VELA Tango chair supports independence and comfort at home
VELA Tango Chair supports independence and comfort at home
Retired Auckland GP, Tony Antunovich, loves family meals around the dining table and card games with friends – but his mobility issues were making social interactions very awkward.
“I was sitting probably eight inches higher than everyone else. I was like a king on the throne. It was just awful.”
The 65 year-old developed inclusion body myositis around 15 years ago, a degenerative condition which is slowly robbing him of muscle strength. He can no longer stand up from a normal chair yet his powered wheelchair is too bulky to fit beneath a regular table.
Instead, he was using a stationary telescopic chair to give him enough height to stand up again. “Because my arms are so weak now I struggle to elevate my hands up to my mouth. So I had to put a box on the table to get my plate up closer to my mouth. And because my telescopic chair had to sit six or seven inches away from the table to give me enough room to get in and out, I had to lean right over and half my food would end up on the floor. It was terrible.”
In exasperation, Tony even had an over-height table custom-made. “But then those around you feel like they’re sitting too low. And as your muscle weakness progresses, you need more and more height. It was getting ridiculous.”
Fortunately, an OT recommended Tony buy a VELA Tango chair from Cubro which has transformed his mobility and independence at home.
“I have a group of mates and we’ve been playing cards together for 45 years. This chair allows me to get up and down from the table easily so I can change the music when I need to or get to the bar to serve a drink. It’s allowed me to continue to function in my normal manner and host people in my home.”
Cooking in the kitchen is now easier too. The chair’s smooth-rolling wheels and U-shaped frame allow Tony to use his legs to punt around the floor with minimal exertion. He can get closer to the stove than he can with his wheelchair, and the ability to raise himself up at the touch of a button makes it easier to reach things from his fridge and pantry shelves.
“It's actually quite easy in the kitchen to just move around quickly. With the six-wheeler electric wheelchair, you need to be a pretty good driver to not bang into cupboards and stuff. The Tango chair is a lot more maneuverable.”
An easy-to-use central brake keeps the chair perfectly still when Tony wants to push against the arm-rests to stand up, preventing falls. The chair’s seat also automatically locks in place when you’re in neutral (facing forward) or facing 90˚left or right to prevent any unwanted any movement.
The backrest and seat tilt are both adjustable (10° forward and 15° back) for posture support and comfort, and other customisation options include headrests, dropdown armrests, foot and amputee rests.
“I use the Tango chair at least three or four hours every day,” Tony says. “It’s quite comfortable. It’s got a material padded seat and a material padded back. It's like a normal office chair with wheels. And if I need someone to move it into a different room for me, it only weighs 34.5kg so it’s easy to move.”
Cubro Solutions Specialist Sean Douchay visited Tony several times at home to set him up with the VELA Tango chair. “He’s a lovely man; nothing was too much trouble. Sean was an OT before he went to work for Cubro. Their staff are very resourceful people and know their stuff. That tells me Cubro is interested in helping people who are disabled which is really, nice. You feel like they’re on your side of the battle.”
Cubro’s VELA Tango chair range is ideal for anyone suffering a loss of mobility or severe fatigue to help them maintain independence at home or in the workplace.
“I used to be an active squash player and I was pretty strong,” Tony recalls. “Inclusion body myositis is just one of those things you have to roll with. Everybody has challenges in their life and this is mine. I consider myself lucky.”
Cubro case studies are based on actual testimonials provided by real customers and users of our solutions. In some testimonials to protect the identity of the users, we have changed a name and used a stock photo. Our case studies describe our past work with customers and users, and detail solutions that have improved their quality of life. As each individual user has a unique set of needs and requirements, the content in these case studies should not be used as a substitute for professional advice from a registered clinician.