When getting around your home becomes an issue All Star Medical is here to help you decide which scooter will work for you and why. We have a great selection of scooters in stock so you can come in and try them out while we help you make an educated decision. Below are a few points to take in consideration when deciding on choosing the right mobility scooter for you or a loved one.
Compact/Mid Size/Outdoor Mobility Scooters
Mobility Scooters come in many different sizes so the main thing to ask yourself is where will I use this scooter the majority of the time, Inside and around my home, side walk or on the grass in the yard, or at the mall or doctors office. Once you have decided that then you can make a better decision.
Portable Compact scooters work great in the home. You have a good turning radius on most of them and they typically break down into 4 to 5 sections which make it easy to transport in a vehicle. I will say that if you are the user then you might not be able to break them down or carry them. The heaviest pieces weigh around 35-40 lbs and you have to bend over to take them a part. These scooters come in 3 & 4 wheeled versions.
Mid Size Scooters are a little larger but still have the ability to break down. They typically have a larger clearance area under the frame which can help when using outdoors. When the scooter breaks down, you are typically dealing with lager and heavier pieces than that of the compact scooter. They also make these scooters in 3 & 4 wheeled versions.
Heavy Duty Scooters look awesome! Some of these scooters can go up to 8 MPH and some have a weight capacity of 500 lbs! They are made for outdoor use. You probably wont be able to use these inside of your home unless you have a very wide open floor plan. The average length is around 60 inches long, trying turning down a hallway with that. Some of these scooters can go on grass but I will remind you that it all depends on the surface of the grass. Remember that Riding lawn mowers can get stuck and slip on the grass and that’s what they are built for.
Insurances can sometimes pay for these items but they have to be medically necessary inside the home. Insurances do not pay for you to go out to the mail box or garage. You must have a face to face assessment with your physician stating why the scooter in medically necessary, they must note this in your chart notes and show why other devices like a cane, walker, and manual wheelchair will not work inside your home. The days of a physician writing an order ALONE for a mobility scooter are long gone so before you go into the doctors office you might want to make sure they know you are coming in for a mobility evaluation.
We hope this is helpful. We carry Pride Mobility, Golden Technologies, and Drive Medical. Remember that All Star Medical carries a large variety of mobility scooters for you to choose from. Call one of our two convenient locations in the Nashville TN area at 615-730-9438 in Hermitage or 615-567-6116 in Franklin TN.