Owning a wheelchair accessible van can be incredibly helpful if you provide care to someone living with a disability. Wheelchair vans can increase the independence of your family member or client and allow you the ability to transport them with ease and safety.
If you’re a professional caregiver:
If you work for a caregiving agency or are self-employed, owning a mobility van will give you incredible leverage when interviewing for jobs. Wheelchair accessible vehicles allow you to take patients to doctors appointments, visits to friends, family and many other venues or changes of scenery.
Depending on your clients’ specific disability, their equipment will vary. If you’re looking to transport a larger variety of clients with different types of mobility equipment, a rear entry van will most likely be your best option. Some of the benefits of a rear entry van for a professional caregiver are:
- Up to two additional companions can come along
- Power chairs and scooters are easier to fit
As a professional, owning a wheelchair van is like having a mobile business card.
Full sized wheelchair vans may be a worthy investment to your company. Full sized handicap vans offer greater space, comfort and entertainment options.
If you’re a family caregiver:
If you are looking after a family member with a disability, you can purchase a mobility van based on the needs of that specific person. Rear entry and side entry both have positive and negative aspects depending on what you need.
Side entry access wheelchair vans deploy from one of the side door entrances of the van. The wheelchair user can sit behind the driver or front passenger in the middle of the cabin. Many people prefer side entry vans because the wheelchair user has the ability to enter and exit safely onto the curbside away from traffic.
Rear entry mobility vans deploy their ramps from the back of the vehicle. If your family member is tall or has a particularly heavy chair, this may be the easier lift for them. An additional advantage of a rear entry van is the ability to park it just about anywhere. No extra room is required for a ramp.
A brand new handicap accessible van can cost anywhere from $50-$60,000. For disabled Americans, there are a number of ways to get financial assistance for buying mobility vans or for help with the costs of van conversion.
Transfer Aids:
In some cases extra help will be necessary when moving the person in the wheelchair in and out of the vehicle. A transfer seat is a motorized seat base that has controls and allows the wheelchair user to move backwards into the center of the van. Once the person transfers into the seat, the same controls are used to turn forward and then move up into the driver or front passenger position. If you are driving someone who requires this transfer seat, they will likely be sitting in the front passenger position.
Bellow is a good video clip for caregivers on how to safely and properly help wheelchair users transfer in and out of a mobility van:
Searching for a new or used wheelchair van for work purposes or a family member? Classic Vans in the San Francisco Bay Area has a large selection of new and used wheelchair minivans as well as full-sized handicapped equipped vans. Call (866) 370-8222 or browse inventory https://www.classicvans.com/mini-wheelchair-vans/.
Don’t live in California? No problem! Inquire about low-cost nationwide van delivery.