Getting In And Out Of The Wheelchair - Invacare Spectra Blitz User Manual

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Getting in and out of the wheelchair

Learning how to get in and out of a wheelchair safely and without injury is most important.
Transferring to and from your powerchair may require practice and a good sense of balance. It is
recommended that whenever possible you have assistance when transferring to and from your
powerchair. It is recognised, however, that situations may occur when assistance is not available. It
is desirable to learn and practice different techniques to accomplish a safe transfer.
Many experienced wheelchair users have developed and mastered their own method of
transferring to and from the chair, resulting in great independence and self-care. Such ability
depends largely on the strength of the individual, their capabilities and the type of chair. No single
technique would be practical, or possible, for all wheelchair users. Safety is the primary
consideration in all techniques.
To carry out the transfer confidently and to eliminate the possibility of personal injury, check the
following:
Getting into the wheelchair:
• Position your wheelchair as close as possible to your seat. This might
have to be done by an attendant.
• Switch your wheelchair off.
• Apply the manual wheel lock of your wheelchair (if existing).
• Detach the skirt guard of your wheelchair or swivel it up.
• Now slide into the wheelchair.
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