How do you go about choosing the best mobility scooter to meet your specific needs? From the scope of your impairment, to where you’ll be storing the mobility scooter and beyond, here are some important aspects to consider when searching for ‘the one’ folding mobility scooter that will give you freedom.
Some people need a mobility scooter to take them to the corner store, others will travel the world with the help of a folding mobility scooter that is suitable for transport.
Although there may be many emotional aspects involved in coming to the decision, once you are ready to take the plunge, here are 5 major considerations to think about when seeking the prefect mobility scooter to meet your needs:
1. Where do you live? We make a point of meeting all our customers in person, and the first question our local sales manager will ask anyone who comes to meet us is “where do you live”? Do you live in a city or in a more rural area? Is your home accessible or do you need to store the scooter in your car boot? Do you have an accessible elevator? All these questions need to be answered to determine whether you need your mobility scooter to have certain features like the ability to fold, or travel sidewalks.
2. Where do you want to go? Do you need the scooter for everyday errands and productivity, or will you be storing it for longer periods of time? Do you need a scooter that can go off road safely if needed? Do you need the scooter to get on and off planes with ease? Make sure to consider that fact that not all scooters are approved for air flight due to their batteries and dimensions. Scooters can be designed with 2 or 3 or even 4 wheels and this will affect its sturdiness and its ability to carry luggage.
3. How limited are you? What is the cause of your mobility impairment? Are you able to walk short distances? Are your fine motor skills in check? Do you live alone? When looking to find the scooter that you can use as independently as possible, make sure to ask about the various modes of operation it may offer and compare them to your current and future capabilities.
4. How important is image to you? Over the past decade, the accessibility industry has finally woken up to the fact that people with disabilities still want and deserve to look good. Great companies have come up with innovative designs for wheelchairs, crutches, prosthetics and more recently – scooters. If you need that extra bit of style, look for a mobility scooter that looks as good as it runs.
5. What’s your budget? Because scooters can be expensive, many are partially or wholly subsidized and most manufacturers and resellers will offer a convenient payment plan. You may also consider how long you plan on making use of the vehicle, in line with a temporary or permanent impairment. If you are seeking a long-term solution, you should also read up on the level and extent of service the seller provides as well as the cost and frequency of any updates the scooter will require.
Moving Life founder Nino Ransenberg is a textbook example of a non-stereotypical mobility-impaired scooter rider. As a businessman with frequent travel needs, Nino, a Polio survivor with limited ability to cover distances by foot, ended his constant search for the perfect mobility scooter by simply starting a company to design and build one. The fact that sleek design has always been a top priority at Moving Life, alongside safety, ruggedness and convenient airline travel, resulted in the ATTO, which is a perfect solution for thousands of limited mobility scooter users around the world.
As we continually work to roll out solutions that are literally life changing for our cherished global community, we’d like very much to know: What are your top 3 priorities as you set out to find your perfect fit?
