Thank you so much everyone who helped with this video. Thank you for all your pictures. In order of appearance @worldin_mywords @memyselfand_m.e @tid_tmi_fangirl1 @chronically_is @busdriverwithms @chronically_alyssa52 @helloveronica @__emmajay @t00mm Happy Christmas everyone and I’ll see you in 2019. xxx
oi what about us in power chairs lol, and I don't mean some grey car seat chair with the red on the bottom. I mean complex rehab technology... ok I will be nice lol but being visually impaired when I see the grey car seat power chair with the red on the bottom I know there is a 99% chance the person who I can not see well enough must be a senior lol it was so bad I rushed over and then moved away. Was that bad yes but I was a teenager lol soooo bad of me why did I do that?!
This reminds me of an experience I had about five years ago. I was part of an emergency drill for CERT, (Community Emergency Response Team), where participants had a variety of disabilities. One of the participants had a custom made wheelchair and he had multiple disabilities including being Deaf. The Emergency Responders had NO clue how to deal with a custom made wheelchair and came dangerously close to destroying it!! ARGH!!!
I think it might be important to bring up that sense a good wheelchair built for the person using it is so expensive that sometimes people that need a wheelchair but can't get the money and need a wheelchair as soon as possible will have to use rather cheap ones I had to go for a really cheap wheelchair because we often barely have money for enough food But I've heard some people say that having a cheap wheelchair means someone's faking being disabled When no our family just wasn't blessed with money we can save up I still can't get out of bed half the time without my wheelchair
One thing I wish people knew about wheelchair users is that not everyone who needs a wheelchair is paralyzed... people harass me when I use mine cause I can walk a little bit... I have a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.... my chair costed $9000 CAD but thankfully the assistive devices program paid for mine in full since I’m on disability income
I have FND - functional neurological disorder- I use a wheelchair, a walker or my legs depending on my symptoms on the day...trying to explain to people that my chair is classed as 'ambulatory' is a nightmare...seems daft but the stigma around 'non paralysed' or 'non amputees' using wheelchairs is more disabling than my condition some days - like I daren't stand up out of my chair in public cause some moron takes it as a sign that all wheelchair users are faking it for benefits (actual comment from a bus driver when I transferred into a 'normal' seat for another wheelchair user)
Fellow EDS peep here, and YES, IT'S SOOO STRESSFUL... I get all nervous for someone to realize I can walk (I'm hoping to get Smart drive /power assist so I'll be able to actually go out more) But yeah... I wish everyone didn't assume. :-/
I have bad arthritis, I can walk approx 20 yards but no further, so I know what you're saying. Fortunately I'm now in my 60's but have had mobility issues for approx 15 years.
I’m an ordinary person and my wheelchair cost £8,500, so I saved up for it, ie, not eating out or take aways, cheap food, no fancy holiday, (indeedy no holiday!), for YEARS!, but it’s so much better than my NHS wheelchair that I’d definitely do it again. Most of the cost is for a smart drive, which is like a little battery pack that connects to your back axel. It’s made me much more mobile as it gets me up the hard bits, but isn’t bulky or too heavy so you can get it into a car (I have a rigid frame wheelchair that strips down when I get in a car and can sit on a seat next to me with the ordinary seatbelt to make it safe, I usually put the smart drive on the floor. Some things I’d like to share, (but I think it’s just me, so no hate please!)... I find others (family/friends) don’t get why I bought such an expensive one when you can get wheelchairs for £150, but they don’t realise that they weigh a ton and are too heavy to move and the seat is just a piece of floppy fabric, so no air can get in (nice bum rash), and there’s no support (nasty back pain), and your body weight is concentrated on one point (pressure sores), and you can’t reach the hand rims because of the weird sides/arm rests. I find that the push rims (where your hands go) get really hot when you’re going down hill, but wearing gloves mean that your hands get soft and then when you loose or drop a glove your hands get torn up (...I found that other people in wheelchairs can just drive to places and park outside but I can’t drive because I don’t have enough eyesight) - and even with calluses I can still get blistered on steep hills, but I definitely find it easier without gloves though, so in winter the rims are so cold and summer they’re so hot, but still much easier to control, also I have found flat rims, (“the surge LT”) much easier too as they have a strip of rubber on them so you can grip when it’s wet. Wheelchair hand rims make your hands filthy, like really ground in dirt, made much worse when it’s wet outside. Near where I live most pavements don’t have dropped curbs, and bus stops don’t have raised stops, but these can make life much easier (do you find that some dropped curbs are altered so cheaply, ie. they don’t cut out and alter enough tarmac/flags that they’re too steep to get up?). Also I avoid certain sections of pavements because I know they’re too steep, even turning around backwards so I’m using different muscles and dragging my feet to stop me shooting down the slope won’t get me up there. Flagged pavements with their big flat stones are so uneven sometimes that the front wheels can stop dead and you get dumped on the pavement. (I like going pretty quick, so it happens quite a lot!). When cars park on pavements they don’t leave enough room to get past so you have to take a chance in the road which is really scary when it’s dark. When going around places like supermarkets, there are so many obstructions with trolleys and pallets/cages, (and please believe us that we know the width of our wheelchair and when we say we won’t get through, we need more room), my wheelchair is wider at the bottom than the top, but some people can’t see it. Lastly, my wheelchair’s height doesn’t change, (some wheelchair’s can rise up), so generally I can only shop the middle shelves in stores, the lower shelves can be just as hard to get to as the higher ones. Sorry for the rant. Well done if you get to the end. Billie.
yes! Trying to get on an elevator the person inside (blocking the way in mind you) just stared at me deer in headlights. I waited for them to move or get off and the door started closing the guy (just a friend) stopped it closing for me and I said "um getting off or going up?" ".... " and then he kinda just sprints off without saying a word... it's just a wheelchair... lol calm down!! It was hilarious. Has this kid never seen one before... it won't bite... it can't bite... and I won't bite either... I'm a nice person lol!
@@SohiTheTinyKittenHuman oh man! I have had this experience as well... I try to understand to a degree, but at some point you (as in the deer in the headlights) gotta realize that when you leave your cozy, sheltered home, you're gonna come across a diverse number of people in traffic, in lines, wherever...so, GET OVER IT! And move on! You're being annoying and rude!
Oh my goodness I hate the “it’s great seeing people like you getting out of the house...” or “good for you!” um..... while I’d never do it it would be fun to say “it sucks to see people like you getting out of the house” and “good for you that you managed to get dressed this morning!” Or the “can you have sex in that thing?!” ( honestly not interested) oh how much I’d love to say ( especially if a man asks) “can You have sex with that thing?! ( eyes of sheer wonderment) It’s So Small!!!” Lol but Alas I never will. Lol.
So true!!! My chair was about $2500 here in the US. my insurance will only help with payment every 5 years. that sounds like a long time, but your chair (at least the way I abuse mine!) gets worn down quick! Great video as usual!!! PS. Oh yeah, the DON'T TOUCH! message is so important. People don't understand that one alot I find...
Something I've come to enjoy saying to people who completely panic when they see the chair recently is "Its a wheelchair, not Ebola!" which tends to help break the ice.... or make them panic more lol!
Whilst test driving a new car recently-- trying to find one that's more WC accessible for me. Salesman commented on my WC. When I told him how much it cost me, I saw the color drain from his face (just like mine did when I first found out)...just over 16G. I have a manual w SD. He was shell shocked. Love, Love, LOVE your videos sis!! Keep up the great work! Always look forward to your posts. Many continued blessings to you and your beautiful family 😊🌈🤟
Here in the states it is almost impossible to find a wheelchair provider that has weekend hours. As a result if your chair has a breakdown on the weekend you may be stuck till Monday to get it fixed. Additionally if you work this can mean having to take time off to get the chair repaired.
In regards to don’t touch - don’t move people’s mobility aids whether it’s a wheelchair or something else if someone has put their mobility aid in a certain place don’t move it, i has a restaurant try to put my crutches in the garden because they were in the way
For me I go between wheel chair and full upper body brace depending on the event and my pain levels due to spinal disabilities and I HATE it when people see me stand from my wheel chair (which I need extensive help to do) then walk maybe 2 ft. to the car seat and they get upset with me "you don't need that wheel chair!!" Or if they see me in it then come to my house and see me somewhat functional without it (however I can't live alone due to how much aid I need in some situations) and say "So you just use it when you're lazy?!" I have it for a reason, just because I'm not constantly in it doesnt mean it isn't essential to my quality of life and day to day function
Watching from Australia, wow, I'm horrified re the vouchers etc instead of full costs covered! Makes me feel very lucky & grateful for what I have! In Australia as long as an OT who's accredited with the NDIS says it's needed, it will be fully funded & that's for the standard $5000 manual wheelchair or whatever amount above that if needed & also for the electric assist options like the $10,000 smart drive, if the OT says it's what's best & multiple options have been trialled & this is what the person needs, it's approved (and with next to no waiting time). $5,000 was the standard base rate last time I got one, I think it's up to $6,000 or $7,000 now, so no-one will have one with a starting cost below that I know you're kinda saying the same thing, in terms of it being what the system says you need is covered, but here the focus is on spending lots initially, so as to prevent injuries & additional costs to the system down the track. They'd much rather fund a smart drive than a shoulder reconstruction from pushing too much. Even stuff like specific sports wheelchairs are covered here now so as to encourage disabled people to participate in the community & recreational activities in the way they want to. Friend of mine recently moved into a motorised chair from a manual, hers has every feature imaginable, from tilting to lifting. When we went to McDonalds, she decided to sit at the high bench, just so she could raise her chair up to regular standing height & sit at that high bench, just for fun & again, she was transferring from a pretty basic manual chair, not a high level quad or anything, she just liked the idea of the features like being able to match standing height, so it was approved for her & all our repairs & maintenance is covered too, with a specific allowance in the NDIS, but if we need more than that, we can use our "core funding" to cover it too. core funding in everyone I know has been super generous, mine's about $100,000 a year. I don't get that money obviously, but it can be spent on basically anything I need for daily living. When covid hit, we were all able to just adjust what we spent it on to fit with the changes, so to pay for carers to go shopping for us instead of taking us out, I switched to private hydrotherapy when the public pool closed etc etc & generally it can also be used for things like taxies, wheelchair repairs, transport for social outings, gym memberships etc etc etc & there's a set amount built into it for "low cost, low risk assistive technology" too, not sure how much, I think it's up to $5,000, single item costs are a max of $1,500, so if someone wanted a basic fold up wheelchair to go shopping in or whatever, they could just go out & buy it if under $1,500 & just send the receipt to the NDIS for reimbursement. I use the core funding in the same way most people I know do, being to actually save money & buy conveniently, such as replacement cushions, I just buy from my local foam shop for $20. Bought from a wheelchair supplier, they tend to charge around $200 for the same thing, so I see no reason ot go down that path, I'm grateful for what the government & taxpayers are giving me & if I can keep the costs down I will. Same on stuff like grabby sticks, I've bought a number of them from places like aldi, kmart etc instead of from disability aid shops. I even bought a dog poop scooper on a stick, cause it was actually a great design for some grabby stick options that my regular sticks couldn't do & again, no issues, just sent them the receipt for the "dog poop scooper" & got reimbursed without question lol & I totally agree on small changes to the chair causing big issues, I had major issues a little while back with ongoing UTI's. I eventually found the problem, the soft casters I currently have aren't being made anymore, so I'm sticking with my existing ones as long as I can & they're worn out to such an extent that it's actually changed the tilt/dump in the chair & that put pressure on my body in such a way as to cause the UTI's. Was easily fixed by changing the screw hole the casters were going into to get it back to where it was, but was only possible to do that fix after figuring out what was going on, which didn't occur to me for ages Anyway, I'm glad to live in Australia where our government actually has this stuff right & understands it's false economy to try to skimp on stuff like wheelchairs & better to spend lots there to save LOTS on injury care later. I really hope your government can figure that out eventually too!
The touching one really gets me. A lot of people come up to touch the wheel bar saying 'I've always wanted to know what it feels like'. I have also had a stranger come and randomly push without my consent and I didn't need help. The price of my wheelchair is covered however because of my scheme I am part of...
I don’t know if you would consider this a wheelchair thing or a wheelchair user thing, but in the bad weather (rain snow sleet) if our push rims get drenched then we lose traction for pushing our chair! Also in the snow, even good wheelchairs that are manual will get stuck in the snow! And finally, be aware in parking lots, sometimes all the accessible parking is taken and we have to park far away where we can take 2 spots or have an extra spot next to us to unload our chair!
I have a very basic wheelchair, where I'm pushed by someone, that cost just over £100 new. It's not very comfy but it folds down in the car and thankfully I don't have to use it often as I'm housebound (M.E). I only really go out for health appointments. We're hoping to save for a mobility scooter, which will cost about £800+. Much more comfy and it'll be nice to feel like I'm a bit more independent, being able to move around myself.
Oh one thing you MISSED! Well I'm not sure if this happens to you, but sometimes when I'm transferring in or out of my chair at the supermarket (or someplace else public) I'll have someone come up and offer assistance, but A: Why would I have driven myself there with no plan of getting back in the car, lol, and B: That person who offers help is ALWAYS the oldest person around, like 80's or 90 year old men who are clearly not able to lift 140lbs of me with my bottom half being dead weight! Oh geez... Don't get me wrong, I know their heart is in the right place. I just find it amusing that it's always an elderly person. I guess it says something about generational differences. Basically, if we (chair users) do need help, I promise we won't hesitate to ask. I do appreciate the sentiment though.
Don't forget customized power chairs can cost anywhere from $20,000-$50,000! I'm extremely lucky that my Tilite ZRA was covered by the govt except for some upgrades. Had I gone with all the upgrades I wanted it would have been about $8,000 CAD. O_O Ended up paying $600 out of pocket.
I got mine from the veterans affairs department and also I got a smart drive system as well. I got a very nice tilight tra with a gel foam cushion I am very lucky that it was taken care of through the va!
The camber on the pavements around where I live is so bad that I can literally go around the block barely using one arm but the other one feels about ready to drop off!
Hi Jen, i certainly have an older wheelchair that was found at a garage sale (car boot sale ) as my original was stolen from the back of my car) so sad I loved the bling on it and victims of crime wouldn’t cover it as I wasn’t I’m it at the time , and when my wallet was stolen voc would cover that because I wasn’t pushed out of my chair.
This post is going to help so many people Gem, 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 a lot of fellow patients at my DSC do not know how to go about getting the “Right” wheelchair instead they put up with the basic nhs stock which actually restricts and holds them back to the point they stay indoors or don’t use them at all. I fought hard to be able to get my wheelchair and I’m trying my hardest to make it last as long as possible. mines already 10yrs but I’ve taken care of it by getting it serviced & by keeping it well maintained Plus new scooter wheels 😉 thank you so much for that top tip the difference using them has been brilliant! I’m going to show this post to some of the patients at my DSC as I know how much it will help them 👌🏻🙌🏻👌🏻 Ps I hate cambered pavements and ramps, it’s so so tiring trying to push one handed. So you end up using the road which is also cambered towards the curbs 😬 Also people leaving their dustbins out blocking the pavements can be so frustrating too. Ive seen some people’s battered wheelchairs that have been thrown from the bagging area of the plane its so frightening that this still happens so I really hope baggage handlers understand how precious and expensive our wheelchairs are. 🙏🏻 Here’s a tip for manual wheelchair users.... in the winter councils put rock salt on the pavements and roads which have corrosive chemicals in that can burn your skin or give people nasty rashes so please make sure to wear gloves (I use rubber gardening gloves) If you do get this on your hands make sure to wash your skin thoroughly and definitely do not let your hands touch your face 😖 Hope this helps 🤗
Wheelchairs in England can be obtained with the voucher scheme through the wheelchair services of your local PCT (Primary Care trust) . In Wales (where i am) the wheelchair gets provided.
One time I was in my wheelchair in a lift and this woman started LEANING ON MY WHEELCHAIR and when I looked at her and asked her why she said “oh I have bad balance and you are the perfect height for me to learn on” ummmm no my wheelchair cost A LOT of money and also I am not your balance aid so maybe you should go and get an actual balance aid
Thank you so much for this video and the others. I have my injury between L5/S1 through to S4/S5 with metal rods and bolts stopping my lower spine from collapsing! I have been killing myself on hills and taring my arm muscles apart manoeuvring a standard steel scissor action self propelled or pushed wheelchair for 22 years and only found out last year that i am classed as an “active user” and should have been in a different type of wheelchair for about 17 years!! I have at last seen the triage team but now have a wait of at least 6 months before i get seen again for a trial assessment and fitting appointment. Let the good times roll and with a fare bit less effort than I’ve been used to!😊
This is not strictly related to wheelchairs, but I feel like you touched on it briefly in this video...is the hoops and red tape you have to jump through to access/get something you need, and sometimes all the fighting doesn't do anything! You know what I mean? I'd LOVE if you did a future video on this, but only if you want to of course. I just find it one of the most frustrating things and it's hard to get people to fully understand it
I got a ‘cheap’ one from a Walmart near me and I have to replace most of the bolts/fastenings and I’ve only used it for the past few months. The type that I got was designed for only indoor use and I use it all the time.
I live in the United States and I went without a wheelchair for over a year because my insurance company didn't want to pay for it. I finally was able to get it after a long battle without having to pay for it but I know so many people who have to front the majority of the cost. On another note, I wish people didn't think that everyone who uses a wheelchair is paralyzed. I have severe chronic pain from my SEDc dwarfism and osteoarthritis so I am limited in physical mobility. I have to get out of my wheelchair and lift it into my van, since I don't have a ramp for my car, and people can't help but to stare at me.
I recently bought a second hand wheelchair at a charity shop, £25 fully functional and lightweight. I thankfully don't need one full time so the chair I'd need would cost around £400-£500 and I found the exact same. So if you don't need a super good one for active use, definitely keep an eye out in the larger charity shops
Your my inspiration, once i almost give up when i get my leg paralysis but when i watch and follow all your videos that makes me motivasion and independent, sorry im from malaysian hahaha my english so bad, love from me and thank you very much for your inspiration 😅😘
I know you posted this video a while ago but thank you for mentioning wonky pavements. People just don't understand it's not straight and it is really hard to wheel along.
I don't have a wheelchair yet, but I desperately need one. For right now I have a rollator walker and I have to constantly remind my relatives not to touch or pull it when I'm using it because they literally are almost making me fall. Smh. It's annoying.
Before any of my friends or family push my chair I tell them about “no horsing around” because my chair cost me $9000 and I can only update the chair in 5 years. My last chair someone decided to push me to hard and hit a crack in the side walk and it messed up one of the caster wheels. And when the caster got messed up the frame actually got messed up and bent awkwardly. 🤦🏻♀️ I was stuck with that for years until I met my 5 years.
My mom bought a $10 (US) standard wheelchair from a yard sale last year for me. I was shocked at the price as I'd been looking at ones that cost hundreds. Its wider than I need and very heavy, and I don't have a wheelchair attachment on my car so it's a literal pain to transport it. But I'm thankful she found one for me anyway, as I have a very limited budget and I'm only a part time user right now.
I'm in the US and just got a new chair. On paper the chair plus smart drive is $29,000. Insurance covers some, but I may be responsible for like $5,000.
I had a manual chair I couldn’t push (taking away my independence) for 8 years due to the criteria. They finally gave my a power chair at 14 but it still doesn’t fully meet my needs and the table thing is such a pet peeve!
That's interesting re fitting under tables being a problem. Very rare I experience that where I am, occasionally if you're at the wrong spot a table leg's in the way, but easy to just swap spots with someone if that happens & everywhere else it fits under fine & re "wide" I always find the opposite where I am lol people seem to think I'm the same width as a shopping trolley or thinner & I'm slightly wider, so they only ever seem to create enough space for thinner than me, or the space for the wheelchair BUT I still need to be able to get my hands onto the wheels to push, so I kinda need space for that too you know! My push rims are SO beeten up by me grabbing 2 sides of whatever's obstructing & just kinda forcing my way though the hole that's too small to really fit through & I'm really not that wide, my chair's 15.5 inches, so pretty standard to slightly less. I've heard people in scooters say they get a really wide berth, but in a manual, sporty looking chair, people seem to think I'm fine with just a regular standing space gap. Interesting how people in different societies act differently on stuff like this & yeh, TOTALLY with you on the "crossfall" on footpaths so that rain drains off them, but I wouldn't say "ever so slightly", it's a bloody huge slope on some of them! Looks flat or even downhill, but it's a one arm push the entire way! My local area I've learnt all the tricks, for example when I wheel down the road to my doctor, I cross the road twice, cause the one on the other side of the road is better. My street I live in, I just wheel on the road itself, cause it's a quiet road & nice & wide, so quite viable to do that & FAR easier pushing. I know where on the road it's flat :)
Also the wheelchair I am in now fit fine. But I had a huge wound flap surgery that reshaped my back and bottom. I know my chair does not fit me properly NOW!!! Yet! I still need to wait to get a new chair. It works but it does give me great pain where I had the wound flap surgery.😢
Can you get a self propel lightweight wheelchair with the sides dropping on the nhs ??????? I’ve FINALLY got my wheelchair fitting on Wednesday !!!!! But I really need one like that ! But I don’t know what kind of ones they do ?? Xx. Ps-- I’m currently using a friend’s grandads one and it’s the WORST but I’m bed bound and wheelchair bound due to pain from my toe to my head and can barely move ! Just for context !!
Hey Martha, Im sure when you go for your measurements they will show you examples of what will be available to you. Each person is different, and is based on individual needs, so I can't comment on what will be available to you. . Good luck. xx
I hate the pavement thing - the sidewalk and the street are sloped enough where I live that I had to keep stopping to rest even when only going 4 blocks, and it was the 4th of July, so that, combined with the fact that there are almost zero curb cuts except on the one main street (most intersections not on the main street have only one, if any), I had to wheel in the road in between the line of parked cars and the lane of moving traffic of tourists who are not paying attention because they've never driven these streets before (and one almost crossed through the intersection while I was still in it - I stared him down, and he did stop). Yeah, I can't wait for my custom, and I'm hoping to get SmartDrive with it, so hopefully I can still go out and not destroy my already long-time injured shoulder.
Regarding the sores I have a friend who is going into hosipital to have surgery on a sore on her back that is not healing and being of course that her back is always against the back of her chair is been horrbile
This is really informative. Ive just failed my esa assessment ( which i am appealing). One of the notes on my failure letter said that i could get a wheelchair on nhs and if i have no where to store it at home my " future" employer would have to store it at work. After seeing your vlog i ser how stupid this statment in the letter is. I dont always need a wheelchair to get around as my disability is neurological of which i have 2 conditions. I would love to get a wheelchair to help on my so so days and my bad days, but they cost a fortune which i dont have 😣.
I bought a wheelchair a 50 bucks it's a quickie GT I love it it took me awhile to adjust it to what I need it for but I wouldn't trade it for nothing is the older one but the tires are good the seed is good everything is 30 in a rose so much nicer than the cheap ones you buy at Walmart now that 50 bucks is a good price
And with the moving out the way of the wheelchair that’s never happened to me most people are so rude to me and just walk in front of me and things like that !
I want to know what you think about the jazzy power wheelchair. There like 2 to 3 thousand dollars and there like 45 pounds. I want one but there expensive and my husband doesn’t have the money or he thinks it’s wasting money because he says I’m going to walk again. My legs don’t work. I don’t want to depend on him all the time.
Someone asked me once if it was okay to hold onto my chair so she didn't fall on bus. It was nice to be asked, I don't mind people using it for balance with permission as it a very heavy chair. lol I'm getting swing away controller to help with tables. £115! lol
Also, additional things about getting a chair on the NHS: Same as with disability benefits, your need is not assessed by your ability to actually function in real day to day life but an arbitrary list of yes/no questions. Can you put your hands on the wheels and move yourself 2 inches closer to a table that someone has parked you a little too far away from? Then you don’t need a power chair, regardless of if that leaves you 100% helpless to go anywhere either outside or inside your home without a carer pushing you! Can you stand up and take one step to transfer yourself from your chair to your bed? Well then you don’t need a chair suitable for full time use even if you are totally dependent on it to even get from your bed to the bathroom and back or to be able to get to work! And if your chair breaks they will fix it but you may have to wait a week (and possibly then another few days for them to come back if it needs anything they don’t actually carry in their van) and then you will be told what day they will come and be expected to sit there all day waiting for whatever random time, so screw you if you have a job or kids to look after and take to school, or even hospital appointments! This last one might sound like looking a gift horse in the mouth when we are being given a service for free but many disabled people have the exact same responsibilities in life as an able bodied person and, as understanding as we may be of why they can’t be at our beck and call to fix the chair faster, your kids and your boss and even your basic daily functions like needing to go to the bathroom and get yourself food and drink, are not all going to go away for a week while you sit helplessly in bed waiting to get your chair fixed.
I can't afford to buy my own in Wales so have to rely on the NHS, I was assessed before June this year and still waiting for one. If you can afford to fund one privately then good luck to you. The majority of people do not have that luxury.
Natasha Kingston I’m in the same position. I went to a mobility specialist for assessment and the chair plus smart drive they recommended was just under£8k. Needless to say I have a terrible NHS one that is uncomfortable, heavy and doesn’t support my back resulting in back ache. It’s a nightmare but I just can’t afford the recommended chair.
Oh I would be sooo happy to bump into you! But that's unlikely, I live in France 😂 Some of us are really lucky 😉 Also, really great video Gem, as always 💙
Was stuck waiting for my chair at the entrance of a plane.... Only to look through the employee door to see it folded up and rolling at great speed across the tarmac where it only stopped because it hit the building. Even with a huge complaint I just got a shrug. We were running to catch a flight so we didn't even get the chance to file a complaint. Flying with my chair is terrible. I absolutely hate air travel because of it.
O, I have another one! Wheelchair: "Do not put all of your coats, bags or other stuff on/over me if I am having a break when my upper body is resting in bed or on the couch."
So I’m in Australia so we have the ndis, my chair was around $30,000 a replacement wheel is $400 I have 6 wheels. A modification that is need is $16,000. I have to wait a few years before this can occur, this modification is need simply because of the reaction of the public to a chair and the safety issue that that causes not my ability. All tables should have an adjustment in hight. Understand my electric wheelchair weights 185kg. If the only enter to a place is through the back door with a wheelchair then it’s not accessible
Re pressure sores: Actor Christopher Reeve, paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown from his horse, DIED from a pressure sore that got infected then went septic
I’m new to wheelchairs my husband got me one for 125 dollars. I only use it is when he takes me to dr appointments. At home I just lay down to keep my pain under control I want a power wheelchair my husband said no And he says I will walk again. But until the dr can get my pain under control and find out what’s going on.
I got a £150 voucher for a wheelchair. They decided that I only needed an indoor chair even though I use my wheelchair 6+ hours a day. Honestly the most ridiculous thing I've experienced. I'm now on a list to have a look at my living conditions for some unkown reason.
Wheelchair and Trike to pull my wheelchair SHOULD be paid by "invalidity insurance" in Switzerland. It is a lot of paperwork, but worth the 8000 Euro is will cost. If they don't pay I still have the option to go to court. I hope I won't have to do so, but I will if they don't pay. My brother studied law, so he might help me. The other thing, about pavements and stuff. I thought to be living in a plain, but with a wheelchair it is not a plain, it is more like an exhausting endless hill. Pavements look lovely with their cobblestone- I just fell with my wheelchair over cobblestones and yes, it hurts.
They do the same thing with musical instruments on aircraft.... and even suitcases we've all seen it- I think airport handlers should just be more careful with EVERYONE's belongings period: anyone could have something a little fragile inside or medicine etc. there are hardly ever just clothes, they don't know. I think you have every right to get heated on this topic Gem, I do and I don't have a wheelchair :)
It's a cost issue. Customers use web sites or travel agents to shop for the cheapest air fare. Airlines have to rush their baggage handlers to keep expenses down where the business can continue to operate. Allowing the baggage handlers time to be careful would drive fares up and the airline would loose customers to competitors who charge a few percent less.
Since I don't have a spinal cord injury I can buy a new cheap WC every 2 years 200 dollars US then I can wrap it in vinyl to make it my own have a day love from TEXAS
im watching this vid in 2022 i hope you have carm down oh by the by i used to be a lorry driver and was asked by a compony can i drive a auto yes i replyed but i can not get out due t; the loss of an limb they hung up i dont no why
HELLO FRON THE U.S: MERRY CHRISTMAS AND, A HAPPY NEW YEAR. I FREEMAN, N. I'M NEW TO USING A MOBILE- WHEELCHAIR. I HAD A BRAIN TUMAR THAT CAUSES BRAIN BALANCE. EVEN THIS CHAIR NEED PROPER TIEDOWNS. THANK. YOU. ..
oh so madenting when your pushed to one side so someone can reach somthing on the shelf. Just a gentle excuse me is all thats needed. Its equal to a shoulder bump to get you out of the way.. Please please, dont park us at a table. Not all of us can fit thiers knees under. Im one of those. Plus its nice to choose.... within reason. I totaly understand our chair may stick out to far to fit in some areas. Its compares to ... abled people have long legs, Wide bodies.. Slim bodies. all sorts of bidies. All have needs. My 6' 4" son ihas been asked very niely if he prefer other end of table as more leg room. How nice. He usually twists it round with " brilliant, that will suit my mum perfectly" Definatly the son of the day.
I’m in the process of trying to get Medicare to pay for a wheelchair for my mom. We need a 16 inch wheelchair rather than a standard wheelchair because we live in a older home, and the bathroom door isn’t as wide as rest of the doors. Which means we have to park the wc at the doorway, and she has to walk , holding onto gripping handles and with me holding her up to get to the toilet. Which means she can’t go to the toilet by herself. One of the things that Medicare needs is a note from her doctor stating exactly why she needs a wheelchair. They won’t take a note from me, her primary caregiver, that she can’t walk more than a few feet, without someone holding on to her, without falling. She has a history of frequent falls, history of stroke , is blind and almost 90. But they ask, why does she really need a wheelchair? So she doesn’t fall, duh
Hi yep one hand thing I get as live in south Wales and hilly, the touching thing I agree with although I offered my chair to a gentleman in the hospital so he could lean on the back as he was struggling to walk he look so shocked when I flipped up the push handles so he could use me as a walker to get to the seats. To wait for his daughter to get the car, and no hospital chairs available good deed done. But the price of mine cough splutter!? What?? But lucky as fully supplied but NHS.
We went to a theme park with a friend of our who is paralyzed. My ole man begged him to bring his power chair but he kept on with no. My ole man kept telling him that it was alot of heels in this park. But he didnt want to ... so we let it go. After getting to park he was wore out by the end of the day and we realised very early he didnt have handle bars in the back of it. Which ended up killing my back by the end of the day. He could ride all rides so my ole man just picked him up and put him on the rides so I pushed him but it was very very low. By the end of the day he wanted to have his power chair.
1) listening to you name prices for self-propelled chairs, ngl sound comically cheap compared to the cost of an electric chair. We're talking £4,000+ for a new one of those on average
1:25 That's how the NHS operates??? Just one more reason why we should start a resource-based economy. If you'd like to know more, please search for The Venus Project. 5:11 Don't you mean 180? 7:08 Then what do we do to show that we like your video? 7:25 I read about it on Facebook. That should really never be necessary.
![♿️ 8 WHEELCHAIR USER ASSUMPTIONS [CC]](/img/n.gif)
Thank you so much everyone who helped with this video. Thank you for all your pictures. In order of appearance
@worldin_mywords
@memyselfand_m.e
@tid_tmi_fangirl1
@chronically_is
@busdriverwithms
@chronically_alyssa52
@helloveronica
@__emmajay
@t00mm
Happy Christmas everyone and I’ll see you in 2019. xxx
oi what about us in power chairs lol, and I don't mean some grey car seat chair with the red on the bottom. I mean complex rehab technology... ok I will be nice lol but being visually impaired when I see the grey car seat power chair with the red on the bottom I know there is a 99% chance the person who I can not see well enough must be a senior lol it was so bad I rushed over and then moved away. Was that bad yes but I was a teenager lol soooo bad of me why did I do that?!
What are the steps u have to take ... To drive .... If you have a license already... ?
This reminds me of an experience I had about five years ago. I was part of an emergency drill for CERT, (Community Emergency Response Team), where participants had a variety of disabilities. One of the participants had a custom made wheelchair and he had multiple disabilities including being Deaf. The Emergency Responders had NO clue how to deal with a custom made wheelchair and came dangerously close to destroying it!! ARGH!!!
I think it might be important to bring up that sense a good wheelchair built for the person using it is so expensive that sometimes people that need a wheelchair but can't get the money and need a wheelchair as soon as possible will have to use rather cheap ones
I had to go for a really cheap wheelchair because we often barely have money for enough food
But I've heard some people say that having a cheap wheelchair means someone's faking being disabled
When no our family just wasn't blessed with money we can save up
I still can't get out of bed half the time without my wheelchair
One thing I wish people knew about wheelchair users is that not everyone who needs a wheelchair is paralyzed... people harass me when I use mine cause I can walk a little bit... I have a connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome.... my chair costed $9000 CAD but thankfully the assistive devices program paid for mine in full since I’m on disability income
I have FND - functional neurological disorder- I use a wheelchair, a walker or my legs depending on my symptoms on the day...trying to explain to people that my chair is classed as 'ambulatory' is a nightmare...seems daft but the stigma around 'non paralysed' or 'non amputees' using wheelchairs is more disabling than my condition some days - like I daren't stand up out of my chair in public cause some moron takes it as a sign that all wheelchair users are faking it for benefits (actual comment from a bus driver when I transferred into a 'normal' seat for another wheelchair user)
YES wish more ppl knew that some chair users are ambulatory!
Fellow EDS peep here, and YES, IT'S SOOO STRESSFUL... I get all nervous for someone to realize I can walk (I'm hoping to get Smart drive /power assist so I'll be able to actually go out more)
But yeah... I wish everyone didn't assume. :-/
I have bad arthritis, I can walk approx 20 yards but no further, so I know what you're saying. Fortunately I'm now in my 60's but have had mobility issues for approx 15 years.
I’m an ordinary person and my wheelchair cost £8,500, so I saved up for it, ie, not eating out or take aways, cheap food, no fancy holiday, (indeedy no holiday!), for YEARS!, but it’s so much better than my NHS wheelchair that I’d definitely do it again. Most of the cost is for a smart drive, which is like a little battery pack that connects to your back axel. It’s made me much more mobile as it gets me up the hard bits, but isn’t bulky or too heavy so you can get it into a car (I have a rigid frame wheelchair that strips down when I get in a car and can sit on a seat next to me with the ordinary seatbelt to make it safe, I usually put the smart drive on the floor.
Some things I’d like to share, (but I think it’s just me, so no hate please!)...
I find others (family/friends) don’t get why I bought such an expensive one when you can get wheelchairs for £150, but they don’t realise that they weigh a ton and are too heavy to move and the seat is just a piece of floppy fabric, so no air can get in (nice bum rash), and there’s no support (nasty back pain), and your body weight is concentrated on one point (pressure sores), and you can’t reach the hand rims because of the weird sides/arm rests.
I find that the push rims (where your hands go) get really hot when you’re going down hill, but wearing gloves mean that your hands get soft and then when you loose or drop a glove your hands get torn up (...I found that other people in wheelchairs can just drive to places and park outside but I can’t drive because I don’t have enough eyesight) - and even with calluses I can still get blistered on steep hills, but I definitely find it easier without gloves though, so in winter the rims are so cold and summer they’re so hot, but still much easier to control, also I have found flat rims, (“the surge LT”) much easier too as they have a strip of rubber on them so you can grip when it’s wet.
Wheelchair hand rims make your hands filthy, like really ground in dirt, made much worse when it’s wet outside.
Near where I live most pavements don’t have dropped curbs, and bus stops don’t have raised stops, but these can make life much easier (do you find that some dropped curbs are altered so cheaply, ie. they don’t cut out and alter enough tarmac/flags that they’re too steep to get up?).
Also I avoid certain sections of pavements because I know they’re too steep, even turning around backwards so I’m using different muscles and dragging my feet to stop me shooting down the slope won’t get me up there.
Flagged pavements with their big flat stones are so uneven sometimes that the front wheels can stop dead and you get dumped on the pavement. (I like going pretty quick, so it happens quite a lot!).
When cars park on pavements they don’t leave enough room to get past so you have to take a chance in the road which is really scary when it’s dark.
When going around places like supermarkets, there are so many obstructions with trolleys and pallets/cages, (and please believe us that we know the width of our wheelchair and when we say we won’t get through, we need more room), my wheelchair is wider at the bottom than the top, but some people can’t see it.
Lastly, my wheelchair’s height doesn’t change, (some wheelchair’s can rise up), so generally I can only shop the middle shelves in stores, the lower shelves can be just as hard to get to as the higher ones.
Sorry for the rant. Well done if you get to the end.
Billie.
Oh God, the panic on seeing us chairs coming at you, haha! People dive 10 feet outta the way! Lol ..
yes! Trying to get on an elevator the person inside (blocking the way in mind you) just stared at me deer in headlights. I waited for them to move or get off and the door started closing the guy (just a friend) stopped it closing for me and I said "um getting off or going up?" ".... " and then he kinda just sprints off without saying a word... it's just a wheelchair... lol calm down!! It was hilarious. Has this kid never seen one before... it won't bite... it can't bite... and I won't bite either... I'm a nice person lol!
@@SohiTheTinyKittenHuman oh man! I have had this experience as well... I try to understand to a degree, but at some point you (as in the deer in the headlights) gotta realize that when you leave your cozy, sheltered home, you're gonna come across a diverse number of people in traffic, in lines, wherever...so, GET OVER IT! And move on! You're being annoying and rude!
Oh my goodness I hate the “it’s great seeing people like you getting out of the house...” or “good for you!” um..... while I’d never do it it would be fun to say “it sucks to see people like you getting out of the house” and “good for you that you managed to get dressed this morning!” Or the “can you have sex in that thing?!” ( honestly not interested) oh how much I’d love to say ( especially if a man asks) “can You have sex with that thing?! ( eyes of sheer wonderment) It’s So Small!!!” Lol but Alas I never will. Lol.
@@SohiTheTinyKittenHuman GAHHH!?? WHY DO PEOPLE SAY THAT? "So good seeing you out?" Wtf? Is so condescending!
Oh yeah and all sorts of sex questions... Like what business is that of yours unless we are hooking up? Jesus.
So true!!! My chair was about $2500 here in the US. my insurance will only help with payment every 5 years. that sounds like a long time, but your chair (at least the way I abuse mine!) gets worn down quick! Great video as usual!!!
PS. Oh yeah, the DON'T TOUCH! message is so important. People don't understand that one alot I find...
Something I've come to enjoy saying to people who completely panic when they see the chair recently is "Its a wheelchair, not Ebola!" which tends to help break the ice.... or make them panic more lol!
Whilst test driving a new car recently-- trying to find one that's more WC accessible for me. Salesman commented on my WC. When I told him how much it cost me, I saw the color drain from his face (just like mine did when I first found out)...just over 16G. I have a manual w SD. He was shell shocked.
Love, Love, LOVE your videos sis!! Keep up the great work! Always look forward to your posts. Many continued blessings to you and your beautiful family 😊🌈🤟
I'm from America, been a wheelchair user for 5 years due to a brain tumor and I really appreciate your videos ♥️
Here in the states it is almost impossible to find a wheelchair provider that has weekend hours. As a result if your chair has a breakdown on the weekend you may be stuck till Monday to get it fixed. Additionally if you work this can mean having to take time off to get the chair repaired.
In regards to don’t touch - don’t move people’s mobility aids whether it’s a wheelchair or something else if someone has put their mobility aid in a certain place don’t move it, i has a restaurant try to put my crutches in the garden because they were in the way
For me I go between wheel chair and full upper body brace depending on the event and my pain levels due to spinal disabilities and I HATE it when people see me stand from my wheel chair (which I need extensive help to do) then walk maybe 2 ft. to the car seat and they get upset with me "you don't need that wheel chair!!" Or if they see me in it then come to my house and see me somewhat functional without it (however I can't live alone due to how much aid I need in some situations) and say "So you just use it when you're lazy?!" I have it for a reason, just because I'm not constantly in it doesnt mean it isn't essential to my quality of life and day to day function
A++ to your husband and your child as actors well done!
Watching from Australia, wow, I'm horrified re the vouchers etc instead of full costs covered! Makes me feel very lucky & grateful for what I have! In Australia as long as an OT who's accredited with the NDIS says it's needed, it will be fully funded & that's for the standard $5000 manual wheelchair or whatever amount above that if needed & also for the electric assist options like the $10,000 smart drive, if the OT says it's what's best & multiple options have been trialled & this is what the person needs, it's approved (and with next to no waiting time). $5,000 was the standard base rate last time I got one, I think it's up to $6,000 or $7,000 now, so no-one will have one with a starting cost below that
I know you're kinda saying the same thing, in terms of it being what the system says you need is covered, but here the focus is on spending lots initially, so as to prevent injuries & additional costs to the system down the track. They'd much rather fund a smart drive than a shoulder reconstruction from pushing too much. Even stuff like specific sports wheelchairs are covered here now so as to encourage disabled people to participate in the community & recreational activities in the way they want to. Friend of mine recently moved into a motorised chair from a manual, hers has every feature imaginable, from tilting to lifting. When we went to McDonalds, she decided to sit at the high bench, just so she could raise her chair up to regular standing height & sit at that high bench, just for fun & again, she was transferring from a pretty basic manual chair, not a high level quad or anything, she just liked the idea of the features like being able to match standing height, so it was approved for her
& all our repairs & maintenance is covered too, with a specific allowance in the NDIS, but if we need more than that, we can use our "core funding" to cover it too. core funding in everyone I know has been super generous, mine's about $100,000 a year. I don't get that money obviously, but it can be spent on basically anything I need for daily living. When covid hit, we were all able to just adjust what we spent it on to fit with the changes, so to pay for carers to go shopping for us instead of taking us out, I switched to private hydrotherapy when the public pool closed etc etc & generally it can also be used for things like taxies, wheelchair repairs, transport for social outings, gym memberships etc etc etc & there's a set amount built into it for "low cost, low risk assistive technology" too, not sure how much, I think it's up to $5,000, single item costs are a max of $1,500, so if someone wanted a basic fold up wheelchair to go shopping in or whatever, they could just go out & buy it if under $1,500 & just send the receipt to the NDIS for reimbursement. I use the core funding in the same way most people I know do, being to actually save money & buy conveniently, such as replacement cushions, I just buy from my local foam shop for $20. Bought from a wheelchair supplier, they tend to charge around $200 for the same thing, so I see no reason ot go down that path, I'm grateful for what the government & taxpayers are giving me & if I can keep the costs down I will. Same on stuff like grabby sticks, I've bought a number of them from places like aldi, kmart etc instead of from disability aid shops. I even bought a dog poop scooper on a stick, cause it was actually a great design for some grabby stick options that my regular sticks couldn't do & again, no issues, just sent them the receipt for the "dog poop scooper" & got reimbursed without question lol
& I totally agree on small changes to the chair causing big issues, I had major issues a little while back with ongoing UTI's. I eventually found the problem, the soft casters I currently have aren't being made anymore, so I'm sticking with my existing ones as long as I can & they're worn out to such an extent that it's actually changed the tilt/dump in the chair & that put pressure on my body in such a way as to cause the UTI's. Was easily fixed by changing the screw hole the casters were going into to get it back to where it was, but was only possible to do that fix after figuring out what was going on, which didn't occur to me for ages
Anyway, I'm glad to live in Australia where our government actually has this stuff right & understands it's false economy to try to skimp on stuff like wheelchairs & better to spend lots there to save LOTS on injury care later. I really hope your government can figure that out eventually too!
I'm glad I'm Australian too, I don't have a wheelchair yet but I'm working on getting one
The touching one really gets me. A lot of people come up to touch the wheel bar saying 'I've always wanted to know what it feels like'. I have also had a stranger come and randomly push without my consent and I didn't need help. The price of my wheelchair is covered however because of my scheme I am part of...
I don’t know if you would consider this a wheelchair thing or a wheelchair user thing, but in the bad weather (rain snow sleet) if our push rims get drenched then we lose traction for pushing our chair! Also in the snow, even good wheelchairs that are manual will get stuck in the snow! And finally, be aware in parking lots, sometimes all the accessible parking is taken and we have to park far away where we can take 2 spots or have an extra spot next to us to unload our chair!
I have a very basic wheelchair, where I'm pushed by someone, that cost just over £100 new. It's not very comfy but it folds down in the car and thankfully I don't have to use it often as I'm housebound (M.E). I only really go out for health appointments. We're hoping to save for a mobility scooter, which will cost about £800+. Much more comfy and it'll be nice to feel like I'm a bit more independent, being able to move around myself.
Oh one thing you MISSED! Well I'm not sure if this happens to you, but sometimes when I'm transferring in or out of my chair at the supermarket (or someplace else public) I'll have someone come up and offer assistance, but A: Why would I have driven myself there with no plan of getting back in the car, lol, and B: That person who offers help is ALWAYS the oldest person around, like 80's or 90 year old men who are clearly not able to lift 140lbs of me with my bottom half being dead weight! Oh geez...
Don't get me wrong, I know their heart is in the right place. I just find it amusing that it's always an elderly person. I guess it says something about generational differences.
Basically, if we (chair users) do need help, I promise we won't hesitate to ask. I do appreciate the sentiment though.
Don't forget customized power chairs can cost anywhere from $20,000-$50,000! I'm extremely lucky that my Tilite ZRA was covered by the govt except for some upgrades. Had I gone with all the upgrades I wanted it would have been about $8,000 CAD. O_O Ended up paying $600 out of pocket.
I hear you and feel blessed my pt was able to get mine through medicade (a US health service)
I got mine from the veterans affairs department and also I got a smart drive system as well. I got a very nice tilight tra with a gel foam cushion I am very lucky that it was taken care of through the va!
The camber on the pavements around where I live is so bad that I can literally go around the block barely using one arm but the other one feels about ready to drop off!
Hi Jen, i certainly have an older wheelchair that was found at a garage sale (car boot sale ) as my original was stolen from the back of my car) so sad I loved the bling on it and victims of crime wouldn’t cover it as I wasn’t I’m it at the time , and when my wallet was stolen voc would cover that because I wasn’t pushed out of my chair.
This post is going to help so many people Gem, 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻 a lot of fellow patients at my DSC do not know how to go about getting the “Right” wheelchair instead they put up with the basic nhs stock which actually restricts and holds them back to the point they stay indoors or don’t use them at all. I fought hard to be able to get my wheelchair and I’m trying my hardest to make it last as long as possible. mines already 10yrs but I’ve taken care of it by getting it serviced & by keeping it well maintained Plus new scooter wheels 😉 thank you so much for that top tip the difference using them has been brilliant! I’m going to show this post to some of the patients at my DSC as I know how much it will help them 👌🏻🙌🏻👌🏻 Ps I hate cambered pavements and ramps, it’s so so tiring trying to push one handed. So you end up using the road which is also cambered towards the curbs 😬 Also people leaving their dustbins out blocking the pavements can be so frustrating too. Ive seen some people’s battered wheelchairs that have been thrown from the bagging area of the plane its so frightening that this still happens so I really hope baggage handlers understand how precious and expensive our wheelchairs are. 🙏🏻
Here’s a tip for manual wheelchair users.... in the winter councils put rock salt on the pavements and roads which have corrosive chemicals in that can burn your skin or give people nasty rashes so please make sure to wear gloves (I use rubber gardening gloves) If you do get this on your hands make sure to wash your skin thoroughly and definitely do not let your hands touch your face 😖 Hope this helps 🤗
Wheelchairs in England can be obtained with the voucher scheme through the wheelchair services of your local PCT (Primary Care trust) .
In Wales (where i am) the wheelchair gets provided.
One time I was in my wheelchair in a lift and this woman started LEANING ON MY WHEELCHAIR and when I looked at her and asked her why she said “oh I have bad balance and you are the perfect height for me to learn on” ummmm no my wheelchair cost A LOT of money and also I am not your balance aid so maybe you should go and get an actual balance aid
I literally once had a guy hang up his coat on mine
Aren't we lucky to have such a wonderful person guiding us through muddy waters? Thank you Gem, your videos are inspirational.
Thank you so much for this video and the others. I have my injury between L5/S1 through to S4/S5 with metal rods and bolts stopping my lower spine from collapsing!
I have been killing myself on hills and taring my arm muscles apart manoeuvring a standard steel scissor action self propelled or pushed wheelchair for 22 years and only found out last year that i am classed as an “active user” and should have been in a different type of wheelchair for about 17 years!!
I have at last seen the triage team but now have a wait of at least 6 months before i get seen again for a trial assessment and fitting appointment. Let the good times roll and with a fare bit less effort than I’ve been used to!😊
Fantastic video! Great to have someone highlight the problems we face. Thank you x
Tables irritate me so much! The feet of the table legs get in the way everywhere x
yes!!! the one arm thing happens too often and it is exhausting
This is not strictly related to wheelchairs, but I feel like you touched on it briefly in this video...is the hoops and red tape you have to jump through to access/get something you need, and sometimes all the fighting doesn't do anything! You know what I mean? I'd LOVE if you did a future video on this, but only if you want to of course. I just find it one of the most frustrating things and it's hard to get people to fully understand it
I know exactly what you mean. Il see what i can do. x
I got a ‘cheap’ one from a Walmart near me and I have to replace most of the bolts/fastenings and I’ve only used it for the past few months. The type that I got was designed for only indoor use and I use it all the time.
@@lizsun261 have you seen an ot out a pt? They can probably help you. I know I just talk to the ot about my needs and it gets handled.
I live in the United States and I went without a wheelchair for over a year because my insurance company didn't want to pay for it. I finally was able to get it after a long battle without having to pay for it but I know so many people who have to front the majority of the cost.
On another note, I wish people didn't think that everyone who uses a wheelchair is paralyzed. I have severe chronic pain from my SEDc dwarfism and osteoarthritis so I am limited in physical mobility. I have to get out of my wheelchair and lift it into my van, since I don't have a ramp for my car, and people can't help but to stare at me.
I recently bought a second hand wheelchair at a charity shop, £25 fully functional and lightweight. I thankfully don't need one full time so the chair I'd need would cost around £400-£500 and I found the exact same. So if you don't need a super good one for active use, definitely keep an eye out in the larger charity shops
I totally agree on most of your points; although getting a wheelchair where I live involves Medicaid and that's just as difficult
Your my inspiration, once i almost give up when i get my leg paralysis but when i watch and follow all your videos that makes me motivasion and independent, sorry im from malaysian hahaha my english so bad, love from me and thank you very much for your inspiration 😅😘
YEESSSSS the pavement thing!!! Walkies don't seem to understand!!
I know you posted this video a while ago but thank you for mentioning wonky pavements. People just don't understand it's not straight and it is really hard to wheel along.
I don't have a wheelchair yet, but I desperately need one. For right now I have a rollator walker and I have to constantly remind my relatives not to touch or pull it when I'm using it because they literally are almost making me fall. Smh. It's annoying.
Love the video
Can we see how you get up and down your house floors in the chair lift pleasessss
From watching her vids it appears she has two chairs one up one down as chair looks different sometimes in vlog's lol
Before any of my friends or family push my chair I tell them about “no horsing around” because my chair cost me $9000 and I can only update the chair in 5 years. My last chair someone decided to push me to hard and hit a crack in the side walk and it messed up one of the caster wheels. And when the caster got messed up the frame actually got messed up and bent awkwardly. 🤦🏻♀️ I was stuck with that for years until I met my 5 years.
My mom bought a $10 (US) standard wheelchair from a yard sale last year for me. I was shocked at the price as I'd been looking at ones that cost hundreds. Its wider than I need and very heavy, and I don't have a wheelchair attachment on my car so it's a literal pain to transport it. But I'm thankful she found one for me anyway, as I have a very limited budget and I'm only a part time user right now.
I have found your channel really relatable so thank you, it's nice to hear someone else experience similar issues haha, not so isolating
I’ve just spent £5998 on my new wheelchair from RGK. It’s my dream chair but so expensive. That’s manual with no power attachments.
The whole not fitting under tables thing is annoying, but it doesn't happen to me that much, I fit at Nando's and my local pub.
HI GEMMA THANK YOU FOR ALL YOURE VIDEOS!! PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING!!
T
Great video Gem. Hope you all have a great Christmas and looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us in 2019.
I'm in the US and just got a new chair. On paper the chair plus smart drive is $29,000. Insurance covers some, but I may be responsible for like $5,000.
I had a manual chair I couldn’t push (taking away my independence) for 8 years due to the criteria. They finally gave my a power chair at 14 but it still doesn’t fully meet my needs and the table thing is such a pet peeve!
That's interesting re fitting under tables being a problem. Very rare I experience that where I am, occasionally if you're at the wrong spot a table leg's in the way, but easy to just swap spots with someone if that happens & everywhere else it fits under fine
& re "wide" I always find the opposite where I am lol people seem to think I'm the same width as a shopping trolley or thinner & I'm slightly wider, so they only ever seem to create enough space for thinner than me, or the space for the wheelchair BUT I still need to be able to get my hands onto the wheels to push, so I kinda need space for that too you know! My push rims are SO beeten up by me grabbing 2 sides of whatever's obstructing & just kinda forcing my way though the hole that's too small to really fit through & I'm really not that wide, my chair's 15.5 inches, so pretty standard to slightly less. I've heard people in scooters say they get a really wide berth, but in a manual, sporty looking chair, people seem to think I'm fine with just a regular standing space gap. Interesting how people in different societies act differently on stuff like this
& yeh, TOTALLY with you on the "crossfall" on footpaths so that rain drains off them, but I wouldn't say "ever so slightly", it's a bloody huge slope on some of them! Looks flat or even downhill, but it's a one arm push the entire way! My local area I've learnt all the tricks, for example when I wheel down the road to my doctor, I cross the road twice, cause the one on the other side of the road is better. My street I live in, I just wheel on the road itself, cause it's a quiet road & nice & wide, so quite viable to do that & FAR easier pushing. I know where on the road it's flat :)
Also the wheelchair I am in now fit fine. But I had a huge wound flap surgery that reshaped my back and bottom. I know my chair does not fit me properly NOW!!! Yet! I still need to wait to get a new chair. It works but it does give me great pain where I had the wound flap surgery.😢
Can you get a self propel lightweight wheelchair with the sides dropping on the nhs ??????? I’ve FINALLY got my wheelchair fitting on Wednesday !!!!! But I really need one like that ! But I don’t know what kind of ones they do ?? Xx. Ps-- I’m currently using a friend’s grandads one and it’s the WORST but I’m bed bound and wheelchair bound due to pain from my toe to my head and can barely move ! Just for context !!
Hey Martha, Im sure when you go for your measurements they will show you examples of what will be available to you. Each person is different, and is based on individual needs, so I can't comment on what will be available to you. . Good luck. xx
I hate the pavement thing - the sidewalk and the street are sloped enough where I live that I had to keep stopping to rest even when only going 4 blocks, and it was the 4th of July, so that, combined with the fact that there are almost zero curb cuts except on the one main street (most intersections not on the main street have only one, if any), I had to wheel in the road in between the line of parked cars and the lane of moving traffic of tourists who are not paying attention because they've never driven these streets before (and one almost crossed through the intersection while I was still in it - I stared him down, and he did stop). Yeah, I can't wait for my custom, and I'm hoping to get SmartDrive with it, so hopefully I can still go out and not destroy my already long-time injured shoulder.
Regarding the sores I have a friend who is going into hosipital to have surgery on a sore on her back that is not healing and being of course that her back is always against the back of her chair is been horrbile
This is really informative. Ive just failed my esa assessment ( which i am appealing). One of the notes on my failure letter said that i could get a wheelchair on nhs and if i have no where to store it at home my " future" employer would have to store it at work. After seeing your vlog i ser how stupid this statment in the letter is. I dont always need a wheelchair to get around as my disability is neurological of which i have 2 conditions. I would love to get a wheelchair to help on my so so days and my bad days, but they cost a fortune which i dont have 😣.
I bought a wheelchair a 50 bucks it's a quickie GT I love it it took me awhile to adjust it to what I need it for but I wouldn't trade it for nothing is the older one but the tires are good the seed is good everything is 30 in a rose so much nicer than the cheap ones you buy at Walmart now that 50 bucks is a good price
And with the moving out the way of the wheelchair that’s never happened to me most people are so rude to me and just walk in front of me and things like that !
I wish people knew how hard it is to push a chair up or down an incline especially if the pavement is uneven (as a new wheelchair pusher).
I want to know what you think about the jazzy power wheelchair. There like 2 to 3 thousand dollars and there like 45 pounds. I want one but there expensive and my husband doesn’t have the money or he thinks it’s wasting money because he says I’m going to walk again. My legs don’t work. I don’t want to depend on him all the time.
Brand New Wheelchair when I was 15 was horribly damaged as they threw my chair on to a air plane. I wanted to cry when I saw it after the flight.😩😢😩
I've really noticed how wonky all the pavements and paths that seemed perfectly flat to me before actually are.
Have you bought any Minnetonka leather softsole moccasins yet
No, I got a pare of chestnut uggs from costco that my husband brought me for xmas. :)
You don't live in the USA do you Uggs aren't cool
Mel Rineholt oh I love them. That’s all I wear.
What is the level of your injury you have some movement right
Someone asked me once if it was okay to hold onto my chair so she didn't fall on bus. It was nice to be asked, I don't mind people using it for balance with permission as it a very heavy chair. lol
I'm getting swing away controller to help with tables. £115! lol
Also, additional things about getting a chair on the NHS:
Same as with disability benefits, your need is not assessed by your ability to actually function in real day to day life but an arbitrary list of yes/no questions. Can you put your hands on the wheels and move yourself 2 inches closer to a table that someone has parked you a little too far away from? Then you don’t need a power chair, regardless of if that leaves you 100% helpless to go anywhere either outside or inside your home without a carer pushing you!
Can you stand up and take one step to transfer yourself from your chair to your bed? Well then you don’t need a chair suitable for full time use even if you are totally dependent on it to even get from your bed to the bathroom and back or to be able to get to work!
And if your chair breaks they will fix it but you may have to wait a week (and possibly then another few days for them to come back if it needs anything they don’t actually carry in their van) and then you will be told what day they will come and be expected to sit there all day waiting for whatever random time, so screw you if you have a job or kids to look after and take to school, or even hospital appointments!
This last one might sound like looking a gift horse in the mouth when we are being given a service for free but many disabled people have the exact same responsibilities in life as an able bodied person and, as understanding as we may be of why they can’t be at our beck and call to fix the chair faster, your kids and your boss and even your basic daily functions like needing to go to the bathroom and get yourself food and drink, are not all going to go away for a week while you sit helplessly in bed waiting to get your chair fixed.
Brilliant vieo Gem.
Merry Xmas and a great 2019 to you and yours xx
I can't afford to buy my own in Wales so have to rely on the NHS, I was assessed before June this year and still waiting for one. If you can afford to fund one privately then good luck to you. The majority of people do not have that luxury.
Natasha Kingston I’m in the same position. I went to a mobility specialist for assessment and the chair plus smart drive they recommended was just under£8k. Needless to say I have a terrible NHS one that is uncomfortable, heavy and doesn’t support my back resulting in back ache. It’s a nightmare but I just can’t afford the recommended chair.
Oh I would be sooo happy to bump into you! But that's unlikely, I live in France 😂
Some of us are really lucky 😉
Also, really great video Gem, as always 💙
Happy Holidays Gem.
Was stuck waiting for my chair at the entrance of a plane.... Only to look through the employee door to see it folded up and rolling at great speed across the tarmac where it only stopped because it hit the building. Even with a huge complaint I just got a shrug. We were running to catch a flight so we didn't even get the chance to file a complaint. Flying with my chair is terrible. I absolutely hate air travel because of it.
O, I have another one! Wheelchair: "Do not put all of your coats, bags or other stuff on/over me if I am having a break when my upper body is resting in bed or on the couch."
i have a boot and a chair and it is so hard to hold the boot up
Omg, I identify with SO MANY OF THESE. 😂
So I’m in Australia so we have the ndis, my chair was around $30,000 a replacement wheel is $400 I have 6 wheels. A modification that is need is $16,000. I have to wait a few years before this can occur, this modification is need simply because of the reaction of the public to a chair and the safety issue that that causes not my ability. All tables should have an adjustment in hight. Understand my electric wheelchair weights 185kg.
If the only enter to a place is through the back door with a wheelchair then it’s not accessible
Re pressure sores: Actor Christopher Reeve, paralyzed from the neck down after being thrown from his horse, DIED from a pressure sore that got infected then went septic
Slightly slanted paths are just the worst thing in the world
The reason for the stupid side walk being wonky is so that rain doesn’t puddle on the sidewalk. I learned this from the people that adjust my chair.
Oh those slightly sideways
They have to be a bit wonky so the water can drain off toward the road. Or at least it should be that way
I’m new to wheelchairs my husband got me one for 125 dollars. I only use it is when he takes me to dr appointments. At home I just lay down to keep my pain under control
I want a power wheelchair my husband said no
And he says I will walk again. But until the dr can get my pain under control and find out what’s going on.
I got a £150 voucher for a wheelchair. They decided that I only needed an indoor chair even though I use my wheelchair 6+ hours a day. Honestly the most ridiculous thing I've experienced. I'm now on a list to have a look at my living conditions for some unkown reason.
Also Wagammama is amazing for accessibility
Wheelchair and Trike to pull my wheelchair SHOULD be paid by "invalidity insurance" in Switzerland. It is a lot of paperwork, but worth the 8000 Euro is will cost. If they don't pay I still have the option to go to court. I hope I won't have to do so, but I will if they don't pay. My brother studied law, so he might help me.
The other thing, about pavements and stuff. I thought to be living in a plain, but with a wheelchair it is not a plain, it is more like an exhausting endless hill. Pavements look lovely with their cobblestone- I just fell with my wheelchair over cobblestones and yes, it hurts.
Cool
They do the same thing with musical instruments on aircraft.... and even suitcases we've all seen it- I think airport handlers should just be more careful with EVERYONE's belongings period: anyone could have something a little fragile inside or medicine etc. there are hardly ever just clothes, they don't know. I think you have every right to get heated on this topic Gem, I do and I don't have a wheelchair :)
It's a cost issue. Customers use web sites or travel agents to shop for the cheapest air fare. Airlines have to rush their baggage handlers to keep expenses down where the business can continue to operate. Allowing the baggage handlers time to be careful would drive fares up and the airline would loose customers to competitors who charge a few percent less.
Since I don't have a spinal cord injury I can buy a new cheap WC every 2 years 200 dollars US then I can wrap it in vinyl to make it my own have a day love from TEXAS
im watching this vid in 2022 i hope you have carm down oh by the by i used to be a lorry driver and was asked by a compony can i drive a auto yes i replyed but i can not get out due t; the loss of an limb they hung up i dont no why
Wish my chair was a thousand pounds lol It costing me £1,300 just to get powered leg rests. lol
HELLO FRON THE U.S:
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND, A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I FREEMAN, N. I'M NEW TO USING A MOBILE- WHEELCHAIR.
I HAD A BRAIN TUMAR THAT CAUSES BRAIN BALANCE.
EVEN THIS CHAIR NEED PROPER TIEDOWNS.
THANK. YOU. ..
I just want people to stop kicking my chair
YES!!!!!!!
oh so madenting when your pushed to one side so someone can reach somthing on the shelf. Just a gentle excuse me is all thats needed. Its equal to a shoulder bump to get you out of the way.. Please please, dont park us at a table. Not all of us can fit thiers knees under. Im one of those. Plus its nice to choose.... within reason. I totaly understand our chair may stick out to far to fit in some areas. Its compares to ... abled people have long legs, Wide bodies.. Slim bodies. all sorts of bidies. All have needs. My 6' 4" son ihas been asked very niely if he prefer other end of table as more leg room. How nice. He usually twists it round with " brilliant, that will suit my mum perfectly" Definatly the son of the day.
I’m in the process of trying to get Medicare to pay for a wheelchair for my mom. We need a 16 inch wheelchair rather than a standard wheelchair because we live in a older home, and the bathroom door isn’t as wide as rest of the doors. Which means we have to park the wc at the doorway, and she has to walk , holding onto gripping handles and with me holding her up to get to the toilet. Which means she can’t go to the toilet by herself. One of the things that Medicare needs is a note from her doctor stating exactly why she needs a wheelchair. They won’t take a note from me, her primary caregiver, that she can’t walk more than a few feet, without someone holding on to her, without falling. She has a history of frequent falls, history of stroke , is blind and almost 90. But they ask, why does she really need a wheelchair? So she doesn’t fall, duh
Hi yep one hand thing I get as live in south Wales and hilly, the touching thing I agree with although I offered my chair to a gentleman in the hospital so he could lean on the back as he was struggling to walk he look so shocked when I flipped up the push handles so he could use me as a walker to get to the seats. To wait for his daughter to get the car, and no hospital chairs available good deed done. But the price of mine cough splutter!? What?? But lucky as fully supplied but NHS.
People Staring ... A blonde, beautiful woman in a wheelchair is a sight. I do not think they are staring at your disability, Mrs Hubbard.
(UK)
Doesn't work that way in the US no NHS.
My wheelchair is going to be £299.
We went to a theme park with a friend of our who is paralyzed. My ole man begged him to bring his power chair but he kept on with no. My ole man kept telling him that it was alot of heels in this park. But he didnt want to ... so we let it go. After getting to park he was wore out by the end of the day and we realised very early he didnt have handle bars in the back of it. Which ended up killing my back by the end of the day. He could ride all rides so my ole man just picked him up and put him on the rides so I pushed him but it was very very low. By the end of the day he wanted to have his power chair.
1) listening to you name prices for self-propelled chairs, ngl sound comically cheap compared to the cost of an electric chair. We're talking £4,000+ for a new one of those on average
Inclined sidewalks! The worst!
When I said my wheelchair is 125.00 you probably know what I got.
Mines mostly for transporting to dr appointments
1:25 That's how the NHS operates??? Just one more reason why we should start a resource-based economy. If you'd like to know more, please search for The Venus Project.
5:11 Don't you mean 180?
7:08 Then what do we do to show that we like your video?
7:25 I read about it on Facebook. That should really never be necessary.
Please add me to the Facebook group