‘Spidey chair’ gives Nikayla new freedom at home

'Spidey chair' gives Nikayla new freedom at home

For most people, moving from the bedroom to the bathroom or flicking on a light switch requires little thought. For Nikayla Wood, those everyday tasks have demanded enormous effort for much of her life.

The 28-year-old Rotorua woman has cerebral palsy and cannot walk, relying on a powered wheelchair for mobility. But the narrow hallway and doorways at one end of her family home mean her wheelchair cannot reach her bedroom or bathroom.

“I have to crawl and it hurts my knees,” Nikayla explains. “To get to the toilet there are handrails and I have to pull myself up.”

Crawling and dragging herself along the floor has been Nikayla’s only practical way of navigating that part of the house for much of her life. The physical toll included sore, calloused knees, painful toes and strained shoulders, while the knees of her trousers regularly wore through.

Now, a VELA Tango 700E independence chair with electric lift from Cubro has transformed the way she moves around her home.

Nikayla’s occupational therapist approached Cubro looking for an alternative mobility solution while the family continues to wait for modifications to make their house fully wheelchair accessible.

“They sent me a photo of this chair and I said, ‘yes, that would be brilliant’,” Nikayla says. “From day one, I loved it.”

Smaller and more manoeuvrable than her powered wheelchair, the VELA allows Nikayla to propel herself backwards using her feet and navigate the narrow hallway between her bedroom, bathroom and the main living areas.

“I like the freedom,” she says. “I can turn on the light by myself now and sit by the fire.”

Being able to remain upright has also changed the way Nikayla interacts with other people at home. “It makes it easier when she comes down into the lounge,” her mum, Kristina Travaglia, explains.

The VELA chair supports participation

“She’s at a height that she can talk to people. She can come straight up to the table and stay in her chair rather than having to be transferred or try and climb up onto another chair.”

The VELA has also given Nikayla more dignity when using the bathroom. She can remain seated until she is ready to transfer between the chair and the toilet.

Although the VELA Tango 700E features electric height adjustment, Nikayla prefers to leave the seat set at a comfortable height. The seat’s lift and tilt, backrest angle and height, armrest height and distance between the armrests can all be adjusted to suit individual users.

For Nikayla, however, the chair’s compact size and manoeuvrability are its most important features. The seat rotates 90° left or right, allowing her to swivel herself out of tight corners when necessary.

Cubro has also customised the chair specifically around Nikayla’s limited upper-body reach. A T-style extension has been added to the handbrake, and the brake itself has been bent further forward to make it easier for her to engage.

“I couldn’t reach it before,” Nikayla explains. “I asked if they could do something about that and they said yes. Now I can grab it.”

The family has been waiting around five years so far for renovations that will allow Nikayla’s powered wheelchair to access the entire house. Until that happens, the VELA provides an effective alternative for the spaces her wheelchair cannot reach.

The chair has even acquired a name of its own.

 “Dad’s friend was here and he said, ‘Oh, you look like a spider.’ I needed a name so I could ask for what chair I want, so now I call it my Spidey chair.”

If you, or your client, think a VELA Tango chair might be just what you need to support mobility at home, school or work you can find out more about the range here.

VELA Tango independence chairs with electric seat lift