Arthur, a 73 year old paraplegic five years out, uses adaptive tools to aid him in living an independent life. He is a T-11 complete with no feeling below his belly button.

One of the challenges he faced was transferring on a slippery tile floor. While transferring from the wheelchair to the commode or the wheelchair to the shower seat, the wheels on the wheelchair would sometimes slip on the bathroom floor. It wasn’t a secure situation.

After some research, Arthur decided to try chocks. A chock is a rubber wedge used behind the wheels of a vehicle to prevent it from sliding backwards. You’ll often see them in auto repair shops or behind truck wheels if stopped on the side of the road, especially on a hill. It prevents unexpected, unintentional movement.

In this video, Arthur demonstrates how he uses chocks to prevent his wheelchair from slipping out from under him during transfer. He uses another tool – the grabber – to aid in placing the chocks behind the wheel.

Safety precaution: lock in your wheelchair before adding chocks.

While this method isn’t full-proof, it is an improvement.

Chocks come in a variety of sizes and are an inexpensive way to add another layer of protection from slips.

Do you use chocks or another method to secure your wheelchair? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Angela DiCicco

theitaliangrandmama.com

theitaliangrandmama@gmail.com

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