Some things to keep in mind while shopping:
- How much weight can you lift into and out of your vehicle? Most “lightweight” chairs that have any form of attendant control weigh in at least 50 pounds.
- How long do you think it will be before you require the attendant control? I ask only because if it will be several years, you may wear out the first power chair before that feature is needed.
- Try to go and test drive the chair you are most interested in at a local mobility vendor prior to purchase. Every chair is a little bit different, and finding one that “fits” your DD is important. I made that mistake - and I will never again. From now on, I go and test drive first.
Increasingly, you can find “cheap” power chairs on
Amazon, but if something goes wrong, or breaks, often service is near-impossible, and replacement parts (including batteries) may not be available either. Buyer beware, and read reviews with a critical eye (and on Amazon make sure the “Sort by average customer review” filter is turned on.)
In theory, any chair that will allow you to move the controller (the joystick) from one side to the other *could* be fitted with a bracket to allow attendant control; make sure the bracket is made for that chair, *and* fits that controller properly. Even if you don’t need it now, order it if you think you may ever need it; it may not be available in the future.
One of our Moderators,
@SueM in MN might have some solid insight for you on the topic.