Getting an Electric Wheelchair in France

[Gardian]

I’ve been pondering whether to post this for a few days, but decided in the end that somebody might be interested.

Mrs G has MS and has to use a manual wheelchair when we’re ‘out & about’.  It’s not a big problem, but quite difficult for me, because propelling a wheelchair and a ‘chariot’ around a supermarket is well nigh impossible!

We’d been thinking about an electric wheelchair for a while and floated the idea when Mrs G had her annual prescription renewal with the Neurology Prof a month or two back.  We were accepting that we’d probably have to fund at least E1k of the cost.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, 3 people turned up here (by appointment) last week with a couple of electric wheelchairs to demonstrate.  After a ‘flying lesson’, we settled on one of them and the process now ‘kicks in’.  The lady from the Neurology Prof’s team said that it’s entirely justified and the whole process will take just 4-6 wks until delivery.  Zero cost to us.

The reason for posting this is twofold.  First, to say how pleased we are over the whole business.  Second, to say that if anybody out there feels the need for an electric wheelchair ......... it’s actually quite an easy process.  Well, it was down here, anyway!

Just ask for more info if you need it. 

[Lori]

I'm sorry to hear about Mrs. G's MS.  However, that is such good news about the electric wheel chair process. Amazing at no cost to you.  I imagine it will make outings much smoother.  I do hope so.

Wishing you both well.

 

[menthe]

I join Lori in sending best wishes and thank you for posting, Gardian, as it's likely to be useful for someone.

[Gardian]

Thanks for your thoughts about Mrs G’s MS, but she was diagnosed nearly 20 years ago and is pretty accustomed to it !  The Neurology Prof reckons that the condition (for her) is essentially benign, although there are tens of thousands of others for whom this isn’t the case with MS or other health problems.  Accordingly, she feels pretty ‘lucky’.

The biggest problem has been her loss of independence (driving is out of the question) and so the ability to get round a big supermarket, stopping and starting where she chooses to, rather than where I push her, will be a big deal !   

Its strange how such seemingly trivial things can assume major importance ?

[Judith]

Gardian, I vey much sympathise with both of you.  As you say, she looks as though she's been lucky and is getting some life to live still, but impossible to push trolley and wheelchair .. I've tried pushing a trolley with only one hand after a hand op .. impossible, so the fact that you've managed what you have for so long is amazing!  Such excellent news, because it gives you both independence, as she will be able to do so much more with the electric chair, which is of benefit to both too ...  I've been unable to walk any real distance without a stick for some time now, and yes, such seemingly trivial things (not being able to do the speed or the distance I once did without thinking about it), does becoome imcredibly important once you cannot do it!.  Even slight improvements take on incredible importance too. 

[marisa mann]

Bonjour, I'm thinking of moving to France and would be interested as to how you got an electric wheelchair as I will need quite a sophisticated one for my condition?

[DaveLister]

44 minutes ago, marisa mann said:

Bonjour, I'm thinking of moving to France and would be interested as to how you got an electric wheelchair as I will need quite a sophisticated one for my condition?

I would suggest your first port of call would be whoever is going to be responsible for providing your healthcare.

[Gardian]

In my original post, I thought that it would take 4-6 wks to take delivery: in the event, it was more like 3 months!

Dave is quite right: although you might be able to initiate the process yourself, it's better to be able to use the 'services' of your healthcare provider.  The department of neurology at our local teaching hospital has one person who (apart from other responsibilities) deals with 'new' requests.  She was one of the 3 people who came to our home and stayed on for another half an hour completing her own justification questionnaire. She knew the questions to ask and was of course able to get ready corroboration from her clinical colleagues. 

She dealt with the application which was then submitted to a department in our Region which deals with such matters.  You then have to wait for that to be cleared, which is never overnight !  In the meantime, we had settled on the model of wheelchair and the Regional department eventually approves the application and notifies the supplying dealership.  Delivery and demonstration then follows.

For you, two possible problems.  First, your healthcare specialist won't have any history of your circumstances and may not have the admin support to deal with the application process.

Second, there used to be a limit on the amount that the State would fund and this used to be around E5k.  Macron promised a year or so ago to scrap this and pick up the cost entirely.  I'm not sure whether this has happened and if your need is for a "sophisticated" one, then the cost is going to be quite a bit higher.

Mrs G is very happy with her new 'transport'.  I'm less enthusiastic, because it's heavy to maneuver in and out of the car boot, but these things are never lightweight!

One question from me - what do you use at the moment?  

[NormanH]

I have just seen this thread. I had to get mine second-hand from the UK and paid over 2k PLUS 20% EU Vat 🥵

[menthe]

But, Norman, it was surely "worth it" for you because otherwise you would just be hobbling along the trottoirs of Béziers instead of being "Monsieur Toad de Béziers"?

[NormanH]

2 hours ago, menthe said:

But, Norman, it was surely "worth it" for you because otherwise you would just be hobbling along the trottoirs of Béziers instead of being "Monsieur Toad de Béziers"?

Absolutely. It was a dear departed member of this Forum who first put me on to the idea and steered me to a source of SH ones in the UK ..11 years ago!

[anotherbanana]

“Monsieur Crapaud“ is not perhaps quite the same?😂

[menthe]

46 minutes ago, anotherbanana said:

“Monsieur Crapaud“ is not perhaps quite the same?😂

Definitely NOT!  What M Crapaud de Maison Crapaud?  Let the man have some dignity.....toot toot...🙂