If you use a power chair and haven’t tried power seat elevation yet, I highly suggest it! I can’t express how much it has changed my life to be able to lift my wheelchair. Before I could raise my wheelchair, people would always look down at me when they wanted to talk to. It made me feel small and inferior, almost like they were above me. I always appreciated when someone would stoop to my eye level to converse with me, but I felt “different” or even sorry for them because they had to squat down to speak to me. But how times have evolved!
Cory uses a power seat to view departure times at an Airport
I chose to add the C-Me feature to my QUICKIE Q700M wheelchair and haven’t looked at it since. It was one of the best things I’ve ever done to improve my life. There are many reasons why I enjoy being able to raise my seat.
TRANSFERS IN OR OUT OF BED
It is frustrating to book an accessible hotel room only to find out that the bed height does not meet your needs. Power seat elevate is a lifesaver, whether you are self-transferring or traveling with a companion. If I notice that the bed is high, I raise my chair so that my caregiver doesn’t have bend too low to lift me, saving their back. It is safer to move from one level to another at the same height.
SOCIAL EVENTS ARE PERFECT FOR NETWORKING
I used to attend social events, but never hear anything that was said. It was bad enough to be in a crowd with music, but because my ears were at waist height, I had to shout to have a conversation. It was awkward and I felt like a little kid in a room of adults laughing and talking while I was stuck below. With my power seat elevated, I can now roll confidently into a conference or event, with my head held up, and talk with the best of them. It’s nice to feel like you are a part of the society.
SEEING CHOICES IN A BUFFET
How many times as a wheelchair-user have you tried to browse the buffet at a sandwich shop or the toppings line in a sandwich shop only to be unable see the choices available? I find it so frustrating. I’m not a kid and I don’t like being read to. This embarrassment has been eliminated for me by my power seat. I can now roll to the counter and raise myself up so I am as tall as everyone else, and I can see the entire menu for myself. It’s been a life-changing experience for me to be more confident and independent in my ability to order.
SEEING OVER BARRIERS OR PEOPLE
Cory uses the power seat to see a waterfall that has climbed over a railing
Have you ever found yourself at the “perfect” view of a waterfall, a zoo or a scenic view, only to see the top of the railing? Don’t misunderstand me; railings help prevent people from falling. They can also be a barrier for someone in a wheelchair. With the power seat elevate, I can raise my wheelchair high enough to see over the railing. Think about concerts. What if someone stands in front of me right now? I just keep on jamming along to the beat. There’s a new world up there!
SITTING AT A BAR & ADJUSTING TO TABLE HEIGHTS IN A RESTAURANT
I can’t remember how many times I’ve been out with friends and tried to get a drink at the bar only to find it was too high for me. My friends would sit on the bar stools and enjoy their drinks while I was way below. But no more! I can now roll into any establishment with confidence and adjust my height so that I can order at the bar while talking to my friends. This feature also allows me to get first-come-first-served seating in the bar areas of restaurants. This area is usually occupied by high-top tables. These tables are unfortunately too high for many wheelchair users who must wait to use a lower table. With the power seat, table height is no longer an issue. I can now roll directly to this area of a restaurant, and get served much faster.
PHOTOS OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS
No more awkward poses of me sitting in a middle of a picture with everyone else bent down trying to place their head next to mine! People would always pose awkwardly with me because my chair was so much shorter than theirs. With the power seat elevation I can now raise my chair to eye-level just like everyone else. It has made my photos much better as I can now pose like everyone else and we are all about the same height.
Hugging and receiving hugs
I’ve saved the best for last. The power seat elevation allows me to hug family members and friends I haven’t seen for a long time. It is important to me that I maintain close relationships. I’ve always loved being able give and receive hugs from people I love, but I didn’t like hugging their waist when they were taller than I was. I wanted to put my arm around their waist and hug them. I can now hug people without them having bend down. This has made me so happy.
I can’t picture my life without it. It has completely enriched and enlightened me, my outlook, confidence, and overall persona. I love it! With the new Medicare/Medicaid Guidelines from CMS, more power chair riders can now get power seat elevating funded. Find out more about QUICKIE C-Me’s power seat elevation here.
Original Blog: https://www.sunrisemedical.com/livequickie/blog/november-2023/7-ways-power-seat-elevation-has-improved-my-life
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