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Tag: wheelchair

  • 9 Wheelchair Accessible Travel Tips For Your Disabled Trip to Istanbul By Sage Traveling

    9 Wheelchair Accessible Travel Tips For Your Disabled Trip to Istanbul By Sage Traveling

    9 Wheelchair Accessible Travel Tips For Your Disabled Trip to Istanbul By Sage Traveling

    Istanbul wheelchair hotelIstanbul has noticeably more accessibility challenges than many popular tourist destinations in Europe. From cobblestones to hills to steep ramps, wheelchair travelers to Istanbul are likely to encounter challenges on their trip. Sage Traveling provides list of 9 Istanbul Wheelchair Accessible Travel Tips that tell you how to do it. With these handicapped travel tips you’ll travel like a pro by avoiding problems, saving time and money, and doing more than you thought was possible!

    Some examples of our disabled travel tips for below will help minimize the challenging experiences while in Istanbul Turkey..

    1. Double and triple check accessibility at your hotel before you arrive
    Every European city has some hotels that claim to be accessible but really are not. Istanbul has more of these than any other city. Many of the “accessible” hotels have no ramp at the hotel entrance or a ramp that is so steep no wheelchair user could get up it without assistance. In room accessibility also varies greatly. Double and triple check the accessibility at your hotel before you arrive or you risk having a serious complication on your trip.

    2. Avoid trying to approach the New District by walking or rolling
    The Taksim square in the New District is a 2.2 km (1.5 mile) uphill journey from the Galata Bridge that spans the Golden Horn. Wheelchair users should hail a taxi rather than wear themselves out pushing up the hill.

    3. Accessible bathroom location
    Many of the bathrooms in Istanbul are not wheelchair accessible. When looking for accessible toilets during the day, your best bets are to try modern hotels, restaurant chains, and museums.

    4. The Basilica Cistern is accessible from the exit
    Although not well advertised, Istanbul wheelchair travelers are actually able to visit the Basilica Cistern. The exit is locate 2 blocks downhill from the entrance and has a wheelchair lift.

    5. Group the sights by proximity
    The Topkapi Palace, Blue Mosque, and Hagia Sophia are within 1 km of each other. It may be a stretch on your time to see them all in a day, but if you only have 1 day in Istanbul, make sure that you visit these three attractions.

    6. Start each day at the high spots
    The advice is both figurative and literal. Visit the can’t-miss items in the morning when your energy is high. If you get tired and need to end your sightseeing early, you can cut out some of the lesser sights. You should also literally start your day in the high spots and roll downhill during the rest of your day.

    Get a list of 9 Wheelchair Accessible Travel Tips to Istanbul and related information, Please have a look at below..

    Contact us at info@sagetraveling.com or 1-888-645-7920, and we can get started immediately planning your accessible vacation in Istanbul!

    The Istanbul disabled travel agents at Sage Traveling use our expertise in Istanbul accessible travel to create custom accessible holidays for disabled and senior travelers. Disabled visitors to Istanbul will encounter challenges during their travels, but nearly all can be avoided or overcome if you obtain the proper information before your trip. Our Istanbul disabled travel agents provide you with accessible hotel accommodations, accessible transportation within and between cities, detailed accessibility information on tourist attractions, and custom accessible itineraries to move you efficiently between tourist sights. We make your dream accessible vacation in Istanbul a reality!

    About Us:
    Sage Traveling is committed to providing customized accessible holiday travel for our clients. We deal exclusively in disabled travel to Europe and make it our job to understand all the challenges that disabled travelers may encounter and how to overcome them. Sage Traveling offers comprehensive, detailed, and organized disabled travel information on accessible European tourist attractions, hotels, and transportation.
    Let our passion for European travel and research take the stress out of planning your European travel and let us customize a hassle-free accessible holiday for you!

    Contact Us:
    Sage Traveling
    Address: Houston, Texas – USA
    Ph. No. 888-645-7920
    info@sagetraveling.com

  • This Amazing Device Just Made Wheelchairs Obsolete for Paraplegics

    This Amazing Device Just Made Wheelchairs Obsolete for Paraplegics

    This Amazing Device Just Made Wheelchairs Obsolete for Paraplegics

    TEKRMC036

    The young man in this video looks like he’s riding a Segway. But Yusuf Akturkoglu was paralized after falling from a horse five years ago, and he’s being mobilized by an amazing device invented by Turkish scientists. It’s going to change lives.

    It’s called the Tek Robotic Mobilization Device, and it not only allows people who can’t walk get around more independently than any device has before, but it also helps them stand up on their own, which is crucial for maintaining basic health functions in people who have spinal cord injuries.

    Crucial Standing Assistance

    Instead of entering from the front like a normal wheelchair, people using the Tek RMD enter from the back of the device. That way they don’t have to hoist themselves with a momentum that can be dangerous and is next to impossible to do alone. By attaching a thick padded strap around the hips, Yusuf maneuvers himself into the Tek RMD on his own. The device uses a suspension system that balances the weight so he can stand up with just a gentle pull. Standing for an hour or more every day is important for people who have lost movement in their legs; without the weight-bearing effect of standing, they can develop cardiovascular problems, brittle bones, pressure sores not to mention the psychological importance of eye-to-eye interpersonal contact.

    Independence

    In the video, Yusuf calls the device to his bedside with a remote-control, gets himself out of bed, goes grocery shopping, maneuvers around a bookstore, and even does some things in the bathroom that we thankfully don’t observe to completion. But these these abilities that most of us take for granted every day are key to the emotional well-being of paraplegic people. The ability to squat down and easily come back to standing is key. And while standing, Yusef’s hands are free to carry groceries or do whatever else he might need them to. Before trying out the Tek RMD, Yusuf, who was a student before his injury, rarely left his home where he lives with his parents.

    Smallest Dimensions

    The makers of Tek RMD says it’s the most compact device of its kind, which allows Yusuf to navigate crowded grocery aisles, libraries, and who knows, Coachella, maybe? All without knocking into the people and things around him. Users still need ramps in place of stairs, but the device eliminates the need for special bathroom stalls and other facilities that allow space for bulky wheelchairs.

    The Tek RMD comes in five sizes. and is still undergoing clinical trials. Here’s hoping it’s on the market stat. UPDATE: It will be on the market in Turkey this week, and the company is looking for outlets in Europe and the United States, where it will cost about $15,000. Here’s hoping insurance will cover it. [Tek RMD and Reuters]

    via This Amazing Device Just Made Wheelchairs Obsolete for Paraplegics.