the manual type.
Keeping these factors in mind will help you easily choose from a wide variety of brands and models. Please keep in mind that these features are by no means the final list, as there are so many more features available depending on what exactly you are looking at, but these cover a broad set of requirements you might want to start with.
Electric wheelchairs are not cheap, and many will find that they are not able to afford them. Therefore, it is wise to first check with your insurance and see if they cover the cost of it. If you’ve been using a manual wheelchair and want to switch to an electric wheelchair, you will find that they are a much better option and offer greater comfort.