Ask at your mother's doctor's office. If not, ask if they know of any place in your community that loans medical equipment. (We have such a place, and the loans are for as long as the equipment is needed.)

Also, often hospitals have an organization to help seniors with such questions. Check with the hospital too.

Thank you so very much for the information.

If you are looking for one to borrow, the service clubs here often have them to loan for indefinite periods...Lions Club, etc, and our Fire Department too.

If you want Medicare to pay for it, you do need to start with your mothers doctor. And be careful how the paperwork is filled out, they will want her to NEED it, and not need it to do things she would like to do, like go out, shop etc. It has to be a real necessity for primary daily function inside the house - or at least that is my understanding.

"Certificate of Medical Necessity (CMN)
This is an order that your physician "must" complete in order for Medicare to pay for your wheelchair. It contains information on your disability, the type of wheelchair you need, and the medical justification for the wheelchair. Your wheelchair dealer must have a signed copy of the certificate from your doctor in order to further process your wheelchair claim."

Good luck, I hope you get what you need to make your mothers life easier :)

mors8 is correct-
If your Dr fills out the paper work it can be done
I cared for my mil right up until her death. I was able to get a reclining wheel chair for the last few months of her life.
But paper work must be written carefully.

Take a little trip up here to Michigan and you can have one I have in my garage. My husband died and one of these days I'm going to take it up to Goodwill. The Senior center here also has them to loan.

When I broke my ankle about 3 years ago while staying at my son's....I told him I need a wheel chair, I can't do the crutches when no one is at home. I can't carry a cup of coffee and I am afraid I will fall.
So he went to the medical supply place and came home witha wheel chair....and between medicare and my insurance, they paid for all of the costs to rent one for a month! It was wonderful...I could go to the kids school programs in the gym, out to dinner, shopping...it was great...I mean if you had to use crutches...a wheel chair was a lot better!!
Go to the wheel chair supplier and ask.
Linda C