For those looking for a wheelchair to hire it can work out ideal when you dont require the use of one permanently but before hiring you definately want to know roughly how long you will be hiring one for because if the total length of time that it will be required would cost more than actually purchasing a wheelchair of the same type then obviously it would make more sense to buy one.

Depending on where you live, there will often be a business locally who has rental services available on wheelchairs, they will usually rent out mobility scooters too.

A deposit will probably be necessary and is usually refundable. the actual weekly hire prices vary, some start at £10 per week, others start at around £20 per week, where you go and the type of wheelchair that you want to rent will make a difference to the cost but for short term use it can be ideal.

When vistiting a local mobility shop with the intention of hiring a wheelchair you should ask them as many questions as necessary so that you know if the rental includes a replacement should anything go wrong with the one that you hire, also whether you are covered by insurance so that you know who is responsible and liable for anything while using the wheelchair.

Hire rates might include discount for longer peroids, so 4 weeks wheelchair hire might work out cheaper, for example one week might cost £10 but the weeks beyond that might be at a cheaper rate so instead of it costing £40 for 4 weeks it might only cost £30, if the person you speak to about hiring one doesn’t mention discounts then ask them as you might be able to save a few quid.

If the wheelchair will be delivered to you, find out if there is a delivery charge, and also if there will be a pickup charge when you are finished with the wheelchair and want to return it.

Dont forget to actually try the wheelchair that you wish to hire, and dont feel the need to rush your decision, even though you are hiring and even if its only for 1 week, you want to make sure that the wheelchair is confortable and right for you, any decent mobility shop will be happy to assist you in making the best decision that suits your mobility needs.

As with any type of personal transport, you want to keep it safe and to know quickly if anyone may be tampering with or attempting to steal what you have temporarily left unattended as you go about your daily routine.

With wheelchairs and mobility scooters needing to be left outside of houses and other places from time to time, it can be quite tempting for a thief or mischievous kids or even adults who cant resist tampering, often just for entertainment reasons and usually not understanding the upset that this can cause to a user of mobility aids.

Any way of letting you know when someone may be attempting to move your wheelchair or mobility scooter is useful.

An alarm is actually available that is suitable for both electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters, and it’s one that doesn’t require you to start making modifications, so you dont need to start dealing with the wiring of your mobility aid,  you just need to connect two wires from the alarm to one of your batteries and you place the alarm itself underneath the seating on your wheelchair or underneath the scooter cowling if it’s to be fitted to a mobility scooter, and this is basically done with an adhesive pad so theres no need to drill or anything like that.

It includes a tilt and vibration sensor, has two remote controls and even has a finder button where you press the buttom and a loud sound is emitted to let you know where your wheelchair or mobility scooter is.

You can also adjust the sensitivity of the alarm from the remote control with four different levels.

The alarm is currently priced at £39.99 excl VAT and £45.99 incl VAT and the product is eligible for VAT relief.

It can be purchased from activemobility.co.uk

Probably one of the most interesting and attractive features of wheelchair spoke guards is the choice of designs that you can find, from just adding a little bit of color to really fancy looking designs that can suit the taste of the individual wheelchair user.

Of course apart from the designs theres also the fact that they offer a layer of protection for the spokes and also make things a bit safer for your fingers too.

Pricing can vary depending on who they have been made by and the extent of design on the protectors but you can also find ones that are more simple looking and just completely transparent if that is what you prefer.

Wheelchair spoke guards can be of particular interest to children needing the use of a wheelchair, anything that adds a bit of color and individuality and allows the child to express themselves with a design that they like makes them a popular choice and of course they also serve the purpose of protecting the spokes.

Most are fitted very easily with cable ties and/or with an adaptor, depending on the spokes, the guards are made to be shatterproof so that they can withstand knocks and vibration and the general wear and tear and movement that your wheelchair goes through on a regular basis.

With your fingers a lot safer, the spokes protected and your chance to make your wheelchair look how you want it to, it’s easy to see the benefits of adding spoke guards to your wheelchair.