Living with hemiplegia: Conny’s strength failed her, but the chair took over
Over height time, Conny’s strength had weakened so much that she could no longer change the of her chair by herself. This meant that she could not look down into the pots when she was cooking, so she had to try something else.
The solution to the problem was that she placed the pot on the floor between her feet when preparing the sauce.
She often burned herself, constantly moving the hot pot between the stove and the floor. So this was not an ideal solution to the problem.
The new VELA chair, on the other hand, was everything Conny dreamed of – and more. This chair has an electric lift, which means it can move up and down at the touch of a button.
Now Conny can look down into the pots again – and there is no more burning herself or making do with cold food.
Before, she would use up all her energy preparing the food, so she was completely exhausted when eating the food. Her energy has now returned, and Conny can both cook the food and enjoy it afterwards. A big step in her hemiplegia recovery.
Rehabilitation for hemiplegia requires the right aids
The electric lift and the wide wheels have given Conny much of her independence and sense of self-worth back. Rehabilitation and recovery after hemiplegia require activity, and she is now able to do that.
Conny’s chair is made to fit her exact needs. This means that all adjustment levers have been placed on her healthy side, so she can operate them herself without difficulty. Therefore, it is easy for Conny to adjust the chair to the right height because it is done with a single press of a button.
Conny’s eyes started to shine
Disability after hemiplegia may worsen gradually. So you don’t always realise that you’re getting worse, or that new challenges are emerging.
For example, Conny simply adapted her own daily life gradually, to a point where she could not do much anymore.
When she first tried the electric lift in her new office chair with brake, her eyes started shining again. Now, she can reach the top cupboards again, reach the top shelf in the fridge, and she can look down into the pots when she cooks – without burning herself. That is a significant recovery!
She can even reach the bottom cupboards and walk the chair around.