I suggest working with a mobility specialist at a wheelchair store. We got the Quickie II wheelchair from Sunrise Medical for my father. (See sunrisemedical.com) It has the features you are looking for plus some more we never knew we needed (eg, anti-tip device for those times Dad plopped hard in the chair).

If you get it online, will Medicare B still pay?

Yes, but you should definitely work with a LOCAL mobility/wheelchair specialist as this sort of wheelchair is custom-built to your husband's trunk height, his upper leg length, and to his lower leg length. I gave you the website so you could look at features of the exact model I've suggested.

Also, the mobility specialist worked with the PT to specify features, such as the titanium wheels and the anti-tip device that were needed. The PT wrote a letter to the MD, and the MD specified those features on the RX.

I always found that working with experts was the most efficient and helpful way to approach any decision.

Thank you, Robin. I'll check into that. I don't think we have a 'mobility specialist' here in town but possibly in Olympia. The woman who does the ordering of DME locally is probably not a specialist, per se.

Wow, the Quickie II Lite looks good but $2050!! Pretty pricey. I think their motto is kind of amusing: "Nothing Beats a Quickie."

That's the first time I've laughed in days Pat!

It's very expensive. (The titanium wheels to get it to be a lightweight wheelchair are super-pricey.) Medicare paid for all but $500.

Of course, when Medicare pays, that means we all pay.

Pat,
It is possiblethat you could contact a durable Medical equipment place in your are explain the problem with getti ng Derek there and they could bring several out to the home to fit him correctly?
Just a thought!

I think I can get him there, Irene. In fact, I plan to take him there next week so we can try a few. We'll probably rent one from them until we figure out exactly what kind to get. The transfer chair we rented was not what we need so I'm glad we didn't buy one.

Pat, But if they come to the home they can be sure it will fit in doorways and other areas of concern, if you end up taking him just be sure and measure all those areas before going !

Thanks, Irene. Good idea! Our DME supplier is kind of a small, 'Mom & Pop' kind of place, a combination pharmacy and DME, but I'll see if they can send anyone out to evaluate. The main problem is that they don't have a lot to choose from [in their store], which is why I had thought about trying out a few rental chairs and then ordering one online.

Our house is built to accommodate any kind of wheelchair or power chair which is one reason I bought it But I surely will measure the doorways. It's nice that we have no steps at all.

We have been using a transfer chair for my husband for some time now, very successfully, except for some door scrapes. The chair was too high to fit under our kitchen and dining room tables, so we had the rim, under the tabletop removed...just a section which would accomodate the chair, in both the kitchen and dining room tables. My husband now fits most easily under each table. I think this might work for a large wheel wheelchair, also. By the way...many SENIOR CENTERS have durable equipment on loan. You might be able to try out before you buy. All the best,
Marcia

Thank you, Marcia. We found that the wheels on the transfer chair were too small and the chair was hard to push on the carpet. Maybe there are better ones than the one we rented, though.

With our Dad, at first the experts got us to buy him a custom made wheel chair. But after a while, as his movements got progressively out of control, he ended up injuring his arms and legs by continously rubbing them against the frame of the wheel chair.
At that point, we were told to get him a Broda chair (even more expensive) which is totally padded and Dad has been relatively free of the previous injuries.
However, about two weeks after he got the Broda chair, we needed to take him to his neurologist appointment and as usual called the special transport vans for the disabled. Imagine our surprise and panic when the cab arrived and Dad's Broda chair was too wide for the ramp! We quickly called 3 other cab companies with little success and at the end had to get some able-bodied men to help us physically lift Dad and his chair into the van! We barely made the appointment on time.
Word of advice: always keep in mind the necessity of an additional wheel chair that can actually fit inside these vans/cabs for the disabled!
Shomy