Mobility scooters and related equipment
Due to a quite picturesque array of neurological ailments, not to forget the increasing effects of advancing age, I have become considerably less mobile than I was in my younger days. Where I used to be able to briskly walk for many hours, I now move slowly at a tortoises pace, for a maximum of one hour, supporting myself with either a cane or a crutch – depending on how I happen to feel that day. But I won’t complain: there’s nothing I can truly say I lack in this life, and diminished mobility doesn’t usually bother me.
However, for the somewhat longer journeys I nowadays employ an electrical, which definitely makes me feel like a prince or even a sultan! Relaxedly sitting in a cusioned seat, pleasantly but never haughtly greeting the breathless passers-by, I buzz along at either walking pace or double speed. When I feel social I “walk”, when I really need to be somewhere in time I rev up the little machine.
There are lots of people much worse off than me, when it comes to physical capabilities. I can, though with difficulty, still walk – many others can’t. Especially for those the mobility scooter is a great support, enabling them to be free again. There are 3-wheel mobility scooters and 4-wheel mobility scooters, and if you’re seriously considering buying such a machine, I certainly recommend the 3-wheeled version. These tend to be considerably more manoeuvrable due to their smaller turning radius, which is a definite advantage in crowded or narrow spots. I also would recommend to go for batteries with a large capacity: it’s not only unpleasant but also extremely embarassing to find yourself without of power when far away from home!
Apart from electrical scooters, there are many more contraptions and gadgets that make the life of the handicapped much easier. Stairlifts, bed lifts, electric wheelchairs, walkers… they all serve to make life much more pleasant for the disabled.
