One of the most frustrating problems for the elderly is restricted mobility. This is one of the greatest threats to independence and can lead to depression as people find themselves ‘imprisoned’ in their own homes.
An increasingly popular way of overcoming these restrictions is the use of a mobility scooter. In many ways scooters can provide you with a new set of legs, enabling travel over considerable distances and opening up the possibilities of going shopping, attending events or visiting family and friends once more.
There is, however, a potentially bewildering array of makes and models on offer and it is incredibly important to make sure you select the right scooter for your needs. Whilst scooters offer great freedom, they are also heavy vehicles which can travel at some speed. Accidents do happen which can involve serious injury and even death. Many of these accidents have been attributed to the elderly being sold scooters which were not suited to their abilities and needs, so what should you do to ensure you choose the right one?
First Choice – the Right Dealer
You wouldn’t invite a guy you just met in the pub to come and service your boiler. It’s just as important to choose a certified professional when selecting your scooter. Your dealer should be a member of the
British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) or an equivalent body. This means the dealer will not simply be looking to make a sale but will instead ensure you receive the right advice about the best scooter to suit your situation.
An example of such a dealer in the south is
All Mobility Hythe, an independent retailer in the All Mobility network. They take pride in adhering to BHTA principles of making detailed professional assessments of clients’ needs and matching them to the right scooter in a friendly and sensitive manner. The experienced specialists in such retailers will even visit you in your own home at no obligation and at no cost to you, helping make the selection process thorough but easy. What’s more, they can offer an experienced eye to see any features of your home which need to be taken into consideration when deciding on the best scooter.
General guides such as we produce here at Nobilis are great for giving you an overall picture but the next stage is always to seek professional advice and the personalised approach given to clients in retailers such as All Mobility means you will not end up with a scooter which causes problems or is not suitable.
Mobility Scooter Options
The starting point of your scooter hunt is to decide what you want to use it for and what specific needs must be met:
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Will the mobility scooter be used mainly indoors or outdoors? If outdoors, will it be on rough or level ground? What about kerbs?
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How far do you want to travel?
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Will it need to be transported in a car?
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Where will you store and charge it? Is space limited?
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Will you spend long periods in the scooter?
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Will the scooter need adapting to suit your particular needs?
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Will you be physically able to handle the controls and speed/power/manoeuvrability of the scooter?
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What can you afford? Is it best to buy new, second hand or rent?
Initially these questions will lead to a choice from three general options:
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Folding Mobility Scooters If you only want to travel short distances, such as round the home or to the local shops, these are ideal. Lightweight and easily manoeuvrable, they can be folded to fit in car boots if you need to take your scooter on longer journeys as well as taking up less space in the home.
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Pavement Mobility Scooters Ideal for slightly longer trips around your local area, these scooters are robust and more substantial, often providing improved options for carrying items such as shopping.
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Road Mobility Scooters Offering the best choice for longer travel, these scooters are a little faster, with greater battery capacity and all the fittings such as a horn and lights to make them legal for travelling on most roads.
You may find there is a degree of trade-off in your decision making. For instance, using a scooter in the home would make a compact model the best, yet if you also want to travel to the shops and there will be kerbs to negotiate you will need a sturdier model with sufficient power. Once again, a professional advisor will be able to suggest a model which provides the best compromise for all your needs.
New, Second Hand or Rental?
Mobility scooters are not cheap, but they can be affordable. You simply have to consider your financial circumstances and choose the most appropriate option.
Buying vs Rental
Buying your mobility scooter will involve a large initial outlay. However, you will have the greatest flexibility for customisation according to your needs and if it is likely you will use the scooter for many years then ultimately you could be spending less than years of rental payments. It could also be possible to arrange a finance deal to avoid the big expense all in one go.
Rental is of course perfect for short-term needs, such as after operations or if you want to take a holiday. The finances over the longer term need careful thought. The price of renting is reduced for longer commitments, but builds up over time. The flipside to this is that with a rental scooter you will not have the expense of servicing or repairs to worry about – the rental company will maintain your scooter in good working order, which otherwise does incur additional expense.
Second Hand
It is through the purchase of second hand mobility scooters that many people go wrong. Clearly they are cheaper but if you do not go through a professional dealer you not only risk buying a scooter with unseen problems but crucially you may be getting a scooter which is totally unsuitable for you. This is how accidents happen.
It is perfectly possible to buy safe and reliable second hand mobility scooters – just make sure you use a professional dealership backed by a body such as BHTA. This means you will still receive professional advice about which scooter is appropriate for you needs and will also ensure it comes with a proper guarantee.
Motability
If you receive the Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance or the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement then you will be eligible for the
Motability Scheme. This allows you to turn all or part of your allowance into a scooter of your choice.
Your Ability to Handle a Mobility Scooter Safely
It is important that the choices made are realistic. For anyone frustrated by increasingly restricted mobility it is tempting to see the scooter as a way to reclaim everything that has been lost, but operating scooters still requires much of the user and some types will not be wise choices. You do not need a licence to drive a scooter but this does not mean you can ignore the crucial question of your ability to handle the vehicle.
Consider some of the following:
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Just as with a car, the ability to see and hear well is important.
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You need sufficient mobility to deal with a number of manoeuvres, such as reversing, climbing and descending kerbs and making tight turns.
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Crossing busy roads in a scooter is actually harder than on foot – you must be able to cope with this.
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Physical ability is not the only consideration. You need to be able to cope with possibly stressful or confusing situations when driving your scooter.
Professional advisors at trusted dealerships such as All Mobility will be able to advise you on this, but since there is a medical dimension you may want to consult your local occupational therapist department. They will provide an honest medical assessment of your suitability for scooter use.
For all the freedoms offered by scooters you can still find yourself, for instance, in a very tight aisle in a shop with displays just waiting to be bumped and smashed. Or you could be faced with difficult pedestrians and the temptation to deal with them through a ‘scooter-nudge’!
It’s important for potential scooter users to sit down with friends, family and professional advisors and look at the whole situation openly and honestly. In particular, you should consider the future. If health is deteriorating and you choose a scooter which you can only just about handle then it is not going to be suitable for long. Making an ‘optimistic’ choice of scooter is not wise at all and will only lead to regrets – or worse!
Tried and Tested
It is important to give your scooter a proper test. Simply sitting on it is not enough. You need to have a serious test drive – ideally in the places where you will be using it. A professional dealership will be able to arrange this.
Make sure this is not hurried and be careful to think about all the relevant issues. All the questions above should be thought about, in addition to the actual experience of usage.
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Is it comfortable enough? What about over long periods?
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Can you get on and off easily?
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Will it handle the sort of shopping you will buy when using it?
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Are the controls easy to use?
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Do you feel sufficiently stable while driving it?
In some cases the scooter will have the potential to be adjusted and a professional dealer can see to this for you.
Happy Scooting!
Once you have decided on your scooter then you need to make sure you are able to use it safely and make the best use of its features. This is where proper training comes in and is another reason for using a professional dealer.
Dealers such as All Mobility will ensure you are properly trained to drive your new scooter safely and with confidence. They can also advise you on how to look after your scooter, such as making sure your batteries are charged regularly, which helps extend their life. What’s more, they offer a backup service which ensures if you do experience any problems they will be there to support you.
Legally you are not required to insure your scooter but it is wise to do so in order to cover fire and theft, accidental or malicious damage and third party damages. You could be left with problems later on if the unexpected happens and you are not covered.
You may also want to join the AA! They offer cover for mobility scooters to give you peace of mind when out and about. Whilst they will not attempt roadside repairs they will get you and your scooter home again in the event of breakdown.
Keeping You Independent
Retaining independence is crucial to people in their later years. Living your life without restrictions and retaining your dignity is incredibly important not only to state of mind but also long-term health.
Just as scooters can keep you mobile outside the home
Nobilis in-home care can keep you independent within it. The friendly and experienced staff on our helpdesk can advise you on any aspect of elderly care and the options available to you for retaining independence in later life. Even if you are not interested in our services our team will be happy to share their insights – no sales spiel, just honest, caring advice.
We are available on 0845 680 0225.