There is increasing concern over the number of falls elderly people suffer every year. It is estimated that 300,000 people over the age of 65 will fracture a hip annually. Since most hip fractures are the result of a fall, prevention and awareness of mobility aids is very important.

Many people are unaware of the variety of mobility equipment available to them to improve safety and their quality of life. Most seniors do not realize that this equipment is available to the Medicare recipient when certain criteria is met.

An excellent aid for many people is the power wheelchair, also called a motorized wheelchair or electric wheelchair. Not to be confused with a scooter or electric scooter. Such equipment is covered by Medicare and other private insurances if the person meets the following criteria:

1) Currently has a manual wheelchair or has a need for one medically to complete the activities of daily living. One must be chair or bed confined.

2) Is unable to propel him or herself in a manual wheelchair due to heart, lung, or respiratory problems such as Diabetes, CVA (stroke), COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), etc. This is one area that is misunderstood by families, caregivers, and most physicians. Most believe that the ailment must be external and cannot be internal. However the fact is that people with respiratory illness, for example, may have a harder time self-propelling a manual wheelchair and can easily harm themselves further by doing so, than those that have a lack of arm strength.

3) Finally and probably most importantly, the person must be able to operate the chair safely. If there are cognitive issues, it is unlikely this mobility aid would be the best product for this type of person. Also, if someone does not have the capacity in the hands to operate the control, this would also cause a safety concern. The control is most probably a joystick.

In order to find out if someone qualifies for such equipment, contact should be made to a distributor of power wheelchairs that bills Medicare. Simply by asking any distributor if they bill Medicare is enough as they will know what is meant by the question.

The majority of distributors that bill insurance will bill directly with proper physician documentation and no money should be required upfront. There could be a deductible and some money that the beneficiary will be responsible for upon or after delivery, but that should be disclosed by the distributor upon ordering. These type of companies also should help you through the entire process. It is definately an option to be explored.

A power wheelchair can be the gift of freedom and independence for a frail or disabled loved one. It can also mean a safer and less risky life for them, one where the threat of a nasty fall is greatly reduced.

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