GlobalPrimarily; carefully!
If you’re not careful when pushing an elderly wheelchair over a curb or uneven path, it could look something like this;
The dangers of not knowing how to push a wheelchair over a curb safely. Source: 13 Things You Should Know Before You Push a Wheelchair
If the elderly are in a wheelchair and obtain a secondary injury, their recovery is likely to be slow and painful. Therefore preventing the problem before it becomes a problem is key.
How to safely go over and come down from curbs
The push handles may not easily be accessible when the user is reclined. The attendant can leverage the back of the wheelchair when it comes to overcoming curbs. In the reclined or tilted position, the user’s weight is spread more evenly which will make it even easier to push. The more reclined or tilted the wheelchair back, the easier it is to get the wheelchair over a curb.
Remember to flip up the anti-tippers when navigating over a curb. Source: Karma Medical Taiwan; Karma Academy
To make it easier getting over the curb, flip up the anti-tippers, and use these as leverage to make tipping the wheelchair easier. To get the rear wheels over the curb, do not lift the rear wheels over the obstacle instead, roll them. Rolling the rear wheels will cause less strain to the caregiver. Always remember to put the anti-tipper back after you are done.
Flip the anti-tippers back down after navigating down the curb. Source: Karma Medical Taiwan; Karma Academy
When going down a curb, make sure to go backward. This makes it easier for the caregiver and more comfortable for the user. Similar to going over the curb, use the backrest to your advantage, and roll the rear wheels down the curb.
If the carer is elderly, then consider investing in a wheelchair that reclines and tilts. The VIP 2 is unique in that it has the option of equipping J-Hooks instead of the standard wheelchair push handles. The J-Hooks can be adapted to accommodate the height of the caregiver and allows them to operate the wheelchair even when it is in the tilted or reclined position.
J-Hooks make the wheelchair easier to push because it can be adjusted to accommodate the height of the caregiver. Source: Karma Medical YouTube – VIP 2
Summary
At Karma we have thought hard about how we can make each caregivers life easier and reduce the risk of injury. The features of a wheelchair are there to assist the caregiver as well as the user. In the next blog, we will show the caregiver a safe and comfortable way to tackle uneven terrain.
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