Welcome to Motorhomefacts, we are a thriving motorhome community (Largest in Europe). Why Not JOIN NOW and get instant access to more of the website. It costs nothing to join and only takes a few minutes. We have 200,000 different people visiting our site monthly and this amount of motorhomers in one place guarantees a fast response to any questions you may have. We also have unique facilities not found elsewhere such as our Online Logbook, stopover tracker, Motorhome directory with Ebay type feedback and the largest repository of motorhome campsites reviews found anywhere
Forgive my bludgeoning in here as a complete newcomer (both to this forum AND to being motorhomers...!). And also please forgive this is a duplicate as I now realise adding this to a previous thread may not be optimal!!
We have caravanned for years but as my wife now has to use a wheelchair on and off we have decided to move on to a motorhome.
But - which one? Aside of cost, the major considerations seem to be a fixed transverse bed which does not sit atop a garage (so you can get on it easily, that is). Prefer a low profile so it is more suitable for some day to day use and also lower on the diesel and we only need two berth anyway. Plus 6 to 7m. And then a combined toilet and washroom which we can then get modified to improve access, if needed. Finally no steps between the cab and the habitation area so it's easier to wheel around inside.
I'll take any advice on offer, but am really interested in narrowing down my search so I can get serious and try and find the motorhome of our dreams. Right now it feels like a needle in a haystack.
Can anybody help me narrow down my search, please..??
BTW, for those of you who have been looking at entry/exit issues, I feel I may have found a solution in a product called a Turny Seat (see it at http://www.autoadapt.co.uk/?url=http%3A//www.autoadapt.co.uk/produkter /inurbil/produkter/orbit.html) which means you may not have to widen the standard door because you can enter/exit via the cab thus enabling transfer from the cab seat to a small transit chair inside the motorhome - so long as everything is on one level. They have a motorhome version of the product and KC Mobility is a dealer that seems very experienced in fitting same.
Can't wait to contribute something myself but meantime I'll be very keen to see what comes up here.
Thanks for reading this and happy motorhoming...!!
I think both Autocruise and Autotrail offer the option of the lower transverse bed. It is over a year since I checked so perhaps someone will come along with firmer information. Have you been to the NEC or if you are going visit >Coachbuilt GB<
When I went on Tuesday I hadn't realised they were on the Swift stand so I missed them. Unfortunately Autotrail who have been so helpful in the past will no longer modify their models so what you see is what you get these days.
peedee
______________________________________________________________ The best journeys are not always in straight lines
For an account of our journeys click >here< (Last updated 1st March 2012)
I'll take any advice on offer, but am really interested in narrowing down my search so I can get serious and try and find the motorhome of our dreams. Right now it feels like a needle in a haystack.
Hamish
I should have added I know exactly how you feel. It is bad enough deciding on a motorhome if you don't have a disability. Take into account specialist needs and its a nightmare. Frankly I have given up looking and decided to seriously examine the custom build options not only because it has become harder to buy production models but because of quality and payload issues.
Do you need to consider your wife's condition may deteriorate? If so you may need to consider that in the future transfers from one seat to another may not be possible and you will either have to plan to change your motorhome or think about it now.
peedee
______________________________________________________________ The best journeys are not always in straight lines
For an account of our journeys click >here< (Last updated 1st March 2012)
My wife is disabled, although not to the extent that your wife is. We bought our first motorhome a year ago and had similar difficulty finding one that suited her.
We looked for low bed(s), a way of transporting her wheelchair and electric scooter and a vehicle she was comfortable moving around in, i.e. flat floor throughout etc.
We settled on a vehicle that has two single beds, both reasonably low, but with storage underneath. The best way of transporting the wheelchair turned out to be a bikerack, but check that you can lift the wheelchair onto it. The scooter is stored under one of the beds. It is a real pain to get it in and out, but is at least do-able. The van has a flat floor throughout and a decent sized rear bathroom (confined spaces are much more difficult for the disabled).
Inevitably the vehicle is a compromise. The scooter would be much easier to handle in a garage and the shower would be easier if it had a built in seat as some do.
Peedee has given some good advice about going to a show, this is the best way to look at the options available. The number of vehicles at a show is always daunting, but if you prepare a detailed specification of what you require and stick to just looking at vehicles which more or less meet that spec., you can draw up a decent shortlist for a more extended examination.
One last thought, ambulances carry a sort of narrow wheelchair for moving patients out of houses, which can be cluttered. One of these might be ideal for moving your wife around within the vehicle.
Firstly a big thanks to my respondents. The information has been most useful
PeeDee, I see you are the font of all knowledge and I found your website very valuable. Well done..!! I have a question for you - I'm sure that somewhere I saw you refer to a "glide chair" as being a means of sliding up and down inside the motorhome. Or maybe it was somewhere else... I am interested in this as if I use the cab door (with the Turny Seat) as the principle means of entry/exit for my wife then I have to have a back up plan for the Turny Seat not working. My idea was to have a set of ramps for the habitation door and a very narrow wheelchair which would fit through the standard door thus avoiding the need for a wider door. I saw Sandy's comment on ambulance chairs so I am drilling into this possibility too.
Are you aware of such a chair, please...??
Finally, we have progressed to look a single beds as a solution as these seem to allow for much better washroom access in a sub 7m motorhome. Also, I think we'll just have to take the plunge, learn from the experience and maybe change in as little as a year or two's time once we need the ropes a bit better.
Hamish,
It wasn't me who referred to a "glide chair" but I think >this< might be what was mentioned? The airlines
certainly use something similar to move those with restricted mobility along the aircraft aisles.
peedee
______________________________________________________________ The best journeys are not always in straight lines
For an account of our journeys click >here< (Last updated 1st March 2012)
dont know if this might interest you but I have for sale on behalf of a client a fully equipped factory build easy access special needs American RV. It is a 2003 Fourwinds Infinity. Very brief spec 35ft, Petrol/LPG, separate wide access door with Braun wheelchair/scooter Lift, large roll in shower, front passenger captains chair is fitted with wheels and electric locking system (can go anywhere in rv). lowered combination oven microwave, shower toilet (warm water wash and warm air drying) end bedroom with electric bed ( rise and fall and massage, wheelchair accessible whb in bedroom. wheelchair accessible extending dining table with chair tie downs for travel. everything is on one level. it is also fitted with a safari room plus all the usal American RV luxuries such as generator, inverter, 2 x air con, central heating, reversing monitor(s) large fr/fr, 2 tvs, self seeking sat, sat nav, DVDs and much much more. This extremely spacious vehicle and home from home lacks nothing and is in first class condition having covered less than 6000 miles from new and is ready to hit the road.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
Croatia
Help sought re M/H choice for disabled use
