2.2 million people living in the United States rely on their wheelchair for daily tasks and mobility. We collected some of the best coping tips for new wheelchair users from people that have relied on a wheelchair everyday for many years.
Despite the large numbers of people that use a wheelchair to get around, the majority of Americans are completely oblivious to the struggles wheelchair users face. Chances are, before you got a wheelchair you didn’t give much thought to what it would be like to depend on one. Now that you depend on a chair, you likely notice all kinds of things that would be fixed if our world were properly built for wheelchairs. For one, all of those gaps and bumps in the pavement are a real pain when you’re trying to get around.
There’s also the invisibility factor some wheelchair users discuss facing, in which people stop directing questions at them and instead talk to their spouse, friend or whomever else they are with. Always know that you are never alone in your struggles and triumphs.
According to daily wheelchair users from around the web, here are some of the best tips for coping and living life to the fullest.
6 Tips For Coping With Daily Wheelchair Use
1. Learn To Laugh It Off
Humor is truly the best medicine, and sometimes if we don’t laugh we’ll only end up in tears. Just ask John Morris, who was involved in a high-speed automobile accident just 2 weeks after his 23rd birthday. When he woke up after the accident from an induced coma, his right hand and legs had already been amputated. He went through plenty of dark days, but through it all he’s found a way to live a great life in a wheelchair. Morris now blogs about his experiences in order to help others cope and shine a light on life in a wheelchair to the world.
John writes, “Humor gives you power. Embrace it, even if it is at times self-deprecating. I believe you’ll be stronger for it.”
Read more from John: https://themighty.com/2016/01/how-to-adapt-to-a-new-life-of-disability/
2. Never Be Ashamed Of Your Chair
Use your wheelchair with pride. Your chair keeps you safe and provides a way for you to get around without pain or discomfort, so you might as well own it. Don’t let your wheelchair diminish your confidence one bit! You are just as brilliant and amazing as ever. A little bit of confidence goes a long way, regardless if you are standing up or sitting down.
Katherine Pyne, creator of the online disability shop designed2enable, writes: “I know from personal experience that you’re more likely to use assistive aids if you’re not embarrassed of them, otherwise you end up struggling on, determined to cope without them, putting your safety and independence at risk.”
3. Pick A Chair You Love
Find a chair that is comfortable, practical and doesn’t slack off in regards to style. If you love your chair, it’s going to be a lot easier to live life in it. With so many options out there, you are sure to find one that fits your needs, budget and lifestyle.
4. Set Your Home Up For Success
There are government grants available to make the necessary adjustments to your home. It’s definitely worth looking into this to see if you qualify. Making your home easy to navigate in your chair is so important. While you’re sure to face struggles out in the real world, you at least want to feel comfortable and confident in your own space.
Katherine Pyne writes about her home renovations post-wheelchair life, “My en-suite has a sliding door saving space for easy manoeuvrability, a bath with a seat lifted by water pressure making transferring from my chair to the bath simple, a free standing sink to fit my chair beneath and grab rails beside the toilet.”
Read more from Katherine: http://www.whentheygetolder.co.uk/adjusting-to-life-in-a-wheelchair/
5. Patience Is Important
Patience is important but it’s not something most of us are very good at exercising. According to Katherine Pyne, “While these adaptations have made all the difference to my life in a wheelchair there are still times when I get frustrated. Everything takes twice as long.”
So let it take twice as long! What’s the rush anyways? As Pyne says, “I try to focus on what I can do rather than what I can’t.”
6. The Future Is Bright
No matter your age or how long you’ll be in a wheelchair, your future is still incredibly bright. Pyne thought her world had come crashing down when she first started using a wheelchair, but she soon realized her world was still as plentiful as ever before.
“I have since made some wonderful friends…. We have had a daughter who is now a teenager.”