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Mobility trouble can be extremely challenging. Many times, those with mobility issues often not only have trouble walking, but also have trouble pushing themselves in a wheelchair. In these cases, a motorized transport such as a scooter or powerchair is often the best solution. But which to choose? Knowing the difference between a powerchair and a scooter and deciding correctly which is best for you can save you money and frustration and ensure that you get the best experience out of your purchase. Let’s take a look at the two types of motorized mobility vehicles and review how to choose the best one for your situation.

Mobility Scooters

The first type of motorized mobility vehicle is called a mobility scooter. An electric mobility scooter is usually controlled with handlebars similar to those found on bicycles. Mobility scooters can reach speeds of up to 10 miles per hour, and some models can be used on roads, across fields, and up steep hills. Mobility scooters come in a variety of types, including three-wheeled models, four-wheeled models, and compact models. Each has its advantages. A four-wheel mobility scooter is more stable and generally supports more weight than other models. A three-wheel mobility scooter offers a tight turning radius and thus has improved maneuverability. A compact mobility scooter can be easily folded or disassembled for transportation in the trunk of a car. Compact mobility scooters are also a good choice if the storage room in your home is limited. These vehicles can be easily kept in an out-of-the-way corner or closet.

Mobility scooters are usually lower-cost than powerchairs, and are often much more rugged in design, allowing the user to tackle more difficult terrain. Additionally, scooters have a psychological advantage in the minds of some users since they appear so different from wheelchairs. Sometimes, not feeling confined to a wheelchair can make all the difference. Scooters do have drawbacks, however. Scooters are generally larger than powerchairs, and thus can be difficult to maneuver indoors or in tight spaces. In worst case scenarios, this makes a user have to get up from the chair and walk, negating the purpose of owning the vehicle in the first place.

Powerchairs

 Powerchairs, also known as power wheelchairs or electric wheelchairs, are high-tech devices packed with features to make mobility a cinch. Although more expensive than scooters, they offer a wider range of features. Powerchairs generally have either four or six wheels, offer zero-radius turning for increased maneuverability, and are controlled with a joystick. Electric wheelchairs have advanced abilities such as motorized stand, recline, and tilt features to make getting into and out of them easier and to provide greater comfort to the user. They also offer the best support to users with posture issues.

Powerchairs do not fair as well as scooters on rough terrain, and are primarily made for use indoors or on smooth paved surfaces, which limits their usefulness to some users. Additionally, they are very heavy and do not usually fold, making their ability to be transported and used on lifts problematic.

 Choosing the Right Vehicle

 Which type of electric mobility vehicle is right for you depends largely on the use for which you need it. Do you intend to use it primarily as an aid for normal walking, or do you intend to use it continuously or for long periods of time? Because of their advanced comfort, powerchairs are best for longer use, but due to their weight and increased expensive should only be used in situations where a scooter will not be sufficient. Still confused? At Pacific Mobility Center, our highly-trained and knowledgeable sales staff has the ability and takes the time to get to know your situation and recommend the best scooter or chair for your circumstances or budget. This is just one more advantage of dealing with a local, family-owned and-operated company. Come see what a difference that makes for your shopping and buying experience.
Contact us today!

Check out the Victory 10 Pride Mobility Scooter:

So you’ve finally had enough of being a shut-in and reclaimed your freedom, your mobility, and your life by coming to see us at Pacific Mobility Center and getting yourself a new powerchair or scooter. Freedom and mobility mean nothing, however, if you don’t go anywhere, so now it’s time to decide what to do! Grab your spouse, the kids or grandkids, or a friend and be sure to check out these six must-see places in and around San Diego. All of these great attractions are accessible and are wonderful ways to spend a day exploring in your new scooter or powerchair!

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Just 35 minutes north of downtown San Diego you’ll find the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, a massive 1800 park. This non-profit attraction features 900 acres of habitat preserve, and includes large field exhibits where the animals roam free. The are several ways to enjoy the park, but the best experience is to take the Caravan Safari, which includes the opportunity to hand feed a giraffe. Caregivers are admitted free, accessibility guides are available, and there are shuttles to help you get around the park.
www.sdzsafaripark.org

Hornblower Cruises

The heart of San Diego is the waterfront, and the best way to experience the waterfront is to take a sightseeing cruise around the bay. Hornblower Events and Cruises has three ships to convey you in style around the bay. All three ships have accessible ramps and restrooms; the Inspiration Hornblower has an elevator to the lower deck, and while on the Lord Hornblower and Adventure Hornblower’s upper and lower decks can only be accessed by stairs, the main decks on both ships have large viewing windows. Inform the reservations staff that you need accessible ramps.
www.hornblower.com

Birch Aquarium

The non-profit Birch Aquarium at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography offers a number of fascinating and educational exhibits to visitors. The aquarium, located in La Jolla, offers more than 3,000 specimens representing more than 380 species of fishes and invertebrates and live daily feedings. All exhibits and facilities are accessible.
http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/

SeaWorld Adventure Park

Looking for a little more excitement in your aquatic adventures? Then head to Sea World San Diego, the original Sea World park. There are numerous rides and shows, many of which are accessible, and the park overall has excellent accessibility. Special tours and accommodations are available with two weeks advance notice.
www.seaworld.com

Balboa Park

Balboa Park is home to 15 major attractions, including museums, The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, performing arts venues, and the San Diego Zoo, as well as beautiful botanical gardens. Many of the museums offer free admission to San Diego city or county residents and active military personnel and their families on Tuesdays with valid ID. While not all of the park and the attractions are accessible, most are, and the park is serviced by the Old Town Trolley Service as well as the Balboa Park Tram.
www.balboapark.org

USS Midway Museum

The first carrier to be commissioned after World War II, the USS Midway was also the lead ship in her class. She has been preserved and is now open to the public as a museum for tours. The museum features ADA-compliant directional signage, and most areas are fully accessible, with elevators providing access to the 2nd deck, hangar bays, and flight deck. A virtual movie areas shows footage of the inaccessible areas, so that visitors with mobility issues can still see all of this majestic and powerful symbol of American military might and exceptionalism.
www.midway.org

Want more ideas or information? Visit www.access-sandiego.org/

Here at Pacific Mobility Center, we are committed to offering our customers the highest-quality products at the lowest costs. That’s why we are excited to announce that we now carry and install PromenAid Hand Rails. PromenAid Hand Rails are a modular hand rail system that are inexpensive, easy and fast to install, and run anywhere you need them to throughout your house, giving you safe and reliable support anywhere you need it. PromenAid Hand Rails climb stairs, turn corners, and follow both angled walls and straight-aways without a break. This provides continuous uninterrupted support along any wall and grants safe access virtually anywhere in the home.

We choose to offer PromenAid Hand Rails because they have a number of important features and benefits that put them above the rest. PromenAid Hand Rails install faster than any other comparable brand because of their patented system for support bracket installation, making putting a support bracket anywhere you need it a fast and easy process. Additionally, PromenAid Hand Rails are much more attractive than custom stainless steel rails while performing in much the same manner and being far less expensive. PromenAid Hand Rails meet or exceed all residential building codes, most commercial codes (even the more stringent ones), and are fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

When you choose the right hand rail system, it’s amazing what they let you hold on to. From easy installation and reasonable price, to quality construction and attractive styling, PromenAid Hand Rails are a great choice for a person with mobility issues looking to remain in their home but concerned about safely maneuvering through the house. Choose PromenAid Hand Rails from Pacific Mobility Center and hold on to your safety and your freedom. Stay in the house you love with less fear of falls. Come get a free quote on having a new PromenAid Hand Rail system installed in your house. Our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff will be able to answer any questions you have and assist you in choosing the right products for you. Come see the difference working with a locally owned and family run business makes. Contact Pacific Mobility Center today.

More on Promenaid Hand Rails:

Pacific Mobility Center places the highest priority on offering our clients the best products around at the lowest prices anywhere in San Diego. We want our clients to be able to feel safer in their own homes without breaking the bank. For this reason, we are happy to announce that for a limited time, we are offering a special buy three, get one free deal on grab bars.

Bathrooms are the site of around 85 percent of all falls for senior citizens and the mobility-challenged, and many of the rest occur during transfers. Grab bars help protect from falls in these situations and places by offering a strategically-placed bar on which to hold on, capable of supporting the person’s weight and allowing for easier transfers and less falls.

For a limited time, we are offering a special deal on grab bars. Buy three grab bars, get one free. Just mention that you saw this ad to claim the deal, and our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff will help you select the grab bars that best suit your needs and situation. Contact us today for a free quote and to see what we can do for you!

For many who have suffered a disability or who have become otherwise mobility-challenged, one of the hardest things to come to terms with is the loss of their ability to drive. In many places, public transportation is not adequate to easily accommodate the mobility-challenged and their regular schedules, or can be expensive and time-consuming, even when it comes to something as simple as running everyday errands like going to the grocery store or the drug store. As a consequence, many with disabilities are forced to rely on family or friends for rides. This experience robs the mobility-challenged of their dignity, and creates a burden on those they rely on for rides, or at the very least creates a perception of difficulty.

It is also difficult for those family and friends to watch someone they love struggle with the new limitations of their freedom of movement. They often feel their loved ones deserve the same ability to drive themselves as anyone else, and it can be heart-breaking watching a parent come to terms with their inability to drive themselves as they have done for decades.

At Pacific Mobility Center, we understand these feelings of shame and frustration, and we empathize. We believe that no one should ever have to suffer through this. Consequently, we have become a dealer and factory-certified installer of MPS vehicle hand controls. MPS has been a leader in the field of vehicle hand controls for the mobility-challenged for over 40 years.

Vehicle hand controls are any number of specialized devices designed to assist the  mobility-challenged control their vehicle in non-traditional, easier ways. They come in a variety of designs depending on the exact level and style of modification needed. Vehicle hand controls can range from a simple device to change what side the blinker is on to devices that allow for the operation of foot pedals with the hands.

Our friendly and knowledgeable sales staff will take the time to help you determine which controls you need, and we have a working model in our showroom for you to try out for yourself. Once you have decided on the controls for your vehicle, our factory-certified shop will install the controls for you. We do not offer training or evaluations for the use of this equipment. We highly recommend that a Driving Rehab Instructor is consulted before purchasing these devices. For your convenience we offer local referrals.

With the holidays rapidly approaching and the season of giving upon us, consider giving your mobility-challenged loved ones the gift of freedom and dignity this holiday season. Contact us today to see the world of difference in mobility we can make for you or your loved ones. Also, sign up for our newsletter for monthly news and valuable deals delivered straight to your inbox.

Monarch Hand Controls in action: