Bernie’s top equipment and gadgets – wheelchair accessories

In the third of her equipment review blogs, Bernie Hunter provides a round-up of top accessories for wheelchairs. 

Cup Holder

This is to carry my drink, the cup holder attaches onto my wheelchair and this allows me to take my drink out with me. I don’t understand why wheelchairs do not have cup holders already fitted onto them. It is a very useful accessory to have as I can easily access my drink and I don’t need any assistance to get it out of my bag, if it is a bottle of juice. The bottle just fits in the cup holder and I can take a drink when I want, the cup holder has a hook so it is hooked over my arm rest of the wheelchair and taped on just to make sure it is secure. It does make my chair a little wider but it just depends where the cup holder can be fitted onto the wheelchair. I got the cup holder from a hardware shop but there is a range online under ‘Car Cup Holder’. Here is a car cup holder which is available to purchase on ebay.

Net Bag

This is a bag which is made out of fabric, that attaches onto the handles of my wheelchair. It is very lightweight and it doesn’t stop you from putting any other bags on the back of the chair. The net bag is for to put lightweight items in like essentials and snacks, it saves you from having to take another bag out with you and it means that there is one less bag to carry about. The only thing about this bag is because it is clipped onto my wheelchair permanently which means I can’t access it independently but it is still very useful and I highly recommend it for anyone who uses a wheelchair- the net bag is available to order on this website.

Clutch Bag

This is a small bag with a wrist strap that attaches onto my belt, on my wheelchair, which means the bag is secure and can’t fall off. I use the bag to put my phone and money in as it is safe and I can easily access it myself. The bag has a zip and I have a keyring on it, this makes it easier for me to open and close it. The bag helps me to be more independent and I don’t have to worry about carrying my money or phone about with me. Clutch bags are available in stores like Primark, New Look or alternatively online by searching for “Clutch Bag”.