Life with Quantum

How to Keep Your Power Chair Clean During the Fall

The weather is changing as we head into the late fall and early winter months. The ground is getting softer. Leaves litter the ground everywhere. There’s a lot more rain and as a result, a lot more mud. All of this means less-than-ideal conditions for driving your power wheelchair. So, here are a few tips to keep your power wheelchair working right.

Remove Mud from Your Motorized Wheelchair

One of the most important things you can do to keep your wheelchair running smoothly is keep it clean. If you go drive over some grass and hit some soft mud, this can cake your tires and front suspension. If you don’t address it, it can cause problems later on and make the components on your motorized wheelchair wear out much faster. So, a good tip: When you get to where you are going, try to park your power chair in a warm and dry place. Once the mud on it dries, you can easily brush it off with a broom or dust brush.

Remove Grass, Sticks and Leaves

brown leaf — Photo by Peter Rock on Pexels.com

With dead branches and leaves littering the ground, it’s important to remove that stuff from your wheelchair. Leaves and small sticks can get lodged into the areas of your power wheelchair base. Make sure you clean out those areas regularly. Even better, if you can avoid areas that are littered with dead grass, leaves and sticks, then do it. During the colder months, it’s best to drive across solid ground, including sidewalks and other hard surfaces.

Rainy Weather and Keeping Your Wheelchair Dry

It’s important to avoid getting caught in the rain or snow when using your motorized wheelchair. Sometimes, it’s unavoidable, so here are some things you can do. Carry plastic bags with you so you can cover your joystick and controller to protect it from the rain or snow. Once you’re home or have reached your destination, make sure you dry off your power chair as best you can.

Doing all these things can help prolong the life of your power wheelchair. Good luck out there!

About Bryan Anderson: Bryan grew up and resides in Illinois. Injured by an IED in October 2005, Bryan is one of the few triple amputees to survive his injuries in Iraq. He is an ambassador for the Gary Sinise Foundation and a spokesperson for USA Cares, which is focused on assisting post 9-11 veterans. Click here to learn more about Bryan.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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Tips to Simplify Your Life When Living with a Disability

If you have a disability and use a wheelchair, your life is probably not the easiest. if you’re like me, every single day can present a new challenge or a new adventure. Sometimes, the world can just seem like it’s coming after you. You feel like no matter what you try to do to make your situation better, you just feel stuck. This feeling may come from living with a disability or from the overwhelming sense that you just have too much going on in your life right now.

I do my best to simplify my life when living with a disability, so here are a few tips. What do I mean by simplify my life? This can mean a couple different things. I read a book about the founder of Apple, Tim Cook. He stated that he tries to keep his life and his personal possessions to a minimum. I completely agree with this. I am a huge fan of analyzing needs versus wants. Simplifying your life can have a massive impact on how you live, both physically and mentally.

Friendships

I try my best to simplify my friends, keeping I only keep good people around that help me better myself. As I’ve gotten older, I realize I don’t have time or patience to deal with people who will not make me a better person. If I can count on five friends, I have it pretty good. It’s not a bad thing to have a big social circle and you shouldn’t isolate yourself. Think about the friends you have and how many of them would drive an hour to come help you at 2 o’clock in the morning if you got stuck in your power wheelchair. To me, that’s a true friend and if you can count on that, I’d say you’ve got it pretty good.

Routine

I try to simplify my morning routine. I’m a big fan of repetition. When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I do is transfer into my power wheelchair. Next, I turn on my tea kettle and brush my teeth. From there, I either throw a shirt on or take a very short shower. Speaking of shirts, I wear the same-style shirt in different colors and just coordinate a color with a pair of board shorts. This makes picking out clothes easier in the morning, which simplifies my life and allows me to focus on bigger things.

Reduce Clutter

I try not to have too many possessions. If you use a motorized wheelchair like me, less stuff in the room means you have plenty of space to navigate. This comes back to the needs versus wants. For example, I have a Pride Lift Chair in my room that I transfer to when I watch television. I consider this lift chair a necessity because it allows me to get out of my motorized wheelchair and helps me with blood flow and circulation. The lift chair must be in my room but it stays in the corner by my television, so it’s out of the way of my power wheelchair.

Keep Items in Reach

I have two end tables where I keep my phone, the remote for the television, a box of tissues, Lysol spray and a glass of water in case I get thirsty at night. I tried to keep clutter on surfaces to a minimum. This helps me throughout the day when I need to locate something and grab it quickly while sitting in my lift chair.

Invest in a Universal Remote

A few years back, I purchased a universal controller that controls my lights, my fan and the air conditioning in my room. It was expensive but it has saved me multiple times after I had transferred and forgot to turn something on or off. I believe they have options now for your cell phone as well. You should look into purchasing something like this if your appliances and accessories are compatible for remote access. Trust me. It helps simplify your life.

Overall, the best advice that I can give is to try and keep your possessions to a bare minimum. Really think hard before you buy something and consider whether is it a need or a want. Think about whether the item you are purchasing could make your life more difficult with your disability.

About Josh McDermott: Josh is a brand ambassador for Quantum Rehab®. He is a public speaker and has served as a goodwill ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Josh lives in New York and loves to travel. Click here to learn more about Josh.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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See What’s on My Power Chair Wish List

Around this time every year, my family starts to ask me what items are on my wish list. They’re getting ready for their holiday shopping and want a bit of guidance from me on what I’d be excited to receive. Without fail, every year my mind goes blank and I suddenly cannot think of a single thing that I want. I have a feeling that I am not the only person who struggles with this. I’m sure other wheelchair users might also struggle with coming up with a wish list. Here are a few of my ideas based on accessories that I have (or want!) for my wheelchair:

A Motorized Wheelchair Cup Holder

I love my cup holder more than I can explain. As a busy lawyer, I regularly have my coffee in one hand and my phone in the other. The problem is that I don’t have a free hand to control my joystick! To solve this problem, I got a cup holder. My cup holder is big enough to hold a to-go cup of my favorite caramel-swirl coffee. When I am done with my coffee, it can also hold my smart phone.

A New Power Wheelchair Cushion

My cushion is in great shape, so I don’t want a replacement cushion, I just want a substitute cushion for cleaning days! We sit in our wheelchairs for 15+ hours every day, which means our cushions go through a lot! Did I mention I love coffee? My cushion has caught many of my coffee spills. It also catches my dog’s muddy paws when he jumps on me. Not to mention all my sweat from sitting in my wheelchair on hot summer days!

So, there are some days that our wheelchair cushions need a good cleaning! I can unzip my wheelchair cushion cover and pop it in the wash, but then I have exposed foam that I’m sitting on. Not to mention, there are some days that I need to spot-clean the cushion itself, which means the foam gets wet and needs to air dry. On these “cleaning days,” it’d be nice to have a backup cushion to sit on.

A Backup Camera for My Power Wheelchair

I never knew I could love a piece of technology so much! I have gone my entire life without a backup camera. I’ve never had one in my car or on my wheelchair, but this summer I got a wheelchair backup camera and it is awesome! Having a backup camera means that my doorways are safer. I am guilty of backing into the doorframe when I am in a hurry. I can also navigate tight spaces without worrying that I might hit something!

What’s on your wish list this year?

About Stephanie Woodward: Stephanie is a brand ambassador advisor for Quantum Rehab® and works as a disability rights activist. She has received many awards for helping communities become more accessible, as well as for her actions in fighting for the rights of disabled individuals as it relates to Medicaid and other support services. Click here to learn more about Stephanie.

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My Visit to an Accessible Theme Park

The words accessibility and amusement park do not usually go together but Morgan’s Wonderland is just that! Morgan’s Wonderland is a theme park in San Antonio, Texas, which provides a fun, clean and beautiful environment free of physical and economic barriers that all individuals can come to and enjoy regardless of age or ability. Every ride has a cart/buggy that accommodates power wheelchairs and the park itself thrives on being sensory friendly.

The Power Wheelchair-Accessible Rides

Coming from the perspective of a disabled adult, I say that Morgan’s Wonderland is geared more towards kids, but I definitely appreciated the concept and wheelchair accessibility. There are no rollercoasters but there are less thrilling rides that many disabled people miss out on. I rode the train, a carousel, the Ferris wheel and the playground swings without needing to be transferred or assisted. I loved being able to roll directly onto the rides. This type of accessibility allowed me to fully participate and enjoy the rides while still maintaining my independence and body autonomy.

Attending Amusement Parks as a Kid

Growing up, a trip to the amusement park meant a day of transfers or being lifted onto rides, while my motorized wheelchair was left behind at the ride gate. I relied on the help of another person to transfer or more likely lift me (because transferring onto rides can be difficult). A person also needed to watch my motorized wheelchair while I was on the ride. Once it became too difficult to lift me onto rides, I had to give up on amusement parks altogether, which means I missed out on numerous outings with friends.

My Favorite Attractions

My favorite attractions were the swings and the adaptive video game room. The swings are adapted so that any wheelchair can swing. I loved the swings because it allowed you to get some air and swing back and forth, unlike other accessible swings that have more of a rocking motion. When I was younger and small enough to be carried, I would spend hours on the playground swings because I loved the feeling of flying.

An accessible theme park like Morgan’s Wonderland creates a space of full inclusion. Disabled and non-disabled kids can play with the minimum of barriers. It’s a place where kids can be kids and become fully emersed in the experience. Non-disabled children who visit the park are given the chance to play with disabled children in a barrier free setting. This teaches children at a young age that the disability is not problem and that societal barriers are the problem.

As a disabled person, I appreciate that a place like Morgan’s Wonderland exists. Still, it should be an example of how other theme parks can be accessible, and not just the exception.

About Isabella Bullock: Isabella, or Izzie for short, is an employment specialist for the Center of Independent Living. She is an iced coffee enthusiast who enjoys getting lost in a good book. Click here to learn more about Isabella.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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21 Things I’m Thankful for in 2021

As Thanksgiving approaches, I reflecting on all the things I am thankful for. While 2021 was certainly better than 2020 for the world, we still haven’t fully recovered from the global pandemic. Nonetheless, I have so many things to be thankful for, so here’s my 21 things I’m thankful for in 2021.

My husband. We got married last fall, and we just celebrated our first year of marriage. It’s been wild and I am forever thankful to have him by my side.
Bullwinkle! Our new puppy came to us on Dec. 26, 2020, so 2021 was our first year with him. He’s caused a lot of chaos in our house, but I still adore him.
Rocky! While I’m at it, I can’t forget about my first dog, Rocky, who will always be my best friend.
My health. With the pandemic looming over all of us, I am thankful that I have not caught the coronavirus or any other serious illness.
Flavored coffee. Sometimes it’s the little things that make us happy and having a different flavor coffee with the seasons makes me very happy.
My family. Last year I lost some of my family members to COVID, so I am especially thankful for all my family who are still here. I cherish them.
My new Stretto! This year I was blessed with a new power wheelchair, the Quantum Rehab Edge 3 Stretto which is the narrowest power wheelchair I’ve ever used. I can fit in tight spaces and it’s been life changing!

Disability EmpowHer Network. I am so thankful to have been appointed as the Executive Director of this incredible organization. Empowering girls and women with disabilities is my passion and I am lucky to have this be my job!
My new eating habits. This summer, my husband and I decided to try out the Mediterranean eating lifestyle, which limits red meats and sweets, and emphasizes veggies, fruits, nuts, and grains. It wasn’t an easy switch, but I really enjoy it now and can feel the difference in my body and mind!
My cats. They are four perfect angels. What more can I say?
Growth. I have grown so much over the past year, from taking on new roles to learning new skills. I am thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had to grow.
New friends. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to make so many new friends this year. Specifically, during EmpowHer Camp, we had nine disabled women camp with us to become mentors for girls with disabilities. It was my first time meeting four of the nine women, and now we’re close friends.
Old friends. As much as I am grateful for new friends, I am just as grateful for the old friends. I am especially grateful that I reconnected with many of them in person this year!
Sleepovers with my nieces and nephews! We usually host some grand sleepovers with our nieces and nephews that include candy, late night movies, and lots of activities. In 2020, we couldn’t host any sleepovers, but we’ve had a few in 2021 and I am so happy to be connecting with these kiddos again!
Stability. I know that the pandemic has caused a lot of changes and difficult situations for many people. Right now, I have stable work, a roof over my head, and a family that loves me. I am thankful for this stability. This is enough for me.
Sunday mornings. I spent most of 2020 cooped up in my house. Even now, I am still at home most of the time because I continue to work from home. Our church, however, has begun to host in-person services again and my husband and I grab a coffee or breakfast before church. I love this time together and getting out of the house on Sundays!
Kindness of others. Over the past year, I’ve noticed that people are incredibly kind. From close friends to complete strangers, I have noticed acts of kindness from others. I’m not sure if we’re all more kind because we’re going through this pandemic together or if it’s all in my head, but I appreciate it either way.
Auto save. I am notorious for forgetting to save my documents. Auto save has saved me more times than I can count!
Our honeymoon! We got married last year but had to postpone our honeymoon because of the pandemic. We’re finally going to South Africa this month to enjoy our honeymoon and I am so excited!

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How I Found My Confidence as a Disabled Person

Learning to accept and love your disability is a journey every person with disability goes through. The journey they take differs from person to person. Even the concept of accepting one’s disability varies, based on who you ask. To me, disability acceptance means embracing your disability and seeing your disability not as the problem but how the rest of the world views disabilities as the problem. For example, when a building is inaccessible due to stairs, it needs to be understood that inaccessibility is the problem and not your ability to get in and out of the building.

Accepting Who I Am

I had not learned to accept my disability until the last two years. Becoming a Q Roll Model has played a big role in acceptance of my disability. Before entering the Q Roll Model contest in 2019, I never posted a picture on social media where my power wheelchair was visible. Through messages in the media and my lack of self-confidence, I saw my motorized wheelchair as a “bad thing” or something that was in the way. So, I did my best to conceal my chair.

The summer I applied to be a Q Roll Model, I also accepted a job at my local Center for Independent Living. That summer, I was immersed into the disability community. Suddenly, I was no longer one of few with a disability, but one of many. Growing up, before meeting my now fiancé, I was the only person I knew with a disability. I was constantly trying to fit in with the nondisabled world and prove that I was like everyone else. This caused me to hide my disability and feel ashamed of it.

The Power of Social Media

Having a partner who is also disabled did a lot for my confidence. I had somebody to connect with and who understood my day-to-day barriers. It wasn’t until I applied to be a Q Roll Model that I started to embrace who I am, disability and all. When submitting my application, I was surprised by how little content there was on social media for people who use power chairs. There was a ton of content for people who use manual wheelchairs but not those who use motorized wheelchairs. This bugged me. I felt like I needed to change it.

So, before even winning the contest, I started posting content on social media about my life as someone who uses a power wheelchair. Through my posts and finding other people’s posts, I connected with other disabled people and people who used power chairs. I realized I was not alone and not the only disabled person who felt what I felt. I had learned to accept myself and my disability.

I can never thank Quantum enough for letting my voice be heard and helping me to find my voice.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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Watching NASCAR with iLevel Technology

On October 9, NASCAR returned to Charlotte Motor Speedway and I attended the Xfinity Series race. I saw my friends and watched an action-packed race that went down to the final laps.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is a developmental racing series that is the minor leagues of the Cup Series. Up and comers can hone their skills by racing against certain veterans of the sport. This has been one of the greatest seasons of the sport, as the playoffs are open to us to decide who will be the champion.

Checking Out the Exhibits with iLevel®

Before the race started, I went to the plaza that had many exhibits and merchandise trailers. My Stretto Power Chair with iLevel® technology made the experience so much more enjoyable because I could interact and participate easily. Thanks to iLevel, I raised my power chair 12 inches and used the tablet to complete a survey. I won a free t-shirt!

Shopping for merchandise was easier with my power wheelchair because I could interact with the sellers and make my purchases. I even entered a contest to spin a wheel and win a prize. Since my arms are weak, I pulled right up to the wheel in my power wheelchair to give it a spin. I sadly didn’t win anything but it made me feel that I could do whatever I wanted.

Ordering Food with My Stretto

Getting food at the track was a breeze with my motorized wheelchair. I could order and grab my food without the hassle and worry of dropping it. The food was excellent and gave me the energy to get through the rest of the day.

Watching the Race

After some time in the plaza, I headed to my seat inside the track, which had a great view of turn one. We were in the heat of the action and it was great to hear the roar of the cars as they barreled down into the turn. With iLevel on my Stretto motorized wheelchair, I elevated above the crowd and could see perfectly as the cars passed us.

The race was a wild one, and as the laps were winding down, A.J. Allmendinger had pulled away from the pack. A caution with two laps to go made the competitors line up in a shootout to the finish. Rookie Sam Mayer and Allmendinger were head to head into the first turn, but the experience of Allmendinger was too much. He went on to achieve his fifth win of the season. Four drivers were sent home after the race as the championship contenders shrunk from 12 to eight. It was a great race that showed how competitive the field is as the season is close to the end.

I had a lot of fun going to the race, as the finish was worth the wait. It was a busy month of October for me, but the race was the highlight of my month, as I got to spend it watching the sport I love with some close friends. When NASCAR comes to Charlotte, it is always a must-see event in the birthplace of auto racing. I am excited for next year and with iLevel, I won’t miss a minute of it!

About Bryson Foster: Bryson is a Friend of Quantum and lives in North Carolina. He advocates and raises funds for the development of treatments for muscular dystrophy. He loves sports and cheers for his favorite basketball team, the North Carolina Tar Heels.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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4Front® 2 HD Power Chair: Now Available

The 4Front® 2 is the next generation of the 4Front® Power Chair but is heavy duty! New Smart Traction Control (STC), along with Smooth Ride Suspension (SRS), provide stability for smooth obstacle transitions and unmatched driving performance. Additional new features include 4-pole motors and more robust caster arms.

Features:

4-pole motors
NEW Smart Traction Control (STC)
Superior, automotive-grade SRS (Smooth Ride Suspension)
Unmatched driving performance and ride quality
Advanced stability for smooth obstacle transitions
Redesigned caster arms for improved durability and aesthetics and reduced weight
Q-Logic 3e controller
Speeds up to 5 mph
LED front and rear fender lights
Quiet ride technology
Optional 10″ of power adjustable safe seat elevation at speeds of up to 2.7 mph
Optional NEW backup camera

Switching from a Manual Wheelchair to a Power Chair

When I first got a wheelchair in 2019, I didn’t think that I would need another one for a long time. Me and my manual chair have been to many places. Because of it, I could do a lot of things that I couldn’t do before. Losing control of parts of my body took a huge toll on me mentally, as it would anyone, but having my manual wheelchair gave me that independence back and my mental health was on the mend. As my body’s needs changed again towards the end of 2020, I found myself filled with anxiety all over again at the thought of what my future would be: having to use a power chair.

In the beginning, I worried that getting this new piece of equipment would actually hinder my independence. I worried about a few things when it came to power wheelchairs. The size and width of ones I had seen before made me a bit anxious. I wondered how I would maneuver a power chair within my house. The power wheelchair also had to handle well, so my fiancé could load it into the van without trouble (my second-hand power chair at the time had MAJOR issues with this task). Most of all, the chair had to accommodate some of my needs, such as being able to tilt back and help distribute my weight needed. Little did I know, I didn’t need to worry about any of this.

Fast forward to early 2021 to the day when I received my new Quantum® Edge 3 Stretto Power Wheelchair.

The Narrow Base

Sitting in my living room early that morning, I watched my wonderful tech from my provider drive the new chair up my ramp. I was sweating beads hoping that he would fit it through my doorway. I swear, I looked away for one second to check my phone and when I looked up again, he was already through the door! I almost did a double take.

Chrysanthemum in her Edge 3 Stretto Power Wheelchair

One of the deciding factors that made me choose the Stretto was how narrow the base is. I really didn’t comprehend that it was actually true to the description until I saw it in person. No more hurting my hands going through my doorways in my manual chair, which was much wider! So, I sat in the Stretto as they taught me how to maneuver it. Then, we moved out into the kitchen.

Using iLevel® in the Kitchen

As we went over the various functions on the Stretto motorized wheelchair like raising my legs, and the tilt function, we then tested one of the most useful features: iLevel®. With the push of a button and the tilt of my joystick, I went from being at seated level to elevated 12 inches! I remember this part of the day very well. For the first time in a long while, I could reach our cabinets and grab a glass of water at my sink without the assistance of another person. This brought a smile to my face. I now had the ability to reach our appliances and cook for my fiancé once again.

Using iLevel to Communicate

I discovered that iLevel has many more benefits than just being used within my home. Going out into public, I noticed a lot of the time that random people who interacted with us would speak exclusively to my fiancé and not me. I read a recent testimony from another Quantum motorized wheelchair user who said that when someone sees an individual in a wheelchair, they might assume that something is not right with you and won’t interact with you. That hit pretty close to home. I agree with this person. Since I began to use iLevel in public, people have been more willing to interact and engage with me, as opposed to the person I am with. While elevated at iLevel, I’ve also noticed that people back up and give me space, as opposed to being very close and looking directly down on me.

Maneuvering the Stretto into My Van

A bit later in the day, we went to the local park so I could really get a feel for my new wheels. Remember how I was worried about how the motorized wheelchair would handle being loaded into our vehicle? My fiancé had absolutely no problems, driving up our 8 foot ramp and into the back of our van.

Making the decision to switch from a manual to a power wheelchair, has been one of the best things I have done for myself. Not only has it increased my comfort (the tilt function alone has been SO helpful), but it has helped me to be more independent than I was before and could have ever been in my manual wheelchair.

About Chrysanthemum: Chrysanthemum is an award-winning cosplayer and Quantum brand ambassador. She enjoys fashion, cosplay and music and has a TikTok channel with over 380,000 followers. Click here to learn more about Chrysanthemum.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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Staying in Hotels as a Wheelchair User

In my September blog, I talked about some tips I try to follow when I travel with my motorized wheelchair. In this blog, I want to talk about lodging. There are challenges when you want to go somewhere new. If I visited a hotel or a certain area that I feel comfortable with in terms of accessibility, I become a repeat customer because it’s somewhere that I feel comfortable. I won’t have to worry about being “that guy in the chair.” Sometimes, you just want to go somewhere new and create new experiences. It’s a good thing that your disability does not get in the way of creating a new experience or traveling to a new place.

I remember a few years ago, my buddies and I took a trip to Cancun. The resort said that they were motorized wheelchair accessible and that they didn’t have stairs. When we arrived, it was the complete opposite. There were stairs to get into the main lobby and you had to go up four steps to get into our villa. It completely ruined my trip. That trip was the turning point for me. I knew if I wanted to travel to any new location, I must put the time and effort into researching any location before visiting. So, here’s some tips before you take your next trip.

Do Your Research Before Visiting

Planning is a huge factor in your trip being a success. If you are visiting a new area or take a vacation in a new place, preparation and researching can have a profound impact on how your trip goes, not just for you but for the other people who vacation with you. I cannot stress enough the amount of time you should spend doing research before you go anyplace new. Typically, everybody has access to the Internet and if you don’t, you can visit your local library and do research.

Look at Reviews and Photos

Check out restaurants in the area where you want to visit.

Once you find a place that you want to visit, check out some websites. Any travel website that you use to book a hotel has photos and reviews from previous travelers. Although a majority of these reviews are probably from able-bodied people, they are still helpful because there might be little hints in the reviews that can shed light on how ADA friendly a certain area can be. Make sure that you look at the user submitted photos and videos. Every hotel and travel website has pictures that are professionally taken. Unfortunately, pictures can be deceiving.

The user submitted photos are a great way to understand the layout of the hotel or the town. If you are reading user reviews and they mention local restaurants, write down the names of those restaurants and after you’re done reviewing all of the pictures of the hotel, do Google searches for the names of the restaurants. Use Google Maps to see how far they are away from the hotel. Can you walk from the hotel to the restaurant or do you need a vehicle?

Planning Accessible Activities

Figure out how many activities or things you can do in your power wheelchair that are also close to your hotel. If you are at an all-inclusive resort and the resort is accessible, you probably won’t need to leave the resort. Your food, drinks and lodging are all included and under one roof. If an all-inclusive resort isn’t your thing, you’ll need to figure how you can travel to and participate in activities.

Check Out Wheelchair Travel Websites

Another helpful tip: there are a few travel websites dedicated to individuals that travel with disabilities. Research these travel companies for people with disabilities and see if it’s something you can do. You may not want to book with them because of the cost. I get it. Still, you can see the places that they recommend that are motorized wheelchair accessible and wheelchair friendly. There is an accessible travel agency online that books cruises all over the world and 100 percent of their clients are disabled. They cater to accommodations on the ship and can book the on-shore excursions that you can participate in in your wheelchair. I know a few people that have use this company and it really made their trip go smoothly.

white united airlines plane — Photo by Pascal Renet on Pexels.com

If you have friends or people that you know who use wheelchairs, feel free to reach out and ask them where they take their vacations and what their experiences were at those places. If you know older individuals who are retired, they probably travel a lot. My aunts and uncles have recommended some really great hotels for me to stay at when visiting certain areas, especially where I can drive my power wheelchair right out of the hotel and explore restaurants and shops.

At the end of the day, it’s clear that some cities and travel destinations and hotel areas are more wheelchair accessible than others. Let’s face it: ADA accommodations have come a long way but still aren’t perfect. Make sure you do your research when traveling to a new location and staying at a hotel.

For more great blogs from our brand ambassadors and Q Roll Models, visit lifeatilevel.com today!

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