If you are a power wheelchair user and you haven't had an opportunity to try power seat elevation, I highly recommend it! I literally can't say enough wonderful things about being able to raise up with my wheelchair, and wow, what a difference it has made in my life. Before being able to raise up, people were always looking down to talk to me. It made me feel inferior and small, almost like I was beneath them. I did always appreciate when someone would stoop down to eye level with me to converse, but I still felt a little "different" and even sorry for them that they were having to squat to speak to me. But how times have changed!
With my QUICKIE Q700 M wheelchair, I opted to add on the C-Me seat elevation feature, and I haven't looked back since. That was truly one of the best decisions I have ever made to change my life for the better. There are so many wonderful reasons why I love being able to elevate my seat.
Transfers In and Out of Bed
There is nothing more frustrating than booking an accessible hotel room, only to arrive and see that the bed height will not work for your needs. Whether you self-transfer or travel with a companion who can assist you, having power seat elevate can be a lifesaver. If I see that the bed is tall, I always raise my chair to the height of the bed so that my caregiver won't have to bend down too low and then lift me up high, saving their back! When you can be moved from the same level over to something at the same height, it is a much safer transfer for everyone involved.
Networking at Social Events
Before having power seat elevate, I would attend social events and never hear a word that people said to me. Being in a large crowd with music playing is bad enough, but my ears were way down at waist level, so any conversation I had required us to yell to one another. It always felt awkward, and I felt like a small kid in a room full of adults who were talking and laughing amongst themselves while I was stuck down below. Now that I've added power seat elevation to my chair, I can confidently roll into a conference, a party, or an event with my head held high and chat with the best of them. It's so nice to feel included and an equal part of society.
Seeing Choices at a Buffet
As a wheelchair user, how many times have you tried to browse a buffet or the topping line at a sandwich shop, only to be unable to see the choices on offer? This is so frustrating; I personally hate it when this happens. I'm not a child and I don't want to have to be read to. My power seat elevation has eradicated this embarrassment for me. I can now roll up to the counter, raise up so that I'm as tall as the next person, and see everything in the lineup for myself. It has truly been lifechanging for me to feel more confident and independent when trying to order for myself.
Seeing Over Barriers and People
Have you ever rolled to the "perfect" viewpoint at a zoo, a waterfall, or a scenic view only to find that all you could see was the top of a railing? Don't get me wrong; railings are important so that people don't fall. But for a person using a wheelchair, they can be a visual barrier, too. But with power seat elevate on my wheelchair, I can raise up enough to see right over the railing! And think about concerts. If someone stands up in front of me now, so what? I just raise up and keep jamming to the beat! It's a whole new world up there!
Sitting at a Bar and Adjusting to Restaurant Table Heights
I can't count the number of times that I've gone out with my friends and tried to order a drink from the bar, only for it to be way too high for me. My friends could sit in the bar stools to enjoy their drinks, but I would be way down below. But no more! I can now confidently roll into any establishment and adjust my height to be able to order at the bar and talk with my friends. This feature has also allowed me to take first-come, first-serve seating in the bar area at restaurants. This area is usually filled with high top tables. Unfortunately, these tables are too tall to be used by many wheelchair users, who have to wait for a lower table. But now with power seat elevation, table height doesn't matter anymore. I can roll straight to this area in a restaurant and be served that much faster.
Photos with Family and Friends
The awkward pose of me sitting in the middle of a photo with everyone else bent over trying to place their heads alongside mine is no more! It always seemed so weird how people wouldn't know whether to bend over or stand up straight when posing with me, as my chair was much shorter than them. But with power seat elevation, I can now raise up to eye level just like everyone else in photos. This has truly made my photos look much better, as all my friends and I can now pose naturally and be pretty much the same height.
Getting and Giving Hugs
I've saved the very best for last. Power seat elevation has given me the ability to go rolling up to family and friends that I haven't seen in a while and give them a big hug right around their neck. This is so important to me to maintain close relationships. I have always enjoyed being able to give and get hugs with people that I hold dear, but when they were two feet taller than me, I didn't want to hug their waist. I wanted to hug them and put my arm around them and vice versa. I can now get the best hugs from people without them having to bend down, which has given me such a sense of happiness.
I can't imagine my life without this feature. It has fully enriched and enlightened my outlook, my confidence, and my overall persona. I absolutely love it! And now with the new Medicare/Medicaid guidelines from CMS, more power wheelchair riders can get power seat elevation funded. Check with your insurance and your provider, and learn more about QUICKIE's C-Me power seat elevation feature here.
About the Author
After being diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at the age of two, Cory Lee's thirst for adventure never ceased. He went on many trips around the U.S. when he was younger, and then started taking things internationally when he turned 15. Since then, Cory has traveled to 21 countries across six continents, all while managing to start up his travel blog Curb Free with Cory Lee, where he shares his accessible, and sometimes not-so-accessible travel adventures with others. Cory is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). He has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, in a nationwide segment for CBS News, Lonely Planet, and many others. His blog won the 2017 Best Travel Blog Gold Lowell Thomas Award. He hopes to inspire other wheelchair users to roll out of their comfort zone and see all of the beauty that the world has to offer.
Cory Lee's ride is a Quickie Q700 M.
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