Great points! One other major point for people who may not be aware: PLEASE don't touch, push, or move anyone in a chair without their explicit permission. My chair is an extension of my body. No one would think it's acceptable behavior to randomly pick up or shove a person who's standing or walking. Extend the same basic courtesy and decency to those of us who are wheeling, thanks.
Someone actually pushed my father in law out the way so they could get past. Also people think nothing of leaning on my wife's chair when in lifts or queues etc. Very rude
Don't move someone unless someone says it's okay! I am still building my muscle strength up, and was at Walmart. I was using the pedestrian crossing when a woman asked if I needed help. I said no thank you, I've got it... She came behind me and pushed me anyway. My wheelchair is how I get around now, and I want to build the muscles so that when my disease worsens, the muscles have already been built. I can't do that if you push me when I say no to help.
@@Wheelsnoheels ive had this happen multiple times. Not that long ago after repeatedly telling someone not to push me when I was in the middle of the street he came up from behind me and pushed me. I had a good hard grip on my grippoz and he burned the crap out of my hands.
I was at a major Virginia historic village preservation, and as I departed, the path took me and a lady, ahead in a WC, who was most likely tired from sight-seeing, pushing herself solo, now struggling to push up a steep ramp, and lost her grip on one wheel. I thought she was about to tip over sideways, falling into the short divider wall, and possibly run backwards into the visitors behind her. A young but hesitant couple were behind her but they could not gracefully attempt to offer a push, I tried to signal them to try, no result. I was just barely out-of-reach, unable to help at all. I felt terrible over his for months, as I have had several girl friends with various disabilities, over many years, 2 Polio, 1 SCI, (from diving into dangerously bad waves), one with double leg amputations, one with MS, or MD. I was well-versed in WC issues, but could NOT assist this adventuresome solo lady in her embarrassing slip. Fortunately she recovered the energy to push up the ramp, I was amazed and relieved. Most of my prior friends had excellent W/C skills, which I learned from. AND, I learned a lot about chatting with disabled people, without making insulting gaffs. Cheers to all.
Also, unless you have a valid reason to believe otherwise, if the wheelchair user has rejected the offer to push from multiple other people, just assume the answers will be no for you as well and don’t bother them. I remember when I was in a wheelchair after I broke my leg, and even after it was established that you had to ask before pushing, my classmates just started pestering me until I agreed. Ps. This should be common sense, but if someone lent you their crutches to try them out because they didn’t need them at that moment, and asks them back, don’t make a fuss about it, they actually need them, so don’t keep trying to bargain. They are not some toy, even if other kids got them for 5 min and you only got 1, you’re not some victim if they get angry demand them back after you refused their more polite request. (After kicking up a fuss, that one kid meant that I was not allowed to lent out my crutches to anyone anymore, so in the end, it just meant that they couldn’t get the rest of the time later, and it was ruined for everyone else as well)
If I say stop, stop. If I say move, move. I can't move myself in a wheelchair and I'm completely in your control. Even if you don't feel there is a need to stop or move, do it when I ask you to because otherwise I feel caged. Also, even if you don't see it, there is probably a reason for me to ask you to stop or move me, so just listen to me please otherwise I might be uncomfortable or even in danger.
This really bothers me too, i get really nervous when crossing roads, and some people feel like its okay to push me quickly across a road because they deem it safe enough instead of waiting for a red light. It's our body and our safety, we shouldnt have to give up control of that
yea I don't like it when ppl run with me. I feel unsafe, and as you saw in the video, the front wheels can get caught and you can end up being catapulted out of your char! Ouch
i'd LOVE to see a pet peeves video! Ive been in a wheelchair for about a year and a half now and the one that frustrates me the most is when the person pushing me wont let me stop to look around, i feel like i lost a lot of control when i had to start using a wheelchair, and things like that really re-enforce that feeling of not having control over where i go or what i do
Jessica Woah STOP right there! You DO have control. Give out firm instructions to the person pushing you and simply shout stop when you want to stop. Don’t sit and suffer. I’ve been a chair user since 2002 and have learnt how to deal with people. They mean well but you MUST insist that you are in control not them. Good luck!
great tips! also i would add when putting the chair in wheelie position, dont pull back too much, you just need to pull back enough so the front wheels are off the ground . I've had many people pull back to where i'm in a horizontal position and it makes me feel like i'm going to fall out of my chair backwards and i imagine it wouldn't be very easy for the person helping me/pushing me to have me back that far either.
If I am going up a ramp, I’m going to go slower than when I am on a flat surface. It’s going to take me a moment. This doesn’t mean I want you to touch me, shove me, or start pushing me without my knowledge or permission. Especially if you are a stranger, this will be very startling, uncomfortable, and possibly dangerous. As others have said, always ask before touching any part of me or my wheelchair. Me going up a ramp slowly, does not always mean I need help, this means....gravity lol. Don’t shove a wheelchair user any more than you would shove a person standing. If I’m going too slowly up the ramp for you, just walk around me. Or you could ask if I need help, which is totally fine and polite, but no always means no!! Also, yes, I would like a full list of peeves, please. 😁
Yes my parents try to shove me up ramps when I'm not going fast enough for them. Then when tell them not to do that, they get huffy and puffy about me not letting them help. They don't understand consent/boundaries. I make myself very vulnerable when I allow someone to push me, and I'd like my bodily autonomy to be respected. (I'm also 20 so it's different than parents pushing a 12 year old.)
Oliver Carnazzo able bodied people often don’t get how jarring and abrasive that is when one is suddenly shoved. It’s no different just because we are sitting down. Also we usually lack balance, so they can cause us to fall out of our wheelchair doing that. 😳 Also not respecting no touching boundaries kind of sends a really bad message, especially if you are the parent.
This was a great video Gem, I think it should be compulsive viewing for anybody who is going to push somebody in a wheelchair. There are a few things that really annoy me when I’m being pushed and they are: - not going in the direction I want to go even if I’ve said where I want to go. - really suddenly changing direction without giving me some sort of warning, it makes me feel sick if it’s done too often - I know you sort of mentioned it but if the person pushing me isn’t watching where they are going and the person in front stops abruptly and I ram into the back of their heels, despite the fact that I shouted to the person pushing me to stop and it’s very clear that I’m not pushing the chair, the person with the injured heels always has a go at me. I am the person least responsible when first of all they shouldn’t abruptly stop in a flow of pedestrians and my helper should have watched where they are going. - when we are in a shop that has tight spaces and it’s plain to me we won’t get through a gap and I say this but they think they know better and just push me into the really tight space, knock things off of the shelf and only then agree that it’s too tight. - suddenly reversing so that they are pulling me instead of pushing without warning (if they have gone past a door they wanted to go into) I have actually fallen out of my chair once because of this. As a result of these (yes I’ve had some terrible pushers) and a lot more I hate being pushed by anybody.
I had two completely broken legs after one of many surgeries (it required sections of my bone taken out, and my muscles moved and stuff) and so it was incredibly painful, but someone pushing me wouldn't stop and actually slammed me into a doorway, which then caused me to fall out of my chair and also messed up my casts, sending me back into the hospital. I feel like some people just forget that the chair is something they need, but it's still a person the same as anyone else. Some people also don't seem to understand that it takes trust to let someone push you and it is actually quite frightening for someone to move you, push you too fast, or not listen to you because it takes away any of your control and they could easily hurt you even if they don't mean to.
Layla Urokinosonico you have found exactly the right word......trust. It takes an massive amount of trust to let somebody push you. Trust that they will go at the right speed, where you want to go, that they will watch where they are going, they will stop if you ask, that they will be gentle with you etc etc. It’s a lot to ask of somebody but if they take on that task then they need to know what we expect and they need to realise how much faith we have to have in that person and that we do have to totally trust them.
agh! the first one! i had an experience where i asked to push myself but was consistently told "no i want to push!" as if it was some kind of game. im a human! let me live!
Hi, thank you so much for sharing these insights. Going to start volunteering soon and while watching a video on wheelchair training I still had some questions, and I am really glad I read this comment. I will try to keep this in mind! I wish you the best.
Hi everyone. I hope you are all well. Please feel free to share this on your socials, and with friends and family who push you. I also highly recommend you cheek out "how to talk to people in wheelchairs." If you haven't already. th-cam.com/video/EIT822wWbho/w-d-xo.html Master classes are going to have to take a little break, but when I come back with them I want to do a video on opening doors from your wheelchair. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to see. Gem xx
Wheelsnoheels - Gem Hubbard what about a video about „wow thx for opening the door for me“ Bc many many idiots out there just slap the door into your face when they go through it.
Wheelsnoheels - Gem Hubbard that would be so great , you could maybe put that into a general(?) „behavior around disabled people-video“ because I think there are a lot of no-go‘s when it comes to just opening the door or sthg.
One petpeeve of mine is when someone is pushing you in your wheelchair, for example in store, and then there is this another person who walks really close in front of you or slightly close to your side and then they suddenly decide to stop in the middle of the path and you bump into them. As I have brittle bones this crash can end really bad for me. So the person who is pushing my wheelchair would have to watch out from other walkers and keep the distance.
It is the WORST when people try to use the back of my chair for leverage when doing a wheelie. Its fabric, so all that happens is them shoving their knees into my back lol
Great video :) My biggest problem is that I make a journey once a week on my own that has a small hill, and on the other side of the road a beer garden. You can tell where this is going! So I go up this hill, slowly and carefully as I don’t have the ability to push hard, and I can easily do it at my own slow and steady pace, I do this slope at least once or twice a week. (I do it with my carer sometimes and she usually tells anyone coming to give me a push, to get lost but I’m not that rudely!) I will get no warning at all as some (drunk?) person comes and gives me a shove up the hill. There is a road to cross on this hill and the kerb on the up side isn’t quite flat so I get rammed into that too. I never know what to say to the person and they almost always smell of drink (I’m really freaked out by drunk people too). I have flip up handles that are folded down so I can fit a rucksack on the back of the wheelchair, and sometimes they flick them up to push me but don’t put them back down grrrrrrrrrrr........ On another note... I do 3 nights a week at various scout groups and we do a lot of camps or nights in the countryside or on an estuary. I have a beast of a manual wheelchair (Duggie the buggy !) that I use off road and have learnt some techniques over the years to get me up and down or across fields, woods and other uneven terrain and I’m happy to help explain how I do it :)
Great vlog,it is surprising how simple things can make a difference,my peeve when out in my chair is people who huff and puff at me if i am unable to move out of their way in the time they specify!! Erm no im sorry i am in this chair for a reason,no i do not expect you to move out of my way ect but a little understanding and patience at times goes a long way x
This is absolute BRILLIANCE!!! I now have a video I can show my support workers/carers!! THANKYOU!! I hate been pushed, but I have no choice sometimes-everyone seems to accidentally run me into people in front-I try my best to stop it happening, but the pusher can’t see my feet, and it happens all the time-I’m constantly putting my hands out in front to try to get a bit of a “buffer zone” so no one gets a wheelchair on their heels, but it makes me SO anxious!!! Thankyou so much again!!!
... Huge fluffy slippers? Lol 🤪 if nothing else, the person pushing might remember to think about your feet! 😜🤪 j/k Srsly tho, the feet thing is so good to know! It makes total sense... but is not something i’d realize i should think about. 😀
@@BigDave15 I bet it's even worse when it's a footplate that flips back, so the edge of the plate, instead of tubing, hits them - that's gotta make it even worse.
I'm a carer, to warn people who are blind/deaf/reduced mental capacity is to use touch, a light tap on the shoulder for left/right, decide together cues for up, down etc. On a really steep hill consider going backwards use gravity for motion and your body as a braking system.
Several good points here! I also think the person pushing should be aware how much our mobility aids help us and if we’re going to a restaurant for someone’s birthday and I can’t comfortably fit under the tables with my wheelchair don’t just take my chair away and shove it into a very far corner I can’t even see without telling me after helping me transfer to a restaurant chair. That happened to me once at a regular restaurant and once at a business conference and it made me extremely anxious because I knew I would NEED that chair back to get out of that restaurant and to the car and home again. And at the conference they actually let someone go with my wheelchair and acted like it was no big deal and I was seriously panicking and only took the other person’s older wheelchair for that lunch hour because I had to and was so grateful that we both got our wheelchairs back after the lunch break but I was really steamed that the person “watching” the chairs let that happen and then had an attitude with me for complaining about it. After that I was nervous to sit my with my colleagues by the stage for fear it would happen again (thankfully it didn’t but it still caused a lot of anxiety and extra pain and fatigue because the chairs were so different). It made me understand why so many other people I knew I stayed in their chairs in the wheelchair section way in the back so they wouldn’t have extra issues but at the time I was simply focusing on it being cool that our unit did so well we could sit right by the stage and how I wanted to sit with my friends and at that time my leg pain hasn’t increased to the level of every step being excruciating as it has now. But my point is in both instances my wheelchair was just suddenly taken away from me as soon as I transferred into another chair before I could even blink. I had no idea where my own chair was going but at least I was with people I knew that could help me retrieve the wheelchair from wherever it had been put if it didn’t get stolen first. People were so concerned about getting the “bulky” wheelchair out of other people’s way for everyone else’s convenience and safety if there was a fire etc that no one ever asked me if they could take it away completely and in the restaurant for my friend’s birthday we were in a corner with plenty of room for it fold up and be by the window in view of our table but I was younger then and didn’t want to be a “problem” by pointing out my concerns, a choice I definitely wouldn’t make the same way now. But I think having used my wheelchair longer I have more confidence in how to be firm with people and handle situations like that. The wheelchair I was using was also taken away from me at an airport while I was traveling home alone from a business trip and the guy sat me down at the wrong gate and I almost missed my flight and the extra pain trying to limp three gates down with two bags because the guy took the wheelchair away before I could blink or tell him he’d made a mistake on the gate number was truly awful and definitely made me feel alone and vulnerable! Never again! I am definitely quicker to speak up now 🙌🏻🙌🏻
This is a really good video! It explains a lot of my feelings about people pushing me. I definitely resonated with what you said about how we put a lot of trust in whoever's pushing. I don't trust many people to push me because they don't understand how vulnerable it makes me. And communication is key!! I usually tell someone when we're approaching a bump so they can let go, and I can wheelie over it myself. I have a friend who pushes me a lot and she really gets it. We're so in tune with each other that we can seamlessly "tag team" (switch who's in control). It's a great relationship to have.
Thank you for another informative video. The only thing you possibly overlooked was that anyone pushing a wheelchair must be dressed in coordinating colours (like Sean). I’m certain, with your style sensibilities, you’d far rather be left stranded (but stylish) than be pushed by someone without decent dress sense. There are practical considerations, perhaps, but style “must” come first. 😊
Timon Myside Sorry to disapoint you Gem , but I already know what you have demonstrated on your vidio as ulike you I have been disabled since I was born 60 years ago . Actually my live in carer is looking into me getting an ELECTRIC wheel chair so she does'nt HAVE TO PUSH ME when we are out as she reckons I am TOO HEAVY to push although I have told her MANY times , thats NOT the wheelchairs fault , but MY WEIGHT as I am NOT as slim as you but unfortiunatly shejust DOES'NT understand HOW I FEEL
Shane Luke - You could always try a bit of reverse psychology and get workout/body building lessons for your carer. She can improve her body tone whilst her increased strength will take pounds off your “perceived” weight. Also the manual wheelchair then becomes additional “in-field” training. It’s a win win……..I think, although it may require copious alcohol for her to be truly convinced. 😊
Timon Myside . Hi Timon Myside this is just to say THANK YOU for your comment which was a surprise from Shane ( Luke is my SURNAME ) but please dont let that worry you
This was a very helpful video, thank you for the demonstration. I am new to pushing a wheelchair, and no one in my surroundings had explained these things to me.
Thank you! I am going to send this to my boyfriend. He doesn't realize how close he gets me to other people and it's so stressful because getting bumped or hit in the ankles really hurts!
My boyfriend goes around corners so fast and over curbs unevenly and also fast. Like I’m not a toy car on a track and you’re not a toddler having a go🤣. I think it would be helpful if they sat in one for a day. How nervous it makes me to jaywalk when I’m below the view of trucks and I don’t fit between cars like people who jaywalk do. And it takes time to get me up the curb, I don’t want to sit in the road at their leisure as a cad comes!
Great video . I m dating a girl in a chair , and we have been together and does let me push her now I see why . Cuz I'm not aware of the danger that she's looking at or knows what could happen if I didn't do it right . Thank you for
Mum is the one that helps me the most if I need help at all, and she pushes me around as if I was a shopping cart on flat surfaces in a shop, when we’re in fact outdoors on often uneven ground where you really have to be mindful of what’s around the chair! Needless to say, I don’t ask for help much...
I always hated being parked while the person with me went to look at something somewhere else in a shop or building, it’s the one thing that I actually looked forward too with the powered chair (despite being morbidly depressed about it in every other way!). I also hated the being left pointing the other way when conversations were being held behind me. I did annoy me too, that my attendant always seemed oblivious to the bumps in the path and the impact they have on your spine through the chair, he seemed to think that manual chairs have some form of shock absorbers in them even though they don’t. (Shock absorbers being an amazing benefit of the powerchairs!)
One thing I would just like to add is to be extremely cautious when pushing someone through a doorway. If someone is trying to get through their themselves their fingers will be on the hand rims and can get caught and smashed in the doorway. I have a low-level injury and I function pretty well independently but sometimes I do need help for errands or whatever. My sister and I do a kind of combination her pushing and me pushing. We found this out pretty quickly always make sure the wheelchair users hands are clear. Our hands are really important!
Communication is the key, make sure you let them know your intentions. Even if we are walking along and stop for something, when starting back up, make sure they know you are about to start pushing. Especially important for limited core strength/balance.
I've pushed my sister in wheelchairs most of her (and my) life. This seems a good list to me. Also, make sure the wheelchair occupant wants to be pushed. Hills are harder than one might think both going up and coming down. Bumps in a wheelchair feel bigger for the person in the wheelchair than they look to the pusher. It can be better to lift the front wheels for dropped curbs as well as regular ones, and slow down for them. Wheelchair brakes aren't always very good so you might need to hold onto the chair when it is on a slope.
This seems like all of it should go without saying but it absolutely does not. I really appreciate these very basic videos designed to help people help us better.
This is really great 😊 Something that annoys me (that you have sort of touched on) is when people don’t know where the smallest wheels are and they try to get on to a sidewalk but the wheels are unevenlly placed on the sidewalk! It becomes ten times harder to push and you feel like you are going to fall out 😊
All of that is so true! I like to push myself as much as possible even though it can hurt just to avoid all of those issues. I think my biggest bugbear is someone pushing me somewhere (or me following them) and suddenly "oops I forgot there were stairs here" and because I'm an ambient user them going "Oh it's right round the other side for the slope :/ (meaning can't you just get up and walk them)" >:( grrr.
Yeah people who aren't used to being in wheelchairs or walking with people in wheelchairs don't know how limited accessible routes are! They will lead me right to a staircase because they've never had to think about finding where the ramps are.
As an occasional pusher, I would like to emphasize the point you made at the end of your video. The pusher needs to communicate in advance what he/she is going to do. e.g. I am going to tilt you backwards to go down the kerb. Give the wheelchair user time to process the thought, or even input ideas into the situation. That way there is much more likely to be trust in the pusher.
I couldn’t agree more with everything you mentioned in this video...especially the uneven ground part....when I was in high school,I had to use a manual chair,& 1 day I was with my mom shopping,& I was turned to the side (like my back was twisted,not that my chair was turned) talking to her about something...& next thing we know I am on the ground in tears because landed on my hands & knees ,luckily we were able to go to a Dr ASAP,& get my leg & knee checked because my left knee was hurting worse than anything else (I landed on my hands & knees),my knee wasn’t broken or anything...but here we are pretty much 10 or so years later & I am still hurting in the same knee every so often,it never gets swollen or anything it just hurts,& sometimes pops when I try to move my leg/get in my chair from the bed
Wheelsnoheels - Gem Hubbard yea ikr...to this day I still have issues with my knee hurting..but there’s nothing Drs can do for it since I never broke/fractured my knee when I fell that day!!
I usually only have someone pushing as an added help to me also propelling myself. So I would add that the pusher should be completely behind the chair. Walking alongside and reaching over causes the chair to zigzag and their arm will interfere with yours.
Hi there Just wanted to say thankyou for this video on how to push someone in a wheelchair it was really helpful. I've started a Neighbourhood watch scheme here in Southport and as this Neighbourhood watch scheme moves forward I want to get people out who have problems getting out . I have a spare wheelchair, so I will be starting up taking people out for a bit of fresh air . People who have problems getting about , just taking them out for an hour for a bit of fresh air . Thankyou so much for these videos they are really helpful. Best Wishes from Clive : Chester Road Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in Southport. 🌅👌
When the person pushing goes out of their way to avoid asking someone to move out of the way so pulls me backwards, and takes me a different route. If I was walking I’d say excuse me thank you. I would not say I’m so sorry that you’re in the way. I wouldn’t apologise that they had to move. I would just ask excuse me please, and thanks.
Do you have any tips for visually impaired individuals who need to push people in wheelchairs? I often need to help my grandmother and I’m always trying to look for a better way to doing it.
I have a tip from the other side, when being pushed and going down a step or 2, don't put the chair back in an upright position at the same time. This actually happened.
When you get pulled up and rolled down stairs like the one in your video, are you not worried the handles slip? They are only holding with one screw if i saw correctly? I really really hate (with a passion) a person (often a friend) who asks me if i need help, i answer "no" and they still push me. When sitting somewhere (a table) and everybody that's passing me bumps in to me. (sometimes things like bags, they turn and the bag hits my head) When i get stuck behind some walkers and i try to pass them they get drawn closer to the side i'm trying to pass. Walkers who put on there handbrake in a crowd and i'm right there on there heels. Even when not crowded and i'm coming closer and closer and there is a walker who isn't sure he/she should go straight, go zigzag, veer to the left or right and i am constantly adjusting my own trajectory. To keep it short, yes make a full list for a future video plz :)
One thing about pushing in the wheelie position, and I’ve experienced this, is if you hit a bump, your center of gravity can be thrown off in an instant, and the chair can tip backwards.
Love your humour. I knew you and your husband are well experienced here and were exagerating, I couldnt help but laugh when your husband let you roll away down the path, so he had to chase you, his arms and legs flying everywhere. Great video, very informative.
It's especially annoying if someone you know comes up to you and the person pushing you just keeps walking on and you're staining your neck trying to turn and talk to them . Plus it makes you look rude when you're really not being rude!
Whenever people push me in my chair they don't look where they are going and don't see if there's an uneven bit of ground and I've been tipped out. I had to buy a waist strap in the end to stop me from falling!
I'm just gonna ask this here: when doing stairs/steps, is it more comfortable to be rolled up step by step (as in the video) or lifted by two people (one at the handles and one at the feet). I've seen a lot of strangers do the two person lift with a person in a wheelchair, and it looks a bit terrifying. I think people have this reflex, because the two person lift is what we do with baby stroller.
I don't use my wheelchair often since I don't need it unless I'm going to walk non-stop without rest for longer than 2 hours, or if I'm going to stand non-stop for that long since my back pain would become uncontrollable even with pain meds. But I decided to take the wchair to Disney since I knew the lines are long and the amount of walking would be just too much for me, my boyfriend did a great job pushing me, I was so proud of him lol xD specially through Animal Kingdoms walkways which is bumpy and uneven, to look like you're in a forest, but it's hard on the wheelchair.
A few thoughts: - WATCH THE GROUND!!!!!! I’ve broken casters multiple times from gravel, uneven pavement, etc. Getting repairs is a FREAKING NIGHTMARE. One time my chair was in the shop for THREE MINTHS with no loaner. Wheelchairs are NOT unbreakable, and they are VERY expensive. And they’re not easily replaced, at least in the USA. Medicare will only pay for a new chair once every 5 years. - If the person has a power drive or power assist device, we can’t do wheelies. I use an e-fix (really really cool, hoping to get a new one soon with a new chair). Make sure you have permission to push (as always), and that the person has disengaged their power drive to allow manual use. With wheelies off the table, going over uneven ground, etc is really hard and nearly always dangerous. Go backwards. Just trust me, go backwards.
I have been to royal Cornwall show 2 years in a row with my school and each year I’ve had someone push me round and omg it is terrifying because I have no clue what they are doing or where they are going and they will not look on the ground and often ram me into people’s ankles and it’s very annoying and I will have bags in my lap and they will just go over big bumps or stones and everything will fall of
I don't think you showed going backwards over thresholds when its part of a doorway maybe or whatever. I personally would add a seat belt to that chair lol. A padded one.
I could give a huge list to people about what really get's to me, but I would probably bore you all. Sometimes I do wish I had someone that would not mind me ranting on. One huge one is never take it for granted that the person who you are pushing is not fully paralyzed. In my case I am losing the ability to walk slowly.
How many people purposely block the sidewalk even though they have plenty of room to park their vehicle in the drivewsy so its not blocking the sidewalk or pathway.
A major omission from this video is the foot at the end of the stub frame to raise the front wheels, not everyone can spend $1000 on a wheelchair, with adjustable pushing handles. Secondly why not follow it up with what pushers have to put up with from their needy wheelchair users. Without any consideration of the pushers strength, they want to go back over cobbled streets or uneven asphalt that was mere vibration for the user, but a massive effort for the pusher. The wheelchair user needs to speak, and not just make gestures with their head, ( yes or no is limited communication),. and demeaning to me, I am not a paid servant, I am a partner (husband) . Also if the wheelchair user needs the toilet, I want to know at least 20 minutes ahead of time, as it is made to look that it's my fault for any accidents of nature occur while i'm the pusher.. Also make sure the invalid goes to the loo before going to the street, even if they only half want to go, as soon as you are on the street, within 5 minutes they want the loo. Finally agree to where we are going before we set off, many wheelchair users think we are an engine and can do anything they want, but actually partners are very often not much more healthy than the invalid.
0:33 Then I hope to find the earlier videos. 1:40 This is especially important on descending slopes. 2:09 I think it would have been nicer if you had let your "Boom!" coincide with when your casters got stuck. 3:20 I would like to add that it's important to react *in time*. To anything, actually. It's essential to the person in the wheelchair, to kind of feel what you see; what you notice; what you're going to do. Ease into what you want to do, if maybe only a little. I know someone who always reacted to things like curbs at the very last moment. It always scared me silly. 3:32 Please forgive me for cringing at the sound of "patient." 5:15 What if I do like this video, but I don't want to see the other one? I'm kidding, of course. My point is that I believe it's better to ask that people put it in their comments, rather than let it be the reason for their Like. 5:28 Personally, I don't think this is that important. Especially if you ease into what you want to do.
I had some dude trying to help me get of a bus by grabbing and lifting my casters without warning me. He meant well but it didn't end well. Had disability cab driver push me up a ramp in such a way that i fell backwards and je refused to help me up bc i had my dog there. A mess. Neighbors had to help me, still embarassed. Ppl forget how physics work as soon as they seem a wheelchair lmao. Like they wouldnt attempt to lift a bike by the wheels!
Please don't push too fast as my daughter likes to head towards something and turn at the last minute. Often going down drop kerbs that catch the from wheels. My first wheelchair was ruined by this and I nearly fell out xx
If your chair has NO Push handles so the pusher is holding your shoulders to push you... Make sure they let go before slowing down suddenly 😱 Or Else you end up on your back in public 🙄🙄 (Slightly embarrassing).
Don't appreciate the auto pay money collection that popped up before this video started. Feels like being robbed . I am a disabled, low, income senior. I'm save Ng for my own, light weight, electric chair. Do appreciate your efforts.
Great points! One other major point for people who may not be aware: PLEASE don't touch, push, or move anyone in a chair without their explicit permission. My chair is an extension of my body. No one would think it's acceptable behavior to randomly pick up or shove a person who's standing or walking. Extend the same basic courtesy and decency to those of us who are wheeling, thanks.
Also, sidenote: Loved the comedic elements in this video! Maybe your husband should consider becoming a professional marathoner, LOL. ;)
Someone actually pushed my father in law out the way so they could get past. Also people think nothing of leaning on my wife's chair when in lifts or queues etc. Very rude
Oh yes I totally agree with you on the first comment. There is nothing worse. hahah Ill pass that over to shaun ;)
SO SO TRUE !!!
I said the same thing! Some of us get really scared and feel like we're being kidnapped when someone moves our chair without us asking for help.
Don't move someone unless someone says it's okay! I am still building my muscle strength up, and was at Walmart. I was using the pedestrian crossing when a woman asked if I needed help. I said no thank you, I've got it... She came behind me and pushed me anyway. My wheelchair is how I get around now, and I want to build the muscles so that when my disease worsens, the muscles have already been built. I can't do that if you push me when I say no to help.
OMG Im shocked. xx
I feel this so strongly ♿💞
@@Wheelsnoheels ive had this happen multiple times. Not that long ago after repeatedly telling someone not to push me when I was in the middle of the street he came up from behind me and pushed me. I had a good hard grip on my grippoz and he burned the crap out of my hands.
I was at a major Virginia historic village preservation, and as I departed, the path took me and a lady, ahead in a WC, who was most likely tired from sight-seeing, pushing herself solo, now struggling to push up a steep ramp, and lost her grip on one wheel. I thought she was about to tip over sideways, falling into the short divider wall, and possibly run backwards into the visitors behind her. A young but hesitant couple were behind her but they could not gracefully attempt to offer a push, I tried to signal them to try, no result. I was just barely out-of-reach, unable to help at all. I felt terrible over his for months, as I have had several girl friends with various disabilities, over many years, 2 Polio, 1 SCI, (from diving into dangerously bad waves), one with double leg amputations, one with MS, or MD. I was well-versed in WC issues, but could NOT assist this adventuresome solo lady in her embarrassing slip. Fortunately she recovered the energy to push up the ramp, I was amazed and relieved. Most of my prior friends had excellent W/C skills, which I learned from. AND, I learned a lot about chatting with disabled people, without making insulting gaffs. Cheers to all.
Also, unless you have a valid reason to believe otherwise, if the wheelchair user has rejected the offer to push from multiple other people, just assume the answers will be no for you as well and don’t bother them.
I remember when I was in a wheelchair after I broke my leg, and even after it was established that you had to ask before pushing, my classmates just started pestering me until I agreed.
Ps. This should be common sense, but if someone lent you their crutches to try them out because they didn’t need them at that moment, and asks them back, don’t make a fuss about it, they actually need them, so don’t keep trying to bargain. They are not some toy, even if other kids got them for 5 min and you only got 1, you’re not some victim if they get angry demand them back after you refused their more polite request. (After kicking up a fuss, that one kid meant that I was not allowed to lent out my crutches to anyone anymore, so in the end, it just meant that they couldn’t get the rest of the time later, and it was ruined for everyone else as well)
If I say stop, stop. If I say move, move. I can't move myself in a wheelchair and I'm completely in your control. Even if you don't feel there is a need to stop or move, do it when I ask you to because otherwise I feel caged. Also, even if you don't see it, there is probably a reason for me to ask you to stop or move me, so just listen to me please otherwise I might be uncomfortable or even in danger.
This really bothers me too, i get really nervous when crossing roads, and some people feel like its okay to push me quickly across a road because they deem it safe enough instead of waiting for a red light. It's our body and our safety, we shouldnt have to give up control of that
very good point. :)
yea I don't like it when ppl run with me. I feel unsafe, and as you saw in the video, the front wheels can get caught and you can end up being catapulted out of your char! Ouch
This needs to be the top comment right here
i'd LOVE to see a pet peeves video! Ive been in a wheelchair for about a year and a half now and the one that frustrates me the most is when the person pushing me wont let me stop to look around, i feel like i lost a lot of control when i had to start using a wheelchair, and things like that really re-enforce that feeling of not having control over where i go or what i do
Yes I know exactly what you mean. Have you seen my "pet peeves of my disability." and "stupid things people actually said to me?" x
Jessica Woah STOP right there! You DO have control. Give out firm instructions to the person pushing you and simply shout stop when you want to stop. Don’t sit and suffer. I’ve been a chair user since 2002 and have learnt how to deal with people. They mean well but you MUST insist that you are in control not them. Good luck!
@@HighTen_Melanie You can shout and tell and insist all you want, it doesn't change anything if the person point blank doesn't listen to you.
great tips! also i would add when putting the chair in wheelie position, dont pull back too much, you just need to pull back enough so the front wheels are off the ground . I've had many people pull back to where i'm in a horizontal position and it makes me feel like i'm going to fall out of my chair backwards and i imagine it wouldn't be very easy for the person helping me/pushing me to have me back that far either.
If I am going up a ramp, I’m going to go slower than when I am on a flat surface. It’s going to take me a moment. This doesn’t mean I want you to touch me, shove me, or start pushing me without my knowledge or permission. Especially if you are a stranger, this will be very startling, uncomfortable, and possibly dangerous. As others have said, always ask before touching any part of me or my wheelchair. Me going up a ramp slowly, does not always mean I need help, this means....gravity lol. Don’t shove a wheelchair user any more than you would shove a person standing. If I’m going too slowly up the ramp for you, just walk around me. Or you could ask if I need help, which is totally fine and polite, but no always means no!! Also, yes, I would like a full list of peeves, please. 😁
Yes my parents try to shove me up ramps when I'm not going fast enough for them. Then when tell them not to do that, they get huffy and puffy about me not letting them help. They don't understand consent/boundaries. I make myself very vulnerable when I allow someone to push me, and I'd like my bodily autonomy to be respected. (I'm also 20 so it's different than parents pushing a 12 year old.)
Oliver Carnazzo able bodied people often don’t get how jarring and abrasive that is when one is suddenly shoved. It’s no different just because we are sitting down. Also we usually lack balance, so they can cause us to fall out of our wheelchair doing that. 😳 Also not respecting no touching boundaries kind of sends a really bad message, especially if you are the parent.
This was a great video Gem, I think it should be compulsive viewing for anybody who is going to push somebody in a wheelchair.
There are a few things that really annoy me when I’m being pushed and they are:
- not going in the direction I want to go even if I’ve said where I want to go.
- really suddenly changing direction without giving me some sort of warning, it makes me feel sick if it’s done too often
- I know you sort of mentioned it but if the person pushing me isn’t watching where they are going and the person in front stops abruptly and I ram into the back of their heels, despite the fact that I shouted to the person pushing me to stop and it’s very clear that I’m not pushing the chair, the person with the injured heels always has a go at me. I am the person least responsible when first of all they shouldn’t abruptly stop in a flow of pedestrians and my helper should have watched where they are going.
- when we are in a shop that has tight spaces and it’s plain to me we won’t get through a gap and I say this but they think they know better and just push me into the really tight space, knock things off of the shelf and only then agree that it’s too tight.
- suddenly reversing so that they are pulling me instead of pushing without warning (if they have gone past a door they wanted to go into) I have actually fallen out of my chair once because of this.
As a result of these (yes I’ve had some terrible pushers) and a lot more I hate being pushed by anybody.
can totally relate to these. x
I had two completely broken legs after one of many surgeries (it required sections of my bone taken out, and my muscles moved and stuff) and so it was incredibly painful, but someone pushing me wouldn't stop and actually slammed me into a doorway, which then caused me to fall out of my chair and also messed up my casts, sending me back into the hospital. I feel like some people just forget that the chair is something they need, but it's still a person the same as anyone else. Some people also don't seem to understand that it takes trust to let someone push you and it is actually quite frightening for someone to move you, push you too fast, or not listen to you because it takes away any of your control and they could easily hurt you even if they don't mean to.
Layla Urokinosonico you have found exactly the right word......trust. It takes an massive amount of trust to let somebody push you. Trust that they will go at the right speed, where you want to go, that they will watch where they are going, they will stop if you ask, that they will be gentle with you etc etc.
It’s a lot to ask of somebody but if they take on that task then they need to know what we expect and they need to realise how much faith we have to have in that person and that we do have to totally trust them.
agh! the first one! i had an experience where i asked to push myself but was consistently told "no i want to push!" as if it was some kind of game. im a human! let me live!
Hi, thank you so much for sharing these insights. Going to start volunteering soon and while watching a video on wheelchair training I still had some questions, and I am really glad I read this comment. I will try to keep this in mind! I wish you the best.
Hi everyone. I hope you are all well. Please feel free to share this on your socials, and with friends and family who push you. I also highly recommend you cheek out "how to talk to people in wheelchairs." If you haven't already. th-cam.com/video/EIT822wWbho/w-d-xo.html
Master classes are going to have to take a little break, but when I come back with them I want to do a video on opening doors from your wheelchair. Let me know if there is anything else you would like to see.
Gem xx
Wheelsnoheels - Gem Hubbard what about a video about „wow thx for opening the door for me“ Bc many many idiots out there just slap the door into your face when they go through it.
Ooooh ok thanks, I can include that in the next video. x
Wheelsnoheels - Gem Hubbard that would be so great , you could maybe put that into a general(?) „behavior around disabled people-video“ because I think there are a lot of no-go‘s when it comes to just opening the door or sthg.
Yeah defo, have you see "how to talk to people in wheelchairs"? its linked in my comment now. x
One petpeeve of mine is when someone is pushing you in your wheelchair, for example in store, and then there is this another person who walks really close in front of you or slightly close to your side and then they suddenly decide to stop in the middle of the path and you bump into them. As I have brittle bones this crash can end really bad for me. So the person who is pushing my wheelchair would have to watch out from other walkers and keep the distance.
UGH What is it with people just stopping!!! Its infuriating.
It is the WORST when people try to use the back of my chair for leverage when doing a wheelie. Its fabric, so all that happens is them shoving their knees into my back lol
Great video :)
My biggest problem is that I make a journey once a week on my own that has a small hill, and on the other side of the road a beer garden.
You can tell where this is going!
So I go up this hill, slowly and carefully as I don’t have the ability to push hard, and I can easily do it at my own slow and steady pace, I do this slope at least once or twice a week. (I do it with my carer sometimes and she usually tells anyone coming to give me a push, to get lost but I’m not that rudely!)
I will get no warning at all as some (drunk?) person comes and gives me a shove up the hill. There is a road to cross on this hill and the kerb on the up side isn’t quite flat so I get rammed into that too. I never know what to say to the person and they almost always smell of drink (I’m really freaked out by drunk people too).
I have flip up handles that are folded down so I can fit a rucksack on the back of the wheelchair, and sometimes they flick them up to push me but don’t put them back down grrrrrrrrrrr........
On another note...
I do 3 nights a week at various scout groups and we do a lot of camps or nights in the countryside or on an estuary. I have a beast of a manual wheelchair (Duggie the buggy !) that I use off road and have learnt some techniques over the years to get me up and down or across fields, woods and other uneven terrain and I’m happy to help explain how I do it :)
oh the thing about the drunks is really scary.
Yes I would love to hear your tips on rough terrine. xxx
Great vlog,it is surprising how simple things can make a difference,my peeve when out in my chair is people who huff and puff at me if i am unable to move out of their way in the time they specify!! Erm no im sorry i am in this chair for a reason,no i do not expect you to move out of my way ect but a little understanding and patience at times goes a long way x
Yeah I know who you mean. x
This is absolute BRILLIANCE!!! I now have a video I can show my support workers/carers!! THANKYOU!! I hate been pushed, but I have no choice sometimes-everyone seems to accidentally run me into people in front-I try my best to stop it happening, but the pusher can’t see my feet, and it happens all the time-I’m constantly putting my hands out in front to try to get a bit of a “buffer zone” so no one gets a wheelchair on their heels, but it makes me SO anxious!!! Thankyou so much again!!!
Ahhh Im so pleased you found this of value. xx
... Huge fluffy slippers? Lol 🤪 if nothing else, the person pushing might remember to think about your feet! 😜🤪 j/k
Srsly tho, the feet thing is so good to know! It makes total sense... but is not something i’d realize i should think about. 😀
Foot plates in the ankles definitely aren't fun on the receiving end either.
@@BigDave15 I bet it's even worse when it's a footplate that flips back, so the edge of the plate, instead of tubing, hits them - that's gotta make it even worse.
I'm a carer, to warn people who are blind/deaf/reduced mental capacity is to use touch, a light tap on the shoulder for left/right, decide together cues for up, down etc. On a really steep hill consider going backwards use gravity for motion and your body as a braking system.
Several good points here! I also think the person pushing should be aware how much our mobility aids help us and if we’re going to a restaurant for someone’s birthday and I can’t comfortably fit under the tables with my wheelchair don’t just take my chair away and shove it into a very far corner I can’t even see without telling me after helping me transfer to a restaurant chair. That happened to me once at a regular restaurant and once at a business conference and it made me extremely anxious because I knew I would NEED that chair back to get out of that restaurant and to the car and home again. And at the conference they actually let someone go with my wheelchair and acted like it was no big deal and I was seriously panicking and only took the other person’s older wheelchair for that lunch hour because I had to and was so grateful that we both got our wheelchairs back after the lunch break but I was really steamed that the person “watching” the chairs let that happen and then had an attitude with me for complaining about it. After that I was nervous to sit my with my colleagues by the stage for fear it would happen again (thankfully it didn’t but it still caused a lot of anxiety and extra pain and fatigue because the chairs were so different). It made me understand why so many other people I knew I stayed in their chairs in the wheelchair section way in the back so they wouldn’t have extra issues but at the time I was simply focusing on it being cool that our unit did so well we could sit right by the stage and how I wanted to sit with my friends and at that time my leg pain hasn’t increased to the level of every step being excruciating as it has now. But my point is in both instances my wheelchair was just suddenly taken away from me as soon as I transferred into another chair before I could even blink. I had no idea where my own chair was going but at least I was with people I knew that could help me retrieve the wheelchair from wherever it had been put if it didn’t get stolen first. People were so concerned about getting the “bulky” wheelchair out of other people’s way for everyone else’s convenience and safety if there was a fire etc that no one ever asked me if they could take it away completely and in the restaurant for my friend’s birthday we were in a corner with plenty of room for it fold up and be by the window in view of our table but I was younger then and didn’t want to be a “problem” by pointing out my concerns, a choice I definitely wouldn’t make the same way now. But I think having used my wheelchair longer I have more confidence in how to be firm with people and handle situations like that. The wheelchair I was using was also taken away from me at an airport while I was traveling home alone from a business trip and the guy sat me down at the wrong gate and I almost missed my flight and the extra pain trying to limp three gates down with two bags because the guy took the wheelchair away before I could blink or tell him he’d made a mistake on the gate number was truly awful and definitely made me feel alone and vulnerable! Never again! I am definitely quicker to speak up now 🙌🏻🙌🏻
Y'all are adorable! Two thumbs up for Shawn and Daisy for their acting skills
ah thanks. yes I know what u mean. My sister started doing that, as she has just had a baby, and i guess its habit lol
This is a really good video! It explains a lot of my feelings about people pushing me. I definitely resonated with what you said about how we put a lot of trust in whoever's pushing. I don't trust many people to push me because they don't understand how vulnerable it makes me. And communication is key!! I usually tell someone when we're approaching a bump so they can let go, and I can wheelie over it myself. I have a friend who pushes me a lot and she really gets it. We're so in tune with each other that we can seamlessly "tag team" (switch who's in control). It's a great relationship to have.
Wow those friends are so rare and special. xx
A good friend of mine sometimes pushes me on my shoulders while giving me a massage 😆. This is our way of fooling around.
Thank you for another informative video. The only thing you possibly overlooked was that anyone pushing a wheelchair must be dressed in coordinating colours (like Sean). I’m certain, with your style sensibilities, you’d far rather be left stranded (but stylish) than be pushed by someone without decent dress sense. There are practical considerations, perhaps, but style “must” come first. 😊
hahaha you make me laugh!!!! xx
Timon Myside Sorry to disapoint you Gem , but I already know what you have demonstrated on your vidio as ulike you I have been disabled since I was born 60 years ago . Actually my live in carer is looking into me getting an ELECTRIC wheel chair so she does'nt HAVE TO PUSH ME when we are out as she reckons I am TOO HEAVY to push although I have told her MANY times , thats NOT the wheelchairs fault , but MY WEIGHT as I am NOT as slim as you but unfortiunatly shejust DOES'NT understand HOW I FEEL
Shane Luke - You could always try a bit of reverse psychology and get workout/body building lessons for your carer. She can improve her body tone whilst her increased strength will take pounds off your “perceived” weight. Also the manual wheelchair then becomes additional “in-field” training. It’s a win win……..I think, although it may require copious alcohol for her to be truly convinced. 😊
Timon Myside . Hi Timon Myside this is just to say THANK YOU for your comment which was a surprise from Shane ( Luke is my SURNAME ) but please dont let that worry you
This was a very helpful video, thank you for the demonstration. I am new to pushing a wheelchair, and no one in my surroundings had explained these things to me.
Daisy is so precious in her heelies! I guess she’s got wheelsnoheels too 😍
Daisy has wheelsonheels. You go, girl!
Yes, notice that rather than having wheels no heels, Daisy has wheels on heels. Cheers!
Thank you! I am going to send this to my boyfriend. He doesn't realize how close he gets me to other people and it's so stressful because getting bumped or hit in the ankles really hurts!
My boyfriend goes around corners so fast and over curbs unevenly and also fast. Like I’m not a toy car on a track and you’re not a toddler having a go🤣. I think it would be helpful if they sat in one for a day. How nervous it makes me to jaywalk when I’m below the view of trucks and I don’t fit between cars like people who jaywalk do. And it takes time to get me up the curb, I don’t want to sit in the road at their leisure as a cad comes!
How about when Kids push you and think your a personal race car that what made me take my handlebars off
Ooooh I wouldn't like that. x
I always enjoyed when my kids pushed me, it was fun. Of course they always knew to stop if I asked or to be slower in the store.
Never put your knee in the back of someone with a spinal condition. If you smoke, do NOT push someone while having a ciggie!
Another great video! Going to send this one to my friends! 😊 They’re already pretty good at pushing me but I think they’d find this really helpful ☺️
Great video . I m dating a girl in a chair , and we have been together and does let me push her now I see why . Cuz I'm not aware of the danger that she's looking at or knows what could happen if I didn't do it right . Thank you for
Mum is the one that helps me the most if I need help at all, and she pushes me around as if I was a shopping cart on flat surfaces in a shop, when we’re in fact outdoors on often uneven ground where you really have to be mindful of what’s around the chair! Needless to say, I don’t ask for help much...
I always hated being parked while the person with me went to look at something somewhere else in a shop or building, it’s the one thing that I actually looked forward too with the powered chair (despite being morbidly depressed about it in every other way!). I also hated the being left pointing the other way when conversations were being held behind me. I did annoy me too, that my attendant always seemed oblivious to the bumps in the path and the impact they have on your spine through the chair, he seemed to think that manual chairs have some form of shock absorbers in them even though they don’t. (Shock absorbers being an amazing benefit of the powerchairs!)
Yes, and do you know what else I hate!!??? Being used as a trolly and being piled high with stuff!!!
Wheelsnoheels - Gem Hubbard bang on! I agree completely!
4 Wheeled coat-rack!
PageMonster lol 6 wheeled in my case! Lol I’m on a mid wheeled spidertrak!
You do such an amazing jobs on your videos!! And so informative!! 👍😊
thank you that means a lot, I work really hard. xx
One thing I would just like to add is to be extremely cautious when pushing someone through a doorway. If someone is trying to get through their themselves their fingers will be on the hand rims and can get caught and smashed in the doorway.
I have a low-level injury and I function pretty well independently but sometimes I do need help for errands or whatever. My sister and I do a kind of combination her pushing and me pushing. We found this out pretty quickly always make sure the wheelchair users hands are clear. Our hands are really important!
Communication is the key, make sure you let them know your intentions. Even if we are walking along and stop for something, when starting back up, make sure they know you are about to start pushing. Especially important for limited core strength/balance.
I've pushed my sister in wheelchairs most of her (and my) life. This seems a good list to me. Also, make sure the wheelchair occupant wants to be pushed. Hills are harder than one might think both going up and coming down. Bumps in a wheelchair feel bigger for the person in the wheelchair than they look to the pusher. It can be better to lift the front wheels for dropped curbs as well as regular ones, and slow down for them. Wheelchair brakes aren't always very good so you might need to hold onto the chair when it is on a slope.
It was kinda funny though cause someone did that to me going down a hill and they let go and I'm just freaking out but never fell out thank God 😅
Umm can I just say: #relationshipgoals!
Thank you, Sean and Daisy for making this humorous--make the points easy to remember😄😁😆
This seems like all of it should go without saying but it absolutely does not. I really appreciate these very basic videos designed to help people help us better.
This is really great 😊 Something that annoys me (that you have sort of touched on) is when people don’t know where the smallest wheels are and they try to get on to a sidewalk but the wheels are unevenlly placed on the sidewalk! It becomes ten times harder to push and you feel like you are going to fall out 😊
All of that is so true! I like to push myself as much as possible even though it can hurt just to avoid all of those issues. I think my biggest bugbear is someone pushing me somewhere (or me following them) and suddenly "oops I forgot there were stairs here" and because I'm an ambient user them going "Oh it's right round the other side for the slope :/ (meaning can't you just get up and walk them)" >:( grrr.
Yeah people who aren't used to being in wheelchairs or walking with people in wheelchairs don't know how limited accessible routes are! They will lead me right to a staircase because they've never had to think about finding where the ramps are.
Very informative content sis I'm caregiver here in Israel planning to make content about how to use wheelchair in our language
I love the humor.... Thank you for making this
As an occasional pusher, I would like to emphasize the point you made at the end of your video. The pusher needs to communicate in advance what he/she is going to do. e.g. I am going to tilt you backwards to go down the kerb. Give the wheelchair user time to process the thought, or even input ideas into the situation. That way there is much more likely to be trust in the pusher.
I couldn’t agree more with everything you mentioned in this video...especially the uneven ground part....when I was in high school,I had to use a manual chair,& 1 day I was with my mom shopping,& I was turned to the side (like my back was twisted,not that my chair was turned) talking to her about something...& next thing we know I am on the ground in tears because landed on my hands & knees ,luckily we were able to go to a Dr ASAP,& get my leg & knee checked because my left knee was hurting worse than anything else (I landed on my hands & knees),my knee wasn’t broken or anything...but here we are pretty much 10 or so years later & I am still hurting in the same knee every so often,it never gets swollen or anything it just hurts,& sometimes pops when I try to move my leg/get in my chair from the bed
Ouch xx
Wheelsnoheels - Gem Hubbard yea ikr...to this day I still have issues with my knee hurting..but there’s nothing Drs can do for it since I never broke/fractured my knee when I fell that day!!
I usually only have someone pushing as an added help to me also propelling myself. So I would add that the pusher should be completely behind the chair. Walking alongside and reaching over causes the chair to zigzag and their arm will interfere with yours.
Lot helpful. Appreciate it. I will write some suggestions later.
Hi there
Just wanted to say thankyou for this video on how to push someone in a wheelchair it was really helpful.
I've started a Neighbourhood watch scheme here in Southport and as this Neighbourhood watch scheme moves forward I want to get people out who have problems getting out .
I have a spare wheelchair, so I will be starting up taking people out for a bit of fresh air .
People who have problems getting about , just taking them out for an hour for a bit of fresh air .
Thankyou so much for these videos they are really helpful.
Best Wishes
from Clive : Chester Road Neighbourhood Watch Scheme in Southport. 🌅👌
When the person pushing goes out of their way to avoid asking someone to move out of the way so pulls me backwards, and takes me a different route. If I was walking I’d say excuse me thank you. I would not say I’m so sorry that you’re in the way. I wouldn’t apologise that they had to move. I would just ask excuse me please, and thanks.
This was so lovely and helpful - thank you! 🙂
He’s adorable at the end of the video standing and smiling in the background ha ha
Do you have any tips for visually impaired individuals who need to push people in wheelchairs? I often need to help my grandmother and I’m always trying to look for a better way to doing it.
My mom could definitely use this video 😂
omg, heelies are still a thing! that's amazing! I loved those things... then every building in existence banned them.
These master class videos are GREAT!!!! I love all the tips and tricks
Excellent video. Thanks for sharing.
I have a tip from the other side, when being pushed and going down a step or 2, don't put the chair back in an upright position at the same time. This actually happened.
Oh dear! x
When you get pulled up and rolled down stairs like the one in your video, are you not worried the handles slip? They are only holding with one screw if i saw correctly?
I really really hate (with a passion) a person (often a friend) who asks me if i need help, i answer "no" and they still push me.
When sitting somewhere (a table) and everybody that's passing me bumps in to me. (sometimes things like bags, they turn and the bag hits my head)
When i get stuck behind some walkers and i try to pass them they get drawn closer to the side i'm trying to pass.
Walkers who put on there handbrake in a crowd and i'm right there on there heels. Even when not crowded and i'm coming closer and closer and there is a walker who isn't sure he/she should go straight, go zigzag, veer to the left or right and i am constantly adjusting my own trajectory.
To keep it short, yes make a full list for a future video plz :)
OMG no. But now you mention it I am lol!!! ;)
Yes I can totally relate to what you are saying. x
One thing about pushing in the wheelie position, and I’ve experienced this, is if you hit a bump, your center of gravity can be thrown off in an instant, and the chair can tip backwards.
I’m going to have to show this to my mother
Love your humour. I knew you and your husband are well experienced here and were exagerating, I couldnt help but laugh when your husband let you roll away down the path, so he had to chase you, his arms and legs flying everywhere. Great video, very informative.
Would love to see the pet peeves video on being pushed in a wheelchair
Excellent advice.
It's especially annoying if someone you know comes up to you and the person pushing you just keeps walking on and you're staining your neck trying to turn and talk to them . Plus it makes you look rude when you're really not being rude!
Thank you for the advice.
Would have liked to see this titled how to assist someone in a manual wheelchair.
You are my fav youtuber you inspire me please reply you are the best in the world
awww thank you so much. xx
These sound pretty obvious to me. It surprises me people still don’t know/get these things. It’s similar to pushing a pram/buggy too.
Whenever people push me in my chair they don't look where they are going and don't see if there's an uneven bit of ground and I've been tipped out. I had to buy a waist strap in the end to stop me from falling!
Even if you've got a spot of bother, no worries; just add a jolly-good bit of humour by rolling through hot gooey gum or doggy poo. Cheers!
I'm just gonna ask this here: when doing stairs/steps, is it more comfortable to be rolled up step by step (as in the video) or lifted by two people (one at the handles and one at the feet). I've seen a lot of strangers do the two person lift with a person in a wheelchair, and it looks a bit terrifying. I think people have this reflex, because the two person lift is what we do with baby stroller.
I don't use my wheelchair often since I don't need it unless I'm going to walk non-stop without rest for longer than 2 hours, or if I'm going to stand non-stop for that long since my back pain would become uncontrollable even with pain meds. But I decided to take the wchair to Disney since I knew the lines are long and the amount of walking would be just too much for me, my boyfriend did a great job pushing me, I was so proud of him lol xD specially through Animal Kingdoms walkways which is bumpy and uneven, to look like you're in a forest, but it's hard on the wheelchair.
Nice you've made a video about this!!
A few thoughts:
- WATCH THE GROUND!!!!!! I’ve broken casters multiple times from gravel, uneven pavement, etc. Getting repairs is a FREAKING NIGHTMARE. One time my chair was in the shop for THREE MINTHS with no loaner. Wheelchairs are NOT unbreakable, and they are VERY expensive. And they’re not easily replaced, at least in the USA. Medicare will only pay for a new chair once every 5 years.
- If the person has a power drive or power assist device, we can’t do wheelies. I use an e-fix (really really cool, hoping to get a new one soon with a new chair). Make sure you have permission to push (as always), and that the person has disengaged their power drive to allow manual use. With wheelies off the table, going over uneven ground, etc is really hard and nearly always dangerous. Go backwards. Just trust me, go backwards.
I have been to royal Cornwall show 2 years in a row with my school and each year I’ve had someone push me round and omg it is terrifying because I have no clue what they are doing or where they are going and they will not look on the ground and often ram me into people’s ankles and it’s very annoying and I will have bags in my lap and they will just go over big bumps or stones and everything will fall of
Great video! Your family is so cute!
I don't think you showed going backwards over thresholds when its part of a doorway maybe or whatever. I personally would add a seat belt to that chair lol. A padded one.
i love holding hand with people rather then being pushed so we can chat and what not
Good afternoon Gem. I love all your video's and I love you?
I could give a huge list to people about what really get's to me, but I would probably bore you all. Sometimes I do wish I had someone that would not mind me ranting on. One huge one is never take it for granted that the person who you are pushing is not fully paralyzed. In my case I am losing the ability to walk slowly.
How many people purposely block the sidewalk even though they have plenty of room to park their vehicle in the drivewsy so its not blocking the sidewalk or pathway.
A major omission from this video is the foot at the end of the stub frame to raise the front wheels, not everyone can spend $1000 on a wheelchair, with adjustable pushing handles. Secondly why not follow it up with what pushers have to put up with from their needy wheelchair users. Without any consideration of the pushers strength, they want to go back over cobbled streets or uneven asphalt that was mere vibration for the user, but a massive effort for the pusher. The wheelchair user needs to speak, and not just make gestures with their head, ( yes or no is limited communication),. and demeaning to me, I am not a paid servant, I am a partner (husband) . Also if the wheelchair user needs the toilet, I want to know at least 20 minutes ahead of time, as it is made to look that it's my fault for any accidents of nature occur while i'm the pusher.. Also make sure the invalid goes to the loo before going to the street, even if they only half want to go, as soon as you are on the street, within 5 minutes they want the loo. Finally agree to where we are going before we set off, many wheelchair users think we are an engine and can do anything they want, but actually partners are very often not much more healthy than the invalid.
Gem unfortunately my handle bars are fixed and are quite low, but luckily my wife is quite short so it works out ok
People to randomly just start pushing with no for telling or just randomly tip the chair back its really stressful
I am looking for instructions on going through doorways.
She has a video all about doing doors in a wheelchair.
I am tall, wheelchair pushing kills my back. Thank god for extendable handles.
0:33 Then I hope to find the earlier videos.
1:40 This is especially important on descending slopes.
2:09 I think it would have been nicer if you had let your "Boom!" coincide with when your casters got stuck.
3:20 I would like to add that it's important to react *in time*. To anything, actually. It's essential to the person in the wheelchair, to kind of feel what you see; what you notice; what you're going to do. Ease into what you want to do, if maybe only a little. I know someone who always reacted to things like curbs at the very last moment. It always scared me silly.
3:32 Please forgive me for cringing at the sound of "patient."
5:15 What if I do like this video, but I don't want to see the other one? I'm kidding, of course. My point is that I believe it's better to ask that people put it in their comments, rather than let it be the reason for their Like.
5:28 Personally, I don't think this is that important. Especially if you ease into what you want to do.
🤣😂😅funny is that’s you husband pushing you.thank you😊
I really hate when they crash me into things. Ouchhhh
I had some dude trying to help me get of a bus by grabbing and lifting my casters without warning me. He meant well but it didn't end well. Had disability cab driver push me up a ramp in such a way that i fell backwards and je refused to help me up bc i had my dog there. A mess. Neighbors had to help me, still embarassed. Ppl forget how physics work as soon as they seem a wheelchair lmao. Like they wouldnt attempt to lift a bike by the wheels!
I’m 18 and I use a wheelchair and my friend josh that pushes me is rubbish but then my college friend Aaron who pushes me is fantastic
Please don't push too fast as my daughter likes to head towards something and turn at the last minute. Often going down drop kerbs that catch the from wheels. My first wheelchair was ruined by this and I nearly fell out xx
Thank you
Wow I’m early :)
Would never allow anyone to push my chair I know others need to but not for me, ps I live in Brighton.x
Another point to make is DO NOT lean all of your weight on the wheelchair, especially if your chair is very tippy.
Oh yeah!
My mom use to push my chair but I have got a active wheelchair so I can push myself
Yay thats so good. Its nice to have your independence. x
If the wheelchair user can help, two of you pulling when going up steps backwards is easier than just the able bodied person doing it alone.
front wheels should be large .. and much further than d rear
If your chair has NO Push handles so the pusher is holding your shoulders to push you...
Make sure they let go before slowing down suddenly 😱
Or Else you end up on your back in public 🙄🙄 (Slightly embarrassing).
Is their anything you can put over wheelchair you your covered up and can't be touched by people or animals
Don't appreciate the auto pay money collection that popped up before this video started. Feels like being robbed . I am a disabled, low, income senior. I'm save Ng for my own, light weight, electric chair. Do appreciate your efforts.