wheelchair accesories

soccermom

Hope someone can help.

My son has broken his leg quite badly playing football and is a full leg cast and will need a wheelchair.

I have searched high and low to get one and have spoke to red cross, local mobility shops etc but nothing.

I have come accross a company that will rent me one with an elevated leg rest at a cost of £80 a month :eek:

However I have seen Halfords are having a great clearance on wheelchairs and I can buy one cheaper than the rental price, but it does not come with the leg rest.

What I want to know is can I buy the leg extension as an accessory from anywhere and attach it.

I cant find anything but thought someone on here may be able to help.

Many thanks

kingfisherblue

Try the Disabled Living Foundation - they will be able to give supplier information

https://www.dlf.org.uk

Richie-from-the-Boro

Usually they are all different fitting / sizes etc.

Try his school - for a community loan - you may be surprised

- local swimming pool
- NHS O/T / Rehab
- you will struggle for a freebie or loan [ which is all you need ] they are almost all NHS

mouseymousey99

Have you tried local radio, local paper? If he needs it for a while they may write small article about his plight? I'm really surprised he was allowed home without one if he needs one - but heck that's the way of the world now. Hope you get something sorted.

Chorlie

When I was kid, we never used leg extensions just a length of plywood.

You need a length which is about the your hip to the floor and half the width of the seat and you just sit on the board and put you leg on it. We added a cusion / pillow.

Careful_with_that_Axe

You may be able to rent one from the Red Cross. I did this many years ago when I was in a similar situation to your son and they just asked for a donation.

Savvy_Sue

OP said Red Cross said no - presumably they don't have many child-sized wheelchairs? How old is he? We had to borrow one from them for a client at work, and there were a load of questions to ask to check what they'd got would be suitable and - crucially! - not dangerous for them.

I'm quite shocked that he'd be sent home without one, or without at least a plan to get one, if he needs one.

See if the GP surgery has any other suggestions in the morning. Meanwhile I can't see why a length of plywood, suitable padded, wouldn't do the job!

soccermom

Thanks for the repleie.

He is 17 and really a grown man, we had thought about going down the plywood route and this maybe our only option.

Red cross say that people aren't returning them and there is no a big waiting list so they are a no go.

Hospital referred us to red cross and are shocked they weren't able to help.

He is due back to the hospital wednesday and weekly after that so getting him around is proving a nightmare. Getting to school is also going to be problematic without a wheelchair. He can use his crutches a little but obviously will be very tiring so feel that the wheelchair will help for at least a few weeks.

Will check the links and hopefully we will get it sorted by wednesday.

Thanks all

Savvy_Sue

You do need to talk to the school in any case: hopefully they have reasonable disabled access, but they may need to move lessons, and do a risk assessment, can imagine that manipulating a wheelchair with a lump of plywood sticking out the front through school corridors could create a few 'issues'!

In a way it's better that he's 17 and practically grown up, I should imagine it will be easier to source an small adult one than a small child's one. I'd get a Halfords one if you can, I realise it's too late tonight, but if you do get a better one you can always put it on Ebay!

Still feel you should have had more support with this: it's not as simple as just sticking him in a chair on wheels!

jules372

You need to speak to your Local Education Authority about getting him transport to school. I do know of a couple of boys in my area who had broken legs and this was supplied free of charge in a van/minibus as they were unable to get into a normal car.

Regarding a wheelchair, surely you can be referred by your GP or Hospital to your local Occupational Therapist who will be able to help with a wheelchair?

Hope you get things sorted soon.

soccermom

We are very lucky in that the school my son goes to has 100% disabled access including a lift as students with wide ranging disabilities go there and therapeutic exercise is offered in the school pool.

He does have to undergo a risk assessment though that is why we thought the plywood option was a no go really.

We live close to the school so getting there is not really an issue if he had a wheelchair that's why I have been trying to track one down. Putting him in the back of a car is not ideal infact it was a nightmare getting him back from the hospital.

Going to ring the doctors tomorrow and see what they can help with the information I have so far suggests it's a 5 day wait if I can get one and really I need one for wednesday to get him to the hospital unless the ambulance service will pick us up and bring a wheelchair with them.

We had organised for a friend who has a friend with a wheelchair lift taxi to come but that may have to change if I cant get a wheelchair.

Will keep trying and thanks for all the help.