Gone are the days when the only kind of wheelchair that you could get would be the manual ones. Now you have electric wheelchairs that are quite good for those who have weaker upper bodies as well as lower body problems and disabilities. The increasing popularity of electric wheelchairs which can be just plugged into the mains and charged is due to the much enhanced mobility that these afford.

Electric wheelchairs are of course motorized by batteries. These wheelchairs are bigger, heavier and sturdier because they must be able to hold the extra mass of the motor and the battery. Electric wheelchairs are meant to be easy to use and deliver mobility to those who have lost it, but sometimes the consoles and controls are too complex for the users to handle. Still, electric wheelchairs are becoming increasingly common with their ability to empower the injured and elderly with previously unheard of mobility. Electric wheelchairs also come in a variety of models and fit a wide range of budgets.

Another category of wheelchairs are the power wheelchairs which have a number of drive options. While these are heavy and unwieldy in transportation, there are some of the rear wheel drive type power wheelchairs which are quite fast even though they do not offer much of a smooth drive on uneven surfaces. Front wheel drive wheelchairs are more stable and could also come in some options where the turning radius is designed to be small, also affording greater control.

User demand is driving new designs for mobility devices that do not look like wheelchairs. Indeed, newer designs for wheelchairs are more similar to scooters than to the traditional design of the wheelchair. Users can find custom-made high quality ultra-light high-performance wheelchairs as well as accessories that enable them to individualize their look and style. The move from functionality to individuality is becoming more and more commonplace.

Disabled people would have to be carried on the shoulder of a pretty strong person to their own bedroom since even power chairs have difficulty with stairs. Thankfully today technology has brought us stair lifts that make it possible to get up and down without assistance from another person. Disabled lifts are basically slide and folding platform kind and are available in automatic and semiautomatic features. The automatic disabled lift is becoming standard in newer buildings, public transportation, and even private mobility vehicles.

The utility of chair lifts in buildings is now being realized as the basic objective is to help aged or disabled persons, who have problems in getting up from their chair and moving about. It is estimated that in the not so distant future, there will be special chairs that can ascend stairs also.

Juliet D’Anjer feels up to date on trends involving wheelchair accessories, including the cup holder changes coming about.

Related posts:

1. Are You Aware Of How Helpful Wheelchairs Can Be?
2. Electric Mobility Scooters – Information About These Mobility Aids
3. Motorized Wheelchairs vs. Mobility Scooters
4. Go for 4 Wheel Scooters For Outdoor Use
5. ISO 7176-4:1997, Wheelchairs — Part 4: Energy consumption of electric wheelchairs and scooters for determination of theoretical distance range