When you see someone using a wheelchair or scooter – do you ever see past their wheels to stop and think why they need help with their mobility?

I was one of those people who saw someone in a wheelchair and thought they had always used it and used it all the time.

When I started to use a wheelchair myself, I did so because I couldn’t walk far or stand for long. Using a wheelchair made life so much easier. It meant I could get out of the house and do things like everyone else. One day I was in a clothes shop and stood up to reach something I wanted to look at. As I stepped out of my wheelchair, there was a woman next to me whose face said it all. She thought I was a fraud, and how dare I use a wheelchair if I could stand up!

This made me think. People who use mobility aids do so for so many reasons.

• Getting older
• Sporting injury
• Accident
• Medical condition or disability

And mobility problems can be from birth, is a degenerative condition, or can become a problem at anytime in someone’s life.

No one wants help with doing everyday things. Sometimes though, using a simple aid can make a huge difference. Whether it is a bathing aid, kitchen aid or walking aid, if it helps you get more out of life, gives you more confidence and helps you to be safer – then it has to be a good thing.

I heard a woman commenting about a mobility scooter user. She was saying that they were just being lazy. They could walk “fine”. She didn’t stop and think about why they were using a mobility scooter. I don’t know what the reason was either, but just because you can walk it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t use mobility equipment. Without using a scooter that person may have had to stay in the house that day. No one should be prevented from getting the most out of their life by disability or age.

As a young person I was reluctant to use mobility aids and equipment. I was wrong and am so glad I changed my view. Sometimes disability is not visible, so people don’t offer to help you. I found that in this situation a walking stick not only helped me to get about, but it was also a sign to everyone else that I was unsteady on my feet. Before I used my walking stick I just looked drunk when I walked. When I used my stick I had so much more confidence as I no longer looked drunk, I looked like I had problems walking. Passers by were not judging me anymore. My disability was visible.

It sounds so simple. It is basically a small piece of strong plastic about 3 inches high. It is wedge shape and goes down to nothing at one side. It is just under 3 feet wide, The same width as a door and it has made a huge difference in my life.

What am I talking about?

A threshold ramp.

Before I got one, getting out of the house was a huge hurdle. The lip on the door was only 3 inches high, but it could have been 1 inch or 17 inches – any lip stopped me from getting out of the door in my wheelchair. Even a matchstick on the floor feels like a tree stump when I roll over it. I had no chance with the door. I would come to a grinding halt. Well, that is not exactly true – I would come to a split second stop.

The threshold ramp solves my problems in getting out of the house.

• It is not too steep to be able to get up it on my own.
• It is extremely light and portable (made of fibreglass) so it can go in the car in case it is needed to help me when I am out.
• It is bright yellow – so I always know if it in position or not.
• It has raised bumps on it – so there is no slipping even if my wheels are wet or muddy.
• It is strong enough to feel secure going up and down it everyday.

If you are need to get somewhere that hasn’t installed a disabled access ramp; then your own portable threshold ramp can often be the way to get in! I have used my ramp to get into friends houses more easily.

I never realised quite how useful my ramp would be.

More on ramps…

Height

• Threshold ramps come in different heights depending on the height of the threshold lip and the width of the doorway.

Weight

• Threshold ramps are able to carry different weights.
• Some are suitable for manual wheelchairs, others electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

Folding threshold ramps.

• These go up one side of the door, over the threshold then down the other side. This is great for getting from one room to another where there is a door with a lip in the way. My conservatory is like this. Now I can get to all the rooms in my house, which gives me the freedom I want and need.

You can get ramps that help you to get into vehicles, with your wheelchair or scooter.

Ramps can be fixed and permanent, or lightweight and portable. Depending on the location and use.

Have a look at our article  Information on choosing a ramp for more about ramps.