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At 05:25 PM 2/12/98 -0600, (Martha Rohrer) wrote: >: >Esther Abe asked: >>Does anyone out there have a better way to make wheelchairs more >comfortable? > >With a doctor's prescription, Medicare provided my husband with a wheelchair >that he selected at a medical supply store. It has made his life, and mine, >a little easier. I remember having to sit for a just a short time in one of >the standard issue ones that are found in doctor's offices and emergency >rooms. It was SO uncomfortable! Ours is a Breezy model by Quickie. It folds >compactly and is light enough for me to lift into our van without getting a >hernia. It's seat and back are well padded. We purchased an additional foam >cushion for it. My husband has very little padding on his sitting equipment >and has a problem with his spine too, so we have added a foam donut cushion >that he sits on in addition to the fitted one. We picked that up at the >medical supply department at our local pharmacy. Sometimes he puts another >cushion on top of the other two. He reminds me of the story of the princess >and the pea. I have tried sitting for a while in his wheelchair and found it >to be very comfortable ( but I have a lot more personal padding than he >does, alas.) > >It is important to have foot rests that can be adjusted so the knees are >level at a right angle with the body. Our chair has arm rests that can be >swung up and back out of the way. This makes it much easier to transfer a >person out of the chair and into a car, for example. Seat widths vary and >one that is not too wide for its occupant will help with slouching. To help >with slouching, we use one of the trays that fit across the arms of the >chair and are held in place with velcro straps. These are useful for meals >and for supporting reading or writing materials, etc. > >Neal always sits in his wheelchair to read or watch TV, preferring it to any >other chair or couch because it is more comfortable, supports his back >better and is easier to get out of than most seating equipment. But nothing >is really completely comfortable for those who have to sit for long periods >of time. > >Hasn't anyone invented a "waterbed" cushion for wheelchair use? How about it >Don? > >Martha Rohrer (CG for Neal, 77/12) >[log in to unmask] > are you a mind reader martha? have thought about it but end up doing something eles. will give it some thout. no promemes. have sold 4 weed wacker i came up with one you do not need to carry or pay$700.00 for. right now am making trailer for 2 elec carts. will let you know when i can get one that will work good don