Questions for all wheelchair users!

alexiaoakley

I'm doing an A Level project in which I'm attempting to design a product that enables those with limited mobility in wheelchairs to pick up objects from the ground with ease. 

If you are a wheelchair user it would be massively helpful if you could answer a few questions helping me with initial research.

1. Do you live alone/have a carer/live with family or friends?
2. What kind of objects do you tend to drop/struggle to retrieve?
3. How do you currently deal with retrieving objects from the ground?
4. Have you looked into existing products to solve this problem? If so, how effective are they?
5. What requirements would a product helping you reach/pick up objects have to meet?
6. How important are aesthetics to you in a product like this?
7. How important is sustainability to you in a product like this?

And any other comments or suggestions would be much appreciated! Thank you

Chloe_Scope

Welcome to the community @alexiaoakley, the very best of luck with your project!

alexiaoakley

@Chloe_Scope Thank you!

pollyanna1052

Hi, been a wheelchair user for 20 years or so.

I have a grabber...helping hand...it does the job well....until I drop the grabber..then I need a second grabber to retrieve the first grabber!

Cant pick up things like the commode pan lid.....it`s too flat and grabber cant take hold of any part.

Sometimes the grab parts over lock each other and can only be opened with a strong hand
It wont pick up round objects that are too big for it`s jaws

The best `thing` to pick up something I`ve dropped is a person! But they aren`t always around!

Thanks

alexiaoakley

@pollyanna1052 Is there any chance you know what kind of grabber you have? Name or where you got it from?

pollyanna1052

Hi I think it is called Helping Hand. I got it at my local disability store in Age UK.....about £12

April2018mom

Let’s take your questions one by one:

1- I am the carer for my son. He is a full time wheelchair user. 
2- Whenever he drops objects, I pick them up. 
3- It is difficult for him due to paraplegia. 
4- No, what is out there? I’m interested in products that could help. 
5- Not sure really. 
6- Fairly important to me. 
7- Totally important. 

Good luck with your research task! I look forward to seeing the finished product. 

newborn

Grabbers are everywhere,  even at pound shops, but quality varies.

A surprising work-around for some objects is one of the long handled dustpan and brush sets.  
Again,  quality and suitability will vary from device to device, and user to user. 
But often,  the brush  will sweep the object into the pan, which shuts itself, trapping the object inside, so even with clumsy hands, you can slide your grip along the handle, open the lid and get your object back

janer1967

Hello and welcome here is the answers to your questions

1. I live with my teenage son
 2.Cutlery, letters, glasses, phone, remote, washing perched on knee
3.Bend down from waist while sitting in chair of on sofa if I cant reach or item too small my son does it 
4.I haven't but I should do, I can pick larger objects up but its the smaller items I cant and don't know if a grabber would help
5. Be easy to use, not take up too much room,, lightweight 
6. Not important
7. Not important

newborn

Did you read my answers?

emmarenshaw

Hello @alexiaoakley I’m Emma, here are my answers.

1) I live with family/ have carers + my mum is my main carer 
2) Small objects 
3) I have a grabber
4) Only my grabber, which is very effective.
5)Light, easy to use, have a handle to hang on things and portable.
6)Not that important but, I’d still like the choice of colours. Options tend to be limited for equipment.. (Give me a rose gold grabber option.)?
7) Very important.

Best of luck with your research, if can help you with anything else please let me know. 

Emma.

April2018mom

newborn said:

Did you read my answers?

Yes!

alexiaoakley

@pollyanna1052 @April2018mom @newborn
@emmarenshaw @janer97 Thank you all so much! Your input is incredibly useful for my project )

emmarenshaw

@alexiaoakley My pleasure. Best of luck with your project.

April2018mom

No problem @alexiaoakley!