Mobility Scooters

Mobility scooters come in two flavors: front-wheel drive (FD) and rear-wheel drive (RD). Front-wheel drive (FD) scooters are smaller and are often used indoors. These are perfect for the rider who weighs less than 240 pounds. The rear-wheel drive mobility scooter is more flexible in that it can be used both in and outdoors. The rider in a RD scooter can weigh as much as 340 pounds.

If you weigh more than 350 pounds, there are heavy duty RDs that are capable of carrying up to 500 pounds or more. This depends on the manufacturer of the mobility scooter and your order may be considered a custom order depending on your needs.

Mobility scooters are widely available for use and rental at airports, grocery stores, amusement parks, zoos, state fairgrounds, and in most hospitals and sports arenas.

Who Should Have a Mobility Scooter?

Anyone suffering from a lack of stamina or the arm and shoulder flexibility necessary to use a manual wheelchair should look to acquire a mobility scooter. Since the seat on a scooter swivels around, it is considered easier than moving the foot supports on most standard wheelchairs.

A mobility scooter will help anyone who needs to use a wheelchair sometimes. These would be people who are still able to stand and walk a few steps, sit up without support, and control the steering tiller of the mobility scooter.

Mobility scooters have become very popular because they don't look like wheelchairs. Aren't wheelchairs for 'old people'? Not really, but this is the way people think. Even healthy people with no mobility problems are buying scooters like these. They are definitely more expensive than more traditional powered wheelchairs, and there are still some insurers that will not pay for them and a few health care agencies that will not provide them to their patients.

Things to Watch Out for:

Mobility scooters are a great help to those with manual strength problems who cannot easily manipulate and control a standard wheelchair. The steering tiller on these devices however, requires upright posture along with some shoulder and hand strength as well as a little upper-body mobility and strength.

Mobility scooters are longer than wheelchairs and thus require a bigger space to turn completely around. Their length also makes it very difficult and even impossible to use many kneeling-style bus lifts on city buses.

They also have low ground clearance making it hard to travel around in cities without accessible curb cuts. They also don't work so well in nursing home rooms where space is often limited. Although it is changing, mobility scooters currently have few options for body support, such as head or leg rests. Mobility scooters are also notoriously hard for nurse aids to manage when they are moving people from the scooter to a bed.

These problems will prevent some disabled individuals from using scooters. Every mobility scooter is different and has different specifications from each manufacturer. They are changing and evolving to meet the needs of the people who purchase them but it's a good idea to keep their limitations in mind before actually buying one.

Does Medicare Cover Mobility Scooters?

The short answer is Medicare will not approve a power wheelchair for individuals who do not need to use a wheelchair inside their home and if their medical condition restricts the use of a mobility scooter. How about a person with rheumatoid arthritis in both shoulders and hands? You may find it best to consult your physician and deal with someone who can interpret the Medicare rules before you apply.

Should you get a mobility scooter?

You now have the facts and information you need to decide if mobility scooters are right for you. They are available in almost every large city in the world. They are more expensive than many alternative mobility devices but as time goes on, it is this author's opinion that mobility scooters will become more and more visible and popular.

Copyright 2008 by Bruce Santucci - BASEC, Inc
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