Suggestions for electric chairs/oxygen?

[zakatak]

Hi.

We are lucky enough to have my MIL & FIL join us for our next trip after Thanksgiving. My FIL needs an electric chair for most everything, but he has never used one here. For instance, he gets out of breath walking from his truck to my front door. So it would be best for him to have one all the time as I don't think he would make it from his room to the lobby at all.

Where is the best place to rent an electric chair AND oxygen for the entire trip? We will be staying at AKL so it would need to be delivered there. Also, what needs to be taken care of ahead of time for the flight (Southwest)? He will need a wheelchair from curb to curb (we'll do Fl. Tours down there).

Thanks in advance for any advice and suggestions.

Oh, one more question regarding the Candlelight Processional. Is the handicapped seating the same for the package as it is for waiting in line? Would we be seated in the same area regardless of which we chose to do?

Thanks.
Karen

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome to disABILITIES.
Just a clarification for you. What you want for your FIL is not an electric (or power) wheelchair. What you want is an ecv or scooter. Most people assume they are the same thing, but they aren't. Many places don't rent power wheelchairs at all since they are more expensive, take more practice to drive and need some individual set-up and programming of their control/computer. The places that do rent them generally will only rent them to people who are experienced in driving them (but just don't want to bring their own). If you call and ask for a power wheelchair, you'll probably be told they don't/won't rent one, so I wanted make sure you had this info.

All the places listed below will rent ecvs and also handlle oxygen and deliver to the WDW resorts. All are places that DIS posters have reported good experiences with (there are some others that DIS posters report good experiences with, but they don't handle oxygen):
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/
Phone (407) 856-2273 • Toll Free U.S and Canada (800) 741-2282

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html
(800)747-0246


ECVs are relatively easy to drive, but have him practice a little first, especially backing up, which he will need to use the buses.
He won't need a prescription or anything for the ecv, but he will for the oxygen and respiratory equipment. His current supplier will be able to work with the company in Orlando to make sure he gets what he needs.
Southwest doesn't fly out of Minneapolis, so we've never used them, but I do know they have a very nice page about flying with disabiliteis. Here's a link to their disabilities info page.

I can't answer your questions about Candlelight Processional, but I know there are regular psoters who have attended it and can give you the info you need.

 

[Talking Hands]

For Candlelight Processional, yes you are seated in the same area as other wheelchair guests but you are seated first and should get the spots at the back of the first section of seating. If your FIL is able to walk a few steps the ECV can be brought to that area and then he can transfer to regualr seating and the ECV parked. It can then be brought back at the end of the show.

Be sure to inform the company when you rent the ECV that you will need a holder for the oxygen if it is needed continually and not just at night. Perhaps your local provider can work with a provider in Orlando that can provide both the oxygen and an ECV.

 

[whozit]

You may have already learned this, since your post was a couple of months ago, but in case you haven't.....oxygen is not an option on Southwest airlines. Having (medical) oxygen available for the flight is a service that the airlines may provide, but are not required to. (I wasn't sure if this had changed with Southwest in the last year or so, so I checked that link that SueM in MN provided and it says this "Medical Oxygen--Southwest is not equipped to transport or provide medical oxygen or other hazardous materials and/or contained gas - either in the passenger cabin or as cargo or baggage."). I know that medical oxygen it is available on AA, and I think it is also available on Delta and United (and I'm not sure who else). The cost on AA (unless it went up again) is $100 per leg of the trip, so oxygen for a non-stop roundtrip will add an additional $200 to your flight cost. If your flight has a stop (even if you stay on the same plane) it will cost an extra $100 per leg. Also, you can't bring any of your own oxygen cylinders or portable units (they cannot be carried on or go as checked baggage). My mom uses a Helios portable which she fills from a stationary liquid oxygen cylinder and we thought that she might be able to bring her (empty) portable and just have the stationary delivered to her destination, but that is not allowed (I even asked if it would be possible for her oxygen company to purge the portable and send the papers certifying that it had been purged, and the airline's response was "what about the return trip?"....which I hadn't even thought of. Then they said that it is just policy not to allow it (in fact, it may be an FAA rule).

You'll also need to consider if your FIL will need oxygen at the airport. My Mom can get by for a while without it, but if your FIL needs it all the time, or if there is a possibility that he might spend a lengthy time at the airport (weather delays), then I think you have to look in to one of the medical services that provides oxygen at the airport.

 

[zakatak]

Thank you, whozit! For linking me back to this!

I will check with him and Southwest and see what he thinks he can handle. I know he usually only uses the Oxygen at night or during a difficult episode so he might be ok without it until we get to the hotel.

Thanks for the headsup though!

Karen

 

[whozit]

You might have him check with his docroe. While Mom usually uses oxygen for at least 15 hours per day, she can go several hours without it, particularly if she is not exerting herself (like riding in the car for a couple of hours), but her doc wanted her on the oxygen in the airplane, we think because of the altitude.

Also, although her legs are fine for walking, her breathing is very difficult (with or without the oxygen) when she walks very far, so now we always make sure to let the airline know that she will require a wheelchair at the airport to get her to and from the gate. Usually, we stop with her curbside and have the skycap call for the wheelchair.

Good Luck