Wheelchairs, mobility scooters & powerchairs
Assistive Living Mobility

Wheelchairs...Electrical and power and manual. Though it has been confirmed that wheelchairs existed as far back as 500 B.C., the first self propelled manual wheelchair, which of course granted someone that had a walking disability the opportunity to become more self sufficient, was likely made by An individual named Stephen Farfler in the year 1655. Stephen was a 22 year old paraplegic whose chair concept gave him the power to move from one place to another independently. His hand operated wheelchair was like a cross between a soapbox racer and a bicycle powered by hand. Several years later, in 1783 an additional an additional wheelchair was created by a man by the name of John Dawson, who later became a wheelchair manufacturer and during his life time was known as "The Wheelchair Maker". It was John who produced a wheelchair with the well being of the person using the chair in mind with stair lifts and adjustable footrests and the reclining back to the chair.

Technology has come far in helping us get out today. The mobility devices of today are lighter, stronger, and faster, and because of the broad assortment of companies and brands...less expensive. There are now power chairs, cushions, wheelchair ramps, and so forth. When in the market for your wheelchair or device or device or portable wheelchair ramps and other accessories, make sure you do a bit of comparison shopping and find the special features you need. Realize, this device or chair is for a certain individual so it can be particularly important for that person to buy the device or wheelchair that they would personally like.

In 1932, Herbert Everest, who was an injured mining engineer, who also had a a walking disability, desired a way to be able to take his chair with him in an automobile. Never taking "no" as an answer, Herbert Everest met with a man by the name of Harold Jennings, (who was a mechanical engineer), and they made-up the first folding canes and crutch. This was a folding chair that was quickly carried from one location to another by car and offered even more access freedom to wheelchair users. They proceeded to forge one of the largest and renowned companies that manufacture wheelchairs, Everest and Jennings. Mr. Jennings and Mr. Everest are additionally given credit for developing the first powered chair by adding batteries and a motor to their manual wheelchair in the 1930s. This recognition is not however the truth, because the 1st motorized wheelchair was really developed the year 1912, when a 1 3/4 horsepower engine was added to a manual wheelchair. Four years later in 1916, motored wheelchairs and mobility scooters were commercially produced in London. The rest is sort of walker mobility devices history.

The push rim was added to wheelchairs in 1881. Push rims appear to be small power scooter wheels on the main wheels. Adding push rims allowed the user the opportunity to drive himself without getting his hands dirty from the wheels touching floor. Those in the disabled community thought this to be a giant break through as a chair accessory. The first lighter hand operated wheelchairs and parts were fashioned from Indian reed and was about nearly 60 pounds using push rims, fifty pounds without the push rims. Different wheelchairs were built with wicker seats and rollators arm and footrests and big wheels with spokes, which gave even more independence and productivity. These wheelchairs were more established following the Civil War and again at the end of World War II as returning soldiers needed to be able to go on with their lives as productive citizens.