My wheelchair mom wants to see the ocean

[SuziQZee]

Where would be a good beach to take my mom to see and touch the ocean. We've gone to Cocoa Beach with my family and it was beautiful but we could never get her across the sand and down to the water in her wheelchair. (WAY to far!) Is there another access to the ocean that is closer where she could put her feet in the water or watch the kids play in the surf and find some shells??

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks !!
Suzi

 

[disprincesspatty]

Have you ever tried the sand wheel chairs. I know they rent them in the OBX. Not sure about FL. They have big fat wheels for going through the sand.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Have you ever tried the sand wheel chairs. I know they rent them in the OBX. Not sure about FL. They have big fat wheels for going through the sand.

Worth it if you really want to get down to the ocean, but they are quite an embarrassing thing to be in. Keep that in mind for your mother.

 

[Michigan]

Worth it if you really want to get down to the ocean, but they are quite an embarrassing thing to be in. Keep that in mind for your mother.

I don't think that statement was really called for. Without beach wheelchairs my kids would never be able to get down to the beach. Trust me people who are full time wheelchair users have had a lot more embarrassing things then being pushed in a beach wheelchair.

That being said go to Daytona Beach. Show her handicap placard and you will get onto the beach for free. Because the sand is hard cars drive on the beach. Drive down to the lifeguard stand there you can sign out a free beach wheelchair.

 

[BillSears]

I don't think that statement was really called for. Without beach wheelchairs my kids would never be able to get down to the beach. Trust me people who are full time wheelchair users have had a lot more embarrassing things then being pushed in a beach wheelchair.

That being said go to Daytona Beach. Show her handicap placard and you will get onto the beach for free. Because the sand is hard cars drive on the beach. Drive down to the lifeguard stand there you can sign out a free beach wheelchair.

Lindsay has been a paraplegic since she was a child. I've been a paraplegic for 30 years myself. We're both very capable independent adults who happen to be full time wheelchair users. Using a beach wheelchair for me is not something I would do. To me it is embarassing, demeaning and depressing. I hate being dependant on someone else to move me from one spot to another. Until a beach wheelchair is made that give me full control of going where I want when I want without outside help I will not use one.

 

[Michigan]

Until a beach wheelchair is made that give me full control of going where I want when I want without outside help I will not use one.

They make them there are beach chairs with a rachet type handle on the wheel to move the wheels and they also make power beach chairs but the cost of them will always keep them in the private owner catagory and not loaners at the beach.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Lindsay has been a paraplegic since she was a child. I've been a paraplegic for 30 years myself. We're both very capable independent adults who happen to be full time wheelchair users. Using a beach wheelchair for me is not something I would do. To me it is embarassing, demeaning and depressing. I hate being dependant on someone else to move me from one spot to another. Until a beach wheelchair is made that give me full control of going where I want when I want without outside help I will not use one.

Thank you, Bill. I was seeing red.

I don't think that statement was really called for. Without beach wheelchairs my kids would never be able to get down to the beach. Trust me people who are full time wheelchair users have had a lot more embarrassing things then being pushed in a beach wheelchair.

Michigan, may I make a suggestion? Know your audience before you flame them.

 

[Figaro]

I've used the beach wheelchairs in Hawaii and the main problem with them is that they are kind of difficult to control and are very, very bouncy. But since I was laughing the whole time at the ridiculousness of it all, that didn't bother me a bit.

It is possible (as we found out last week in Puerto Vallarta) to pull a manual wheelchair backwards across the sand down to the water. You can't go into the water but it is possible to go fairly close until the sand gets too soft.

People are different in what causes embarrassment and what doesn't. It doesn't bother me a bit to be pushed in my wheelchair or in a beach wheelchair because of that. Where I get into trouble is when I assume that my feelings about my disability/wheelchair use are the same as someone else, since as different human beings we are going to react and feel differently.

Hope your Mom gets to see the ocean close-up and that you have a wonderful trip!

 

[Michigan]

Thank you, Bill. I was seeing red.



Michigan, may I make a suggestion? Know your audience before you flame them.

Then let me say if being in a beach wheelchair is the most embarrassing thing that happens to you as a para then you have been blessed. My 17 year old who has been a para since her birth finds it more embarrassing to have people watch her when she is sometimes having a hard time going from her wheelchair to a Disney ride or the looks and comments from people on the Disney busses because it takes so long to do the tie downs for both her and her 9 year old sister who is also a para since birth. Does it embarrass her so much that she won't go to Disney no because it's something she wants to do.

If the beach is important to the op's mother and spending time with her grandkids then my guess is she won't be embarrassed.

Again my comment wasn't meant to make you mad but to point out there are far more embarrassing things out there then enjoying the beach the only way her mother will be able to do it.

 

[SuziQZee]

Thank you everyone!! I really appreciate all of your advice and feelings too!! Everyone is different and I need to make sure my mom will feel comfortable with this because she is overweight and just being on a beach in FL might make HER feel uncomfortable. I do go with the rule that you only live once and get her to try things that she wouldn't do by herself. (She's kinda conservative.) We took her with us last year and I don't think she felt comfortable doing everything she wanted to because she got the stares on the bus and the exasperated looks from ALOT of other guests...not to mention the people who just walked right in front of her scooter like she wasn't even there. Some people even cut in front of her in line for rides and shows. (We were very discouraged by mankind during our trip last year.) She is basically bedridden at this very moment and we are trying to keep her motivated to work hard with her PT to keep her mobility and gain a little more so she can go with us in June. She realizes that this will be her last trip to Disney...not to mention, probably her last vacation trip anywhere so she has a different outlook on things this year. She said she will be more independent with her scooter and try more things and also appreciate the things she does do a little more. My 3 kids keep her motivated also. She loves to share our vacations with us because the kids are so much fun to watch. Thanks to EVERYONE again and any other suggestions will be appreciated!!

PEACE, LOVE AND MICKEY MOUSE!!

Suzi

 

[terri01p]

I say go for it ! Go have fun, my goodness life is so short and whenever you can go, go, go!!! To heck with who's around you, what anyone thinks, they don't know your life, go have as much fun humanly possible ! One day you'll look back and be able to remember times like these ! GO !

 

[Purple Princess]

We went to Cocoa Beach in November during DD's Wish trip to WDW. My children hadn't been to a beach and we were all so excited. While it was lovely, sadly, my daughter could not get more than a couple feet away from where we were parked. Her wheelchair just couldn't manuever the sand. We never saw a lifeguard, probably wouldn't be on duty in November anyway, but no sand wheelchairs to be found. I wish we could have had more time and we would have went to Daytona as I have heard they have them there. It has been a dream to see the ocean and it sure hurt that that part of her Wish trip couldn't have come true. I hope we can get there again someday. I have seen many photos and videos of the sand chairs and personally thank God they exsist! To have something that can make life easier for someone and to have the chance to experience something as wonderful as the ocean/beach, I cannot imagine why anyone would be embarassed. Those wheels become your legs and thank God they are available to our generation. I realize everyone has their own comfort level but, please, never feel embarassed about using a standard wheelchair or a big wheeled beach wheelchair. I would be thrilled to see someone using one that wouldn't have been able to be on the beach or out in public any other way. It killed me when I had to face the fact my DD would never walk and would always be in a wheelchair. That faded away after a few years and I accepted the way life is for her and us. Now we thank the dear Lord that He allowed mankind to invent something so wonderful (even big wheeled w/c's lol). It sure is a lifesaver all around! Suzi, I hope your Mom gets healthy enough to be able to go on the trip with you and I hope she will accept using a beach chair and have the time of her life! Indeed life is much too short and we should make the most of every day. I will say a prayer for her and you.

 

[Daydreamer64]

The last time that I was at Daytona Beach - they allowed cars to drive right on the sand on the beach- the sand is hard so maybe you could rent a chair to avoid salt rusting on her chair and unload her right out of the car onto the beach?
HTH

 

[LindaDVC]

I vote for Daytona too!

We have a small condo there and as folks say you can drive right onto the beach. It is free if you have a handicapped parking tag or $5.00 for others. At sunsplash park and several other parking spots along the coast they have ramps to the sand as well. The life guards can call the station and deliver a beach chair for you.

My husband has been on the beach but prefers to sit at the sunsplash park ( or in our case next door at our condo pool) and watch the action on the beach from there.

Linda

 

[SueM in MN]

I think one thing we can all agree with is what Figaro posted:

People are different in what causes embarrassment and what doesn't. It doesn't bother me a bit to be pushed in my wheelchair or in a beach wheelchair because of that. Where I get into trouble is when I assume that my feelings about my disability/wheelchair use are the same as someone else, since as different human beings we are going to react and feel differently.

 

[D L and K's Mom]

We took DS on the Disney Cruise and they used them on Cataway Cay. It was a great trip. I don't know if a cruise is something you and your family would enjoy but we LOVED IT!!! The only thing that was sort of an inconvience was that the elevator took forever and we had to leave at least 1/2 hour early for our dinner ressies. There were only 2 elevators if I remember correctly and many people used them. Wheelchairs, strollers, small children etc. The curse was great, the island wa wondeful and they had a chair waiting for DS when we got off the ship. It was there waiting for us with a wonderful smiling CM.

 

[chris1gill]

You know, this thread makes me think..... I REALLY miss getting down to the water.... I felt the water three years ago when my poor DH had to carry me down to the water's edge, course on the way back he got a standing ovation from everyone that was there (it was a dolphin feeding experience in the wild)

BUT, I'd use anything available to me to get down to that water..... I've found that if I really want to do something, I'll use any method I can find to make it happen... Now on an aside I have to make a very depressing post about our recent Disney trip