Best lightweight electric wheelchairs of 2022 – Forbes Health

Lightweight electric wheelchairs are ideal for the elderly and those with limited mobility who need to travel or run a quick run. They shouldn’t be used by people with “severe progressive disabilities,” says Henley. â€œIf you think of someone with multiple sclerosis who uses a walker and wants to go to the mall or their grandson’s ball game, a lightweight folding power chair would be just what they need. “

â€œThe more severe the disability, the more likely they are to be seated in a traditional style power chair and the less likely they would be in a lightweight chair,â€ adds Henley.

He also notes that using a lightweight power wheelchair can help the user maintain a sense of independence. â€œIt’s very, very convenient toâ€¦ go where you’re going, and your loved one doesn’t need to be pushed into a manual chair. They have their independence, â€he said.

As these chairs are easy to store in cars, planes and trains, they help make travel more enjoyable. “It’s a good solution for a lot of people,” says Bill Fertig, director of the United Spinal Association Resource Center, based in Virginia Beach. Fertig, who uses a manual wheelchair full-time, says the lightweight electric chairs are ideal for â€œbig trips,â€ like visiting a zoo. Another advantage: â€œThey are affordable,â€ he says.

Plus, Fertig adds, they have “a very long lifespan” – some can go up to 16 miles on a single battery charge.