Wheelchair Review & Complaint

Sunrise You-Q Luca ~ Poor Quality Armrests

In October 2018, I was able to privately purchase a new powered wheelchair, replacing my worn-out 8 year-old Quantum 600 mid-wheel drive.

My old Quantum 600 MWD wheelchair

I opted for a Sunrise You-Q Luca, mainly due to it’s compact and manoeuvrable design.

My Sunrise You-Q Luca RWD wheelchair

I chose a rear-wheel drive (having found my mid-wheel drive Quantum to be less capable over rough terrain).

I received a voucher from NHS Wheelchair Services to the value of £1750, and a £2,500 grant from the Joseph Patrick Trust.

The total cost of the chair was just over £7,000. A huge expense, but compared to most other powered wheelchairs on the market, the You-Q Luca is definitely one of the cheapest options!

I really wanted flip-up armrests on my new wheelchair to make transferring easier. However, over the past year, the soft foam pads on the armrests have slowly disintegrated.

Bearing in mind how expensive this equipment is, and how long it took to raise the necessary funds, I take good care of my wheelchair!

I have repeatedly attempted to patch-up the armrest pads with super glue. But they are now in a state of non-repair.

Considering the price and the fact that the wheelchair is only 15 months old, I am really shocked and disappointed with the product.

The wheelchair itself is great. The armrest pads are total crap!

I bought the wheelchair from a company called Better Mobility.

I cannot fault their customer service or the assessor who bought a number of demo chairs to my home to try prior to purchase. He was very knowledgeable, patient and not at all pushy (as some sales rep’s can be).

However, I find the quality of the armrest pads to be extremely poor.

As you will see from the image below, to replace them will cost an additional £83.40 – a rather hefty sum to replace an item on a relatively new powered wheelchair!

I am reluctant to pay the £83.40 to replace the armrest pads, particularly as they are likely to disintegrate again within a few months. In the meantime, I am left with an unsightly product that is literally falling to pieces.

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Purple Tuesday

Purple Tuesday is an International call to action with the aim of improving customer experience for disabled people. It is vital that we, disabled people, are able to access the same services as anyone else.

Purple Tuesday is a year-round initiative that has the power to change lives!

Working together to make businesses and organisations more accessible and inclusive is mutually beneficial.

Facts & Figures

20% of the UK population (around 12 million people) and 15% of the world’s population have some form of disability.

Disabled people make up the world’s largest minority group.

Last year over 750 organisations took part, making a collective 1,500 decisive, practical commitments towards positive change.

The Purple Pound – What is it?

The consumer spending power of disabled people and their families is worth £249 billion and is rising by an average of 14% per annum. Worldwide, the Purple Pound equates to a staggering £2.25 trillion, yet less than 10% of businesses have a targeted plan to access this disability market.

Added Expense of Disability

• Equipment
• Adaptions
• Heating ~ disabled people often feel the cold much more than able-bodied people
• Electric ~ charging technology and equipment such as wheelchairs, non-invasive ventilators (BiPAP/CPAP)
• Extra laundry costs
• Clothing/modifications
• Insurance

Obstacles Disabled People Face when Shopping

• Steps
• Lack of disabled toilets (Changing Places)
• No lifts/lifts broken
• Narrow doorways
• Non-automatic doors (meaning we have to wait for someone to open the door for us)
• Narrow aisles
• Unreachable shelves/items
• Cashpoint/checkout too high to reach
• Physical barriers e.g. ‘Wet Floor’ signs, clothes and other items on the floor
• Poor customer service
• Lack of clear, visible signs
• No audio description available
• Inappropriate lighting, music (too loud) – affects those with sensory disabilities such as Autism
• Overcrowding
• No staff available to assist disabled customers


My good friend and fellow MDBloggersCrew blogger and campaigner Kerry Thompson is now representing Purple Tuesday ~ Follow her to find out more!