Recently, we put together our advice on how to stay safe in your wheelchair this winter (which you can read here).
Within that advice, we mentioned that you should always be prepared.
With that in mind, we wanted to give you a bit more help and suggest the best wheelchair accessories you can get to be prepared for almost anything this winter.
Wheelchair Bag
The very first wheelchair accessory that we would recommend is something that everyone should have a Wheelchair Bag.
When you’re going out in the winter, be able to take snacks and medication with you.
This can be important, which means that you need a safe place for these to sit.
Getting yourself a Wheelchair Bag would be the best idea, as it would keep your things safe and sound while you are out.
On top of this, it would keep them all within arms reach if you need them.
Wheelchair Pillow Cushion
Another great wheelchair accessory, the Wheelchair Pillow Cushion, is a T-shaped pillow that will find in almost any wheelchair due to its slim-fit design.
As it is filled with hollow fiber that is flame retardant, with a strong and durable polyester cover, it can make the ride in your wheelchair far more comfortable.
This can be helpful at any time of the year, let alone winter. Therefore, we would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to be as comfortable as possible in their wheelchair.
Padded Wheelchair Cushion
If the Wheelchair Pillow Cushion isn’t quite padded enough to make you feel more comfortable, there is another option! Specifically, you could invest in a Padded Wheelchair Cushion.
These cushions cover every side of the wheelchair, including adding a cushion to the seat itself.
The Padded Wheelchair Cushion is waterproof on the underside, meaning that it is great in the winter.
On top of this, it can also be used to make a standard chair more comfortable too.
Padded Mesh Wheelchair Gloves
Using your wheelchair in the winter can cause your hands to become bitterly cold while also blistering your fingers and palms.
As such, we would recommend that you get yourselves a pair of Padded Mesh Wheelchair Gloves.
These gloves will help keep your hands warm and protect you from dirt and trauma to the hands.
On top of this, the Padded Mesh Wheelchair Gloves will also help to improve traction on the wheels of your wheelchair, which is very important in the winter months.
These gloves are also machine washable, meaning that you’ll be able to keep them nice and clean.
Wheelchair Poncho
Autumn and winter are well known for their random and unexpected showers.
You could be out enjoying the day when the heavens suddenly open up.
This can be a horrible experience, but it can also be made far more bearable with the Wheelchair Poncho.
With an easy-pull zip and a hood that can be tightened through drawstrings, the Wheelchair Poncho offers great protection from the rain.
This is especially true as the poncho is waterproof.
There are also vents are the back of the cape, which allows for continued use of the push handles!
Wheelchair Umbrella
Another option for dealing with the rain, but can also help when there is blistering sunlight, is the Wheelchair Umbrella.
This heavy-duty umbrella is perfect for protection against the elements, readily at hand due to its ability to attach to most wheelchairs available on the market.
When not needed, the Wheelchair Umbrella can also fold up into a compact state, ready for storage, such as being carried in a Wheelchair Bag.
Push Handle Extensions
If you or your partner/carer are above average height, pushing a wheelchair can be very uncomfortable.
This is because most wheelchairs have a handle height of just 36” from the ground.
By trying to push a wheelchair with handles that are too low for you, you could be putting yourself at risk of back strain and neck strain.
That’s where Push Handle Extensions come into play.
These handle extensions clip onto the wheelchair’s original handles, meaning that you can push the wheelchair with a much healthy posture.
The extensions are also adjustable to make sure that they are right for your needs!
Handle Extension Backrest Extension Accessory
Once you’ve got yourself a set of Push Handle Extensions, the next step would be to make the ride in your wheelchair more comfortable.
This can be done using the Handle Extension Backrest Extension Accessory.
The Backrest Extension attaches to your Push Handle Extensions using a clamp set, meaning that it can fit on any wheelchair.
This Backrest will improve the overall comfort of your wheelchair while also giving you the option to relax and sleep in the wheelchair.
The Backrest adds 6 inches to the height of a wheelchair, so that needs to be considered.
Wheelchair Powerpack Solo
Getting around in a wheelchair during winter can be very difficult.
This is especially true if you need someone to help push the wheelchair.
Thankfully, the Wheelchair Powerpack Solo can be handy!
It only takes a matter of seconds to attach the Powerpack to your wheelchair and, once fitted, will mean that you don’t have to push your wheelchair anymore!
Rather than struggling up hills in the winter weather, you can press the lever, and the Powerpack Solo will kick in, pushing you up the hill effortlessly.
The Wheelchair Powerpack Solo has a maximum speed of 4 miles per hour with up to 18 stones in the wheelchair.
It also has a range of up to 10 miles per charge, meaning more than enough charge for a good day out!
