If you're someone in a wheelchair, you may sometimes feel like your chair has stolen your identity.
Instead of seeing you as the competent person you are, people see a wheelchair with some guy in it.
It's a constant struggle for a person in a wheelchair to convince people who they really are.
This article will give you some tips to help, whether you're the one who's in the wheelchair or someone close to you has recently become wheelchair-dependent.
It used to be that stiff, hard wooden wheelchairs were the only choice people had.
Steel-based wheelchairs were a step up, but is wasn't until more recently when wheelchair-users got the option of using electronic wheelchairs.
These are so great for keeping up with others while going through a grocery store or a shopping mall.
This great new technology gave wheelchair-users much more mobility so that they could perform more normally again.
Other people need to realize that there are a lot of different reasons people use wheelchairs.
Sometimes the use is only temporary due to a broken leg or major surgery.
People who use them permanently may have a muscle-degenerative disease damaging their muscles, or they could have been in an accident or the victim of a crime.
Every person in a wheelchair has his own story and demons to conquer, and each will deal with his situation in a different way.
A person who was able to walk prior to being injured may be very angry at first at the fate that put him in the wheelchair, or he may very afraid of the future.
After he's been in the chair for awhile, he may be more relaxed and comfortable about it.
When you have a loved one in a wheelchair, you need to watch for cues from the patient in order to know how to deal with him.
For example, if your friend still wants to be able to do whatever he can on his own, support him in his endeavors.
Therapy is a major component of life for wheelchair-users, because they need to keep their lower body muscles strong.
Therapy will also help them increase their overall strength and coordination.
They need your support during this, too.
The best thing you can do for someone with a disability is let them work it out for themselves.
Just knowing you're there if they need help or want to talk is the greatest thing you can do for them.
In recent years there have been more and more sports and other activities designed for people in wheelchairs to participate in.
These activities include tennis, volleyball, racing, and basketball.
If you or someone you know might have an interest in these activities, you can check out websites such as [http://www.
sportaid.
com].
Instead of seeing you as the competent person you are, people see a wheelchair with some guy in it.
It's a constant struggle for a person in a wheelchair to convince people who they really are.
This article will give you some tips to help, whether you're the one who's in the wheelchair or someone close to you has recently become wheelchair-dependent.
It used to be that stiff, hard wooden wheelchairs were the only choice people had.
Steel-based wheelchairs were a step up, but is wasn't until more recently when wheelchair-users got the option of using electronic wheelchairs.
These are so great for keeping up with others while going through a grocery store or a shopping mall.
This great new technology gave wheelchair-users much more mobility so that they could perform more normally again.
Other people need to realize that there are a lot of different reasons people use wheelchairs.
Sometimes the use is only temporary due to a broken leg or major surgery.
People who use them permanently may have a muscle-degenerative disease damaging their muscles, or they could have been in an accident or the victim of a crime.
Every person in a wheelchair has his own story and demons to conquer, and each will deal with his situation in a different way.
A person who was able to walk prior to being injured may be very angry at first at the fate that put him in the wheelchair, or he may very afraid of the future.
After he's been in the chair for awhile, he may be more relaxed and comfortable about it.
When you have a loved one in a wheelchair, you need to watch for cues from the patient in order to know how to deal with him.
For example, if your friend still wants to be able to do whatever he can on his own, support him in his endeavors.
Therapy is a major component of life for wheelchair-users, because they need to keep their lower body muscles strong.
Therapy will also help them increase their overall strength and coordination.
They need your support during this, too.
The best thing you can do for someone with a disability is let them work it out for themselves.
Just knowing you're there if they need help or want to talk is the greatest thing you can do for them.
In recent years there have been more and more sports and other activities designed for people in wheelchairs to participate in.
These activities include tennis, volleyball, racing, and basketball.
If you or someone you know might have an interest in these activities, you can check out websites such as [http://www.
sportaid.
com].
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