VA Approved Power Wheelchair - Any idea what brands or kinds they provide?

[Tbird]

The past few months have been medically challenging. One of the things going on is that my Orthopedic doctor says we have reached the end of what we can do for my knees and shoulder. Because of various risk factors, I am not a suitable candidate for a TKR.

The arthritis will continue to get worse, and currently, the pain is so bad I cannot walk; I was on anti-inflammatory meds that helped. Had another ulcerative colitis attack, so no pain meds for me. They don't want me taking anything that has ulcer risks. 

They said someone would call me to schedule an appointment to see which chair would work best for me. Just curious what I might be looking at. I've heard it can take 3 - 6 months actually to get the chair. We will see. Any input is appreciated.

 

[Tbird]

@broncovet Thank you as always, very helpful.

[broncovet]

I almost forgot.  Get a tape measure, and measure your bathroom door width, as well as the width of your bedroom door, front door, etc.  "If" you need the chair to go to the bathroom, and only you can answer that, then the chair needs to fit through those doors, so, if your door is 30 inches wide, for example, then you can tell them you need a chair that will clear 30 inches.  The width of the chair can be super super important, depending upon the width of the doors in your home.  Of course, I dont know how wide the doors are in your home, but some have "standard" width 32, or 36 inches, while, especially older homes can have almost any width door.  Measure the door opening with the door wide open, as some doors simply wont open all the way for various reasons.  The "size of the opening" is important, not necessesarily the size of the door.  This is especailly true with bedroom and bathoom doors where the door wont open all the way.  

Its possible you need modifications to your home to accomodate a power chair.  And, this may be a good time to think about those, also.  

You could (or should) call a local reputable contractor and ask them for a quote assessment to see if your home would work for a power chair, if in doubt.  There should not be a charge for an inspection to see if the doors, hallways, bathrooms, etc need modifications.  And, if so, how much those would cost.  

If you dont have "grab bars" to keep from falling, in/near the shower, those should likely be installed BEFORE you fall and break something, rather than after.  You probably know if you have stairs/wheel chair ramps.  

Popular with seniors is the "walk in" shower tubs.  People sometimes get injured stepping over a bathtub/shower.  A walk in shower tub is a much lower step so you are less likely to lose your balance.  And, of course, you can sit down in the shower.  

Your local "medmart" type of store may be able to help you with some of these things.  

Consider asking for "meals on Wheels" if you are not able to cook healthy meals, and/or you dont have someone to cook for you.  Your health will go down fast if you eat poorly.  

I think you may have mentioned you get A and A, if I recall.  Hire the help you need.  You may be able to get some help through community (senior)  services, not necessarily just VA.  

My wife got a total knee replacement on Jan. 10, and I asked for, and got meals on wheels for 90 days.  We get them for both of us.  (She's 73, Im 72 this year.).  I really did not want to cook 21 meals per week.  We got the meals on wheels by asking her social worker at the hospital where she got the surgery, when she got discharged from the hospital.  (Its the community, not VA).  Take any advice that helps, disregard that which does not apply to you.  I wont be offended either way.  

Our church is wonderful, and people their bring us meals while Rhonda was "down" with surgery and I was also down with a bad cold.  We have many friends there, and have helped others, and they are more than willing and cheerfully they help us when we need it as well.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lemuel]

I was told, one company is doing all for the U S.  Whether VABA side (permanent modification) or VAHA side from OT prosthetics services.  Ask when you get your wheelchair ordered why prosthetics is doing mine and not yours.

[broncovet]

Lemeul:  While it is possible that VA insists on a single company VA wide, that would raise some big red flags with competitors and they would likely complain to their congressmen.  I cringe whenever I hear "I was told".  

You were told that by who?  Were they authorized to tell you that, such as the VASEC's office?   While Possible,  Probably not.  More likely the person who said that may have some incentive to lead people to a certain VA provider.  VA, for example, has many different kinds of VAns to transport Veterans:  Chevy, Ford, Toyota, Dodge, ETC.  The VA does not have an "official Veteran transport VAn" of any particular make.  The other companies would scream bloody murder.  I would not blame them.   The US government purchases many government vehicles each year, and buys many brands, virtually never limiting it to a single brand.  

As a sales person of supplies sold to companies, I once called on the VA hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado.  I was offered for my company to Bid, the bids were so low, they were below my company's costs.  

However, Between Denver, where most products come from, and Grand Junction is the continental divide, a huge mountain often closed with snow or even avalanches in some places.  I knew that.  

So, I got business from VA by simply telling them, "if your supplier cant make it across the mountain, call us, we are local and we can supply you the same day".  The comepetitors cant do that because we were in the same town, and they were hundreds or thousands of miles away.    Even tho we were not price competitive, we got orders every time the roads closed and VA was out of supplies.  They were appreciative, as patients, and employees, were not happy, for example, when there was no toilet paper in the hospital because of a road closure, which happened sometimes 2 or 3 or more times per year in most years.  They had the flexibility to buy from pretty much who ever had it when they needed it.   My boss was stunned and amazed I got business from VA, tho not every week, but over a years time, they ordered a lot from us.  

All of the sales people told me, "Dont bother calling on VA.  You never get anywhere with them.  You will get in a bidding war which will go nowhere".   I did not listen to the naysayers, and my boss was thrilled.  

Edited March 17 by broncovet

[Lemuel]

Frontier in Cheyenne, WY who measured for my ramp and could have gotten the same setup from the manufacturer.  Could be a manufacturing contractor who has their own "distribution system".  VA would try to go cheaper and if the manufacturer was providing most of the prefabricated ramps but the VA was getting ripped off by local dealerships, they may have went to a contract bid from the manufacturers like the government motor pool does for cars.

It is obviously a very new thing.  Frontier went form going to set me up once my VABA request was approved to calling me to tell me that in February.  And then this month OT said they would provide from VAHA.  Seems consistent to me that it might have happened.  It was not Frontier that came to measure when they set up my stair ramp last year.  So they must distribute for a different company. 

Now it was a different company that appeared to be just getting started that came yesterday.  They used surveying equipment to measure so may have been some set up problems that caused injuries and the manufacturer wanted to dump some of the dealerships that did not have qualified personnel to make the setup. 

When Frontier called they said it was a company out of Washington State.  But did not say which one.  I think the local VA had a good contract with Frontier for everything wheelchair or stair ramp until this change.

Edited March 17 by Lemuel
left out definitive phrases