Mr Leonard - Bicester

I have so much more independence now and to not have to worry about struggling to get the wheelchair in and out of the car is a massive relief – now I can do it with the touch of a button.

Horace Leonard (87) of Bicester uses a wheelchair following knee and hip replacement and open heart surgery. But he didn’t want this to stand in his way of getting out and about. A hoist from Autochair has given him a fresh lease of life and seen him enjoying new levels of freedom.

Mr Leonard explains: "I used to have to take off the seat and remove the battery from my wheelchair just to get it in and out of my car which was a real struggle and aggravated an old shoulder injury. I tried using a ramp but that was still a difficult manoeuvre.

"I talked about the possibility of getting a hoist with my son to make life easier and he thought it sounded like a good idea. Then, as if it was meant to be, an Autochair leaflet fell out of the newspaper and I haven’t looked back since.

"The fitter who installed the hoist was very polite, understanding and kind. He took the time to explain everything to me until I was confident of using it on my own. He was a real credit to the company.

"Having the hoist has made a remarkable difference to my life already. I’ve been able to enjoy shopping and browsing the high street in Bicester for the first time in a long while. I have so much more independence now and to not have to worry about struggling to get the wheelchair in and out of the car is a massive relief – now I can do it with the touch of a button. It’s also much quicker than dismantling the seat and battery to make it light enough to lift.”

Mr Leonard has chosen the Smart Lifter which is powerful enough to lift large powered mobility vehicles up to 200kg. It works with one touch of a handy remote control and takes up minimal room in the boot.

"During a recent outing with friends they were all really impressed and some are even thinking about getting one themselves,” added Mr Leonard.

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