Transport Chairs

Transport Chairs at Walgreens

If you're caring for a loved one at home, are a home health care provider or run a personal care or assisted living facility, fall prevention must be a top priority. Using a transport chair can help to decrease the likelihood of falls and help those with limited mobility move around the home or facility or leave the home or facility for appointments, errands and outings. Walgreens carries many transport chair styles and sizes to meet your needs.

Features of Transport Chairs

A transport chair is a mobility aid that is similar to a wheelchair with a seat mounted on rolling wheels. Unlike wheelchairs, transport chairs are not meant to be self-propelled. Their back wheels are too small to be reached by the person sitting in the chair. There are also handles on the back of the seat to allow a caregiver to push and steer the chair. Transport chairs are useful for people who will only need to use a mobility aid for short periods of time and do not need to learn to use a self-propelled wheelchair. In addition, transport chairs are beneficial for individuals who cannot operate a self-propelled wheelchair due to paralysis, a mental disability, a lack of strength in the arms or any other disability or medical condition. You may also choose to use a transport chair in place of a walker or cane for outings that will be particularly long or that will demand a lot more walking than what a person is accustomed to.

There are many different features that may be added to transport chair designs to make them easier for caregivers and for patients to use. Some transport chairs recline or tilt and are useful for individuals who cannot sit upright due to limited trunk strength or another physical problem. A doctor can advise you as to whether or not a tilt feature is necessary for you or the person for whom you are caring. If you plan to use the transport chair primarily for outings, you may want to purchase a model that folds for easy transport. Chairs also differ in their types of safety restraints and in the shapes of their footplates.

Selecting a transport chair of adequate size for you, your patient or loved one is important to ensuring comfort and safety. You'll need to take the depth and width of the seat into consideration when choosing a model. If you're unsure what size is right, you can have the person who will use the chair sit down and then measure both the width and depth of their body. Transport chairs also have specific weight limits, and it's important that the body weight of the person who will use the chair does not exceed this limit. If traditional transport chairs are not large enough or supportive enough for you or the person for whom you are caring, check out the selection of bariatric transport chairs in the Walgreens Home Health Care Solutions department.

This summary is intended for general informational purposes only, and should not be interpreted as specific medical advice. You should read product labels. In addition, if you are taking medications, herbs, or other supplements you should consult with a qualified healthcare provider before taking any over-the-counter medication as they may interact with other medications, herbs, and nutritional products. If you have a medical condition, including if you are pregnant or nursing, you should speak to your physician before taking these products. Consult a healthcare provider immediately if you experience side effects.