Mobility Scooters

What are the benefits of a mobility scooter?

For elderly people who are limited in their mobility, a scooter can provide many benefits that can help enhance your quality of life. These include:

• Enhancing your ability to travel to different places in your daily life
• Increasing the number of activities users can engage in, such as going to community events, taking classes or visiting new places
• Making daily activities such as shopping and going to appointments possible without assistance
• Providing comfort when you travel, especially if walking long distances is difficult
• Contributing to your overall functional health and wellbeing
• Providing more options for holidays and travel with portable scooters

What is the best mobility scooter to buy?

Before looking for mobility scooters in Australia, it’s worth considering what common activity you need one for, and if you have the ability to operate one. Chat to a health professional (e.g. an occupational therapist) so they can run you through what you need to be able to do to safely drive a mobility scooter in public. This includes tasks such as:

• getting on and off the scooter without help
• operating the hand controls
• turning your head to look for oncoming traffic and pedestrians
• reacting to your surroundings
• maintaining your balance while sitting on the scooter when driving over uneven
• paths
• being able to maintain your concentration for an entire trip
• seeing clearly what is around you

Another decision to make is what kind of disability scooter to purchase. There is a wide range of mobility scooters for sale that suit each person, for example: an off road scooter, folding mobility scooter, portable mobility scooters, 3 wheel mobility scooter, 4 wheel scooter, lightweight mobility scooter, travel mobility scooter and heavy duty mobility scooters.

Here are some of the common options to choose from and what they typically feature.

Small or portable mobility scooters

As the name suggests, small scooters are more compact than larger models and have a tight turning circle, so they are agile enough for users to manoeuvre around busy indoor spaces. Many models also feature a front basket, making them ideal for doing the shopping at your local supermarket.

Portable mobility scooters are also convenient to transport, due to their light weight and small size. They can be dismantled or folded and are great option if you like to go away on trips, as they can fit into the boot of a car or be taken on airplanes as checked baggage.

A lightweight mobility scooter may not suit your needs if you’re looking for a vehicle that will take you outdoors for an extended period of time. A smaller battery means they have less range per charge, and they are less capable than larger models of driving on rough surfaces or up steep hills.

Medium mobility scooters

Medium scooters combine the convenience of a small scooter with the extra power needed for users to climb small hills and drive outdoors. They are a great general purpose option if you need to get around your local area, do the shopping and visit friends nearby. Many models also have features such as puncture-proof tyres, a front headlight for better visibility, a basket for shopping and padded seats.

Medium scooters also tend to have basic suspension, giving each person a comfortable ride even if you are travelling outdoors.

Heavy duty mobility scooters

These are large battery-powered scooters which can cover a long distance – up to 50km for some models. They also feature extra comfortable padded seats, headrests, pneumatic rubber tires and suspension. This allows you to travel on uneven surfaces – for example, lawns, rough paths, bumpy roads – and still remain fairly comfortable.

Some models also feature additional storage and accessories, which may be ideal if you plan on travelling longer distances on your scooter.

What is the difference between an electric scooter and motorised wheelchairs?

Although electric scooters and motorised wheelchairs are both mobility aids, they have significant differences which may influence which one you choose to purchase.
A mobility scooter is designed for people who may be able to move around their house, but struggle to walk long distances. They tend to be used outdoors and can navigate bumper surfaces, steep hills and go longer distances.

An electric wheelchair or manual wheelchair is more suited to indoor use, due to their smaller turning circle and easy manoeuvrability. While some are able to be used outdoors, they are more suited to being used in indoor spaces (e.g. shopping centres and around the home).

Whether you choose a mobility scooter or adult power wheelchair depends on what your needs are, and the daily activities you need assistance with. For more advice, the team at Mobility Caring are more than happy to help. Give us a call on 1300 108 622 for advice.

Can you travel with a mobility scooter?

Many electric mobility scooters are made for heavy duty use, which makes them suitable for safe travel when you are off-road. If you are after a scooter that you can transport if you are going away, it’s worth exploring portable and lightweight travel scooters, or compact travel scooters that are easy to pack away.

Do mobility scooters come with a battery?

The quality of your mobility scooter’s battery impacts how far you can travel, how often you need to use battery chargers, and how long the battery level will last before it needs replacing.

Mobility Caring’s range of reputable scooters feature high performing batteries, and some models have larger battery size so you can travel further for longer. Purchases include warranties for batteries.

What is the price for an electric mobility scooter in Australia?

Mobility Caring has a huge range of high quality and affordable mobility scooters from well-regarded brands, along with other mobility aids and mobility devices.

From heavy-duty models to a compact travel scooter, shop our range of scooters from Australia today at great prices, or get in touch for more information. Need help choosing a suitable mobility scooter? Our team of experts are ready to help!

To browse our range of Mobility Aids & Accessories, please browse the rest of our site.