Rental electric wheelchair

[Dancingnurse79]

8 hours ago, Bloodgem said:

Forgive  me if I'm speaking out of turn. But there is a difference between an electric wheelchair and a scooter.  If your mum is not use to using an electric wheelchair  then she would be better renting a scooter.  

I think my problem is one of lack of knowledge about the terminology in mobility devices (which is ironic because I’m an orthopedic nurse but I work with people who don’t plan on using scooters). All my mom would need is a scooter. She can walk short distances, like from the entrance of the MDR to the table, etc. I’m just certain that she won’t be able to do multiple steps or walk long distance on a swaying ship. She uses a scooter at the grocery store but the store-owner ones. If a store doesn’t have one she shops online instead. 

 

9 hours ago, Tee & Chilli said:

Do you have an accessible cabin booked?

Excellent point. I have not booked yet because I just suggested this to her yesterday. I’m considering a 4 day cruise to start her off. That way, if she gets frustrated or just doesn’t like it, she’s not stuck for a week. We’d be bringing my teenage son along, too, so some extra space would be useful. 

[Dancingnurse79]

6 hours ago, spookwife said:

Thing is, an accessible cabin won’t have that step up into the bathroom. And plenty of people need that feature even if they don’t use a mobility device .  I was on post hip replacement surgery protocols on a cruise once.. zero steps/stairs.  And yes, I had a regular cabin but I tell ya, it was probably a mistake as more than once that step gave me problems.

How long ago did you have your surgery? I can’t imagine a doctor being ok with you going on a cruise boat but not being able to do one step. Our patients have to do 3 steps with PT in order to get discharged. One of the nurses on our floor had a knee done and was banned from boats for 3 months. 

[brillohead]

20 hours ago, spookwife said:

Thing is, an accessible cabin won’t have that step up into the bathroom. And plenty of people need that feature even if they don’t use a mobility device .  I was on post hip replacement surgery protocols on a cruise once.. zero steps/stairs.  And yes, I had a regular cabin but I tell ya, it was probably a mistake as more than once that step gave me problems.

And I have absolutely NO problem with someone who actually needs the accessibility features of an accessible room getting an accessible room.  

My issue is when people get an accessible room JUST so they can have extra space to park their scooter.  That ticks me off.  

If you want more space, get a junior suite and pay for the privilege of having extra space.  don't take an accessible room out of circulation for people who legitimately need the features of an accessible room in order to take a cruise at all.  

Most people who use a scooter CAN navigate that 4" step into the bathroom, whereas people who use an actual wheelchair can't even fit through the door of a regular room, let alone up the step into the bathroom.

I don't think people even realize that.... my friend can't even attend a Cabin Crawl because his manual wheelchair doesn't fit through a non-suite or non-accessible room's doorway.  Taking an accessible room "just for extra room" should be illegal (unless the rooms have been released into general inventory after final payment).  

[buzzard05]

I'm not sure if others using scooters have run into this issue or not, but on our recent cruise one of our friend's mom was using a scooter provided by Royal.  On the ship it was great, however they wanted to take a taxi to a resort for a day and could not find a cab that would take the scooter (which I found surprising given the age demographics of a lot of the cruises).  Anyway, they ended up not being able to go to the resort.  It might be wise to have transportation lined up prior to arriving in port to ensure that you can get the transportation you need.  (The port we had issue with was Falmouth, Jamaica.)

[spookwife]

15 hours ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

How long ago did you have your surgery? I can’t imagine a doctor being ok with you going on a cruise boat but not being able to do one step. Our patients have to do 3 steps with PT in order to get discharged. One of the nurses on our floor had a knee done and was banned from boats for 3 months. 

not quite 6 weeks.   all I had to do was walk the length of the ward with the walker.  no steps for 90 days.  

[brillohead]

8 hours ago, buzzard05 said:

on our recent cruise one of our friend's mom was using a scooter provided by Royal

Just a clarification -- Royal doesn't provide scooters.  You have to rent one in advance from one of the companies that provides such rentals. 

[TRadle]

On 1/8/2020 at 8:32 AM, brillohead said:

All of the rental scooters will fit in the doorway of a regular room.  (If you have trouble driving it, taking the armrests off might help -- easy to do, doesn't require breaking the scooter down into parts.)

I've been traveling for years with someone who has to use an actual wheelchair due to paraplegia, and it can be difficult to find an accessible room available because people grab them up when they don't actually need them.  

I was thinking the same thing.  There is a difference in mobility for those who can stand up to get on and off a scotter and those who cannot stand.  Please don't take an accessible cabin if you can stand, walk a few steps, and shower on your own. 

[molsonschooner]

1 hour ago, TRadle said:

I was thinking the same thing.  There is a difference in mobility for those who can stand up to get on and off a scotter and those who cannot stand.  Please don't take an accessible cabin if you can stand, walk a few steps, and shower on your own. 

I heard recently that Carnival has some cabins for people such as you mentioned as well as a typical accessible cabin. I like this idea. 

[TRadle]

41 minutes ago, molsonschooner said:

I heard recently that Carnival has some cabins for people such as you mentioned as well as a typical accessible cabin. I like this idea. 

It is a wonderful idea.  I'll have to check out Carnival because we can't cruise unless we have an accessible cabin.  While my husband had some mobility we never took an accessible room. Things have chanaged.

[Dancingnurse79]

13 hours ago, brillohead said:

My issue is when people get an accessible room JUST so they can have extra space to park their scooter.  That ticks me off.  

I think many people judge people in scooters as being more capable than they are. Does my mom step into her normal bathtub to shower? Yes. *Should* she? Nope, I wouldn’t call it safe. Do it on a ship where it might sway as she’s getting in? No stinking way. Although she doesn’t own a scooter, she certainly needs one. It’s a matter of pride at this point that she won’t own one. But she does have a disabled parking tag. It’s not for us to judge people who get accessible rooms. I lean towards “if they need a scooter on a ship, they’re probably disabled enough to need the accessible shower.” No, someone who is fully capable should not be allowed to use the accessible rooms but someone in a scooter should qualify, and not just because we think they want space for the scooter. Someone like my mom would need more space so she doesn’t trip and fall in the room. She’s not a small woman and can’t always see what’s in front of her feet. 

[Dancingnurse79]

13 hours ago, buzzard05 said:

I'm not sure if others using scooters have run into this issue or not, but on our recent cruise one of our friend's mom was using a scooter provided by Royal.  On the ship it was great, however they wanted to take a taxi to a resort for a day and could not find a cab that would take the scooter (which I found surprising given the age demographics of a lot of the cruises).  Anyway, they ended up not being able to go to the resort.  It might be wise to have transportation lined up prior to arriving in port to ensure that you can get the transportation you need.  (The port we had issue with was Falmouth, Jamaica.)

Good point. 

 

12 hours ago, spookwife said:

not quite 6 weeks.   all I had to do was walk the length of the ward with the walker.  no steps for 90 days.  

Holy moly. Our surgeons wouldn’t let you cruise if you were on stairs precautions. But I’ve heard of so many different rules and precautions, depending on the surgeon. The unpredictability of the ship’s sway would make me hesitant to cruise that soon. I, myself, have a bad hip (at 41!) and I struggle sometimes without surgery. 

 

3 hours ago, TRadle said:

I was thinking the same thing.  There is a difference in mobility for those who can stand up to get on and off a scotter and those who cannot stand.  Please don't take an accessible cabin if you can stand, walk a few steps, and shower on your own. 

As an orthopedic nurse, I disagree with you on this. Just because someone can stand and walk a short distance, doesn’t make a step safe to step up. I’ve seen many patients get cocky or overconfident and fall or nearly fall. Upright doesn’t mean alright. 

Edited January 10, 2020 by Dancingnurse79

[Dancingnurse79]

10 minutes ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

Someone like my mom would need more space so she doesn’t trip and fall in the room. She’s not a small woman and can’t always see what’s in front of her feet. 

No, I’m not suggesting my mom get an accessible room just for the space. She would absolutely need it for the shower on a ship. She wouldn’t even fit in the regular shower. 

[TRadle]

15 minutes ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

 

 

As an orthopedic nurse, I disagree with you on this. Just because someone can stand and walk a short distance, doesn’t make a step safe to step up. I’ve seen many patients get cocky or overconfident and fall or nearly fall. Upright doesn’t mean alright. 

As a caregiver to someone with MS I know the progression of disability and the issues at each step along the way.  I live it every single day and have for the past 25 years.A person knows, like my husband did, when they can't do that small step into the shower or out onto the veranda.  It would be nice if, like a pervious poster stated, that there were different types of accessible cabins.  How hard would it be to have low shower steps, or no shower steps, and bars and fold down benches in more cabins?  

 

[Dancingnurse79]

3 minutes ago, TRadle said:

As a caregiver to someone with MS I know the progression of disability and the issues at each step along the way.  I live it every single day and have for the past 25 years.A person knows, like my husband did, when they can't do that small step into the shower or out onto the veranda.  It would be nice if, like a pervious poster stated, that there were different types of accessible cabins.  How hard would it be to have low shower steps, or no shower steps, and bars and fold down benches in more cabins?  

 

Exactly. My mom has fallen on flat ground in the doctor’s office before. She was mortified but it shows she’s a true fall risk. She’s lucky she didn’t break a hip. Perhaps if enough people requested varying accessible cabins they might start making them. 

[Tee & Chilli]

I think Carnival has fully accessible cabins and adaptive cabins.

Dancingnurse79 your way of approaching this situation is on point. You may also want to consider bringing a night light. Some ships are equipped with one in the bathroom.

[Dancingnurse79]

1 hour ago, Tee & Chilli said:

I think Carnival has fully accessible cabins and adaptive cabins.

Dancingnurse79 your way of approaching this situation is on point. You may also want to consider bringing a night light. Some ships are equipped with one in the bathroom.

Well, I’m literally assessing and reassessing my patients’ abilities and needs for their hospitalization and for discharge constantly. Of course I’m going to do it for my mom. 😉 And I do bring a nightlight. I’m an obsessive trip planner. I do research and make lists. My last trip to London included a spreadsheet of all the places I wanted to see, the hours of operation, entry fees, and closest tube station so I could logistically plan and see as much as we could in 1 week. I won’t need that on a laid back vacation like a cruise but I enjoy trip planning. It often helps me get through rough days at work to know I have one coming up. It’s mobility impaired trip planning that I’ve never done before and I appreciate everyone’s help. 

[brillohead]

16 hours ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

I think many people judge people in scooters as being more capable than they are. ..... It’s not for us to judge people who get accessible rooms.

For the record, my comment about people with scooters getting accessible rooms specifically mentioned whether or not the person in question had need of the accessible features of the room, or if they just wanted extra space to park their scooter.  

As a nurse myself, I see scooter-users with all kinds of reasons for using a scooter -- orthopedic, neurologic, cardio-pulmonary, hematologic, etc.  Some of them would ALSO need the special features of an accessible room, while others can function perfectly well in a standard room.  The only ones who get side-eye from me are the ones who take an accessible room out of inventory JUST because they want extra room for their scooter. 

 

If you want a roomier room, then pay for a Junior Suite; if you NEED an accessible room, go ahead and book one (unless they've all been snatched up already by people who think their scooter makes them special).   

[TRadle]

8 hours ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

 It’s mobility impaired trip planning that I’ve never done before and I appreciate everyone’s help. 

Cruising is the best way to vacation with mobility issues.  When we went to Alaska, even though my husband didn't

 get off the ship, he really loved riding on the decks and just being on the water.  It also took a lot of stress away with dining out.  It is the only way he'll travel.  We just got the accesible van so now we can drive to Galveston and he can just roll onto the ship!  No planes. The cruise lines are also great with making sure you have everything you need.  

[Dancingnurse79]

8 hours ago, brillohead said:

For the record, my comment about people with scooters getting accessible rooms specifically mentioned whether or not the person in question had need of the accessible features of the room, or if they just wanted extra space to park their scooter.  

As a nurse myself, I see scooter-users with all kinds of reasons for using a scooter -- orthopedic, neurologic, cardio-pulmonary, hematologic, etc.  Some of them would ALSO need the special features of an accessible room, while others can function perfectly well in a standard room.  The only ones who get side-eye from me are the ones who take an accessible room out of inventory JUST because they want extra room for their scooter. 

 

If you want a roomier room, then pay for a Junior Suite; if you NEED an accessible room, go ahead and book one (unless they've all been snatched up already by people who think their scooter makes them special).   

Sorry, but this still sounds judgy. I feel like if someone needs a scooter, they are some level of disabled and qualify for an accessible room. You say, “they just wanted extra space to park their scooter,” and I think, “need scooter for mobility = disabled and need an accessible room.” Perhaps I’m optimistic about scooter use statistics. 😆 

 

7 hours ago, TRadle said:

Cruising is the best way to vacation with mobility issues.  When we went to Alaska, even though my husband didn't

 get off the ship, he really loved riding on the decks and just being on the water.  It also took a lot of stress away with dining out.  It is the only way he'll travel.  We just got the accesible van so now we can drive to Galveston and he can just roll onto the ship!  No planes. The cruise lines are also great with making sure you have everything you need.  

I’m still relatively new to cruising and it recently occurred to me that cruising might be perfect for my mom because of her mobility issues (she restarted therapy today for the first time in over 4 years! Yay!!) I’m excited about the positive changes it might help with in her life. She’s never cruised before and doesn’t own a passport. I think she’s getting excited.

[brillohead]

9 hours ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

Sorry, but this still sounds judgy. I feel like if someone needs a scooter, they are some level of disabled and qualify for an accessible room. You say, “they just wanted extra space to park their scooter,” and I think, “need scooter for mobility = disabled and need an accessible room.” Perhaps I’m optimistic about scooter use statistics. 😆 

I think you are maybe more focused on the scooter users who have orthopedic needs because that's what you're faced with from your mother's perspective.  

There are actually plenty of legitimate scooter users who don't have any orthopedic needs at all -- the "invisible disability" type folks.  

The accessible rooms should be reserved for those people who have a legitimate need for those accessible features.  Just because you have a scooter doesn't mean you have a need for the accessible features of an accessible stateroom. 

 

Particularly on the larger ships, you'll see lots of people using scooters because they are unable to walk long distances, but they can navigate shorter distances just fine.  They can take a shower normally at home, they can go up and down a few steps just fine at home, they don't use a walker or cane or anything at home -- they just don't have the energy or cardiac or pulmonary capacity to walk longer distances, and so they have a scooter to use on the ship.  THOSE PEOPLE DO NOT NEED AN ACCESSIBLE ROOM! 

And I think you're going to change your tune when you experience it firsthand.... when every cruise you want to take has no accessible rooms available (or only inside rooms).  When you have to book a cruise two years in advance to get an accessible room.  When you see people walking through the buffet line holding two plates of food just fine, and later you see them driving their scooter into an accessible room.  

Heck, just hang around here, and you'll see it in every thread that mentions how to get a scooter.... "and make sure you get an accessible room so you have room to park your scooter!" rather than, "make sure you get an accessible room so you have a grab bar by the toilet, a shower bench, and no 4" step into the bathroom!"  

If someone has a need for accessible room features, absolutely get an accessible room!  That's what they are there for! But just because you have a scooter DOES NOT mean you deserve to have a special room.  

[Dancingnurse79]

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

I think you are maybe more focused on the scooter users who have orthopedic needs because that's what you're faced with from your mother's perspective.  

There are actually plenty of legitimate scooter users who don't have any orthopedic needs at all -- the "invisible disability" type folks.  

The accessible rooms should be reserved for those people who have a legitimate need for those accessible features.  Just because you have a scooter doesn't mean you have a need for the accessible features of an accessible stateroom. 

 

Particularly on the larger ships, you'll see lots of people using scooters because they are unable to walk long distances, but they can navigate shorter distances just fine.  They can take a shower normally at home, they can go up and down a few steps just fine at home, they don't use a walker or cane or anything at home -- they just don't have the energy or cardiac or pulmonary capacity to walk longer distances, and so they have a scooter to use on the ship.  THOSE PEOPLE DO NOT NEED AN ACCESSIBLE ROOM! 

And I think you're going to change your tune when you experience it firsthand.... when every cruise you want to take has no accessible rooms available (or only inside rooms).  When you have to book a cruise two years in advance to get an accessible room.  When you see people walking through the buffet line holding two plates of food just fine, and later you see them driving their scooter into an accessible room.  

Heck, just hang around here, and you'll see it in every thread that mentions how to get a scooter.... "and make sure you get an accessible room so you have room to park your scooter!" rather than, "make sure you get an accessible room so you have a grab bar by the toilet, a shower bench, and no 4" step into the bathroom!"  

If someone has a need for accessible room features, absolutely get an accessible room!  That's what they are there for! But just because you have a scooter DOES NOT mean you deserve to have a special room.  

This was a far better argument for your opinion on the matter than what you offered before. I haven’t run across any threads yet where people would brag about grabbing the room for extra space. That IS awful. I would feel so judged by other passengers if I took an accessible room but I suppose some people feel entitled. 

 

I have also worked cardiac, neuro, and med-surg, so my opinion isn’t entirely ortho. But I suppose I had more hope in the honesty of cruisers than I should have. 😥

[TRadle]

20 minutes ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

This was a far better argument for your opinion on the matter than what you offered before. I haven’t run across any threads yet where people would brag about grabbing the room for extra space. That IS awful. I would feel so judged by other passengers if I took an accessible room but I suppose some people feel entitled. 

 

I have also worked cardiac, neuro, and med-surg, so my opinion isn’t entirely ortho. But I suppose I had more hope in the honesty of cruisers than I should have. 😥

This happens all the time.  It just like the handicap parking spaces.  I stopped counting the number of vehicles that use the van accissible spots without a placard or a plate.  Yesterday someone parked a pickup truck next to an accesibale van on the striped lines and ramp.  People who do this should be required to spend just one day with a disability.  

[Dancingnurse79]

53 minutes ago, TRadle said:

This happens all the time.  It just like the handicap parking spaces.  I stopped counting the number of vehicles that use the van accissible spots without a placard or a plate.  Yesterday someone parked a pickup truck next to an accesibale van on the striped lines and ramp.  People who do this should be required to spend just one day with a disability.  

I’ve seen that before but it’s been a while. Perhaps it’s not as prevalent in my town, where there are a lot of disabled and elderly residents. 

 

I think a lot of the world’s problems could be solved by people being forced to wear another’s shoes. Politicians should live off minimum wage for a month. Racists should travel to a “brown” country. The world would be a far better place if people didn’t think it revolve around them. 

[brillohead]

2 hours ago, Dancingnurse79 said:

This was a far better argument for your opinion on the matter than what you offered before. I haven’t run across any threads yet where people would brag about grabbing the room for extra space.

I think maybe you need to go back and read my comments again, b/c I didn't really say anything different in any of my posts.  I've said all along, if you need the features, you should get the accessible room, and if you don't need the features, you should not get the accessible room.  However, just having a scooter doesn't mean you need the room's features.

For example, I never said people "would brag" about grabbing the room for extra space.... what I said was that people would tell them they SHOULD get an accessible room JUST because they have a scooter.  My argument is that just having a scooter doesn't mean that people should be allowed to book an accessible room -- they should actually need the special features of the room in order to be able to book it.  I wish that cruise lines would crack down on enforcing this a bit more.  

[Dancingnurse79]

13 minutes ago, brillohead said:

I think maybe you need to go back and read my comments again, b/c I didn't really say anything different in any of my posts.  I've said all along, if you need the features, you should get the accessible room, and if you don't need the features, you should not get the accessible room.  However, just having a scooter doesn't mean you need the room's features.

For example, I never said people "would brag" about grabbing the room for extra space.... what I said was that people would tell them they SHOULD get an accessible room JUST because they have a scooter.  My argument is that just having a scooter doesn't mean that people should be allowed to book an accessible room -- they should actually need the special features of the room in order to be able to book it.  I wish that cruise lines would crack down on enforcing this a bit more.  

I simply don’t understand why people would use a scooter on a ship if they don’t   have a physical need for it. It’s difficult to get an elevator and crowds and restaurants can be challenging to navigate. That’s why I felt like anyone using a scooter on a ship would be truly mobility impaired.

 

Your original comments sounded judgmental, as if you thought some people use scooters for laziness or being fat. Because why else would someone use a scooter if they weren’t mobility impaired? I know many people who think people in scooters are just fat and lazy. They often don’t consider that the scooter user might be fat because of their disability/condition. When you mentioned people actually talking about getting accessible rooms for the scooter space, it validated your opinion, to me. Some people are always looking for loopholes and schemes, anything to get something for nothing. I simply wasn’t raised that way so my brain doesn’t consider the many ways people do that kind of stuff. I worked as a retail manager earlier in life and was blown away that people would steal makeup by tucking the packaging in clothes pockets on the racks and just put the makeup in their purses. Makeup isn’t a “need.”  That’s just theft for greed and that is my pet peeve. My husband managed the shoe department (that’s how we met) and people would put their old shoes in the box on the top shelf and walk out in the new shoes.

And I think package theft should come with a mandatory hard labor sentence. Some packages aren’t gifts, they’re crucial items, like medications.