If you’re a wheelchair user who would like to travel further afield than your usual spots, you may find it difficult based on the wheelchair you have. Living with a lack of mobility can make travelling long distances tricky if you don’t have the right equipment. However, you can reach all of the destinations you wish with a folding or travel wheelchair. Here’s how you can make travelling with a wheelchair easy.
When travelling with a wheelchair, there are a lot of considerations to take into account, no matter where you’re going. At Complete Care Shop, we’re passionate about providing independence to people with mobility issues and our range of wheelchairs ticks every box.
When travelling with a wheelchair, it’s a good idea to pick one that can be stored compactly. Whether you’re travelling via car, minibus, train or aeroplane, the wheelchair will need to be stored somewhere convenient during transit. To be able to do this, you should consider purchasing a folding wheelchair. If space is limited during travel, these wheelchairs can fold into small spaces and store away perfectly. Also, because they’re so easy to use, you can easily unfold them and have them ready to use in a matter of seconds.
Travel wheelchairs are also useful for long journeys thanks to their lightweight build and ability to fold.
Of course, it may not be practical to get a different standard or electric wheelchair. In this case, other planning considerations have to be thought about in advance.
Travelling with a wheelchair requires a certain level of planning and forward-thinking to be successful. Here are some steps you can take and things to consider before your journey:
Planning ahead of your journey involves many steps. First of all, research your destination to make sure it’s wheelchair-friendly. This involves restaurants, attractions and local transportation.
Before travelling, ensure you give your wheelchair a good check to pick up on any maintenance issues. This involves checking the quality of the tyres, and any rips in the chair or armrests. If it’s an electric wheelchair, make sure the battery is in full working condition and charged.
It’s a good idea to check the accessibility of where you’re staying. Is the room set up with enough space for a wheelchair user? Is the room completely flat and the access to the room flat or are there obstacles that you may need to navigate? If you can’t find any information about it on their website, give them a call and let them know your situation and the dates you’re travelling. They should be able to explain the features of their accessible rooms and help you understand if your needs can be accommodated.
Again, look ahead to your destination and check out their local transportation if you plan on using it. If you don’t look ahead of time, you could be in for a nasty surprise.
Consider travel insurance to cover unexpected events and medical emergencies, including those related to your wheelchair. If you’re travelling abroad and using an aeroplane, you must make sure your travel insurance covers the cost of your wheelchair in case any damage occurs during transit.
At Complete Care Shop, you’ll find an impressive selection of mobility aids that can help you during your travel. Consider picking up some to take with you and make your journey, and holiday, more enjoyable. Of course, there are folding and travel wheelchairs but there are also folding ramps that you could use to access vehicles.
Our final consideration to plan for is who is travelling with you. We’d advise you to travel with somebody just in case something happens to you or your wheelchair. Make sure whoever does travel with you is aware of how to use your wheelchair and, if it’s a folding model, that they’re wary of how they store it so as not to damage anything.
In summary, travelling with a wheelchair shouldn’t cause you any unnecessary stress or trouble if you plan ahead and cover all bases. If you have the right equipment, like a folding wheelchair, it can make the journey a lot easier. However, if you have a standard self-propelled wheelchair, you can still enjoy yourself by looking ahead and making sure you have accessible accommodation and transport.
If you require any more assistance, or you’d like a free home wheelchair assessment, contact us now for help and advice.
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