I see a lot of commercials advertising power chairs (e.g., Hoveround).
Do power chairs compete directly against powered wheelchairs? Are they as popular in other countries, or are they a U.S. phenomenon?
Not quite. Power chairs are generally intended to be used by people with limited mobility. Which means they can walk somewhat, just not for extended times or distances.
My neighbor has one that he keeps in his garage. He uses it to go a few blocks to the neighborhood grocery, the bakery, a nearby park, etc. Then he parks it back in his garage, and walks up the sidewalk to his house. Inside the house, he walks around without it.
Powered wheelchairs are more typically used by people with more severe restrictions on their mobility. Often they can only take a few steps outside the wheelchair, and may need help getting into and out of the wheelchair.
It’s not uncommon for people to start with a power chair, and then as their age or illness progresses, have to switch to a powered wheelchair.
Those powered scooter type vehicles are becoming increasingly common in Australia. As t-bonham@scc.net has said, they definitely have a different market from powered wheelchairs, which in my experience are used only by those with high level disabilities.
I don’t understand the difference.
Image, mostly.
When I see someone in a wheelchair (powered or non) I think, “person with disability.” When I see someone scooting around in a Hoveround, I think “lazy fat person.”
That’s interesting. Over here (Aus) the scooter chairs are mostly used by OAPs (Old Age Pensioners). When I see one, I don’t think “lazy fat person” I think “shit, watch out because they don’t steer around obstacles in their path, they steer through them”. Fat people still walk over here.
A power chair in this context means something that looks like a go-kart or riding lawnmower. You could probably more accurately call it a scooter. Generally, the seat is raised higher, has a lower back, is solid (plastic/metal), not cushioned, and has handlebar controls that require two hands. It is quite easy to get in and out of.
A powered wheelchair usually looks just like a wheelchair, and uses a joystick for control. Some have cushioned captain’s chairs, some appear to have the familiar canvas-style chair, though with sturdier material.
The difference is about $1,000 US. Motorized wheelchairs are quite a bit more expensive.
Here’s one of the common power chair sites: http://hoveround.com/
and here is a site for powered wheelchairs: http://www.1800wheelchair.com/asp/view-category-products.asp?category_id=337
Right, understood. And in that case, Britain is similar to the comments above, that power chairs are used mainly by the elderly, merely(!) having restricted mobility, whereas wheelchairs are used by those with physical disabilities.
I suppose one of the differences is that a wheelchair is designed to be suitable for sitting in all day long, whereas perching on one of those powered chairs for that length of time would be uncomfortable?