10/29/2553

Fashion Designs for Women in Wheelchairs

Women in wheelchairs often find that their physical condition can severely limit their choices in clothing in addition to their mobility. Clothing is manufactured which is designed to be comfortable and easy to use for people with mobility problems, but there has been a tendency to design with a "one size fits all" approach, making clothing which cater to any kind of disability without taking style into account. Now designers are emerging who cater to women who want up-to-date fashion designed to be stylish and comfortable in a wheelchair.

Clothing designed for use in wheelchairs is generally made to accommodate any disability. This can be very important for people who suffer a lack of motor ability in their hands, as many wheelchair clothing manufacturers include Velcro seams with feaux buttons, making it possible to dress themselves independently. If you are able to use buttons, however, you may prefer a button-down shirt, but still want it to be designed to look good while you're in a sitting position. Clothing is usually designed to look its best when a person is standing or walking.

Clothing design for people in wheelchairs has been slower to evolve than wheelchair design. You can get a variety of wheelchairs to match any disability with any cause, but most wheelchair-appropriate clothing design is designed to be accessible to anyone. Clothing for men with mobility problems is usually very classical, including polo shirts, feaux button-down shirts, classic pants, jeans, or khakis with elasticized waistbands, and sport jackets cut a little shorter to look good in a sitting position.

This isn't as much of a problem because men's clothing design is more uniform to begin with. Women's clothing is much more complicated and varied. Women's wheelchair clothing, in addition to sometimes not having the option of excluding Velcro seams or other accommodations that, depending on your situation, you may not need, are often also very classical or even targeted towards senior citizens. Senior citizens make up a large part of the market for mobility products, and while there are older people who want to use up-to-date clothing, the stereotype is that they may have an antiquated fashion sense.

Designers are finally catching up with wheelchair fashion. There still aren't many sources of fashion clothing for people in wheelchairs but the market is expanding. These designers tend to focus on simply making clothing which looks good and is comfortable while sitting down, which may make them a tempting option for people who work in an office as well. Jackets are designed not to bunch up when a person is sitting down with the jacket buttoned, as are shirts and blouses. Pants are designed to accommodate your stomach in a sitting position, using elastic or loose-fitting waistbands, as are skirts, which are cut at a length which is tasteful and won't get caught in your spokes.

With new wheelchair fashion designers, women in wheelchairs no longer have to feel that they can't use up-to-date, fashionable clothing which looks and feels good.




http://www.Wheel-Chair-Center.com is a website fully devoted to giving you the very best information regarding wheelchairs and wheelchair accessories. Whether you're looking to find the best wheelchairs available and you'd like to know more about fascinating women in wheelchairs, or you simply want to know about some unique wheelchair accessories, we've got you covered!

10/19/2553

A Review of Popular Electric Wheelchair Products

Several brands of electric wheelchairs are available both on and offline. With so many options to choose from, it is helpful to distinguish between the various features that each manufacturer and product offers. The following list of product and manufacturer reviews

Hoveround Electric Wheelchairs

Hoveround Corporation, founded in April 1992, is one of the leading Mobility device companies in the U.S. Hoveround designs, manufactures, sells, and services personal mobility vehicles like electric and manual wheelchairs, electric scooters and electric lifts. The company operates at a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, which has received the ISO 9001 certification for design, manufacturing procedures and distribution.

Hoveround supplies mobility devices directly to customers, insurers and other public and private entities. The company handles every aspect of the client's mobility needs, right from evaluation to prescription and provider approval, delivery, training and service. The company employs therapists, nurses, rehab technology suppliers and assisting technology practitioners to cater to all needs of the customers. The most popular of Hoveround's products are the highly maneuverable MP4 and the powerful Teknique XHD, which can carry up to 500 pounds.

Pride Electric Wheelchair

Pride Mobility is a leading provider of mobility equipment. Pride
Mobility is well known for its Pride and Jazzy lines of electric
wheelchairs, which are the most popular electric wheelchairs on the
market.

Pride Mobility Scooters include the Sundancer, Rally, Celebrity, Maxima, Victory and Legend models.

Pride Mobility Jazzy is the most popular brand of electric wheelchair from Pride Mobility. The Jazzy range is known for its patented mid-wheel drive system, exceptional maneuverability and trendy designs. Available in many different models, the Jazzy range promises maximum performance with standard active-track suspension and enables easy assembling and disassembling. Powered with motors, and having a speed range of up to 4 mph, the Jazzy electric wheelchairs offer exceptional maneuverability control. They are also extremely user-friendly and convenient, having been designed with a patented mid-wheel drive design.

Quantum Rehab is a line of customized power positioning systems and mobility products. It includes Power Recline, Power Elevating and Power Articulating Legrest options.

Lift Chairs are designed to fit into the home's decor and are available in luxury, gentle and casual lift modes.

Personal Mobility Vehicles (PMVs) have great mileage (up to 25 miles before recharge) and can be used for long rides -- even for golf.

The Hercules 3000 Lift is a power lift for wheelchairs with easy assembly and disassembly operations. The Hercules has a dynamic braking system and is provided with various docking devices that are suitable for any scooter or Jazzy.




Electric Wheel Chairs Info provides detailed information about electric wheelchair lifts and scooters, used electric wheelchairs, electric indoor wheelchairs, Medicare, electric wheelchair reviews, and more. Electric Wheel Chairs Info is the sister site of Scooters Web.

10/10/2553

A Review Of The National Wheel-O-Vator and Stannah Wheelchair Stair Lift

Very few companies make genuine wheelchair stair lifts; Wheel-O-Vator and Stannah are two that make excellent stair lifts for wheelchairs. Both are have very similar features with some minor differences.

Just about all stair lifts comprise a mechanized chair that travel along a track that is mounted on to the stairs. These handicap stair lifts have improved the lives of many people who are handicapped or who have difficult walking up and down stairs. However, these stair lifts require that the person using them has the ability to lift themselves on and off the chair unaided. Unfortunately, for those who are wheelchair bound this is not usually possible and so chair stair lifts don't provide the solution to home mobility.

Wheelchair stair lifts can provide access to all floors but there are a number of issues and most domestic homes are unsuitable for these lifts. Most domestic stairways are too narrow to accommodate the platform and secondly, the track must be fitted on to a load bearing wall. But if the house is suitable then two companies provide inclined wheelchair stair lifts.

Features of the Pegasus inclined wheelchair stair lift from Wheel-O-Vator.

1. The bi-directional safety ramp sensors not only provide protection for the user of the Pegasus Handicap stair lifts, but also for other people on the stairway.

2. Each platform is custom measured and built for the exact requirement of the user.

3. The platforms folds up to clear the stairway using only a space of 12 1/2" from the wall.

4. The platform can turn inwards and outwards to fit all stairways shapes.

5. Access to the platform is from either the front or side.

6. The side access ramps on the platform lift up to secure the wheelchair.

7. The safety barrier arms and access ramps are mechanically locked and electrically monitored during travel.

Features of the Stairiser CR wheelchair stair lift from Stannah

1. The stair lift is fully automatic, with electrically controlled folding platform and barrier arms that lock into position when in use.

2. The platform will stop immediately when any obstruction is encountered.

3. Access to the platform is from either the front or side.

4. The side access ramps on the platform lift up to secure the wheelchair.

5. The platform folds away against a smooth rail when not in use, leaving ample room to allow others to use the stairway.

6. Fold down seats are available as an option.

7. The Stairiser CR can be used internally and externally.

8. The platform can turn both inwards and outwards.

9. There is a choice of 4 platform sizes.

10. The platform can carry a maximum weight of 225kg

Both the Wheel-O-Vator and Stannah wheelchair stair lifts require an onsite inspection. Installation can be quite quick depending on the stairway; a wheelchair stair lift can be fitted in 3-4 days on a straight stairway.

The features offered by both companies are more or less the same. Choosing which wheelchair stair lift to buy will ultimately come down to price and 'extras' that your local dealer offers you. Whether you eventually choose the -O-Vator and Stannah wheelchair stair lift you can rest assured you'll be buying an excellent product.




Following the links for wheelchair stair lifts and handicap stair lifts from Stannah Stair Lifts.

10/07/2553

Wheelchair Lifts Explained - The Different Types of Lifts to Keep the Disabled Mobile

Simply put, a wheelchair lift is a tool or piece of equipment used to elevate or lift wheelchairs. This device is particularly helpful to people who have difficulty in stepping up when they use their wheelchairs. It can operate either by electricity or hydraulics, but on occasions when there's power failure, it can still function manually. Generally speaking, lifts can either be designed as a retracting platform or a fold-up lifting apparatus. In the same way that you choose a wheelchair, you also have to employ careful consideration in selecting a lift to go with it. After all, your decision can help spell the difference between comfort and inconvenience.

Lifts can be used both in hospitals and at home. Which is no surprise, because it only takes a relatively short amount of time to install, and is practically maintenance free. In addition to that, it features a non-slip platform, safety barrier and railing, and even pressure switches. To help you in the selection of a lift suitable for you or someone you're buying it for, here are the different types of wheelchair lifts:

Inclined platform wheelchair lifts - Inclined platform lifts are designed with a major consideration in mind: they can be used both indoors and outdoors. If you or the person who will use it is quite flexible in his/her activities, then this type of wheelchair lift is definitely worth checking out. It can be used in a wide variety of places, from private houses and offices, to churches and schools. It is especially helpful when climbing stairs.

Portable wheelchair lifts - If the person who will use the lift is very mobile and always on the go, then getting a portable wheelchair lift is a good option. This kind of lift is also sometimes referred to as mobilift - and with good reason. It is easy to bring along practically anywhere, like outdoor bleachers and vertical raised platforms.

Vertical platform wheelchair lifts - If you're thinking more along the lines of commercial application, then you might want to have a look at a vertical platform lift. This kind of lift is designed to function in just that area. Alternatively, you can also use it as a home elevator.

Portable Vertical lifts - A portable vertical wheelchair lift hints of its flexible function in its name: it can be used both as a portable and vertical lift.




Nathan Mattel is a disability consultant who works with patients requesting wheelchairs San Diego. With over 15 years of experience in manual and electric wheelchair consulting for the San Diego disability community, he can help you find the right wheelchair for you or your loved one.

10/05/2553

Being in a Wheel Chair And Living Life to the Fullest

Life is good when lived in freedom--the freedom to choose, to achieve, to discover, to do what one wishes to do, to go places where one wills to go. It may not be perfect, but it will be great if one chooses to make it this way. Happiness they say is after all a state of mind. But what if such freedom was constrained so that where one wishes to go, one cannot do without the aid of a machine? Will life still be the same? If you go looking for a person who claims he/she has never been sick from the time he/she was born, you must be staring at someone out of his/her own mind, a walking miracle or plainly a liar.

For the most part, the latter would hail to be true. In today's modern society, we are made more aware of the needs of the handicapped and the disabled, especially those with in wheel chairs. Since the world is an imperfect place and we are housed in imperfect bodies, life could prove to be very challenging, all the more those confined with life in a wheelchair. As everything is a choice, one can still choose to be happy, productive, busy and even very rewarding in a wheelchair.

Being in a wheelchair, the whole world would seem much bigger; people walking on their own two feet will seem much taller than you. Sometimes people don't even see you and actually even stumble over you. Like all things, the good and the bad--well-meaning people on the other hand, will want to push you or do things for you. You can of course do these things for yourself to help you maintain that own sense of independence and self-esteem.

Being in a wheelchair, also gives you bumps along the way like how a wheelchair ramp that's a little too steep can make you gulp and unless you can afford a car especially equipped for your disability, you have to depend upon friends for rides or special public transportation. It's also how you acquire your weekly groceries. It may even surprise you to know that even in a wheelchair, you can accomplish all these things! It sure would be nice to go to the beach or the mountains occasionally.

Being in a wheelchair, isn't at all that bad. I mean able-bodied people of all ages, although they become understandably angry, frightened, easily frustrated and lose hope when accidents or illness limits them to a life in a wheelchair, should always look to the deeper meaning of their lives. Anyway, your condition may only be temporary like minor spinal cord injuries that are expected to improve with time through a period of intense physical therapy and avoiding weight bearing on your legs via crutches, casts and spending several months in a wheel chair. Of course, some conditions are permanent, causing irreversible paralysis of the lower limbs. This is always bad news. The news, however, could be even worse if you refuse to gracefully accept your limitations and make the very best life for yourself in a wheel chair.

Being in a wheelchair doesn't change who you are as a person. Many disable people are still able to live productive and happy lives despite being in a wheelchair. they hold jobs, they raise families, they contribute to their community and their country, and they are as financially and physically independent as they could possibly be.

Fulfillment in life does not require one to walk on two feet or be fully equipped with the perfect abled body. Living your life to the fullest even in a wheelchair can allow you equal or even a greater sense of fulfillment if you choose to make it happen. After all it is not our physical bodies that rise up to the challenges of life, but more so our spirits that are not limited to the confines of our physical bodies that is able to exceed and go beyond what society and human capacity can conquer.




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