There is a short answer to the question of how much you can customise a wheelchair. That is, it varies by wheelchair. Obviously there are what might be labelled “off-the-peg” wheelchairs, which are sold online as Standard Wheelchairs. These products have very limited customisation options, if any. To give an example of the degree of customisation available with some of our standard wheelchair range, the Drive ultra-lightweight self-propelled aluminium wheelchair has only a single variation. This is whether you would prefer a 17 or 20 inch wide seat.
Does Custom Always Mean Costlier?
Not necessarily – some customisation choices do not add to the cost of a wheelchair. For instance, the Zoof Urban Self Propel is a standard wheelchair which retails at £595 on the Lifestyle & Mobility website; whilst the Invacare Action 3 Jr is available to buy at a very comparable £616 online.
The Invacare Action 3 Jr
One of the biggest differences between the paediatric prescriptive model (the Action 3 Jr) and the standard wheelchair (the Zoof) is not price, but custom potential. The Action 3 Jr is in some respects a good introduction to what you can achieve when you customise a wheelchair. Many of the alternate options for the product are low or zero cost. In fact, the most expensive single cost option (a swing-away lap table) comes in at under £200. A quick look at the Action 3 Jr product page will let you take a look at the sorts of customisation choices available.
Additionally, if you are looking to get the best possible price on a prescriptive manual wheelchair, do keep an eye out for our online sales.
Whilst Approved Used (second-hand) manual wheelchairs become available from time to time, Lifestyle & Mobility strongly suggest a little research before buying. This is because, when you buy prescriptive wheelchairs, you must account for the choices made by a first-time user wanting to customise a wheelchair.
Modular Models
Modular options can make tailoring a wheelchair to a user’s needs significantly easier. When it comes to getting the ideal chair, the modular choice is one to think of for growing users. In practice, this makes modular wheelchairs a popular choice for child and teenage users.
What is the basis of a modular prescriptive wheelchair? Well, they make use of “off-the-peg” components which can easily be swapped out to accommodate changes in user needs. Those user needs? They would usually take the form of changes in end user weight, height, or core strength.
Taking the modular philosophy further still, some buyers may find that inherently customisable wheelchairs are the way to go. Ki Mobility produce an excellent example of this. The paediatric Little Wave Clik (shown above) comes complete with width-adjustable seat technology as standard.
Assessments
At the very heart of the process of buying one of the more extensively customisable wheelchairs is getting an assessment arranged. The best way to do this is to follow this link. We will always endeavour to do whatever we can to assist.