Manual Wheelchair Transfers to Your Car

freedom and safety for all.

These tips cover the basics of the end goal. Always remember to lock the chair before any manual wheelchair transfer. Power chairs generally stay put.

We trust that you will use your good judgment when it comes to manual wheelchair transfers. Perhaps that is exactly why car transfers aren't for you. You've tried and failed. Each situation is different. Each manual wheelchair transfer is different between each patient but the basics remain the same.

(Power chair transfers) are quite another story!)

Manual wheelchairs differ greatly from Power ones, though providing the same basic transport function. Manual transport chairs vary slightly from manual wheelchairs in that they have four small wheels vs. the regular wheelchairs having two large and two small. Manual wheelchair transfer steps may vary using a transport chair. For this reason, we have provided these tips separately from power chair management. The wheelchair transfer tips remain relatively the same, but transporting and transferring manual wheelchairs vs. power chairs is the difference between carrying a back pack on a bicycle vs. a full cart of groceries on the same bicycle.

You'll find tips on transferring that heavy electric chair or scooter here.

That said, before attempting any transfer to your car, take the foot rests ALL the way off (if they come off). Take any arm rests off and any accessories that will come between you and the transfer "runway."

Care giving is all about safety, freedom, and success for you and your patient or loved one. We hope you find each of these nestled somewhere within these tips and enjoying greater freedom and ease in transferring to and from the car by learning here. Don't let that clunky, awkward transfer keep you at home!

Wheelchair transfers or any transfer for that matter can be difficult and scary depending on the patients ability and the caregiver ability. If you've missed some of these helps along the way, grab them and run!

Tip #1

The #1 tip here is to keep the sitting surfaces equal.

What?

It's going to take the neighbor hood to transfer mom FROM her manual wheelchair UP into her van to go anywhere. But, just a short transfer slide from the van back down to her manual wheelchair when you get to your destination.

Equally difficult is manually wheelchair transfers to a high seated van or even a car with just enough seat difference to wreak havoc.

So, short of letting the air out of your truck tires or buying a new car, (unless you need a good excuse!) your best option here is to park next to a curb so that the wheelchair is a curb's height closer to the level of the vehicle seat.

To transfer dad INTO the truck or van, i.e. from low to high. Park the high seated vehicle along side a curb. Now, by taking advantage of the curb, you've raised dad's wheelchair at least closer to the height of the car seat. Proceed with your manual wheelchair transfers from here. (You will be able to micro control manual wheelchair transfers easier than with a power chair.)

When you have arrived at your destination though, you can find a curb if you like, but, let gravity do its thing as you transfer dad from high to low now.

No curb at home? Build a platform that you can roll the wheelchair up on - now you have a curb!

At times the back seat works better for various reasons and some unforeseen circumstances but for the most part, these tips and tricks will help you be safe and smart for many outings to come.

It may not be possible to accomplish Tip #1. Don't sweat - yet. But keep in mind that you may always need a second person to help you with these manual wheelchair transfers for safety and ability reasons.

Manual wheelchair transfers. Can't live without them for sure. Sadly many have written off going any where outside the home WITH the manual wheelchair. Why? The wheelchair to car transfer is difficult and the manual wheelchair transfer alone is awkward and clunky making it hard to get in the car too!

We trust that you will use your good judgment when it comes to manual wheelchair transfers. Perhaps that is exactly why car transfers aren't for you. You've tried and failed. Each situation is different. Each transfer is different between each patient but the basics remain the same.

Tip #2

Remember friction in physics? - transfers are all about friction! Depending on the surface you are transferring from and to, it's simple lessen the friction involved.

Put a towel on the car seat and a plastic garbage bag or empty grocery store plastic bag over that for easy sliding, adjusting and pivoting once on the car seat. Maneuvering just got easier. There are many products on the market today that seek to accomplish this same feat. Empty grocery bags are free, medical products aren't but are available. Suit your fancy. You can do the same thing in the seat of the manual or power chair for easier settling in controls.

Tip #3

Sometimes a car is tiny with little leg room for transferring in and out. Slide the car seat all the way back AND (for limbs that aren't bending as much as is necessary or total hip replacements that need to follow a 90 degree precaution)all the way DOWN (reclining). This allows for dad to scoot backward and slightly up hill on the car seat so that his legs can clear the door jam. Once inside, return the seat to a comfortable upright position.

Tip #4

The steering wheel is a sturdy "grab bar" to help dad scoot. The hand hold that some cars have above the outside mirror (inside the car of course!) work well too but they aren't heavy duty. From 5 years of fire fighter volunteer, I've also learned that it's almost impossible to hurt that ole' steering wheel! Sturdy it is!

So use what you can to grab onto, but make sure it is sturdy. Remember when standing your patient in prep for transferring, safety first. Patients should push up from the wheelchair arm instead of pulling on the door, the door jam or you. Doors don't have muscles to strain or discs to herniate - you do!

Tip #5

While we're still in the car, remember that pulling mom or dad is sometimes easier than trying to push them into place. How do you pull? Walk around to the driver's side, crawl in grab that towel and tug. The towel, placed on the bag will slide quite easily for this final step in your transfer.

Tip #6

Instead of wedging yourself in the crux of the door and the car (in that side mirror corner), you can do one of two things at this point to still be close enough to mom to give her the support she needs without getting stuck yourself in the process of the wheelchair transfer.

First option is to park the wheelchair against the car door you are transferring into. You (from behind the chair) will be on the left side of the chair between it and the car. This allows you to help transfer mom from her left side. This also allows you to wedge the chair against the door and you against the chair and provides a stable surface (the door) for mom to hold onto instead of your neck while transferring from the wheelchair to the car seat.

Second option, wedge yourself between the open door and the wheelchair but not in FRONT of the chair. This way, dad can still pull on the door and not your neck and you can control the absolute stability of the door, i.e. making sure it won't move or close while dad uses it for support while transferring into the car.

Although it may not seem like it, manual wheelchairs can be a dime a dozen. Goodwill and senior citizen centers usually have them at low to no cost depending on where you go. Remember too that manual wheelchairs are often found at the doctor, power scooters at the grocery store etc. So, don't sweat the small stuff if you don't need to.

Get these tips AND learn the top three wheelchair exercises and more in our 18 page e-Book.

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Back to Home Safety from Manual Wheelchair Transfers

Learn About Leg Exercises

Wheelchair Transfers - Power Chair

Getting your Wheelchair in the trunk