Mobility is a major topic of our time, its importance for all our lives is increasing and increasing and increasing ... At the same time, our own mobility decreases with age. How can we bring these two findings together - which solutions are obvious?
For some years now, news broadcasts and newspaper articles have repeatedly (and increasingly frequently) referred to "social participation" when talking about life in old age. The term is a designation for the ability of a certain social group to participate in social life with all its offerings and opportunities.
When people talk about "social participation" in connection with old age, they usually mean that old age brings with it a wide variety of restrictions that stand in the way of this participation. The greatest of these possible limitations is declining mobility.
An obvious solution: Social participation thanks to modern technology
This is particularly relevant because the importance of mobility in our society is constantly increasing: More and more cultural, artistic and religious offerings are being created, for example, and society and its offerings are becoming even more colorful, diverse and differentiated. The big BUT: Most of the offers can only be used if you yourself are mobile and flexible.
An ever-increasing choice of fantastic options is therefore set against ever-decreasing mobility as the years go by. The question is how to reconcile these two points so that even in old age you can participate as fully as possible in social life and really enjoy your time? What is necessary and what should be considered?
The answer at the political level is usually: more money. More money that can be used, for example, to install stair lifts, set up driving services and pay for additional helpers. However, there is also the practical approach of better enabling individuals to become and remain mobile - primarily through technical aids. Here, the focus is particularly on modern wheelchairs.
A helper with an immense number of plus points: The foldable electric wheelchair
Modern wheelchairs - this refers to those aids that not only offer some seating option on four wheels, as was once the case, but also make use of the entire range of technical achievements.
- Which, for example, are made of an aluminum known from aircraft manufacturing: extremely robust, but at the same time ultra-light.
- Wheelchairs that are foldable, yes: that can be folded down with a single handle in such a way that the transition to bus, train, plane or ship is almost a smooth one - the (inhibition) thresholds are eliminated.
- Wheelchairs powered by a powerful electric motor, allowing their user a long range.
- Wheelchairs that glide "over hill and dale" on sophisticated tires, spring-loaded and tip-proof ...
Modern wheelchairs are able to restore much of the rider's mobility in everyday life and on vacation, outdoors and indoors, thanks to refined technology and sophisticated details.
In many cases, this has effects far beyond the physical and tangible: With the associated quality of life, the zest for life and will to live also increase again - the number, severity and duration of mental illnesses of those affected decreases noticeably.
Better, further, more social! What else to look out for with e-scooters ...
Foldable electric wheelchairs as a social component, as a social factor? Yes, absolutely ... if, on the one hand, all the technical possibilities mentioned are really used for the benefit of those affected. And if, on the other hand, everything about the e-wheelchairs fits.
After all, it would be fatal if the regained or secured quality of life were to be outweighed by hassle and annoyance surrounding the wheelchair. Therefore, in addition to the wheelchair itself, the supplier is also important: his competent and comprehensive advice, his speed and reliability in every step from planning to handover of the fully assembled wheelchair, his accessibility and service, his options and, if necessary, additional offers. In the best case, the provider is a feel-good factor like the wheelchair itself.
Then, yes then, electric wheelchairs can not only be fun for users, but also an important contribution to social participation in old age!