Due to a quite picturesque range of neurological disorders, not to forget the increasing effects of advancing age, I have become considerably less mobile than I was in my younger days. Where I used to be able to effortlessly walk for many hours, I now move slowly at a snails pace, for a maximum of one hour, leaning on either a cane or a crutch – depending on how I happen to feel that day. Yet I refuse to complain: there’s nothing I truly lack in this life, and diminished mobility doesn’t really bother me.
Anyway, for the longer distances I presently employ a mobility scooter, which definitely makes me feel like a prince or even a king! Relaxedly sitting in a comfortable seat, pleasantly but never haughtly greeting the admiring passers-by, I buzz along at either walking pace or double speed. When I feel relaxed I “walk”, when I really need to be somewhere at a certain time I crank up the little machine.
There are many people much worse off than me, when it comes to mobility. I can, albeit with difficulty, still walk – many others can’t. Especially for them the electric scooter is a great help, enabling them to feel mobile again. There are 3-wheel mobility scooters and 4-wheel mobility scooters, and if you’re seriously considering buying such a contraption, I would recommend the 3-wheeled variety. They tend to be considerably more manoeuvrable due to their smaller turning radius, which is a definite advantage in crowded or cramped spots. I also would advice you to go for batteries with a lot of capacity: it’s not only unpleasant but also quite embarassing to find yourself without of juice when far away from home!
Apart from electrical scooters, there are many more things and gadgets that make the life of the disabled much more pleasant. Stairlifts, bed lifts, electrically powered wheelchairs, walkers… they all help to make life much more normal for the disabled.
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