Greencare DB1J 13, User Manual

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GETTING AROUND SAFELY AND ENVIRONMENTAL FEATURES
It is nevertheless recommended that
wheelchair users understand how to
negotiate kerbs, and lower obstacles of
similar shape, because of the need to be
prepared for circumstances which may arise
in an outdoor situation.
We recommend that even the most active or
independent occupant should not be afraid to
ask for assistance if there is any difficulty
when using a wheelchair outdoors.
Active user balance may be practiced under
supervision, as part of a wheelchair user
training programme, when the anti tippers are
fitted and positioned to suit the wheelbase
configuration and occupant mass distribution.
Occupants who have perfected back wheel
balancing skills may be able to negotiate a low
kerb or thresh hold without assistance. In
order to achieve this, the occupant should be
able to hold the angular balance position of
the moving wheelchair as in a wheelie, and
also adjust body position,by leaning forwards
to shift the combined weight and reduce the
effort in rear wheel climbing.
The rigidity of the Greencare locked frame
system assists in achieving stability and
maintaining control during this operation.
Kerbs and Attendant control.
Method 1.
For an attendant carer controlling the
wheelchair when going down a kerb in this
method, direction of travel is maintained, but
effort required is greater than in method 2.
The chair castors should be taken to the edge
of the kerb. The carer should hold the chair
handles firmly, pressing down with the foot on
the rear tipping lever and at the same time
tilting the chair back through pulling the push
handles.
The rear wheels should then be taken to the
kerb edge and the foot removed from the
tipping lever, and the chair lowered down the
kerb on its rear wheels. On reaching the
ground level, the chair should be returned to
stand on all four wheels and gently pushed
forward in the required direction.
Going up a kerb is the reverse of this.
During this operation, the chair must be
maintained in the balanced position on the rear
wheels, and not be tipped forward or the
occupant may fall out. If anti tippers have been
fitted, this operation is more difficult to control,
and they may require to be removed, or
alternative method 2 adopted as below
Method 2.
An alternative method of descending a kerb,
used when anti tippers are fitted, is to
reverse the wheelchair from the direction of
travel and descend the kerb backwards. In
doing this the attendant needs to be aware of
what is going on behind the wheelchair.
The attendant stands on the lower level with
the wheelchair and occupant facing
backwards away from the kerb. In this
operation the wheelchair rear wheel is taken to
the edge of the kerb, and allowed to descend to
the lower level.
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