Choosing a Wheelchair

The wheelchair is a liberator, not a prison. With the right wheelchair, quality of life increases dramatically. Even people with severe disabilities can have a considerable degree of independence and activity. However, choosing the wrong chair can indeed be tantamount to "confinement."People selecting a chair for the first time can be distracted by emotions of loss or anger, overwhelmed with the amount that there is to learn and the number of features to consider, and unsure of their part in the selection process. Experienced chair users might know features on their present chair that don't work well, but are probably not aware of all the fast-changing choices in technology, features, or manufacturers.Choosing a Wheelchair: A Guide for Optimal Independence, a companion title to Life on Wheels guides you through the selection process to help you identify the chair that can provide you with optimal independence.Contents include:* The wheelchair as a mobility tool* The selection process and your part in it* How to compare manufacturers (including smaller, niche manufacturers)* Basic choices, such as power or manual? Fixed frame or folding?* Features and options for both power and manual chair users* Paying for the chair and insurance* Wheelchair maintenance* A primer on wheeling technique