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Welcome to UK Wheelchairs - the home of value and quality

The Costs of Being Disabled

Physically disabled individuals who were born with their condition may have already become used to some degree of social discrimination. However, employers and the physically able public have become more progressive in thinking and their attitude towards the physically disabled.

This has led to better accommodation and considerations allowing wheelchair users to be more mobile and become more independent. Although these changes have taken place, it can still become quite hard for the disabled to move around in many public areas. For this reason, assistive devices including electric wheelchairs have become necessities.

Although the difficulties of physically disabled individuals have been acknowledged, it is difficult to understand the financial damage it can cause unless it is personaly experienced by the person him/herself or his/her family. With necessities that include mobility scooters, electric wheelchairs, wheelchair ramps, special furniture, walking aids, specific personal care goods, having a physical disability can easily cost anyone a fortune. None of these are considered luxury goods and they are all costs physically disabled individuals incur.

Although financial assistance may be available, the assistance often cannot cover the total cost of goods physically disabled individuals require. Because many do not have personal finances to cover all expenses, many have had to decide on having one necessity over another. Families have also had to make certain sacrifices to make the budget fit. This may not be easy especially if the physically disabled in the family quickly grow out of their assistive devices or if they like to enhance their lives through sports that can cause rapid wear and tear to their equipment and quickly need replacements.

There are assistive devices that allow life to become easier. Because of the costs involved, many have no choice but to make do with what they have. In the case of temporarily disabled individuals, many feel as if they are better off suffering than taking such a huge financial hit for assistive devices that they are not sure they will be using for very long. Of course this is not an ideal situation. When it comes to the mobility needs of individuals, all should have enough money to make their lives easier to live.

Because of the high costs involved, many physically disabled individuals have learned to purchase items in bulk. For all obvious reasons, this involves lower costs than if they would purchase in retail. Since they are able to save a considerable amount of money, they are able to afford more and better assistive devices. Others have even chosen to purchase seconhand mobility devives especially when their need involves something very pricey. This can be a good decision but in most cases the devices are not built or designed for the individuals needs and specifications.

Those that have even had to deal with extensive financial strain are families who have disabled children. The reason for incurring more costs is that the children quickly grow out of their assistive devices and they therefore cannot have long term use of what they currently have. Even those who are temporarily disabled find themselves without any use of high-priced items they bought for recovery simply because their needs were only temporary.

Assistive devices are often suited to their users and their environment, many who have the need to change residences find that their devices no longer fit in their new home. This has led to a wide selection of quality secondhand products that many others may still have use for. Secondhand mobility products can be purchased at much lower prices and the benefit they will get will be the same as if they purchased brand new goods.

When looking to purchase secondhand mobility products, ask questions about its previous owners to better evaluate the condition of the product and to evaluate if the previous owner had a similiar ailment as yourself. Such questions should involve how it was previously used, whether warranties still apply, what services have been made, and what parts have been replaced.

When buying assistive devices, whether new or secondhand, it is always better to avoid rushing into a purchase so as to better evaluate the product and others that are available in the market. Taking time when purchasing a secondhand mobility product can pay off as you can research the items and you may well find exactly the product that suits all of your requirements at a cheaper price.

Although being physically disabled can be costly, many options have allowed individuals to lessen the financial strains. Local foundations, government grants, and insurance covers also help in a significant manner.

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