| 1. Make Lemons Out of Lemonade - If your | | | | a rehab program. It has grown by leaps and bounds |
| wheelchair is a lemon, does not conform to the terms | | | | and is now a sport. There are over 180 teams |
| of the written warranty, or the dealer or manufacturer | | | | across the U.S. Quad Rugby is another wheelchair |
| is unable to repair it in the first year, you should check | | | | sport designed for quadriplegics who are unable to |
| your states wheelchair lemon law. You may qualify | | | | play basketball. It is a mixture of basketball, ice |
| for a replacement chair. | | | | hockey, rugby, and handball. Power soccer is yet |
| 2. Rain or Shine - It is not necessary to stay home | | | | another great sport for those in an electric |
| on a rainy day if you take precautions to protect your | | | | wheelchair. There are many wheelchair sports |
| powerchair. Cover the hand control with a plastic | | | | accessories available including belts, harnesses, drink |
| bag, but exercise caution when using a joystick with a | | | | holders and special back supports. |
| covering on it. Protect the drive motor by avoiding | | | | 7. On the Road Again - For travel, first and foremost |
| puddles that might splash or submerge the motor. | | | | make sure that your chair is in good working order. |
| Common sense is the rule, sitting in a powerchair in the | | | | Take it in for a service check. Be sure that your |
| pouring rain waiting for a bus is not a good idea, | | | | name and address are clearly printed on all removable |
| however, rain should not stop you from attending to | | | | parts. Use sticky labels, and cover them with a piece |
| life's daily activities such as going to work or a doctor | | | | of clear tape. If you will be flying, be sure to notify |
| appointment. | | | | the airline that you are traveling with a wheelchair. |
| 3. Get in Your Comfort Zone - It would be nice if | | | | Airlines are required by law to stow your chair in the |
| wheelchair seats were like our favorite overstuffed | | | | cabin, but don't count on it if there are multiple travelers |
| chair, but sadly enough they are basically not that | | | | with wheelchairs. An alternative is to gate check |
| comfortable. So, here are some tips on getting close to | | | | your chair, this will allow you to wheel onto the jetway |
| comfortable. Width of the seat should be as | | | | where they will tag your chair and stow it in the belly |
| narrow as possible without hips touching the sides. A | | | | of the plane. Remove leg supports and seat cushion |
| chair too wide causes bad posture, and affects chair | | | | and carry them on board with you. If you are unable |
| performance. Proper seat depth is tricky. Too deep | | | | to walk onto the plane, be sure to request an aisle |
| and you slouch, too shallow and you don't have | | | | chair. Always check your wheelchair for damage |
| enough support and less stability. A sling backrest | | | | on arrival. Be sure to do your homework ahead of |
| with adjustable tension will allow you to sit further back | | | | time. Check on hotels for handicapped accessible |
| in the seat, while a fixed backrest allows you to sit | | | | rooms, if you are going to be sightseeing, make sure |
| further forward. Seat angle, commonly called | | | | that there are no barriers, arrive early at bus and train |
| “squeeze” is when the seat seat has a | | | | stations. Wheelchair travel can be both challenging |
| permanent slope. Seat angle helps keep your weight | | | | and and rewarding, and with a little planning, it will |
| in place, and prevents you from sliding forward. It is | | | | certainly be a adventure that you won't forget. |
| important to get the right amount of angle because too | | | | 8. Stumbling Block - Nobody ever said it was going |
| much can cause problems with discs in the back, | | | | to be easy being disabled. Learning to cope with the |
| curvature of the spine and pressure sores. Most | | | | mountain of little obstacles that are so frustrating is a |
| manual and powerchairs have a built in adjustment | | | | major step in the right direction. If you have |
| which will allow you to customize the seat angle. Seat | | | | diminished hand strength and function, use a wall |
| cushions provide comfort, positioning, and prevent | | | | mounted dispenser with refillable chambers and push |
| pressure sores. The type of cushion you chose will | | | | button dispensing for the shower. This will eliminate the |
| depend on your criteria. Someone who spends all | | | | need for opening and closing bottles with wet hands. |
| day in a chair will obviously have a different need from | | | | If grasping a utensil is difficult slide a piece of 12mm |
| someone who may just use a wheelchair to go | | | | hose over the handle. Outsource your toenails and get |
| shopping. | | | | a simple trim at the nail salon on a regular basis. Use |
| 4. All Work and No Play - For housework and | | | | a reacher to get at those socks from under the bed |
| cleaning, my advice would be to get your friends and | | | | or behind the couch. Don't chase your food all over |
| family to do it, but that just is not realistic. Learning to | | | | the plate, use a bowl instead. Be sure to carry |
| live with a little clutter and coming to grips with the fact | | | | straws with you if you are unable to pick up a cup or |
| that your house may never be as clean as it once | | | | glass. A 3 ft dowel with a rubber cap on both ends |
| was might help with some of the frustration. Make | | | | works great for turning light switches on and off, |
| sure that you have accessible outlets!!! Try plugging | | | | ringing doorbells, pushing buttons on tv or as a pushing |
| the vacuum cleaner in when the outlet is behind the | | | | or pulling tool. Put a thin cord through the hole on your |
| couch and you will see why this is so important. | | | | zippers, tie to make a loop. Be sure to join a disabled |
| Better yet, get a cordless vacuum! If you need to | | | | support group, as they are an amazing wealth of |
| mop, always start in the corner first!! Cleaning the | | | | information. |
| shower is easy with the new sprays that are on the | | | | 9. Play it Safe - Make sure that your wheelchair is in |
| market. Pick up clutter all through the week, it lessens | | | | good condition at all times. The top priority when |
| what you have to do during the actual cleaning. Keep | | | | considering safety are the brakes. Be sure to check |
| a reacher handy to get those socks that are hiding | | | | them regularly, loose brakes can compromise the |
| under the bed or items that may have fallen behind | | | | wheelchair users safety. Another thing to consider is |
| furniture. | | | | stability and balance. Some guidelines to follow are: |
| 5. No Need for a Spare Tire - "Flat Free" tires no | | | | Never lean forward any further than the length of the |
| longer means made of solid rubber! Technology has | | | | armrests. If you do lean forward, be sure the front |
| evolved to include a range from foam filling, to a poly | | | | casters are facing forward. Do not try to pick things |
| urethane tread to a rubber insert. So, the question | | | | up from the floor by reaching down in between your |
| is: Which material meets your needs? Poly Urethane | | | | knees. Do not shift your weight in the direction you |
| tires are used most commonly on manual | | | | are reaching as the wheelchair may tip over. For |
| wheelchairs. They are highly resilient and fairly light. | | | | ultimate safety, it is important that you be fully |
| The life span is 3 to 4 times of the traditional rubber | | | | contained within the wheelchair. A weakened arm or |
| tire. Semi-pneumatic tires and inserts feature | | | | leg that occasionally drops to the side cannot be |
| molded-in air pockets, much like the air pockets in the | | | | considered the ultimate in safety. Arm supports, as |
| soles of athletic shoes, providing a slightly cushioned | | | | well as foot and leg huggers, help you keep it all |
| ride. Found in forms ranging from poly urethane tires | | | | together. |
| to inserts, semi-pneumatic tires never need air | | | | 10. Live and Learn - Become a self advocate. |
| maintenance, nor will they become flat when | | | | Being a self advocate very simply means that you |
| punctured, making them truly flat-free. On today's | | | | understand your own disability....you know your |
| powerchairs, foam-filled tires, especially on the drive | | | | weaknesses and strengths, and you are able to |
| wheels, are the most popular flat-free solution. The | | | | convey this to others. So, how do you get |
| foam may vary in density depending on the required | | | | started? Write it all down; your weaknesses, |
| weight capacity. Co-molded tires are most | | | | strengths, identify your disability, and what you need to |
| commonly found via powerchair casters and low-end | | | | do to participate in the things you enjoy, or need. Find |
| manual wheelchair wheels. Co-molded tires are | | | | out your rights, The American Disabilities Act will spell |
| especially useful as anti-tip wheels, where durability is | | | | them out for you. Now comes the hard part for |
| more important than ride characteristics. Co-molded | | | | some.......Assert yourself, ask for what you need. What |
| tires have an exceptional lifespan, but the entire wheel | | | | do you have to lose? And finally, follow up, and |
| assembly requires replacement when worn. | | | | make the change happen. |
| 6. Ball in Your Court - Being in a wheelchair should | | | | Living with a disability and being in a wheelchair means |
| not stop you from getting out there and participating in | | | | that you have had to make changes and adjustments |
| sports. Wheelchair users are now competing on a | | | | to your lifestyle, but you can still stay active and enjoy |
| professional level. There are numerous wheelchair | | | | your life. With the above wheelchair tips, and a |
| sports associations. Wheelchair basketball was started | | | | positive attitude, you can learn to thrive with your |
| over 40 years ago by the Veterans Administration as | | | | disability instead of letting it manage you! |