CASE STUDIES – Handbike
Application from Spelthorne Council
MidasPlus provided funding for a ‘smart drive’ which attaches to a wheelchair to make it power assisted.
For a lady in her 50’s who was born with spina bifida and uses a wheelchair that is self-propelled to get around. Due to ongoing issues with her shoulders, caused by moving herself from chair to car or bed and wheeling herself around, she has had to have an operation on her shoulder for a rotator cuff injury, which means she cannot self-propel her chair.
This lady has only had the use of one arm for some time and although usually fully independent, she is currently reliant on carers as she cannot take care of herself. There is concern that she will struggle to self-propel once her shoulder has recovered and may cause further damage, which might result in her not having full use of either arm. This is the second operation she has had of this type as both shoulders have been operated on.
This lady was previously working but is on employment support allowance and has been for some time. Due to not working and not being able to meet her mortgage she is potentially going to be at risk of repossession & homelessness. She is working with our homelessness team at this time. This lady is generally active but without her being able to mobilise, any accommodation provided as an emergency will be very limited due to her care needs. This will further add to her isolation if we cannot find an alternative option to help with her mobility and get her out and about. Her Occupational Therapist has looked at wheelchairs but as she is able to weight bare and is not immobile, and will in theory, once recovered, be able to mobilise again, she will not qualify for an electric wheelchair.
Funding is needed for an attachment to her normal wheelchair chair called a ‘smart drive’, which changes it in to an electric type wheelchair so she will not have to self-propel all of the time. She does not have the funds to pay for this herself.