Pushing a Transport Chair

[sail7seas]

For the first time, we have someone in our party who will use a wheelchair in place of long distance walking. They can stand for brief periods and walk short distances so we'll plan to 'push'.

 

I'm wondering how difficult it is to push a lightweight, 19" transport chair on carpeted areas.

 

Thanks if you can help.

__________________

[xxoocruiser]

For the first time, we have someone in our party who will use a wheelchair in place of long distance walking. They can stand for brief periods and walk short distances so we'll plan to 'push'.

 

I'm wondering how difficult it is to push a lightweight, 19" transport chair on carpeted areas.

 

Thanks if you can help.

__________________

 

You will find that there are individuals that will say it's not a problem. While there are others that will tell you to get a standard wheelchair instead.

 

How easy ( or not) is much dependent on the weight of the person seated and the strength of the person pushing. The size of the wheels do make a slight difference as well. Though the very large wheels of a standard wheelchair are best. Transport chairs come in 2 wheel sizes. Those that have 4- 8" wheels and those that have 12" rear wheels/8" front wheels. The 12" rear wheel design is slightly better to operate.

 

Sounds as though perhaps she already has a transport chair. If that's correct the best thing to do is find someplace that has long stretches of carpeted hallways and if it transitions in out of carpet and non carpeted areas all the better. Try pushing that person for an extended period of time on a carpeted floor and judge for yourself. Better to find out before you board than after boarding as the cruise line does not provide wheelchairs for extended use on the cruise unless you had an injury acquired while on the ship.

[sail7seas]

 

We wouldn't want a ship provided chair seeing we are bringing one.

We'll just have to manage. We are a small group so all the pushing won't fall to one person.

 

Thank you the helpful info about wheel sizes. The chair we are bringing has 6" front wheels and 8" in back.

[xxoocruiser]

 

We wouldn't want a ship provided chair seeing we are bringing one.

We'll just have to manage. We are a small group so all the pushing won't fall to one person.

 

Thank you the helpful info about wheel sizes. The chair we are bringing has 6" front wheels and 8" in back.

 

Good thing you don't want a ship provided chair as my posted stated that "the cruise line does not provide wheelchairs for extended use on the cruise unless you had an injury acquired while on the ship."

 

FYI - A transport chair with 6" front and 8" back wheels will take more effort to push on carpet.

[sail7seas]

We have to strike a balance between lightweight and portable and ease of pushing. We did a 'test run' today and think we'll be able to manage. If it was one person pushing all the time, that would be difficult or if we moved around venue to venue on a large ship but we are sailing a smaller ship we have sailed before and will be staying put in one place a lot of the time.

 

Thanks for your help. Appreciate it. :)

 

[terrierjohn]

Most carpets onboard ships are very short pile ones and I don't find it a major problem pushing my wifes lightweight transit chair. Of course its much easier on wood or composite type floors and most public areas do have these type of floors. Trouble is you do notice the difference where there is a transition from one to the other.

[carol louise]

We had a transport chair for my late husband when his poor lung function prevented walking more than very short distances. I don't remember pushing the chair on carpeting to have been a problem, but the crosswise raised metal strips found at intervals along the ship's corridors (see photo) meant I had to repeatedly slow down to ease the chair over the metal strip without jostling him. Transport chairs are not as comfortable for the rider as big-wheel ones, but they are light-weight and portable -- a trade-off, as you say.

[Splinter]

Are you not planning on going ashore at any ports?? A regular wheelchair is much easier to push around on uneven ground, grass, gravel, cobblestones, etc., and also much more comfortable for the user (and pusher). Getting a transport chair up a step or two or over a curb is also much more difficult than with a regular manual wheelchair.

[terrierjohn]

Are you not planning on going ashore at any ports?? A regular wheelchair is much easier to push around on uneven ground, grass, gravel, cobblestones, etc., and also much more comfortable for the user (and pusher). Getting a transport chair up a step or two or over a curb is also much more difficult than with a regular manual wheelchair.

By regular wheelchair I assume you mean a self propel variety with large rear wheels. My wife had a stroke and has no use in one arm so a self propel is of no benefit. However as both types have small front wheels I imagine the regular one suffers the same sort of "locking up" problem over uneven ground or cobbles as the front wheels twist sideways, which means going backwards is the only solution, but I can see that it would be better getting up a high curb. The transit ones do take up less space in a car boot (trunk) though.

[sail7seas]

Are you not planning on going ashore at any ports?? A regular wheelchair is much easier to push around on uneven ground, grass, gravel, cobblestones, etc., and also much more comfortable for the user (and pusher). Getting a transport chair up a step or two or over a curb is also much more difficult than with a regular manual wheelchair.

 

 

No, we don't plan on much time ashore.

We're going on a short 7 day cruise to ports we've been to many times. We may get off in one or two ports, catch a taxi and go to a favorite restaurant for lunch but this cruise is about R&R on the ship. We've been on a great many cruises and some now are only about shipboard life and very little to do with the ports.

 

I am so appreciative for the help and information here. This is the first time this person has traveled and required wheelchair assistance and we want their life and ours to be as pleasant as possible and practical. Lightweight and easily transportable has value to us. This person can stand and walk some but not long distances. If we came to a curb that was hard for us to push the chair up, I think the person could come out of the chair and take that one step up if necessary. We would be able to steady them to be sure for no fall.

They are not without some mobility.

[PennyAgain]

We used a transport chair for my late MIL to help her get to meals in the senior residence where she lived for a couple years. It was a so-called independent living place. A wheel chair was not permitted to be used in those days (very harsh rules back then).

 

When we were not able to help her get to meals she took her time walking very slowly to make the journey to meals with frequent rest stops along the way. It took her about 30 minutes to make the trip which was less than 5 in a transport chair.

 

All I can say was that the transport chair was better than nothing but I was always worried that she might fall out of it as the balance and arrangement are totally different than wheelchairs.

 

You need to try this out at home to see how it really works.

[sail7seas]

Can you fold up regular wheelchairs?

[klauer]

Yes, there are regular wheelchairs that easily fold in half -- you just pull the seat up and push the sides together. You may need to remove an additional seat pad or the leg rests first.

[keep on cruising]

Sail, I would really reconsider using a regular collapsible wheelchair rather then the transport chair. My husband is an amputee and uses the wheelchair and a scooter on the ship. He also owns a transport chair. I can't imagine trying to push him in his transport chair even for a short distance in the ports. I can push him in the wheelchair even though it is a little heavier - or he can self-propel. And the wheelchair will fit in any normal trunk.

 

The other thing to consider is will the person want to be able to go anywhere by themselves - such as the restroom. It is very difficult to self-propel the transport chair.

 

One thing not to worry about whichever chair you decide on, is getting on and off the ship. HAL is great at helping there. We had one port with an extremely long, high ramp - with several switchbacks. As we went to leave the ship, 3 HAL employees immediately came to take him down the ramp. On most ports, 2 employees take him up or down.

[sail7seas]

Sail, I would really reconsider using a regular collapsible wheelchair rather then the transport chair. My husband is an amputee and uses the wheelchair and a scooter on the ship. He also owns a transport chair. I can't imagine trying to push him in his transport chair even for a short distance in the ports. I can push him in the wheelchair even though it is a little heavier - or he can self-propel. And the wheelchair will fit in any normal trunk.

 

The other thing to consider is will the person want to be able to go anywhere by themselves - such as the restroom. It is very difficult to self-propel the transport chair.

 

One thing not to worry about whichever chair you decide on, is getting on and off the ship. HAL is great at helping there. We had one port with an extremely long, high ramp - with several switchbacks. As we went to leave the ship, 3 HAL employees immediately came to take him down the ramp. On most ports, 2 employees take him up or down.

 

 

I'm not that worried about ports as we'll not be off the ship very much. But I will discuss your comments with the person in our party and see what they say. Thank you sincerely for your helpful comments. I take them all very seriously.

 

I have seen HAL stewards being extremely helpful getting guests who need assistance on and off the ships. They are wonderful and hugely helpful.

 

 

[terrierjohn]

It appears that transport chairs in the US and transit chair in the UK are different beasts. My wife's Karma Ergo 115 transit is identical to the self propel version of the same chair, apart from the size of the rear wheels.

[klauer]

The bigger rear wheels are what makes the standard wheelchair more stable, comfortable, and manueverable. The chair can be built as a "one arm drive" type for someone who has the use of only one upper extremity, but the chair will be heavier and more difficult to fold.

[Splinter]

By regular wheelchair I assume you mean a self propel variety with large rear wheels. My wife had a stroke and has no use in one arm so a self propel is of no benefit. However as both types have small front wheels I imagine the regular one suffers the same sort of "locking up" problem over uneven ground or cobbles as the front wheels twist sideways, which means going backwards is the only solution, but I can see that it would be better getting up a high curb. The transit ones do take up less space in a car boot (trunk) though.

 

Many people with one-sided paralysis or other one sided motor disabilities use a regular manual wheelchair, but learn in rehab how to self propel using the stronger hand and foot in what is called a "hemi" (for hemiplegia) height wheelchair. I am a rehab nurse and this is one of the skills we teach stroke victims routinely in rehab.

[maureencruiser]

Sail, If possible, go to your local medical supply store that rents wheelchairs. When I tore my ACL, I was able to rent one for $35 a month. It was the regular kind, lightweight and folded in half easily. They will let you try pushing the chairs to see how each is. When I flew with my mother who uses a rollator. USair let us use a wheelchair. I easily pushed her in the wheelchair with one hand while pulling her rollator with our carryon bags on the seat with the other hand. No trouble at all, not even steering. Good Luck! :)

[sail7seas]

I'm am now so conflicted and unsure of what we need for this person.

We are not flying so airports are no consideration.

We do not plan to get off much in ports, if at all. The most we would do with them is go through the terminal, into a taxi, into a restaurant for lunch, back in a taxi and back on the ship.

We need the chair for the times the walk is too far from cabin to dining room on the ship for dinner. Or to go to a lounge for our pre-dinner cocktail.

 

We will use it for boarding and disembarking and that is all we foresee the need.

 

Would not a transport chair work adequately for that?

If the general consensus is to rent a lightweight regular chair, by all means that is what we will do but they own the transport chair (brand new).

 

I am very appreciative for the help here. This is the first time this person has required a wheelchair for travel. It is all new to them.

 

[xxoocruiser]

I'm am now so conflicted and unsure of what we need for this person.

We are not flying so airports are no consideration.

We do not plan to get off much in ports, if at all. The most we would do with them is go through the terminal, into a taxi, into a restaurant for lunch, back in a taxi and back on the ship.

We need the chair for the times the walk is too far from cabin to dining room on the ship for dinner. Or to go to a lounge for our pre-dinner cocktail.

 

We will use it for boarding and disembarking and that is all we foresee the need.

 

Would not a transport chair work adequately for that?

If the general consensus is to rent a lightweight regular chair, by all means that is what we will do but they own the transport chair (brand new).

 

I am very appreciative for the help here. This is the first time this person has required a wheelchair for travel. It is all new to them.

 

 

Traveling the first time with any type of mobility equipment is always a learning experience and at times can be overwhelming with everyone's suggestions. You know the situation better than those of us on the CC Forum and if everyone in the group is comfortable with assisting in pushing than the transport chair should work for what you have described.

[sail7seas]

Traveling the first time with any type of mobility equipment is always a learning experience and at times can be overwhelming with everyone's suggestions. You know the situation better than those of us on the CC Forum and if everyone in the group is comfortable with assisting in pushing than the transport chair should work for what you have described.

 

 

Thank you. We have willing 'pushers' and I now can feel secure the chair will be adequate. I would have been so sorry to get aboard and discover what we had was insufficient. We're not looking to save the small rental fee. Whatever it is would be fine. I'm just trying to make our life and the wheelchair user's life as easy/convenient as possible.

 

Knowing the chair they have should work is one less thing for me to worry about. :)

 

 

 

[Slugsta]

It sounds as if your friend's limitations are similar to mine, I can walk slowly but not do long distances.

 

I have just come back from a cruise, we always take my own 'transfer chair' and Mr S is easily able to push me when needed, both on board and ashore.

[Talisker92]

I had a transport chair for my late wife and one for when my new wife broke her foot. They are much lighter than the standard "big wheel" chair and fold up quickly. They are also narrower so are easier to get through doorways.

[Shebbieal]

I have used a transport chair occasionally for the lightweigt factor. I am a normal sized women and after about 30 minutes my butt went numb! Very uncomfortable for rider!

If you use it, every so often have the rider stand up if possible!

 

Sherry