Our Issue 5 for 2021 is here! The digital edition is available immediately online with the printed edition posted soon. Here is a little preview of what to expect in our latest edition. If you aren’t subscribed yet, do so today. It is R100 for the digital magazine for a year (6 issues) or R150 for the printed copy. You can complete the subscription form here: https://www.rollinginspiration.co.za/subscribe/
Wisdom from seasoned wheelchair users
Some lessons are only learned from life experience. This is especially true for wheelchair use. While rehabilitation might teach you the basics of manoeuvring your chair, only many years in a wheelchair can show the value of caring for your chair, for example. With this in mind, we spoke to some seasoned wheelchair users who shared their advice for other, new wheelchair users.
Ellah Zulu, for example, highlighted the value of cleanliness: “It is very important to take care of your wheels. You sit on your wheelchair dressed up nicely, but then we look at your wheelchair and it’s not taken care of,” Ellah says. “For new wheelchair users, I would advise them to love their wheels as it is the only form of vehicle to assist in moving around. Keep them spotlessly clean all the time.”
Agreeing with Ellah, Thapelo Kgoale noted that it is important to have your wheelchair cleaned by someone who you know and trust if you can’t clean it yourself: “Your wheelchair should be washed by someone who is familiar with it. Supervise them the first time they wash it.”
As a power wheelchair user, Lafras Moolman noted the need to care for you wheelchair battery, which includes charging it frequently without overcharging, which can damage the battery’s ability to store power: “In the case of a power chair, batteries should be optimally charged with a 12-volt trickle charger – a type of charge that stops charging once the battery is complete to avoid overcharging.”
Get your copy of Issue 5 for 2021 to read their stories and advice!
