Collector Car Questions

Mario asks:
Mike Collins’ article “Collector Cars” (October 2018) was interesting, but I have a few questions. First, how do the owners transfer from their chairs? And second, are they able to use the cars independently or do they need someone to help them store and retrieve their chairs?

I have a 2005 Corvette that I’d like to keep and use more often. Problem is that either I take my walker, which limits my mobility, or depend on my wife to handle my chair … both are major deterrents to using the vehicle.

Contributing Editor Mike Collins responds:

When it comes to types of wheelchairs and transferring, everyone is different depending on their physical capabilities and whether they are using rigid or folding wheelchairs. I use a power wheelchair and full-size van, so I can’t speak from personal experience. I do have many friends who take the wheels off their rigid-frame wheelchairs and are able to swing them over into the back seat and then do the same with the frame. Others put them in the passenger side of the vehicle. If there is cabin space, a folding chair might be able to slide behind the driver’s seat after the driver has transferred. One of those featured in our column drives a Corvette and is a quad who pulls the wheelchair in after him and travels alone, with his chair in the passenger seat.

If you are in any of the Facebook groups that deal with spinal cord injury or are a member of “Handicap Hotrods” (facebook.com/groups/handicaphotrods), you might want to put a query out to their members to see if people can share their experiences with you. If you are able to use a walker, it undoubtedly gives you more options in some regards, but door dimensions and interior configurations are so different that I would be remiss if I tried to recommend something that would work exactly for you.
Good luck, and thanks again for your input.

Portable Shower Chair  Suggestions?

Karl asks:
Do you have and suggestions for a portable shower chair/commode that’s suitable for air travel? And are there any financial resources to purchase one?

Editor Ian Ruder responds:
Almost 20 years of using the same Nuprodx travel shower chair has made me a firm believer in the company and its offerings. Go! Mobility Solutions is another popular option. Both were deigned by quads for fellow wheelchair users. It’s not easy to get insurance to cover shower chairs, but that depends on your insurer. I recommend contacting the manufacturer and asking about potential resources/grants. Also, check out “Bathroom Equipment: Not Medically Necessary?” by Mark Boatman in our May 2015 issue. Boatman covered a lot of ideas and resources to help mitigate the high cost of medical equipment.

Got Questions? If you have a question for United Spinal staff, please submit it at unitedspinal.org/ask-us or call 800/962-9629 (choose Option 1). For nonemergency medical questions, try the Craig Hospital Nurse Advice line, 800/247-0257.