sad but i have to except an nhs chair

[mous3]

I will deal with them after Jan 5th once I have spoken to my Nero team. Right now i am asking them to explain them self in by the 10th writing on nice headed paper from Hillingdon law. I did say I was very pissed off. Thanks for your suport...

[mous3]

Invicare spectra can not make the turn from my 94cm wide hall into my 86cm kitchen door way.
A chap from our disabled tenants and residents group visiting me to inspect my housing adaptions tried it he got very stuck and now my hall way needs re-plastered again. Its not the actual turn radius that's the isue It's the length of the chair inc feet. Google you-q hockey chair It's an unrestricted Alex swb with center anti tip looks handy. And It's only 96cm long with good programming it should fit

[Burgerman]

The spectra is very long and has its drive wheels well behind the user. Much like all stock rear drive powerchairs. As such its useless indoors. See my very old review.

The other chair you mention at 96cm (37.75 inches) if this is correct, is just one centimetre longer than my BM3 chair and that was built to be as short as I could get it.

That BM3 chair is just 37 inches measured from the small (inboard located) anti tips, to the tip of the central footplate. It has no "corners". If the 96CM chair you mention really is that short, measured properly in the same way, then its very commendable! But I have yet to see a production chair this short in reality. Be very careful of how they measure their length.

The other thing is drive wheel location. My chair is short. But its drive wheel that you rotate above is under your backside. So I can turn in the very places you are describing. Invacare chair isn't short. The drive wheels are also behind you swinging the whole chair about in an arc as you steer. As such it steers like an oil tanker. Not helped by dismal programming... They push it as a narrow chair that works indoors. That's far from the truth.

You may be better with a narrow chair such as the TDX mid drive ones, in your situation as that may turn in your space. But those are frankly hopeless outdoors.

So you either need to move house. Or move walls and doors. Or some other more substantial lifestyle/living change.

Personally I think you really need a van like mine or similar to work with a full blown compact OUTDOOR/indoor chair, and some accessible ground floor open plan and more accessible housing to move into. These things are not easy. But you need to look at the best long term joined up lifetime solution. Chairs that are portable, putting powerchairs into car tailgates, adapting frankly unsuitable housing with ramps, wider doors, accessible kitchens, etc that are too small or in non accessible/practical areas all ends up as a waste of time and money when you finally decide to do the job properly. You really need a big joined up plan to begin with. Sit down and draw up a plan. A large open bungalow, van, etc. Its hard to face up to all this but is really the best option long term.

Short term fixes with narrow mid drive chairs etc, widening doorways into small rooms, tiny kitchens, farm yards, stair lifts, other obvious local area accessibility problems all ends up as good money after bad in the end.

[Ghil]

I have tested the You-Q Lucas but decided not to buy it, here is why.

The center of mass is close to the drive wheel (good point!) and the wheel base is really short, and you can have a central foot rest. The rear wheel articulation is well thought: there is no spring and so you don't get stuck after going down a step (of reasonable height).
Also, it is very possible to lift the front wheel off the ground by accelerating on an upward slope, I did it unintentionally of a steep slope and the anti-tip worked (but I was scared enough not to try again)

The very bad point (which made my decision not to buy) is the programming. It was very bad, I improved it a little with a dealer programmer. I then went to their workshop with the hope to find a good programming. I did put all acc/dec limits to 100%, and it became drivable. But they told me: "We cannot let you program your chair like this. It is too dangerous, the electronic/motor will overheat"

Either they are right and they vastly underengineered the chair (thin cables, bad motors). Or they do not know what they say. In either case, it is not a good point for them.

Since then, I found a dealer (in Belgium) which was able to obtain a OEM programmer for a Degonda chair, which I bought.
I will receive it in a few days.

[Burgerman]

http://www.you-q.nl/producten/luca/

since it uses the exact same bought in, industry standardised electronics, batteries and motors that almost all of the rest if the powerchair industry also do, there's absolutely no reason whatsoever that it would overheat or fail once programmed properly. The problem is that you are talking to retards.

This kind of bullshit is prevalent over the whole "industry" and stems from ignorance, as is difficulty in actually accessing an OEM level programmer to begin with. And the biggest reason I would never buy any powerchair that I could not get hold of an OEM (or factory, manufacturing) level programmer for. And neither should anyone else. Dealer level tools are completely useless.

Its the single biggest factor when choosing any chair. Get this wrong and you are screwed. It will steer like a pig on stilts for the whole life of the chair and I cannot use a chair in that state. And every stock chair IS like this. Likewise you need a way to turn off all the bullshit like inhibits and such. And maybe tweak motor compensation a little. This stuff is essential to drivability and daily usability if you actually USE your chair.

[mous3]

I have the means to re-program a p&g. Controler I just don't tell my OT that if they change it when It's serviced I just change it back, what they don't know won't hurt them and It's my ass I the chair not them, I live in a council flat can't make it grow and I like the area I live in.

My main isue is getting funding for any chair our pct has just woke up to the fact that there wheelchair scervice contract has no standards to work to allowing it to be utter crap.
The result is no scervice at all for new applicants until August next year! This affect me as they shredded my application so I have to start over.

Ideas for funding?

[Burgerman]

http://www.wheelchairmanagers.nhs.uk/270410-hswc.pdf

Read it.

[mous3]

Thank-you and for your viewing pleasure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbXVKVG8bYQ

[mous3]

I have read it and laughed a lot my scervice dos not meet any of those standards so my primary care trust is ending the contract for current provision but leaving a gap in provision until the new scervice is set up in August
There's not much I can do without a wheelchair service to deal with

[Burgerman]

That is programmed like mine. Turns, and stops, and goes when told.

[mous3]

That is programmed like mine. Turns, and stops, and goes when told.

And It's proof that I can be programmed properly to do as It's told

[Burgerman]

All chairs CAN.

Almost every chair on the planet isn't however. They are all delayed and dangerous...

[mous3]

I have made the required formal complaints required about the appalling standards and legal failures of my local wheelchair scervice and i have now been invited to apply directly to my CCG to fund my wheel chair....

[Burgerman]

Good. Now, in writing, SELF ASSESS in massive documented technical detailing showing why you need exactly what you do, and that there isn't a cheaper alternative for x y z reasons. Bombard them with brochures and specs, and notes. And test the chairs before they get chance to have some "expert" assess you.

[Sully]

What you are proposing he do, is a Cost/Benefit analysis, isn' it? Showing the analysis of each of the NIH prefered power chairs and the Cost benefit of your proposed chair over their preferrred chairs. Plus a few of the higher top shelf chairs as well. You have to be quite accurate in your proposal and "KNOW" your subject very well!

This is just another form of Grant writing. It is possible you may be required to be interviewed in person, so prepare yourself to be very knowlegable in every phase of your subject. Stick to what "you" know to be true, no matter what others may say or try to get you to change your mind ! Never back down from you views !

[mous3]

She has been doing her homework thanks to all your help on the 21st I have an appointment at home to try out standard isue chairs LOL. I am going to record this session to use as evidence I am wrighting out why I have the clinical needs to requier the Alex over outher chairs it difficult but actually fun.

[mous3]

Well wheelchair scervices came around with a salsa mid wheel drive and surprise surprise a You-Q Luca and Alex the salsa was a disaster but no surprises thier the Luca didn't handle the door bars and searing at the same time it was nice but no recline available so was discounted the Alex short wheel base worked well I was sat to far over the front castors because of the seating fitted but that's not what I would have on mine the programing on all of them was pants but they agreed to change it after driving my chair and me showing them how easy I found it.
It was agreed that the Alex was the only chair that was both clinicaly appropriate and practical and my OT will argue my need for a 6mhp chair for at collage as I'm supposed to be retraining to do adaptive P.E and sport and fitness where at 4 mph I just can't join in they allso took lots of notes on my lifestyle raising assistance puppys and caring for 3 active boys and living part time on a farm.
So we shall see

[Irving]

I have made the required formal complaints required about the appalling standards and legal failures of my local wheelchair scervice and i have now been invited to apply directly to my CCG to fund my wheel chair....

Good for you... I'm still trying to get my CCG to respond on a number of issues... but we'll get there, recent media coverage in local rag re my fight with local planners on house adaptations seems to have hit a nerve....

[mous3]

They have approved the alex in 4mph I see a sneaky 6mph upgrade coming on

[Burgerman]

It means different motors, different controller normally and that's about 2K to buy outright. Usually means weaker 2 pole motors (cheaper) etc. And sometimes smaller batteries and usually no lights or suitable controls for lights.

Of course its only a few hundred to fit those at the time because one price gets deducted from the other. They are truly miserable bastards...

See if you can get lights included. Explain that it costs more to scrape you off the front of a bus. Same with speed. Read here:
Speed: http://www.wheelchairdriver.com/BM-MK3-Speed-15mph.htm

[mous3]

They just won't budge I am considering asking for it on voucher scheme to get around them, because of my size the loss of torque has limited impact on me and i can add more cell to my LiFe pack to up the capacity.

[rover220]

The alex usually has the same size batteries regardless of speed. The rnet power module could be down rated though.

[Burgerman]

So what happened?

[Burgerman]

And again?

Any result?

[mous3]

Just finally got a decision today voucher scheme approved 6mph with controler programmed to only give 4mph on delivery + I have to pay £400 towards it for the faster motors jay back headrest and zoid seat pad to be supplyed by them.

It's better than a kick in the face still a long way to go as they will have to pay You Q directly....

[rover220]

Not a bad result all things considered. 6mph will be better given the alex's smaller batteries.

[mous3]

With an XT90 connector fitted my LiFes will slide in replacing the useless lump of led so I can carry bigger capacity pack any how and as I'm on a voucher their is nothing wheelchair services can do.
I can now re apply to collage get my new puppy and know I can give him the exercise he needs. On top of this I now own a Transit Jumbo that has ramp access hand controls and a fresh water system shower room and fridge It's not a camper yet but it will be.
Giving my and puppy some where to rest and play on split shifts allowing me to go back to work part time.

Just need the voucher.

[mous3]

Well it got better they has built me the fastest one they do and it shipped from the factory on may 27th my voucher covers the full cost and leaves 1k for maintainec.
down side my old chair died over 4 weeks ago and as a result of having to use my sports chair outside I dislocated my right shoulder and tore a tendon so spending a lot of time at RNOH Stanmore