Looking for power wheelchair with attendant control for the parks

[disneyandme]

My DD uses a manual wheelchair while at Disney for a stamina issue. The chair has gotten old and needs to be replaced. She is getting older and so am I, so my stamina for pushing is waning. I am looking for suggestions for a new power chair with optional attendant controls as she also has a vision issue and and I will need to be able to control it somedays. Looking for cost effective choices as she doesn't need it full time.

 

[Groot]

That might be tough as most powerchairs with “Backseat Driver” mode are often the high end custom ones. (Quantum, Permie, etc.) I don’t know if there’s a Jazzy type chair that has that feature.

 

[mamabunny]

Some things to keep in mind while shopping:
- How much weight can you lift into and out of your vehicle? Most “lightweight” chairs that have any form of attendant control weigh in at least 50 pounds.
- How long do you think it will be before you require the attendant control? I ask only because if it will be several years, you may wear out the first power chair before that feature is needed.
- Try to go and test drive the chair you are most interested in at a local mobility vendor prior to purchase. Every chair is a little bit different, and finding one that “fits” your DD is important. I made that mistake - and I will never again. From now on, I go and test drive first.

Increasingly, you can find “cheap” power chairs on Amazon, but if something goes wrong, or breaks, often service is near-impossible, and replacement parts (including batteries) may not be available either. Buyer beware, and read reviews with a critical eye (and on Amazon make sure the “Sort by average customer review” filter is turned on.)

In theory, any chair that will allow you to move the controller (the joystick) from one side to the other *could* be fitted with a bracket to allow attendant control; make sure the bracket is made for that chair, *and* fits that controller properly. Even if you don’t need it now, order it if you think you may ever need it; it may not be available in the future.

One of our Moderators, @SueM in MN might have some solid insight for you on the topic.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with mamabunny and will echo some of her points.
Custom power wheelchairs, like Permobil (what Groot called 'Permie') , Invacare, Quickie and Quantum:

• offer attendant control as an option in addition to the regular joystick mounted where the seated person can use it
• chairs are very expensive and may require a prescription
• the attendant joystick is an additional cost
• attendant controls are a mini joystick mounted on the back of the chair in addition to the regular have the full functionality of the regular joystick, just smaller.
• mini attendant joysticks are usually tucked in to the back of the chair and well protected
• these attendant controls can be used 'seamlessly' with the regular joystick. The seated person just stops using the regular one and the attendant uses theirs (at least it was on the 2 chairs we had it on)

My daughter had an attendant control on her first 2 power chairs, but we elected not to get it on her current Permobil chair. I found the attendant control difficult to use because the small size meant a small movement of the joystick made a larger movement of the chair than the regular joystick. I'm not the only one - the other people helping power wheelchair users in my daughter's wheelchair dance class usually chose to put the wheelchair into 'freewheel' and push it rather than use attendant control (a custom power wheelchair is usually around 350 to 425 pounds empty, so not the easiest task).
We usually just reach over and use her regular joystick when we need to drive for her.
That's not always the most convenient, especially in tight spots where we can't walk next to her.

Lightweight folding power wheelchairs

• lightweight compared to custom power wheelchair, but usually around 50 pounds, so may be too heavy to put into a vehicle without help
• most fold, but don't break down into smaller, lighter pieces like ECVs
• there are options available for transport, like small trailers or hoists
• not as expensive as custom power wheelchairs, but still usually around $2-3000 or more
• some models have an optional joystick mount for the attendant, but it's not usually a separate joystick - you move the joystick from the 'seated user' mount to the 'attendant mount.
• joystick and mount may stick out quite a bit and be vulnerable to bumping/damage
• as mamabunny mentioned, the attendant mount probably needs to be specific for the wheelchair/joystick model
• Here's a link to one with attendant control mount option from 1800wheelchair
• Some other lightweight power chairs may have the option if you contact the company
• This link from 1800wheelchair is only attendant control.

Buying online

• we bought a custom manual wheelchair from 1800wheelchair, but have a lot of wheelchair experience. It's not for everyone
• you may have little/no support for issues, repairs or questions
• check reviews; not just the 4 & 5 star, but also the 1 & 2 star
• no opportunity to check out and see how it works for you

Strongly suggest at least visiting a local medical equipment vendor:

• opportunity too see and you and your mom can try things out
  there is a learning curve to using a power wheelchair, so it may not feel comfortable at first
• your mom may find that a power wheelchair is just not doable for her
• the staff at the medical vendor may have some suggestions you may not think of yourself
• will have someplace to go for questions, repairs, etc