But does anyone know what the diameter is of the push handle grips that TiLite uses?

So after my initial evals with PT and a hand OT, they’ve agreed I need to get new push rims. I have the tiny round stock push rims for TiLite (I have an Aero T). There are reasons this decision was made in fitting after I went in set on something like Natural Fit rims, but I won’t get into that as it’s not relevant. I live in the PNW (Greater Seattle Area), and after fighting with gloves and push rim covers I’ve realised grip is going to be a major issue for me. Anyone else from a similarly rainy climate (or local to the PNW) have any recommendations of options I should be looking at? Weight isn’t a huge concern for me as I can self-load my frame into my SUV and my wheels aren’t even close to that heavy so a few ounces isn’t going to break me and I’m working on getting a power assist as well because I already can’t self-propel all the time so again that will help make up any slack for me.

I’m interested in the Natural Fit with the extra grip on them, but I’ve never trialled them. I’ve also heard of some Gekko ones but I’m not sure how they really compare to Natural Fits regarding size and shape (they look a bit smaller to me which is making me think they might not be a good fit for me). I’d love to hear your experiences or suggestions! It’s worth keeping in mind I have to wear plastic braces on my wrist that also go up my thumb to stabilise them so they don’t overstrain/dislocate while self-propelling so I have pretty limited mobility while wheeling.

Made the head that is open, showing the brain, myself. Also made the mouth which you can’t really see in this pic. My husband also used black painters tape to cover the pink of my wheelchair. I also helped my teen with his Barrel costume. We even turned his old shoes into Barrel’s feet. He painted the sweats himself as well.

I think one of the best moments from tonight was the woman screaming “IF IT FITS I SITS” out of her car window at me.

Did you guys have any fun costumes??

does anyone else feel guilty when people offer for you to go in front of lines? like? they all have to stand! 😭 I just get to sit there lmao

Hi Everyone,

I'm in the process of remodeling an old commercial building and looking to opening a new entirely different owner-operated small business. We had to jump through many hoops to make the old building compliant with current code (fire code, energy code, electrical code, plumbing code). Due to a miscalculation by the designer, the proposed wheelchair ramp is too steep for a wheelchair and I have two main options which both include spending additional unbudgeted money.

Option 1: Install a wheelchair lift. Does anyone have any experience with these lifts in commercial buildings? I'm very curious to know if people with disabilities find it very helpful or not. I ask this because another business (major nationwide franchise) in my town has a wheelchair lift and I never see it being used.

Option 2: Reconfigure ramp. The original design included a small garden in the front of the building with tables/chairs for customers (including people with disabilities/wheelchair access) to enjoy outdoors. Reconfiguring the ramp will eliminate the small garden with chairs and replace it with concrete and steel/aluminum handrails. Has anyone come across a similar issue to reconfigure an entrance or are there any other options or solutions I may not be considering, I want to make sure our business is accessible for everyone at the lowest possible cost. Thank you for any insights. -S

Hi I’m 15F and have been diagnosed with chronic pain. My parents have seen my mobility going down hill but just got me a walking stick around 3 years ago to help. But now it’s got to a point where I can barely walk and it really hurts when I walk. I have not spoken to my parents yet. But remember my doctor saying if it gets worse you can try a aid to my parents. I have been wanting a wheelchair and think it would help greatly but just don’t know how to bring it up.

First time dressing up. How did I do?

I'm a part time user and recently got my chair. I've finally decided to brave the anxiety and use my chair at school sometimes. I am in a cohort and have been in classes with the same people for three years. None of them know I'm disabled as I either don't experience flares at school or (more often) am good at hiding them. So I'm anticipating a lot of "Why are you in a chair??" and "What happened??" questions and I honestly have no idea how to handle/answer them.

I've gotten a lot of good ideas from this sub about dealing with rude strangers, but I haven't been able to find any posts talking about answering questions from people you know. I don't think anyone will be rude, just genuinely curious and maybe a bit concerned. Partially due to that and partially due to the fact that these classmates might later help me get a job in an industry that's hard to get your foot into (animation), I really don't want to be snarky with them.

"I'm disabled" (what I use with strangers who ask) feels too short, blunt, and vague for this situation, but when I've tried to think of longer responses, I end up overexplaining and talking for far too long. I'm struggling to find something relatively short but detailed enough that people won't later go "???" again when they see me without the chair. Does anyone have any ideas?

JAMEY PERRY

Jamey Perry is a wheelchair athlete (she previously played in the WNBA wheelchair basketball league) as well as a successful Hollywood writer.

JCPenney recently did a Collab with her on a new line of adaptive clothing for women. Priced mid range, looks like mostly sporty everyday clothes with a few party items.

https://corporate.jcpenney.com/2024/09/09/jcpenney-and-jamey-perry-launch-fashionable-wheelchair-collection-that-showcases-both-style-and-function/

Available in sizes XS – XXL , with an emphasis on active lifestyles. (She’s also a mom with two preteen kids.)

“ Creating this line with JCPenney has been a dream come true,” said Perry. “Although I’m new to the design world, the JCPenney team understood that my lived experience lent a unique perspective when creating this collection. Women like me want to look great and feel great, and we also need clothes that fit our lives. JCPenney gets that and the result is incredible.”

ADAPTIVE STYLE

Designed for a seated profile with some additional adaptive style features.

Most tops, including a trench coat and a sequin blazer, have three-quarter length sleeves, so they don’t get caught on the wheels of a manual chair.

Perry’s own favorite item are the cargo pants, which have a pocket style I haven’t seen before that looks very practical. These are designed for full-time wheelchair users like Perry herself.

These have two pockets on the front of each leg of the cargo pants. The upper pocket is on the thigh, but on the side of it rather than on top.

Then there’s a lower pocket on the front of the calf. Not everybody will be able to lean forward to use those, but they are there if you can.

Here’s an interview with her where she talks about those specific pants, as well as about disability representation in the Hollywood writers community:

https://youtu.be/-xbyySoRSHM?si=AITAkbiglMTzy7W8

All the items I looked at (I didn’t look at everything) were machine washable polyester.

The SWELL slogan on some items is a callout to her fan base. Her Insta is “SwellOnWheels.”

THE COLLECTION

Here’s the collection. Looks like reasonable prices and much more stylish than the new target collection. No traditional guys styles, though.

https://www.jcpenney.com/m/jamey-perry-for-jcpenney-collection

Hello! I've had POTS since 2021 but just recently got diagnosed. I have a rollator walker which is good for when I want to travel short distances, but for bigger adventures it's just too exhausting for me to walk, even with my walker. Therefore, I've been looking into getting a wheelchair! I'm looking at the Helio A7 from SpinLife (not sure if that's a good choice? I don't have a lot of knowledge on wheelchair brands/types) and it's customizable which I really like. My partner and I took rough measurements for me the other day and decided on everything, but now I'm starting to have doubts - mainly on whether I should get armrests or not. The ones I thought I wanted are flip back armrests, so I don't have to have them all the time, but I've been noticing that a lot of wheelchair users don't have armrests. I know this is mostly a preference thing, but I'm curious - what are your thoughts on armrests for wheelchairs?

I’m looking for a supplier in China that offers affordable handcycles similar to the Jeetrike. There’s no way I’m paying $15,000 for a handcycle—even if I had that kind of money, I wouldn’t want to support companies pricing these and other essential utilities so high. More affordable wheelchair accessories are urgently needed on the market, especially since insurance support isn’t always guaranteed.

I have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (can't stand or walk for long) AND post-exertional malaise (won't always be able to wheel myself so need push handles), plus spinal issues (so I need more back support). I see great wheelchairs online with bright colors and good options...but I am plus-size and always over their weight limits. I'm 6' and have been mostly housebound for 4 years. Hoping to get my first wheelchair so I can get out more. Finding it a tough slog to find distributors and know the good equipment. Been calling around and web searching for 2 months and still not getting anywhere.

Looking for: --manual wheelchair (but potential for adding power assist in future a plus) --lightweight frame (I will have to lift into car trunk myself) --plus-size (wider seat of 22" and weight up to 350 or maybe 400 lbs in case my nieces or nephew decide to hop in my lap for a ride) --push handles that are height-adjustable and comfortable(do they have any solid padded bars like on strollers??? My family members are all 6'4" or taller) --taller back and ability to add a neck support a plus (cervical stenosis) --smooth to wheel myself --reliable and well-built --not ugly (I can't seem to find plus-size options in fun colors anywhere)

If there are any brands and models that fit the above, would love to know!

I am also having real trouble finding a well-rated "Durable Medical Equipment" store in the Atlanta area. Those I've found have terrible reviews and only seem to carry overpriced clunky equipment that looks institutional and are brands I've never heard of. So anyone in Atlanta-area who has a fave (and friendly!) wheelchair supplier to share, I'd love to hear those recommendations also.

I have a new chair with anti-roll back brakes that are so sensitive that even looking at them sets them off. Is there a way to make them a little harder to activate?

It’s the type that you press in buttons and when it gets into a hole it pops into place. Not sure what it’s called. There was another hole in the inside- so I think the top part popped out into the hole while the bottom part isn’t engaged. Just makes us feel unsafe wheelchair bumping him since the one leg is stuck.

I'm new to the world of active wheelchairs and trying to decide which to order. I was shown a Rogue2, a Nitrum, and a Tilite (don't know which model) as choices with the DME company. I feel like I don't know enough to pick one.. if that makes sense. They are all so similar but i hear the best things about Tilite so I was going to go with Aero Z until I just found out they aren't making it.. Would you order the new Z? It seems very very similar to the Aero Z and Tilite seems to be a reputable company but like I said, this is all pretty new to me and I'm worried I'm going to somehow choose the "wrong" chair and be unhappy with it for 5 years LOL I'd really like your input as people who have been a part of this world for longer than me ❤️ I don't even know what the most important feature i should be looking for is. Thanks for any advice!

I'm coming up on my 5 year anniversary with my current chair and will be looking for it's replacement, but I don't have the time or inclination to travel to every dealer and sit in their respective brands and would like to narrow things down. So, if you would, please give me your best recommendations for comfortable powerchairs and why. I am a bilateral above knee amputee and currently I am in a Permobil M3 Corpus with a Roho cushion.

My current chair isn't bad but being a mid wheel chair with a full length back and head rest it's footprint is rather long and I'm constantly scraping or gouging my walls and furniture. Also, does anyone have any recommendations on cushions as my Roho isn't exactly what I would call comfortable. I don't have any pressure sores or anything like that, but I was told the Roho was the best when it came to prevention and comfort, but that was also 5 years ago.

Appreciate any help or insight anyone can give.

I AM ASKING FOR RECOMENDATIONS FOR POWER CHAIRS AND CUSHIONS. IF YOUR REPLY DOES NOT INCLUDE A RECOMMENDATION FOR A CHAIR OR CUSHION PLEASE SAVE YOUR TIME AND MY SANITY AND KEEP SCROLLING.

After 35 years as a manual wheelchair user, I have a pretty vicious case of carpal tunnel syndrome and won’t be able to travel without some kind of power assist. I recently paid out-of-pocket to have my smart drive repaired so I can get around a little more easily while I’m trying to deal with the carpal tunnel problems.

Here’s my question: the wired switch controller is new to me, I used the wrist controller before. I have several plane trips in the near future and I’m curious how other users have protected it when they fly? I’m thinking maybe a styrofoam shell carved to fit it over the controller - but I also need to be able to use it in the airport.

What have you done to protect yours while travelling from the inevitable airline wheelchair abuse?

Did I park over the line? Yes, not my finest parking job.

Just thought i’d spark interesting convo :)

my only way to safely be independent in my community is to use my smartdrive device because I struggle with fatigue. Since the Samsung app for watches has been pulled from the app store for over a month it's become a very expensive paperweight. Contacted Permobil about possible solutions and the recommendation was to use the wired options that came with the unit. I never received any wired options, despite their records claiming my device did ship with them so they can't provide a replacement. And they're 200$ usd out of pocket,,,I just want to go on my little enrichment trips to grocery store !!!

It’s a pre-2014 TiLite TRA!

Hi my father in law recently had a mid calf leg amputation for various reasons I’m the one in charge of getting his home wheelchair ready while he’s at rehab. The step into the house from the garage is 3” concrete then a threshold, I’m probably overthinking this but what should I look for in a ramp for him.

Also is there any highly recommend things to get him to make this transition easier? He will have a manual chair plus a motorized scooter

How do I pair my Corpus M3 to the MyPermobil app on iPhone? I have the idevice showing up in my bluetooth list on my phone and the bluetooth icon is showing on the controller, but every time I try to pair them, the app says that there is no wheelchair nearby.

Is it ok for someone who doesn’t use a wheelchair to add information to these apps, comment on google about accessibility? I live in a small town that doesn’t have much info available about accessibility on any sites. But I’m sure people traveling through could use the info?

My TDX SP2 Was delivered yesterday. It has already made a big difference. I know someone will it's not as good as brand x. I really don't care since my insurance paid 100% of the bill. I am very thankful and feel very fortunate I have this chair.