Glide Recliner and Vertical Lift Wheelchair

In 2009 the Julia Farr MS McLeod Benevolent Fund funded the purchase of a Glide recliner and vertical lift wheelchair to test the extent of its impact on the person's lifestyle, and also to assess its economic impact in terms of costs of disability support.

An independent evaluation to measure the lifestyle impact of the specialist recliner and vertical lift wheelchair highlighted the recipient had:

• been able to spend extended periods of time in the specialist wheelchair due to the wheelchair being adjusted horizontally to relieve pressure on their skin
• been able to participate in activities they had wanted to do for some time including enrolling in further education and travelling interstate to sporting events
• experienced noticeable improvement in their health and wellbeing including improved mobility and reduced pain.

Prior to the specialist wheelchair the recipient required support from two paid staff. The use of the specialist wheelchair reduced the number of transfers the recipient required as one person was able to adjust the wheelchair to relieve pressure and discomfort.  This resulted in the need for less paid staff.

The recipient's support agency estimated the potential economic savings of this reduction in paid staff support equated to approximately $400 per week or $21,000 per annum.