Tag Archives: wheelchair

SECURING a new motorised wheelchair for a person with disabilities can take up to three years from the initial application, a local health advocate has claimed. The long waiting times have been criticised as a “disgrace” by Councillor Ann Norton who stated the initial assessment is often out of date by the time a person can actually use the new motorised wheelchair. Councillor Norton explained it can take two years for the official sign off for a new wheelchair before it is ordered, while the moulding can take between six to eight months once funding has been approved. She outlined the wheelchair seating assessment is carried out by the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC) in Limerick. The first assessment conducted by a physiotherapist and occupational therapist establishes if a new wheelchair is needed. If therapists believe a new wheelchair is required, a few appointments may be requiring examining suitable models and types of wheelchairs, moulding and seating before an application for …

THE lockdown has brought challenges for everyone but there is no doubt that it is much more difficult for some people than for others. A wheelchair user who lives alone in Shannon, Pádraic Hayes is in a vulnerable category, with underlying conditions including cerebral palsy, arthritis and diabetes. When one hears about the difficulties that teenagers have in not going out or grandparents in not holding small children, Pádraic’s situation puts things into a greater context. “It’s ok, I’ve been confined to the house. I normally attend the Dulick centre in Ennis and I miss that. I’m also heavily involved with the Irish Wheelchair Association and I’m getting a lot of support from the two of them.” He says that he gets dinners delivered from the Dulick centre and they call him also, while the Irish Wheelchair Associations deliver packs with things like word-searches, quizzes and puzzles to keep his spirits up.These days he rarely leaves the house, with his …