Caring for a person in a wheelchair?

If you are new to caring for one of 180,000 Australians who is in a wheelchair, you may benefit from these tips.

As a carer or someone who is offering help in the moment, it is important to respect that the person in the wheelchair is ALWAYS in the driver’s seat. Ask permission first before you touch their chair.

Understanding how to push the wheelchair safely is very important. Click on the article below for an introduction to wheelchair pushing.

Be mindful that the need to use a wheelchair and the loss of the person’s ability to move independently can be life changing. It’s natural for people to experience grief, sadness and anger.

Long term wheelchair use can result in shoulder overuse injuries, skin breakdown (pressure sores) and urinary tract disorders.

Physical activity is a great way to improve health and wellbeing. YouTube offers numerous seated exercise programs of varying intensity for all wheelchair users.

Resources

Living with Disability.info  Tips for pushing a wheelchair as a carer 

Accessed 3 June 2024

Maple Community Services, Rolling Right: The Dos and Don’ts When Interacting with Wheelchair Users

Accessed 3 June 2024