PREPARING YOUR WHEELCHAIR FOR TRAVEL
Something going wrong with your wheelchair while travelling would be a real time waster. I imagine it would be difficult to know where to start as far as how to get repairs done.
We get our son’s wheelchair serviced before we travel and get a basic repair kit from the manufacturer, Mogo.
My best wheelchair tip – if you are getting a new wheelchair made in the future and travel is likely to be something you will do, get lots of storage built in! We had pockets sewn into our son’s wheelchair to add to the amount it could carry. See photos below. We have a deep zippered pocket on the backrest of the chair which saves me carrying a handbag as it fits keys, wallet, a drink and other bits and pieces. The deeper the pocket the better. We have a netting carry all underneath where we put jumpers etc and under the seat we have a zippered pocket. This is hidden by our son’s legs when he is in the chair and it proved the perfect place to keep our passports, extra cash and iPad when we were travelling between hotels and didn’t want to leave valuables in the car. We kept the passports in a large pencil case so there was no chance they could slip out when we were accessing the pocket.
You may wonder why not a backpack on the back of the wheelchair instead of a pocket? We use a backpack as well for food etc but a backpack is quickly and easily stolen when you are travelling. A zippered pocket is far more difficult to access especially if someone is pushing the person in the wheelchair.
Being a girl I figure you can never have too much storage. Under seat zipper area handy for passports, iPad etc.
When our daughter was a toddler we also had a bar welded on to the back of the wheelchair so she could ride along when her legs got tired. I couldn’t push a wheelchair and a pram when I was out and about and this proved a great solution. It does of course make the wheelchair back heavy so only works when you are actually walking behind pushing. Stating the obvious I know, but I don’t want anyone doing it and ending up with toddler and person in wheelchair on the ground!
Mogo wheelchairs have made both our son’s manual wheelchairs. They are flexible and can add things like the storage which is fantastic.
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I’ve actually been looking at upgrading a wheelchair for our daughter as well. The idea about storage and zippers is not something I had considered she would need. Your idea of having that instead of or with a backpack really makes sense considering how much stuff she wants us to carry for her. Thanks for your awesome idea on wheelchairs!
Thanks for your feedback. The extra storage is a game-changer for us especially when it comes to travelling with our son’s wheelchair. Julie
Hi My disabled husband and i are off to Tasmania in June/july. We need disabled facilites. Affordable decent places . Any good accomadation you could recommend please.