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- Last Updated May 23, 2021
How to Choose the Best Mobility Scooter for the Elderly?
As people age and become elderly, and are probably retired from work, their mobility becomes increasingly restricted, due to health problems like arthritis or other age-related diseases that make it difficult for them to take the few steps that they need to get on with their daily lives. This is where mobility scooters have allowed them to gain freedom and will enable them to become more independent.
You can buy mobile scooters that are useful for indoor activities, as well as those that allow some more freedom that allows the elderly to use their mobility scooters to go out of the house, and probably visit their nearby supermarkets, banks, chemists, doctors or even the local park. For buying mobility scooters for the elderly, it is necessary to first identify the needs of the particular person who will use the scooter daily. Do you need it for home or office use? Then, in that case, you need to find a scooter that has a narrow base that allows a smaller and tighter turning radius, as it is difficult to maneuver in the limited spaces that homes and offices will have.
In This Article
Types of Mobility Scooters
Most mobility scooters have three or more wheels so that the scooter is stable and does not require any balancing as would be needed for the conventional scooters. You can also get scooters that are portable and can be carried around in cars for easy transport. Most mobile scooters work on electric power that is supplied by the batteries that are installed on them. Heavy-duty scooters would be required when the elderly person is largely framed and has more weight.
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Which Is The Best Mobility Scooter Available Today?
Are you looking for the best mobility scooter that is currently available today? You may want to purchase one for a loved one. You may need one for yourself to improve your ability to move throughout your household, run errands, or get out to move around. Many different types have been produced over the years. Some of these can be very expensive. However, several are not only advanced but very affordable, that you may want to consider purchasing. Here are a few of the best mobility scooters that are available today.
S74 Go-Go Sport by Pride Mobility
This mobility scooter is one of the better scooters for several different reasons. It is said to have a very high weight capacity, capable of holding over 300 pounds. It utilizes an 18 AH battery, which is one of the best long-lasting batteries in the industry. You can drive your scooter for as many as 14 miles on a single charge, and you can also reach speeds of nearly 5 mph. It is ergonomically designed, featuring a feather-touch disassembly. This means that you can break it down into five smaller pieces that will easily fit into your vehicle, preferably the trunk, or you could put this in your van or SUV. It is lightweight, with the heaviest section being just over 40 pounds. Its ergonomic design is perfect for individuals that are currently suffering from arthritis or have limited mobility in their fingers due to their age. Regarding indoor and outdoor performance, it has 9-inch tires, plus it has a 3-inch ground clearance. It is the perfect mobility scooter for those that like to be indoors and outdoors, allowing you to travel around town or even go on vacations.
- Front frame-mounted seat post offers maximum stability
- Convenient off-board dual voltage charger can charge battery pack on-board or...
- All-new frame design easily disassembles into five super lightweight pieces for...
Spitfire Scout 4 Compact by Drive Medical
This mobility scooter is exceptionally favorable regarding its price. However, it has many features and benefits that may motivate you to try it out. It is easy to assemble and disassemble. Its components are colored either red, black, or blue. It has adjustable armrests, everything is padded, and it uses an ergonomic throttle control that allows you to drive it with ease. It uses a 12 AH battery, enabling you to go as far as 9 miles per charge. It has 8-inch tires, 2 inches of clearance, and it has anti-tip wheels. The maximum capacity on this unit is 300 pounds, and it can reach speeds of over 4 mph. If you live in an area where there are inclines, it can handle 6° and has a 54-inch turning radius. This is the perfect starter mobility scooter for those that have not had one before.
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BUZZAROUND EX Extreme Scooter by Golden Technologies
If you need the very best all-terrain heavy-duty travel scooter, this is the one you should obtain. It features an 18-inch seat that is fully padded and has an 18-mile driving range. A maximum speed of 5 mph will get you to your destinations quickly, plus it features both front and rear suspension. It is a stadium-style height seat that is fully adjustable. It also has a basket in front that will enable you to carry your belongings with you. One of the most outstanding benefits of this particular mobility scooter is that it utilizes 2U1 batteries. These are easy to charge and will provide you with a significant driving range, outclassing most of the others on the market today. Additionally, if you enjoy driving in the early morning or in the late evening, the ultrabright LED headlights and taillights will keep you fully visible. It’s the perfect choice for anyone who wants the very best in mobility scooters at a very affordable price.
- Golden BuzzAround Extreme Scooter
- Portability and easy disassembly of a lightweight scooter with the amazing...
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Vive 4 Wheel Mobility Scooter
People that are looking for a smaller mobility scooter will enjoy this particular model. It is powered by electricity, can reach speeds of nearly 4 mph, and can drive just over 12 miles per charge. The seat is very wide, reaching almost 16 inches, and the seat will also rotate. It has padded armrests, ones that flip, and it is also effortless to transport. Consisting of four separate pieces, with the heaviest section at around 30 pounds, it will be elementary to assemble and disassemble. They offer a five-year limited guarantee, one that will motivate you to try this out with confidence. The best feature of this particular scooter is the intuitive control panel. It uses a tiller console, which is very easy to use. You can easily set the maximum speed using a variability speed dial, plus you can change the direction of your scooter, and also turn on your headlights, all from this one console.
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- COMFORTABLE SEATING: Comfortably padded, the wide, 15.75” seat and backrest...
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Shoprider Echo 3 Wheel Scooter
Smaller scooters tend to have only three wheels. This may seem like a disadvantage, but it is advantageous for most. It only weighs 70 pounds, and due to its small size makes it easy to maneuver it just about anywhere. It can reach speeds of nearly 4 mph and has a 10-mile driving range. It utilizes flat-free tires so you will never have to worry about becoming stranded. It is easy to transport, featuring the heaviest piece at only 35 pounds in weight. You can maneuver in full comfort and style on this very attractive and padded mobility scooter that is fully adjustable, accommodating virtually anyone regardless of their height. This scooter is perfect for people who travel, but they will often spend most of their time at home. You can easily maneuver in between doorframes and through hallways because of its compact size. It is also this compact size that makes it perfect for going to town or visiting family members.
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Phoenix 4 Wheel Heavy Duty Scooter by Drive Medical, 20″ Wide Seat
If you have a little more money to spend, you may want to consider this mobility scooter. It is easy to use and has a 350 pound weight capacity. It has LED headlights, a USB smartphone charger, and is very easy to assemble and disassemble. The seat can swivel, and the height is adjustable, allowing most people to use this comfortably. It has a built-in ergonomically-designed throttle control. This will enable you to experience easy freewheel operations on the flat-free tires with anti-tip wheels that will keep you safe. This model has a five year extended warranty. The warranty not only covers the scooter but the batteries that it uses. Finally, the batteries are quick to connect, which means if you ever have to change them, you can be back in action within minutes using these batteries that are so easy to hook up and use.
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Travel Pro Premium 3-Wheel Mobility Scooter by Pride
This small scooter is one of the best three-wheel mobility scooters on the market. It is called Travel Pro. If you are maneuvering this in areas where space is limited, you will have no trouble driving around. It has a very sharp turning radius and has a top speed of 4 mph. Once it is fully charged, you can go for just over 6 miles if you are driving on flat surfaces. The flat-free tires will give you confidence about traveling virtually anywhere. If you weighed 275 pounds or less, you could easily ride in style and comfort on this attractive faux leather scooter that you will love.
What is most unique about this particular model is that it is designed for convenience. It has a cup holder, saddlebag option, and perfect size for people maneuvering in narrow hallways or through doorways regularly. Despite its small size, you will quickly see why many people enjoy this highly maneuverable and transportable three-wheeled mobility scooter.
- MANEUVERABILITY - Travel Pro Premium 3-Wheel Mobility Scooter by Pride offers...
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Metro Mobility Compact Mobility Scooter
This is one of the most inexpensive and versatile four-wheeled scooters in existence today. It is able to support people that are 265 pounds or less. It has a very wide seat, measuring at 18 inches, and you can travel up to 10 miles on every charge. The ground clearance is impressive at just under 5 inches. It utilizes a 12 AH battery and has a 43-inch turning radius. There are both front and rear brake lights that will keep you safe during the early morning or late evening hours. It’s easy to disassemble and reassemble, featuring only four pieces that makes it easy to take with you in both cars and trucks.
- MAIN PARAMETERS - The Metro Mobility scooter built with a 300 Watt powerful...
- COMFORTABLE SEATING - The thicken luxury leather seat and backrest provide...
- EASY DISASSEMBLY & PORTABLE STORAGE - The folding scooter can be quickly...
There are so many mobility scooters on the market today. It cannot be easy trying to decide on the best one for you.
Things To Look For In Mobility Scooters
If you are sure what type of mobility scooters for the elderly to choose, it is needed to look at the various factors that should influence your choice of a mobility scooter that will suit the older person for whom the scooter is being purchased.
Comfort
This is of great importance as the elderly will spend a significant part of their waking hours while on the scooter, and may even choose it to be their chair of choice, as it allows them to get on with their daily routine, like reading, watching TV, or even cooking, while being readily available to move about whenever it is required. So choose a scooter that is well cushioned and easy to get on and off without requiring any other assistance. This will just make the user more independent.
Ease of Use
The scooter chosen must be easy to operate, have a minimum of controls, and yet a high degree of safety during operation. Most people do not require spending more than a few minutes listening to instructions before they can grasp the few details that allow them to use the mobility scooter, as soon as it is purchased and delivered at the place of residence.
Tire Type
Tires can be air-filled, reliable, or even foam filled. Air-filled tires can get punctured and will need to be attended to. These relatively simple tasks may often be beyond the capabilities of the elderly and would require the younger generation or caregivers to assist. Solid tires are not as comfortable to ride on as the air-filled or foam-filled ones but are more than adequate for scooters that are used indoors, on relatively smooth floors, and where you do not need to cross any obstructions. You can always ride around on demo models at the scooter dealers before you make a choice.
Weight
The weight of a scooter makes a difference, especially if it is of the portable variety, and will need to be carried or transported around. Scooters can weigh anywhere between 50 and 200 pounds. The lightweight scooters will be those that are easy to both assemble and transport.
Turning Radius
This is the essential aspect of the scooter for users, as it decides how easy it is to manipulate the scooter within the limited spaces that a home or other space where it is being used, has. Turning radii are the smallest circular turns that this scooter can make. Tighter turning radii will make them easy to operate and allow you to maneuver around tight corners.
Ground Clearance
This is the space that is between the undercarriage of the scooter and the base of the tire. While a low clearance will add to the stability of a ride, it can be a problem when your regular routes of travel have any obstructions that the scooter will have to cross over, like thresholds or others.
Recommended Incline
This depends on the power of the scooter and indicates the incline amount that a scooter can safely climb. This needs to be considered when a scooter is expected, during daily use, to use exit ramps or inclined sidewalks. It is important never to exceed this manufactured suggested incline, as besides causing a strain on the motor, it could also lead to unsafe conditions and lead to rolling back in an uncontrolled fashion, which can lead to accidents.
Weight Capacity
Every mobility scooter for the elderly will have a weight decided by the manufacturer that is safe to carry. It is always an excellent choice to make if you select a mobility scooter that can carry a little more than the weight of the person for whom the scooter is being bought. After all, you never know, grocery bags can add to the weight, or small children hitching rides with their favorite grandparent.
Speed
Scooters never move at more than 4 to 5.5 miles per hour, and this is much faster than an average person can walk and should be more than suitable for the elderly. After all, if they want to go racing, far better they used cars. Opt for a scooter that has a top speed that will suit the user’s normal speed of walking, as then they will feel that they are sufficiently mobile.
Batteries
Most mobility scooters work on batteries and this limits their range of travel. Scooters on the market have ranges for a single charge, which is between 8 and 15 miles, which is quite a distance, and rarely used by its users. Batteries also need to be charged, and charging can vary depending on the model and vary from 2 hours to needing an overnight charge. Ideally, every mobile scooter must be used during the day and left to recharge overnight, when it is not in use.
Mobility scooters must be seen as mobility aids and are seen more as powered wheelchairs, that allows its user to move around in the same fashion as when they use wheelchairs. It is just that they do not have to provide the effort and use of hand power that moving wheelchairs will require. Mobility scooters will have a seat and a place to rest the feet. They will have handlebars that allow for the maneuvering of the scooter. Seats can be swiveled so that the scooter is easy to get on and get out of, and the handlebars do not obstruct movement. Some older models of these scooters were powered by gasoline engines, but the noise and the fumes have led to their more or less becoming obsolete, and their power is now left to electric motors and batteries.
Mobility Scooters Make Life Easier for the Elderly
The users of mobility scooters, generally the elderly, still need to be able to stand and move about on their own, be able to sit upright without any support and must be able to control the scooter by operating its few controls and steering mechanisms. Speed can be controlled, and maximum speeds need to be further controlled when the use is made of sidewalks or pavements. Mobility scooters can also travel on the roads but must be equipped with proper lights and indicators.
Mobility scooters are effortless to use and greatly ease the problems of mobility for the elderly. This mobility can be enhanced by the use of stair-lifts that allow the elderly to overcome stairs easily. Before you decide on buying a mobility scooter, make sure that the home or area where it is going to be used is cleared of any obstructions, and the furniture is laid out so that it does not cause any construction for the scooter. Remove any thresholds, if possible, though this is at times not easily achievable, especially where there are sliding doors to a porch or outside area. If the elderly in your family would like to spend some time in the garden or go out of the home for shopping or visiting friends, you will need to provide a ramp that can easily be used by the scooter. Ensure that the incline of this ramp is one that is within the capability of the scooter. The flatter it is, the safer it is for use and must also be wide enough for the scooter with a sufficient safety margin.
A mobility scooter can greatly improve and enhance the life and convenience for the elderly in your family and improve the required abilities for living. It will significantly add to their independence.
Looking for a free mobility scooter? Read this guide about free mobility scooters.
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