Your wheelchair is the medium to connect with this world. Besides providing mobility to the person (primary benefit) it has a major impact on the health and quality of life too. It also reduces the percentage of acquiring pressure sores, and the progression of further deformities.
The electric wheelchair comes with a bunch of benefits that can’t be overlooked. In simple words, it makes life much easy for disabled people. The electric wheelchair comes in multiple compact designs and anti-tilt wheels thereby making mobility super easy.
A typical wheelchair shell life is approximately from three to five years depending on quality of same. But the shell life of electric wheelchair is much more than a manual one, thus you should follow electric wheelchair maintenance checklist to maintain it properly. It can last up to minimum of five years along with proper maintenance.
Eventually, an electric wheelchair requires good maintenance for its long longevity. Hence, the person must invest in the regular maintenance of the electric wheelchair. For this, you need to have proper and in-depth knowledge and training about the identification of the problem and its solution.
The person must possess some necessary tools for maintenance of electric wheelchair. Make sure to have screwdrivers, Allen wrenches, combination wrenches, lubricant, tire pump and tire patch etc.
Below is the Electric Wheelchair Maintenance Checklist
Check-ups that need to be done on weekly basis
- Regular rounds of cleaning up: – the person must ensure to clean and disinfect the wheelchair on regular basis. It prevents chances of acquiring any infectious diseases. Especially the seating area must be regularly cleaned upon.
- Brakes: – They are present on the rear wheels providing a medium to hold the wheelchair when the user is transferring to another piece of equipment. Also known as wheelchair wheel locks. Nay damage to wheel brakes can hinder the proper functioning of the electric wheelchair. Below are necessary tips for the maintenance of wheel brakes: –
- Checking up with the joystick by releasing it
- Daily inspection of brakes is necessary
Check-ups that need to be done on monthly basis
- In-depth cleaning: – your electric wheelchair does need a monthly in-depth cleaning on urgent basis. Make sure you clean every nut and bolt and every minute part of the wheelchair. For this you could even hire a professional too.
- Waxing up: – this is necessary for prevention of any sort of dirt on the wheelchair and its other parts. Plus, it also protects the colour of the wheelchair too.
- Motor: – it’s no exaggeration to say that “motors” are the brain of an electric wheelchair. Any disruption in it would disable the functioning of the electric wheelchair. Look for the below points for healthy working of the motors: –
- Sound of motor: – one of the major tricks to knowing the current condition of your motors. With time, it tends to become nosier but excessive noise can be a major alert for the user.
- Lever– a faulty lever in the motor can disrupt the functioning of a wheelchair. Make sure that lever does not get engaged. You could even look for different types of motor disengage levers too.
- Pneumatic tire pressure: – the absence of full pressure shall hamper the mobility of the wheelchair. Plus, it shall be less stable and difficult to maneuvers upon. Thus, regular check-up is highly recommended. Follow the below points to manage such a situation: –
- Firm usage of hands for checking tires of wheelchair
- If a tire gets pressed below 5mm then refill the tire with help of an air pump.
- Checking every week is necessary
- Nuts and Bolts: – you just can’t imagine the proper functioning of a wheelchair in absence of nuts and bolts. They keep the user in a safe position and the spinning of the wheel is solely dependent on the proper functioning of nuts and bolts.
Refrain from over-tightening of nuts and bolts as it may create damage too
Conclusion
An electric wheelchair transforms the miserable life of a disabled person into a happy journey. The sole objective is to provide safe and easy mobility to a person. on other hand, it also instills a plethora of confidence in a person.
Hence, keeping your electric wheelchair in a good position is highly recommended. Just the above points for lasting longevity of your electric wheelchair.
