First time wheelchair renter

[Disney102015]

We are renting a wheelchair for my mom for our September trip because she’s got some new-ish mobility issues. She doesn’t use a wheelchair on a regular basis so this is all new to us. Other than the wheelchair is there anything else we should be considering bringing to make the wheelchair more comfortable for her (or the person pushing)? I was wondering if we need to bring a cushion or something for the chair or if they’re generally comfortable? Also maybe we can get one of those stroller fans to be on her in some way?
Basically just want to make sure we are prepared and make her as comfortable as possible. Thanks for any tips!

 

[Groot]

I’d definitely get a WHEELCHAIR CUSHION (one that’s specifically made for wheelchairs, not one that you’d put on let’s say a dining room chair). Spinlife has a good selection to choose from. (Be sure to know the exact size of the cushion you need.)

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We are renting a wheelchair for my mom for our September trip because she’s got some new-ish mobility issues. She doesn’t use a wheelchair on a regular basis so this is all new to us. Other than the wheelchair is there anything else we should be considering bringing to make the wheelchair more comfortable for her (or the person pushing)? I was wondering if we need to bring a cushion or something for the chair or if they’re generally comfortable? Also maybe we can get one of those stroller fans to be on her in some way?
Basically just want to make sure we are prepared and make her as comfortable as possible. Thanks for any tips!

golfing type gloves for the pusher. not a stroller type fan but think about the ones attached to bottle of water sprayer so she can spray herself along with the fan. no way to attach stroller type to wheelchair that I have found. the one other thing I would bring is something bright to the to handle or handles to make easier to find in a group if you park somewhere. also have a large brim hat to shade mom's face. have her use the wheelchair in line for a place to sit while waiting. have a great trip

 

[jo-jo]

I used bike gloves. They have padding on the palm area. I know nothing about golf gloves, perhaps they are padded too?

Are you renting offsite? Having it for getting to and from parks is great. For getting on buses, we used to just fold it up and bring in on like a stroller (as long as there was a seat for DH) . Sometimes you see a bus has a few scooters waiting but the bus is still half empty.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I got a 4 inch thick wheelchair cushion for the wheelchair on Amazon for my dad. It made the chair high enough so he could get up and gave him some stability in the seat. He could not have done the trip without it. I had glove type things that covered my palms but didn’t need them. I also got him a little cane holder that wrapped around the cane and we could hook it on the back of the wheelchair seat. He uses the cushion at home now in his recliner and the cane holder all the time too.

 

[jo-jo]

I got a 4 inch thick wheelchair cushion for the wheelchair on Amazon for my dad. It made the chair high enough so he could get up and gave him some stability in the seat. He could not have done the trip without it. I had glove type things that covered my palms but didn’t need them. I also got him a little cane holder that wrapped around the cane and we could hook it on the back of the wheelchair seat. He uses the cushion at home now in his recliner and the cane holder all the time too.

I forgot all about a cane. To the OP, You might want to invest in a folding cane. Not sure what your mom might need, but a cane comes in handy getting in and out of rides, walking that last 20 ft to ride, getting around a resturant , getting to a bathroom, etc.

 

[Narcoossee11]

Blanket... Weight depending on season
A bag to store your 'junk'. One that hangs from back handles. I ordered one from Wal-Mart.
LARGE trash bags to help with rain.
Umbrella / hat for sun.
Flashlight to help with dark areas of ground.

The wheelchair will be his 'home' fir the trip.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I forgot all about a cane. To the OP, You might want to invest in a folding cane. Not sure what your mom might need, but a cane comes in handy getting in and out of rides, walking that last 20 ft to ride, getting around a resturant , getting to a bathroom, etc.

I agree about taking a folding cane beside the scooter

 

[Her Dotness]

I hope you've someone with stamina and muscle to push the chair because there are lots of slight upslopes at WDW that a person walking doesn't notice. That adds stress to the muscles of the pusher. This is particularly so if your mother is Pooh-sized.

I will never forget the mother-daughter duo who jokingly offered to trade their rented wheelchair for DH's powerchair. The daughter said if they'd had any hint pushing a wheelchair was that strenuous and exhausting, they'd never have gotten one.

Also, there is a bunch of decorative paving that can feel like cobblestones everywhere to the person in the chair. I felt like my teeth were chattering from running DH's powerchair from the Akershus's entrance over to where we were told to park it near the lagoon. That pavement was agonizing even though his chair has good shock absorbers for regular sidewalks and smooth pavement.

Are you/your mother certain she (and you!) wouldn't be happier with the independence a scooter or rented powerchair would give her? Will she, for instance, be reluctant to go to the resort lobby or gift shop on her own because she's hesitant to walk that far?

These are all factors people aren't aware of generally. I certainly wasn't until DH needed a chair for WDW.

Please consider carefully how practical a wheelchair will be for your and your mother's ease and comfort before making your rental decision.

 

[KPeveler]

I would definitely get the gloves for the pusher. It is hot, so put a towel on the chair when not in use, otherwise the black fabric/vinyl will absorb the heat from the sun and be very uncomfortable.

Be prepared to take rest breaks for the pusher, or have more than one pusher. It gets very tiring to push a wheelchair. Also plan on going in a circle around the park. You won't want to be doing a lot of back and forths.

 

[jo-jo]

I hope you've someone with stamina and muscle to push the chair because there are lots of slight upslopes at WDW that a person walking doesn't notice. That adds stress to the muscles of the pusher. This is particularly so if your mother is Pooh-sized.

I will never forget the mother-daughter duo who jokingly offered to trade their rented wheelchair for DH's powerchair. The daughter said if they'd had any hint pushing a wheelchair was that strenuous and exhausting, they'd never have gotten one.

Also, there is a bunch of decorative paving that can feel like cobblestones everywhere to the person in the chair. I felt like my teeth were chattering from running DH's powerchair from the Akershus's entrance over to where we were told to park it near the lagoon. That pavement was agonizing even though his chair has good shock absorbers for regular sidewalks and smooth pavement.

Are you/your mother certain she (and you!) wouldn't be happier with the independence a scooter or rented powerchair would give her? Will she, for instance, be reluctant to go to the resort lobby or gift shop on her own because she's hesitant to walk that far?

These are all factors people aren't aware of generally. I certainly wasn't until DH needed a chair for WDW.

Please consider carefully how practical a wheelchair will be for your and your mother's ease and comfort before making your rental decision.

Just to add more thoughts to this. It sounds like your mom walks some , just not disney amount. DH was like that several years ago when we started with a wheelchair. For steep inclines, he would get out and walk while pushing wheelchair. Yes, it is work, but when we started with chair, I (the pusher) was about 60 years old and DH 70 and weighing 250 lbs. I remember one night we saw a storm coming in and I pushed him from space ship earth to BCV in one swoop. Parts weren't easy, but it was faster for me to push than for him to walk. So it is doable. If she walked some and if you could trade off with someone to push, that should work out fine.

The trade off with you pushing vs her driving a scooter, you need to keep an eye out for people. I found I missed more things since I was zoned in on not hitting anyone. Your mom maybe (my DH was) scared of using a scooter with the hitting someone or getting through ride lines and smacking into walls.

 

[Groot]

Are you/your mother certain she (and you!) wouldn't be happier with the independence a scooter or rented powerchair would give her? Will she, for instance, be reluctant to go to the resort lobby or gift shop on her own because she's hesitant to walk that far?

These are all factors people aren't aware of generally. I certainly wasn't until DH needed a chair for WDW.

Please consider carefully how practical a wheelchair will be for your and your mother's ease and comfort before making your rental decision.

Not a lot of rental companies offer powerchairs. If they did, they’re almost the Jazzy front wheel drive (which is NOT a good wheel style for first timers). Also, the company will ask/require you to have prior experience with driving powerchairs. (Basically, own one at home and use it everyday.)

 

[KPeveler]

I strongly suggest a ECV or wheelchair over the powerchair. It takes a bit of time to learn how to drive one, and most places will not rent a powerchair to an inexperienced user. It is harder to drive one of those than you think (I am a powerchair user), since the joystick controls both speed and direction. An ECV is much easier to drive since you control speed and direction is just like steering a bike.

 

[Disney102015]

Thank you all SO much for these responses! Lots of great ideas we wouldn’t have thought of. Yes, we are renting offsite so she can use it at all times. It’ll definitely be a challenge pushing a stroller in the heat but we’ll have 6 adults to take turns pushing so hopefully we’ll be ok. She’s not comfortable with a motorized chair so we’ll just make the best of it and take breaks as needed. Thank you all again, you’re the best!!

 

[Her Dotness]

I'm an oddity, then, I suppose.

When I needed a chair/scooter due to medical issues, I found DH's powerchair far easier to use than a scooter or store electric cart.

The latter two are bulkier and less responsive, I felt. DH's powerchair was more like turning while walking since it turns in place quite nimbly and moves quickly.

Maybe just that I'd some, not much, experience driving his chair out to the car when he preferred to walk or parking it for him when he used a dining chair in restaurants. Also, I'm accustomed to using a joystick.

Quite right that the decision hinges substantially upon what the person feels most at ease manipulating--or not.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Thank you all SO much for these responses! Lots of great ideas we wouldn’t have thought of. Yes, we are renting offsite so she can use it at all times. It’ll definitely be a challenge pushing a stroller in the heat but we’ll have 6 adults to take turns pushing so hopefully we’ll be ok. She’s not comfortable with a motorized chair so we’ll just make the best of it and take breaks as needed. Thank you all again, you’re the best!!

just thought of another thing in case of rain and using a poncho make sure back of poncho also goes over back of seat not just down mom's back. does that make sense so rain does not run down back of seat and under mom