Wheelchairs help people with mobility as well as limited mobility problems. It is designed to make the elderly feel independent and comfortable while moving in and out of wheelchairs. If you have an elderly to take care of at your home, then you need to make sure they have a wheelchair if they have mobility issues. And if you have a wheelchair, you need other functional accessories to help your elderly feel more comfortable and protected in their wheelchair. Keep reading further to know 7 types of functional accessories for wheelchair users.
1. Wheelchair Ramp:
If you have a wheelchair user in the house, you must have a wheelchair ramp. It is easy to install and has greater accessibility. It has long durability and is helpful to climb a height with the help of a ramp. It is an inclined plane used to climb the stairs for wheelchair users. It is mainly used in buildings, public places, and many other places. You can permanently install it at your house, so it is easy for the elderly to move in and out of the house in their wheelchairs comfortably.
2. Wheels:
As wheelchairs are costly, you can search for wheelchairs for sale and get them at a much lesser price than their actual price. But you need to check that those wheelchairs have good quality wheels. Or else the wheelchair does not make the mobility process smooth and easy for easy. Because wheels play an important role in mobility. If you use a manual or electric wheelchair, wheels are the most important part of the wheelchair, which help it move. Also, you need to ensure that the hind wheels are strong because they have more pressure than the composite wheels. Composite wheels require less maintenance but still need to be strong, heavy, and reliable because they carry the weight of the elderly. And the ideal size for small wheels is 5 inches in diameter.
3. Brakes:
To stop the wheelchair, brakes are particularly important. Brakes are wheel locks that hold a wheelchair still or slow its speed down. It must be used when the user uses the wheelchair outdoors, on on-ramps, or other inclined planes and vehicles. It should also be used while transferring into and out of the wheelchair so that the wheelchair does not move, and the user loses its balance and falls. As a caretaker, you must make the wheelchair safe even while it is stationary. That is where brakes help.
4. Cushions:
The cushion is one of the important factors while using a wheelchair. It is because a wheelchair user spends all the time on it. So, as a caretaker, you need to ensure that it is comfortable and notchy for them to sit all day long. It should be sustaining, softer to use, and convenient for the user. Like a gel, a sheet helps absorb pressure, and the fabric cover helps to make the carrying process easier. Also, it is necessary to change these fabric covers every 2 years. Especially if you have one of the “wheelchairs for sale,” you should change it and then use it.
5. Footrests:
An elevated footrest is important, as it helps improve the posture keeping the back straight. It also helps increase blood circulation, reducing aches, pains, and fatigue. It is one of the detachable products which is flexible to use. The major benefit is that you can adjust depending on the height of the elderly using it. It also helps distribute the weight across both the hips equally so that it is comfortable for the elderly to use it for a longer duration. This also supports the wheelchair user to place their feet flat on the footrest by allowing them to place both their feet in a position that helps support natural pelvic positioning as well.
6. Restraint Straps:
Elderly people can be paralyzed or might not have complete control over their bodies. Therefore it becomes important to have restraint straps. These straps help prevent them from falling and slipping in the wheelchair and help to keep the user in position while using the wheelchair. You need to make sure that it is strong enough to hold the upper body of the elderly. Also, you need to ensure that it is durable and secure for the elderly.
Conclusion:
These are add-ons to a wheelchair that is necessary to use. It helps enhance the user with more security and hygiene. It improves the posture and balancing of the wheelchair elders. It enhances blood circulation in the body as well. These small functional accessories help with mobility along with protecting the user from using the wheelchair with more safety. These are the six essential functional accessories you need to have if your elderly use a wheelchair for most of their day now. It provides them with the extra comfort they need while using the wheelchair for a longer duration.
