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Where do you store your Electric wheelchair?

TheArctic

Hi there

I concider buying an electric wheelchair, because I'm fed up waiting for the Norwegian work and welfare system. Should hav ben one month after referral, I have by now ben waiting for six. Pushing on them does not help. They are also quite likely to get me the model I think would be a good choice for me. It`s called Eloflex L+. A foldable type that you can get in the luggage compartment of a car for instance. BUT I have problems w/ the board where I live. The best solution they can provide is to store it outside, in a little shelter. The manufacturer recommends inside storage in a dry place at 0-30 centigrade. There is a possibility for this, but it´s a bit tricky to take it in and out (folded it can be rolled like a suitcase. Cant have it in the hallway due to fire regulations. I live at the third floor (I am able to walk a little bit, just not longer distances). The chair weigh around 30Kg, so I can´t store it in my flat.

But I do guess this is an issue more of us has to deal with. How do you store your electric wheelchairs during winter - especially if it´s below zero?

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TheArctic

Edit: They are also NOT likely to get me the model I think would be a good choice for me

Sam_Alumni

@Jean_Scope can you help at all?

crazydaisy

Hi The Artic
I store my electric wheelchair in my hallway all year round.
As your country is so much colder in winter I would have thought outside storage was not a good idea.
I hope you get what you need.
I must admit, we bought mine. I didnt know I could get one from the NHS and to be honest, I couldnt wait as I really needed it at the time. Now, Im mostly housebound so it just sits there!

All the very best!

TheArctic

Not having a wheelchair makes me more housebound and that sucks to be honest. I'm getting quite depressed at the time being, so I have to get this sorted the.sooner the later. I am waiting for an answer from the welfare system regarding what they might be able to do in order make storage easier. I know what the answer is, but I need to have it from the right place so the board where I live can see that I really know what I'm talking about when it comes to getting what you need to aid in daily life. I have tons of experience applying for aids related to visual impairment that I've had from birth. The board needs a reality check. If you buy your own equipment, the system won't support you further. Its as simple as that unfortunately.

My conclusion is that I take the solution offered to me when I get the response I'm waiting for. I need my freedom back.

crazydaisy

Well all the very best and I hope you can get out soon!
much love.
x

cmci

I keep my Chair in my front room with manual - I transfer to manual for indoor use, helps with upper body muscle strength. Although you're buying rather than wait, can you speak to them and get advice or recommendation from your health advisor or from the people you might by from?

TheArctic

Thank you so much for your response and good wishes! I certainly have people supporting me. My GP for instance, and my physiotherapist. Any attempt they have made to rush tings has been to no avail. Capacity problems are a major issue unfortunately, and I find it reasonable that those not able to walk at all, who have their lives turned upside down to a mor serious degree get priority. Now I await an answer from the district occupational therapy service sendt by email. This really takes its toll on me. I have bipolar disorder and thus more vulnerable to depression - and I feeling the symptoms of it starting. Dont like that, as that again messes with my blood sugar and insulin needs (dia. t1). The same for neuropathy (not due to diatetes, but injury) This is not a very good cocktail. Thankfully I have fantastic support in my parents, and friends when I can get to see them. My family is just all over great, they stand by me, helps me to get out because they know what sitting to much by myself does to me. They comfort me, are very loving and caring. This is off topic, just wanted to say there are good things in my life.

I think that I'm wining now... Just feel so incredibly fed up. Don't know much about the NHS, but I guess that is challenging too. Like waiting for approval of a mobility aid for instance.

Jean_OT

Hi

There is no doubt that storing the batteries at such low temperatures will impact on their performance and life-span.

If there proposed scooter shelter is where the scooter will be charged there must be an electrical socket. Would it be possible to use this to run a small thermostat controlled electrical heater? I'm thinking of the sort of thing that you might use to stop a greenhouse freezing up.

Best Wishes
Jean

TheArctic

Hm... That might be an idea... But this shed is open on one side. And there is an electrical socket there. Think some of the mobility scooters can take more of the elements than the Eloflex chair, but they seem impractical to me. They can't be taken on travels due to their size, don't have the same maneuverability, takes more space on sidewalks... They do have some advantages though, as some models can be driven in more demanding conditions, i.e. during winter and you have more storage. The new models that foldf together aren't as versatile as their bigger brothers. Not to comfy either. I do have an idea on how to solve this situation, but I still await an answer to the mail I sendt the occupational therapy service in my district. Kind og know what they'll say, but I promised the board to actively check out what they can or cann´t do. Sendt this a week ago, so I hope this is due to them taking some time to work out a solution, and not to their just putting the mail aside amongst others of it´s kind and "forget about it." I do unfortunately had some bad experience with the services they should provide. I had to switch to a private home made company (luckily this is an option that the district funds - that´s the good thing). But having to be at home to let the home maid in... I sat at home every 2. week to let this service in, and they rarely showed up. Extremely frustrating, when I could have been doing things I had to skip because of the need to bee at home. They did not answer to or return my phone calls, or the line was bossy - sat for an entire hour waiting once - never coming through. Finally I got so (sorry about my language) so **** off whit them that I filed a formal complaint for not doing their job which I pay for. Not a very high sum, but it is not fair to pay for a service they´re not able to deliver. The private firm have never failed to do what they are supposed to. They are always polite and nice to me as well.

I think the district kind of wastes money. For some time ago they opened a showroom with some of the welfare technology on display. This in it self is not a bad idea - I have paid them a visit, but it must be terribly expensive to run. I think they should spend the money where they actually are needed. It is not to helpful seeing the technology on display, when you have to wait forever to an for assessment of what the occupational therapist regards as the best solution (ergo, you don't necessarily get what YOU actually think is the best solution. The only service that actually work is the psych service. I have my own contact, and we see each other once a week. She has been, and still is very helpful. We are not just talking, but she helps me out in coordinating the services I need, making difficult phone calls, participate in meetings, helps me getting my bills paid... But even help from them have waiting lists now. The council cut budgets that are supposed to preserve people's heath an well being, seemingly not taking the cost of treating preventable disease into consideration .

Now, sorry about this ranting off topic. I do have an idea on how to solve the storage issue. At the last board meeting we discussed our common room as an option, but this was dismissed as this room among other things are used for birth day celebrations among children. This might poses a risk for damage to either chair or curious children - which neither of us want (It would be absolute gruesome if someone got injured. But there are lockers out there that might solve this. Some type that can be safely locked and to heavy to be knocked over. I am going to suggest this after (hopefully) getting an answer to my mail. I might actually put my anxiety of calling public services aside on Monday. I know I am going to buy this chair anyway, because I don't think I can stand waiting for the byrocracy - which might take up to three months after sending an application. There is a temporary solution where I CAN store the chair in the fire cauldron room, it´s just a little door issue. A foldable chair might not be a problem to get through though, but it really has to be tried to know if it would work.

mehrfarbig

I keep my big one in my outside utility room, and if it did go super cold, I'd temporarily keep it in my house.

mehrfarbig

How often does it snow in your country? As most powerchairs are terrible in snow.

siobhan1

I live in a ground floor flat and in my hallway there is a cupboard that runs under my neighbours stairs that is just big enough to store my spare manual wheelchair and my electric so I can charge it. I've had to get rid of everything I was storing like xmas decorations because there is just nowhere to keep them built it's a perfect place for it.