Wheelchair Diffusion blog

Another offering in the all terrain wheelchair arena. This is the 6×6 Explorer and is by Kemcare of New Zealand. The 6×6 Explorer is a six wheel drive wheelchair designed for those tough outings such as fishing, hunting, trekking through the bush, and rolling across the beach.

• Width of the wheelchair is 85cm
• Length is 127cm
• Speed is 4.5-6.5km p/hr.
• Turning radius=73.5cm
• Sport seat
• 4 point harness
• Spotlight

I don’t have much technical info on this wheelchair at the moment although I am hoping to get some from the manufacturer shortly. Stay tuned.

If you should need a blog break but still want to hang in the world of wheelchairs try one of these two landing places.

Invacare Yes, You Can Boards/Forum - Jenn and Invacare wheelchair users get into wheelchairs and assorted equipment.

Chairtalk - Ric and company roll on the four wheel needs of the wheelchair user.

Both of these forums rate high for friendliness and infobility and are great places for experienced as well as newbie wheelers to help each other out.

I have been rummaging through the rather large collection of images stored on my work computer in a misguided effort at trying to create visual order where only digital chaos exists. Needless to say, the effort was frustrating and short-lived, but not unrewarding. While digging around in a far corner of the drive I discovered a small treasure chest of images devoted to “Kids with disabilities”.

Most of the pictures are of kids with disabilities involved in various sports activities. Many were taken at various events organized by the United Spinal Association. All left me with a newly realized awareness. It became obvious that up until now I have been missing part of the picture. That these events, while being fun for the kids, served a much greater purpose than having fun, keeping fit, sharing camaraderie, or anything else that your gym teacher or macho uncle may have tried to convince you of. Rather, these images represent the future. Not just for the kids in them, but for all people who are disabled.

In the past, words and concepts such as “housebound, homebound, wheelchair bound, bed bound, and institutionalized” were prevalent. In the present, these terms have become politically incorrect and are used much less frequently. By the time today’s children come of age it is hoped that these words will have disappeared for lack of meaning and for lack of opportunities to apply them.

Thanks go to United Spinal for loan of these great pictures as well as to all of the other fine disability organizations, freelance advocates, tenacious parents, and concerned individuals who have made the future their passion.

United Spinal Association has just started a mobility grant program. There are three different grants in this program. Each one is for a different purpose.

1. United Spinal Association’s Assistive Technology Grant (ATG)
   This can be applied toward the purchase of wheelchairs, environmental control units, pediatric strollers, body cooling devices, seating and positioning aids, wheelchair cushions, and almost any non-recreational assistive device. It is a $500.00 grant.
2. United Spinal Association’s Adaptive Automotive Grant (AAG)
   This can be applied toward the purchase of adaptive automotive devices including prescribed operational equipment (i.e. hand controls, reduced effort steering mechanisms, reduced effort braking mechanisms, etc.) or necessary non-operational equipment (i.e. an installed ramp, wheelchair lifts, tie-down devices, scooter/wheelchair carrier, etc.) It is a $500.00 grant.
3. United Spinal Association’s Residential Accessibility Modification Grant (R*A*M*P)
   Provides financial assistance to low-income members who need accessibility modifications to their home. It is a $5000.00 grant.

General Grant Criteria

You must be a United Spinal member, but you can apply for membership when you apply for the grant by submitting a membership application along with your grant application. Membership is open to adults and children with spinal cord disease or injury including SCI, MS, Spina Bifida, ALS, Polio, etc. You can check United Spinal’s membership page for details.

You must meet certain income criteria.

The grant cannot be used for the purchase of sports or recreational devices.

Information guides and applications can be found on United Spinal’s grant page.

This is a great opportunity to help defray the cost of needed devices. Please help spread the word.

I think that most Americans have become spoiled or brainwashed when it comes to assistive devices. Be you an AB or a wheeler, we tend to look toward technology and industry to develop those cool gadgets that can/should/are supposed to help us solve every pain-in-the-butt problem we may encounter. In many instances people wind up laying down two, three, and yes, sometimes four digit bucks, only to be disappointed. This holds just as true when it comes to adaptive devices for people with disabilities.

Americans, once known for being industrious, self sufficient, pioneering and innovative, and frugal, at least at the personal level, have for the greater part forsaken low tech “homemade” solutions and have taken to waiting for commercialized technology to bail them out. Well guess what? In many instances it will be a long wait. Not that industry, small or large, is not capable of developing and marketing those neat things that help with daily life. They most certainly are. Most of these things are low technology and old technology. Industry has a very serious barrier, profits. Selling an adapted toothbrush holder for $8.00 to $12.00 in a limited market may not afford them the type of profits they would like to realize. Spending money on design, commercialization, and marketing for the end all toothbrush holder is almost out of the question.

You don’t need the guys from NASA to develop a wheelchair mounted drink holder or a back scratcher with an adapted handle. Hell, those can be made from odds and ends that are lying around your garage. Or, from parts scrounged from those high tech and expensive solutions you bought that have been sequestered away in every available space in your home. Things like wheelchair bags (very popular these days) can easily cost you over 60 bucks retail. I’ll bet grandma can make you one, with custom embroidery and all the trimmings.

Where is this all heading? Nowhere, unless you want it to. Most low tech and homemade solutions are relatively inexpensive. Many of these items can be made from debris lying around your homestead with a little ancillary supplementation from the local hardware store, a handy friend, or grandma herself. Most of us have a friend or family member who is handy and agreeable to help. Give it a shot. The next time you want to get over one of those day-to-day humps, think low tech and homemade first. You might surprise yourself.

Many areas of commerce view people with disabilities as an untapped or unexploited market. Once Madison Avenue figures out how to best exploit you there will be a large amount of “great” stuff coming at you and your wallet. Buyer beware!

Tom Jeary has a great site that offers over one hundred ideas on assistive technology do-it-yourself. Check it out if you need some help getting started.

A great site by Darren Hillock on issues related to accessible travel.

“This blog is an effort to bring info I find to light, as well as to educate those interested in the issues faced by people with disabilities who travel.”

Check it out.

Have you ever tried handcycling? If you haven’t you probably should. Handcycling is one of those cool wheelchair sports. Well, I guess it’s a wheelchair, kind of. Why is it cool? Freedom, fun, speed, excitement, and it can be as structured or unstructured as you like.

Anyway you want it. From competitive cycling to just cycling around the park or neighborhood with family and friends, or sweating out a few miles just for exercise.

As always, being a kinda wheelchair means that there are choices to be made in the components so that the cycle is configured correctly.

First off, the type of handcycle-
The most popular are probably the free standing models. They don’t hook up to your existing wheelchair and are complete as is. These are similar to the one shown in the picture.

Docking-cycles. The front is the cycle, complete with all of the mechanical components. This hooks up to your existing manual wheelchair to complete the package.

Next up the steering-
There are two popular systems. Direct control through the hand cranks and body-lean steering. Body leaning can be tricky and calls for good trunk control since you are shifting your trunk every time you want to turn.

Speeds- These things come with a number of gear options which are similar to those you would find on a conventional bike. Depending on the make and model handcycle they come with anywhere from 3 to 27 speeds.

Crank Grips- Crank grips are important. There are different styles of cranks that are available. It all depends on how much hand and arm function you have. There are two types- Horizontal, for those with good grasp. Vertical, for those with limited grasp. The grips are often offered in different circumferences for easier grasp and use.

There are lots of tire types available for handcycles including racing, street, trail, off road…

Some safety issues that you need to remember. Wear a helmet! Make sure you have a visibility flag on the back. A nice tall one. These things are real low to the ground. The guy in the Ford Navigator isn’t going to see you at all if you cross his path. Don’t take the chain guards off to lighten up the cycle unless you want to get a face full of water or mud or perhaps get your arms and legs caught up in them. If you have a paper butt and are prone to getting sores be sure to use some kind of a cushion. These things aren’t Cadillacs. Your butt is going to take some pounding.

Most important- Get out there! There are very few people I have known who did not enjoy this sport once they tried it.

Check in with the crankers at Untied States Handcycle Federation for more info on this sport.

Golf, adapted style, has been gaining a good deal of interest over the last few years. Many duffers with disabilities who never thought they would play again are out there on the greens enjoying this sport. Others are discovering it for the first time and getting hooked on it. As always, where there are players there is a market, and where there is a potential market there will undoubtedly be some innovative entrepreneurs offering products.

Here are some adapted products that may help you get into the swing of things-

The Solorider 340 adaptive golf cart has a 350 degree swivel seat which allows the player to swing and hack from the side or elevate to a supported position for some bird’s eye hacking and slashing. I don’t play golf myself, but this thing looks like it would be fun just to ride around in. Oh, the gadget on the hood is a golf bag carrier that places the clubs within reach of the duffer.

This isn’t the end of your adaptive makeover. You still need a way to tee up. Here you go. This gadget is the Backtee. It mounts to a club handle, extends your reach, and tees you up. You’re good to go.

One last thing. ADA and golf courses? Damned if I know. I’m just as likely to give you wrong information as right. I’ll scare up an expert for this one. Check back in the comments section from time to time for this info.

You can get more info on accessible golfing on the National Alliance for Accessible Golf site.