Mobility scooters and related equipment
Due to a quite picturesque array of neurological disorders, not to mention the increasing effects of advancing age, I have become considerably less mobile than I used to be. 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 truly lack in this life, and diminished mobility doesn’t usually bother me.
Anyway, for the longer distances I presently employ a mobility scooter, which definitely makes me feel like a prince or even a sultan! Relaxedly sitting in a cusioned seat, pleasantly but never arrogantly saluting the breathless passers-by, I buzz along at either walking pace or double speed. When I feel relaxed I “walk”, when I actually need to be somewhere at a certain time I crank up the little machine.
There are many people much worse off than me, when it comes to mobility. I can, though with difficulty, still walk – but a lot of others can’t. Especially for those the mobility scooter is a great help, enabling them to be mobile again. There are 3-wheel mobility scooters and 4-wheel mobility scooters, and if you’re seriously considering buying such a machine, I would recommend the 3-wheeled version. These tend to be considerably more manoeuvrable on account of their tighter turning radius, which is a great advantage in crowded or cramped places. I also would recommend to go for batteries with a large capacity: it’s not only unpleasant but also extremely embarassing to find yourself out of power when a long way from home!
Apart from mobility scooters, there are many more things and gadgets that make the life of the handicapped much more pleasant. Stairlifts, bed lifts, electric wheelchairs, rollators… they all help to make life much more normal for the disabled.