Quick-Start Mobility Support Guide for Caregivers

Caring for someone who relies on a mobility device can be both rewarding and overwhelming, especially if you’re navigating the world of wheelchairs, insurance requirements, home modifications, and equipment maintenance for the first time. Each mobility user has unique physical, medical, and environmental needs, and the right equipment can dramatically improve their independence, comfort, and quality of life.

This quick‑start guide was created to support caregivers like you. Whether you provide care daily or occasionally, you’ll find practical steps to help you select the right mobility device, prepare for the evaluation process, modify the home for accessibility, maintain the equipment, and recognize when it’s time for service or replacement. With the right tools, knowledge, and preparation, you can help ensure the mobility user you care for lives more independently, while reducing strain and stress on yourself as the caregiver.

Discovering the Right Mobility Device

Customized mobility equipment is designed to give the mobility user greater independence while also making caregiving easier. However, this only works if the equipment is customized to the unique needs of the mobility user. Before you start shopping around, make a list of current mobility challenges. Once you have your list of challenges, create a ‘wish list’ of features you want the equipment to address. This will help guide you in the right direction to discover the right solution.

A few ‘wish list’ items other caregivers and mobility users have noted are:

• The ability to adjust body position for better spinal alignment, weight distribution, blood flow, and overall respiratory health.

• The ability to do more things independently, like cook, go to work, garden, socialize, and attend school.

• The ability to easily transfer in and out of the wheelchair and navigate tight spaces without the assistance of a caregiver.

• The ability to age in place rather than aging in a nursing home, skilled nursing facility, or other clinical facility.

Other key factors of choosing the right mobility solution are understanding the mobility user’s medical condition, how long they will use the equipment, what their daily routines look like, and how their environment determines their independence level.

Considering these factors prior to researching options can significantly make the process of obtaining mobility equipment easier, while ensuring the equipment improves the overall health outcomes of the mobility user.

Navigating the Approval Process

Getting qualified for mobility equipment through insurance can be a lengthy process, but it’s in the best interest of both the mobility user and their caregivers. It ensures mobility users receive the equipment they need for independence while also reducing strain and stress for caregivers. That’s why the evaluation and approval process is highly detailed and uniquely tailored to the mobility user. Here are a few things to note before, during, and after the evaluation.

Before the start of the evaluation, be sure to:

• Prepare questions for the Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) or therapist

• Make a list of all daily caregivers

• Take photos/videos of the home environment (doorways, bathroom, kitchen)

• Bring the current mobility device, if applicable

• Have documents of medical history related to mobility

• Note daily mobility challenges (transfers, pressure relief, fatigue, reach issues)

• Note physically difficult caregiver tasks

• Bring insurance cards and physician contact information

During the evaluation, be sure to:

• Observe posture and alignment in existing seating

• Observe how independently the mobility user can operate their device

• Note your ability as a caregiver to assist with safe transfers

• Check if the turning radius can navigate small home spaces

Before the end of the evaluation, be sure to:

• Confirm which features were recommended and why

• Ask for training on any new features (tilt, recline, power options)

• Get an estimated insurance timeline

• Request copies of evaluation documents

Preparing the Home for Wheelchair Accessibility

After the evaluation has been completed, medical necessities established, and the wheelchair order submitted for insurance approval, it’s time to work with the mobility user, their family, or other caregivers to ensure their home is prepared to accommodate their new equipment. Here are five main areas of the home that should be modified to accommodate a mobility device.

1. Entry and pathways

   1. The first step to using a mobility device inside the home is ensuring it has clearance to enter the home. If you, as the caregiver, notice the outside of the mobility user’s home is cluttered, you’ll want to remove all debris from the path. Providing a smooth and clear pathway will make it easy for the mobility user to enter their home and will also prolong the life of their mobility equipment. Another thing to note is that if the home has stairs as the primary entryway, you’ll want to get an accessibility ramp. These ramps can be temporary or permanent.

2. Common areas

   1. Upon entering the home, make sure all common areas and high-traffic areas are decluttered. Power, bariatric, and other large wheelchairs require extra room to move through small spaces, so make sure you clear enough space for the mobility user to easily navigate their home in their chair. Be sure to remove rugs and floor mats. While these items can add extra comfort when navigating the home on foot, it can become a tripping hazard and cause a reduction in the wheelchair’s traction and stability. If removing rugs isn’t an option, try securing the corners and edges to the floor with grippers, rug tape, or anti-slip mats.

3. Bathrooms

   1. Adding handrails, safety bars, shower stools, slip mats, or other safety items to the mobility user’s bathroom will provide them and you, as the caregiver, with the additional support needed to use the bathroom without the risk of falling or sustaining injuries. Most of these items may be covered by insurance or can be purchased using a health savings account (HSA).

4. Kitchen

   1. Accessing countertops, cabinets, microwaves, refrigerators, and other appliances may be difficult for the mobility user, depending on their mobility equipment. Consider setting aside eating utensils and other essential items for easier access. Additionally, you’ll want to work with the mobility user and their family to modify the eating table to accommodate them and their wheelchair. If not, you can look into getting an adjustable table or an individual tray table.

5. Bedroom

   1. When the mobility user is ready to turn in for the night, you’ll want to work with the mobility user, their family, or another caregiver to ensure their bedroom can accommodate the wheelchair. Check that outlets are easily accessible for them to charge their chair at night. If they require transfer assistance, you can look into getting a safety bar, harness, or stool to not only help you as the caregiver with transfers but also give the mobility user independence if you are not available.

Maintaining a Mobility Device for Longevity

The first step in maintaining a wheelchair is to ensure it stays in the best condition possible. As a caregiver, it helps to know the regular maintenance tips to ensure long-term use. Here are a few ways you can help maintain the wheelchair to ensure comfort and independence for both of you:

When to Service, Repair, or Replace a Mobility Device

Mobility users who get their equipment through their insurance are typically eligible to upgrade/replace their equipment after five years or due to extenuating circumstances. However, knowing the difference between service, repair, and replacement will make a difference in the health of the mobility user’s wheelchair. This guide can serve as a valuable resource for understanding the differences.

Service (Routine Maintenance):

• Minor loose screws

• Slight joystick sensitivity changes

• Cushion needing replacement

• Routine cleaning and alignment

Repair (Functional Failure):

• The chair won’t turn on

• Joystick malfunction

• Broken armrests or footplates

• Battery not holding charge

• Motor noises or grinding

Replace (Major Needs Change or End-of-Life Equipment):

• The mobility users’ medical condition changes significantly

• Chair is 5+ years old (typical insurance timeframe)

• Frequent repairs interrupt daily life

• New mobility needs (tilt, recline, standing, elevating seat)

If the mobility user is experiencing any of the above issues and they’ve had their chair for five or more years, it may be time to consider a reevaluation rather than getting another repair.

Next Steps

Supporting a mobility user goes far beyond assisting with daily tasks; it involves understanding their needs, advocating for the right equipment, maintaining a safe home environment, and ensuring their mobility device stays in top condition. By following the steps in this guide, you’re not only helping the mobility user live more safely and independently, but you’re also strengthening your own confidence and capabilities as a caregiver.

For additional caregiver support, Rehab Medical’s team is available to answer questions and guide you through the process of obtaining, maintaining, and replacing equipment, if needed. Call us at 855-437-7915 or complete our online form to get started.