Equipping patients who require wheeled mobility with custom wheelchair fittings and training on seating and wheeled mobility equipment and design to make daily life easier
Comfort, utility, independence
At Sheltering Arms Institute, our wheelchair clinic and wheelchair evaluation services provide seating and wheeled mobility needs to patients recovering from an array of injuries, illnesses, and conditions.
Wheelchair service locations
Sheltering Arms Institute’s wheelchair clinic is located inside of our inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Short Pump and outpatient wheelchair evaluation services are offered at our Bon Air and Hanover locations.
Supporting comprehensive recovery
From a referral from the patient’s primary inpatient therapist to device evaluation and partner vendor management, the wheelchair clinic team at Sheltering Arms Institute puts patients’ needs first.
The wheelchair clinic allows each individual to evaluate many options and solutions through a demo chair constructed especially for them to discover what works best prior to ordering a custom chair.
The wheelchair clinic is stocked with a wide array of brands and types of equipment, including power and manual chairs, frames, wheels, cushions, backrests, brakes, sensors and more.
Once a loaner chair is optimally configured, our partner vendors pre-screen each patient’s insurance before ordering a custom chair while Sheltering Arms Institute team members work to ensure approvals and lead appeals, if required.
Through our Return Delivery Program, our patients come back for an appointment at Sheltering Arms Institute to pick up their new custom chair instead of having it delivered to their home. This way, the patient’s wheelchair evaluation team is present during the final fitting to ensure the order is accurate, everything fits properly, the patient is able to operate the equipment, and address any required changes to the order.
Functional mobility assessments (FMAs) are designed for individuals who use a wheelchair as their primary means of mobility. Offered to all wheelchair clinic participants at Sheltering Arms Institute, the FMA helps us understand how you use your wheelchair and its effectiveness in your daily life. The survey is given multiple times throughout the lifespan of your wheelchair to track its performance from when you first receive it to as it ages over time.
The wheelchair clinic team took the time to explain all the pieces and how they worked, how to take apart the wheelchair, and how to maintain the cushion. They took care of all the details involved in ordering a custom wheelchair and we were thankful to have a loaner to go home with.
Wheelchair evaluation services
Sheltering Arms Institute offers wheelchair evaluation services on an outpatient basis to help individuals identify the best wheelchair fit for their needs while maximizing function, independence, and comfort – both now and in the future. Our seating and positioning specialists will conduct a thorough evaluation and collaborate with our partner wheelchair vendors to determine insurance coverage and help meet your unique mobility needs. If a patient’s medical status should change over time, we will work to update the wheelchair to accommodate functional changes.
Understanding wheelchair services
The wheelchair clinic at Sheltering Arms Institute provides specialty services for patients in need of custom wheelchair configurations, fittings, and training on seating and wheeled mobility equipment and design to make daily life easier.
The wheelchair clinic team will make sure to refer you to a vendor that works with your insurance. Together, the vendor and the wheelchair clinic team will make recommendations based on your individual insurance policy.
Sheltering Arms Institute partners with vendors that can often source donated equipment for individuals without insurance.
In the case of wheelchair malfunction or other support needs, it is often best to directly contact the specific vendor with which you placed your order.
Wheelchair orders typically take at least 90 days to complete. For specific order status updates, please contact the vendor with which you placed your order.
Insurance will cover the cost of a new chair every five years; however, if there has been significant damage to your wheelchair or you have experienced issues with your chair, you may be eligible to obtain a new chair sooner than every five years. Furthermore, if you have experienced a significant change in your mobility, you may be eligible for a new chair sooner. If you are unsure of your eligibility, reach out to your wheelchair vendor for assistance to see if you qualify for a new chair sooner.
No, you do not need to be a current therapy patient of ours to receive wheelchair services on an outpatient basis. To make an appointment for an initial evaluation with a wheelchair specialist, visit www.shelteringarmsinstitute.com/contact-us or call (804) 764-1000 ext. 2 to speak with a customer relations specialist.
Start your Journey
Contact a specialist at Sheltering Arms Institute to learn more about how you can gain more freedom in your everyday life.
