Any experience with transport wheelchairs?

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Any experience with transport wheelchairs?

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Hi everyone I feel like I run to this forum for a lot of answers. Here I am again. I’ve been avoiding taking mom out alone or letting caregivers take her because of the wheelchair weight. Finally said “duh” it’s a quality of life & care issue to purchase a lightweight one. Well I researched & settled on 3 but each one had reviews saying the person tipped backwards! Is this really that common? Does someone have experience with one that doesn’t? Also I see they sell anti-tipping devices, anybody have experience with those? Wondering if that would deal with the issue on these lightweight chairs. Thanks

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I have never heard a transporter tipping backwards. It always has to be pushed. Medicare ones are heavy but lighter than the big wheel ones. There are some the handles collapse for easier storing. There is a very light one you can purchase at Walgreens. If you wait for a coupon, you can get one for about $100. If Mom isn't heavy, you may want to go this route if only using it to go out.

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I'm not a believer in keeping immobile people in wheelchairs at home unless they are with it and can correct their posture themselves. People with end-stage Alzheimer's will sink and lean toward a side, which means they will slide off, so they are just better off staying in bed if they are immobile and put on hospice care. Toileting is another consideration--you don't want them to sit in stool or urine too long and cleaning will be an enormous chore if kept in a wheel chair. But even a harness is NOT safe because they can choke to death if they are not watched every second. I'm sure even safety belts have their issues. That's why it is best to try to walk them everyday and not lose their mobility. Wheelchairs will also cause skin breakdown if kept on there long enough. You may want to consider a gerichair which are safer than wheelchairs for the immobile...but it will be very back breaking to get them out of it and into bed. and toileting them will be next to impossible without a team of people to help you.

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You can insist on walking as much as you like but there will come a time when their ability fails. A basic wheelchair is everything you say it is and seeing anyone sitting in one at the nursing home is one of my pet peeves, but there are higher end wheelchairs that tilt in place and can be customized with stability backs, pressure relieving seats and head rests that can provide a comfortable and safe place to spend time.

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I found a beautiful Nova transport wheelchair for my dad. It weighs 24 pounds and folds up and opens up with basically one hand. The top of the back folds down for making it more compact when putting it in the car. It has two sets of brakes, one set on the handgrips in back and one set by the wheels. The rear wheels are oversized making for a much smoother ride. When using a transport wheelchair, technique is key. Make sure all brakes are on and preferably using a gate belt help your loved one find the arm rests and ease down to a seated position. Don't let them "fall" into the seat as they could tip back. Even with the larger rear wheels, I always backed into a bump or curb cut of any kind. I chose to get the full arm type because dad needed that, but it meant that he couldn't roll up completely to a restaurant table. So, I would transfer to a chair or booth (which he could do.) I knew he wouldn't be keen on sitting in a wheelchair in public, at least at first, but the Nova, as many chairs and rollators, came in the most beautiful cranberry red so it looked like a beautiful shiny new bike. Success! I was able to go to an actual store to test out the different models to get a sense of whether I could lift it and gauge how comfortable it would be for him. If you can do that, I would suggest it.

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I never used a transport chair for mom but I can sympathize with wanting one, hauling the standard chair in and out of the trunk definitely takes some muscle. I think that where you want to use the chair would make a difference, most transport chairs have tiny little wheels that do best on very smooth surfaces for short distances. The only way I can see them tipping backwards would be if you are trying to get up a steep slope or over a curb, they may also be less stable if the person is over the weight limits. The anti tipping devices are standard on regular wheelchairs and they do help when you need to tip the front wheels up over an obstacle like a curb or door threshold, but then with a transport chair it would be just as difficult to get the small back wheels over so you would probably need to avoid anything like that. My advice is to get the most expensive one you can afford, and I think it is a benefit to get one with somewhat larger wheels for sidewalks and uneven areas.

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I had a transport chair and they are not much more difficult to put in the trunk than a Medicare wheelchair as the foot rests are detachable. Medicare chairs are slightly heavier, but the added stability and ease to push make them better. Besides Medicare chairs are entirely free.

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I’ve always used transport chairs in the house for my husband because the doorframes are too narrow for a regular wheelchair. We never had an issue with tipping. (I removed the anti tippers because they prevent us from negotiating up a ramp we have.) He stays put, though, and doesn’t lean or try to stand like your Mom. You might consider buying a seatbelt!

Transport chairs are no fun to push outside on any surface with ridges or bumps. What I did a few years ago was buy the Medline Hybrid 2 wheelchair. It is a light transport chair with large wheels that can be added. It’s very easy to transform it into a wheelchair for outside (push a release button and pull the wheel off) and still is light enough to lift into the car. The large wheels do make it easier to push, but it still takes some effort. Bonus: the back can bend down to make it even easier to store.

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Thank you, that is the chair I’m leaning towards. I see it has those anti tippers too, did you remove them? Are they easy off & on also? Im so glad to here from a user.

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if your mom is like 180 pounds or over don't get a transport chair--too difficult to push and maneuver.

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Airgo Fusion Transport Chair Rollator Walker Combination-
Ours has been in heavy use for a few years now and really holds up to the abuse! We are on our 3rd person using this and it still is holding up! I used for months with ankle fusion recovery, my mom used it, and now my dad. That thing has been used and abused - pushed through small doors, lots of doctors appts, and even up north at cottage. But you made a good point - The one caution I would give is that when my mom did use it as a walker - she occasionally would fall and when she felt herself falling she would hold extra tight the handles & as a result she would pull it over with her. But it folds up nicely, is light, durable, and looks better than any wheelchair. Easy to fold up footrests, and fold up unit, and is both walker & wheelchair. Not sure you will get one that’s easy to transport & untippable, but if these anti tippers work may be the way to go.

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I bought a transport chair for my 150 pound mother. I think it is a Karma or something like that. We never had a tipping issue. The front wheels are 10-12 inches so yes, it wheels better than most other transport chairs with small wheels. However, need to go in backwards over door thresholds and sometimes elevators. I can handle this because it weighs 18 pounds.

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It’s important to remember not to hang anything on the handles. If you put a bag or a purse on the back, it will increase the tendency to tip. I’ve never seen it happen with someone in the chair, but as someone was standing up, the bag hung on the back caused the chair to start to tip.

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I just recently purchased a transport chair for my 89 year old mother. I only use it for drs. visits when she has a flare and for around the house when necessary. It is on the small size, but is very lightweight and seems to be pretty comfortable. Please note these are for convenience and won’t take the place of a full size chair.

Any experience with transport wheelchairs?

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