Young wheelchair user has problems with the joystick - can you help?

Hello to all,

I was contacted very recently by a bespoken member whose son, who is currently at university, has a specific problem with his wheelchair. You can read the details below but if anyone has experienced a similar problem or knows of some person or organisation that might help, please get in touch either by posting a comment below or emailing the bespoken team at bespoken@blackwoodgroup.org.uk.

So this is how Lisa described the problem in her own words:

"Do you have any information or contacts on how to get a knob to stay on a wheelchair joystick? My son has cerebral palsy and none of the wheelchair manufacturers have been able to solve this issue for him. We have tried super glue, epoxy, epoxy putty, tape, the small ridged metal tubes, nothing seems to work for more than a week. The repair people say if the joystick knob is put on too tightly it will ruin the joystick mechanism when it is pulled on. Is there anyone out there who has figured this out? If the steering wheel fell off a car it would be big trouble, but wheelchair users needs for reliable knobs are being ignored by joystick manufacturers. We really need some help."

Please get in touch if you can suggest something. Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by Ailsa June MacLean on March 6, 2015 at 20:08

Hi, I'm so sorry to hear of your problems with the joy stick of the wheelchair it seems like many people have this problem, including me. I watched in horror one day as the knod of my chair popped off and rolled under a huge display cabinet in a shop, never to be seen again. I was so frustrated with this happening all the time that in the end I decided to find a cure for it and so far my joystick has given me no more problems. It is now a year since I fixed it so it must be a good cure.

Okay, this is what I did. I'm assuming your power chair is the same as, or similar to, mine. I've taken a photo of my joy stick to show you. Just click on the attachment below that says 'joystick stuck and it will blow up the picture for you to see.

I squirted some silicone gel into the hole of the knob and also around the base of it. Then I pushed the knob back in place and let it dry overnight. By the morning the silicone had dried and the knob was definitely not coming off any time soon.

You can buy a small tube of silicone gel from any hobby shop or you can go online and get it from loads of places. You could use any you might have left over from sealing the bath or around the kitchen sink but I think it is too big and awkward for such a small job but it is up to you.

Don't worry that putting silicone onto it will stop it working or that it will get into the main part of the joystick because it won't. In fact if you look at the knob of the joystick it doesn't do anything except cover the metal prong and when you put silicone around the base of the knob it will stick it to the black apron part which also has nothing to do with the mechanism. All that black plastic does is covers the mechanism and prevents rain and dirt getting inside. I hope this is of use to you. As I said, it is at least a year since I fixed my joy stick and it's been no bother since.. Kindest regards, June

Attachments:

joystick stuck.jpg, 71 KB

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Permalink Reply by Paul Richoux on March 25, 2015 at 8:49

Dear June,

Thank you for your advice. I passed it on to the lady in question and here's snippet of her reply:

"Thanks so much for your reply. My son has not been driving his power chair for a few months due to health problems but I hope he will return to driving when he feels up to it. I will definitely try this solution and will let you know when we test it.

We really appreciate your help."

Thought I'd share that with you.

Paul

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Permalink Reply by Ailsa June MacLean on March 25, 2015 at 10:24

Thank you, Paul for passing on my 'how to' email. I only wish I'd red the request for help sooner. I often feel that it is the little things going wrong for us that has the biggest impact or maybe it is just the last straw to break the camel's back. Either way from a personal stand point it is the little things going wrong that frustrates me the most so I make it my goal to try and find a solution. So far I have been lucky but thankfully there is always bespoken to turn to.