Mobility scooter - which one to choose!

As an alternative to wheelchairs, mobility scooters provide an excellent solution for people with low impact mobility problems. For example, the elderly or those with a disability which does not allow them to walk for long distances.

A mobility scooter is not appropriate for those who are unable to transfer from a wheelchair on their own unless they have full time care aid. In such cases a wheelchair can be used indoors, with the scooter reserved for outdoors activities.

      Types of Mobility Scooter

Mobility scooters are powered, usually by an electric source such as a rechargeable battery. This means that before the scooter can be used, it should be charged from a standard electrical outlet. It also means that if the battery should become exhausted during the excursion, it will need to be recharged.

There are several types of electric scooter, and each is designed to meet separate needs of the disabled or mobility restricted user. They can be categorized by several different features, the most common being by number of wheels, types of wheels and the kind of terrain they are designed to negotiate, as well as their autonomy.

Electric scooters generally have either 3 or 4 wheels. In general 4 wheeler electric scooters will tend to be more stable over rough terrain than 3 wheelers, but will also use more power and be more expensive to maintain than those with 3 wheels.

Generally speaking, an electric mobility scooter should give around 20 miles of autonomy in order to be useful. Even if you just need something to go shopping in, you should aim for around this much distance between charges.

Some mobility scooters are specifically designed to be able to support much rougher terrain, and if the user is located somewhere where the pavement quality is low, then it might be an idea to spend more to buy from a range of 4 wheelers, rather than the usual 3.

As always with mobility products, the usefulness will be limited by the weight of the user and the terrain that needs to be covered, as well as the distances involved. Some get around the latter problem by being able to recharge almost anywhere, other, more lightweight models, might require a separate charging station and can only therefore be recharged at home.

The benefits over other mobility products such as wheel chairs are that they can usually carry more weight, in the form of bulky items, such as shopping, whilst being more adept at traversing uneven, but flat, terrain.

Pride Scooters have to be one of the most well known and high quality brands of electric mobility products, and they offer two kinds of solution – scooters and travel mobility products.

The Scooter range includes three and four wheel versions, ranging from ultra light and transportable through to larger models with an autonomy of up to 30 miles. These are appropriate for heavy, daily use.

The GoGo Mobility Range is special in that each of the products can be disassembled for easy transport, but are only appropriate for light occasional use, over short distances, and over flat terrain.

Other manufacturers have similar mobility scooters with similar trade-offs between the autonomy between charges, terrain that can be covered, weight of passenger and ease of transport.

      Mobility Scooter Users

The first thing to point out is that mobility scooters are not generally appropriate for handicapped users with a severe disability, such as quadriplegic or similarly disabled users. In such cases powered wheelchairs which are specifically designed to aid the mobility of severely disabled users should be considered.

The reasons for this are that mobility scooters do not provide the back support, comfort or control versatility that are usually supported by powered wheelchairs. However, some ranges, particularly from Pride or Invacare border on providing scooter functionality, but are classified as medical equipment.

For disabled users with a light handicap, or the elderly who might have mobility problems over extended periods of time, scooters provide an ideal method of transport. The difference is that they are designed not to be as expensive to acquire or maintain as wheelchairs, and so do not have some of the medical features that wheelchairs do.

The seat is usually not as supportive, there are no leg rests, and the whole machine is designed to be used by an individual who has enough motor control to be able to support their limbs, whereas wheelchairs are designed to support the entire body.

Depending on how far the user wishes to travel, choosing a scooter to match the user is a more or less complex task. For those who wish to purchase one to help with mobility reduction resulting from chronic obesity, for example, a much more robust scooter will be required than that designed to help an old lady travel to the shops once a week.

Scooters are also designed for outdoor use, and so the user is expected to be able to transfer in and out of the vehicle, as well as provide their own mobility solution indoors.

Finally, if the user just needs a backup in case they get tired whilst out on an excursion, then a travel scooter that can be disassembled and put in their car is probably one of the best solutions.

     Choosing a Mobility Scooter 

There are several points to look for when considering which scooter to choose from a range:

        ▪ Autonomy (miles between charges)

        ▪ Weight supported

        ▪ Wheel type, size & turning circle

        ▪ Suspension & ground clearance

These all affect the performance, terrain and suitability of the scooter for a given use. In addition, one might also need to consider ‘luxury’ points, such as:

        ▪ Seat type & features

        ▪ Off- or on- board battery charger

        ▪ Maximum speed

The decision process needs to take into account the terrain. For rougher, more rugged terrain, choose larger wheels, with suspension in the front and rear, with a fairly large ground clearance. Scooters are not usually designed for off-road use, but can cope with grass, mud paths (when dry) and so forth.

If the scooter needs to be used as the principle form of transport, then a high autonomy will be required (30 miles or more). However, if it is just something that will be used occasionally, then consider a lightweight foldable version.

Of course, the weight of the user has to be taken into account, as does the comfort aspect. For regular use, it is more important to ensure that the cushioning is adequate, especially if the user is overweight.

Finally, the turning circle is important if the scooter is to be used in confined spaces. This might not be a factor unless the user envisages regular use in a back yard or even indoors.