Mobility scooters and related equipment
Due to a rather picturesque array of neurological ailments, not to mention the devastating effects of advancing age, I have become considerably less mobile than I was in my younger days. Where I used to be able to effortlessly walk for hours and hours, I now move slowly at a tortoises pace, for a maximum of one hour, leaning on either a cane or a crutch - depending on how I happen to function that day. Yet I won’t complain: there’s nothing I truly lack in this life, and diminished mobility doesn’t usually bother me.
Anyway, for the somewhat longer journeys I presently use a mobility scooter, which kind of makes me feel like a prince or even a sultan! Relaxedly sitting in a cusioned seat, nicely but never arrogantly saluting the admiring passers-by, I zip along at either walking pace or double speed. When I feel relaxed I “walk”, when I actually need to be somewhere at a certain time I rev up the little machine.
There are lots of people much worse off than me, when it comes to mobility. I can, though with difficulty, still walk - but a lot of others can’t. Especially for those the electric scooter is a great support, enabling them to be mobile again. There are 3-wheel mobility scooters and 4-wheel mobility scooters, and if you happen to be considering buying such a machine, I certainly recommend the 3-wheeled variety. They are somewhat more manoeuvrable due to their smaller turning radius, which is a great advantage in crowded or narrow areas. I also would recommend to go for batteries with a lot of capacity: it’s not only unpleasant but also extremely embarassing to find yourself out of power when a long way from home!
Apart from mobility scooters, there are many more things and inventions that make the life of the handicapped much more pleasant. Stairlifts, bed lifts, electrically powered wheelchairs, walkers… they all serve to make life much more normal for the disabled.
Filed under: Product reviews and shopping
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