Ottobock wheelchairs from Recare help musical accountant Elisa excel in life 

Elisa has been a qualified accountant for 25 years and in addition to her commercial work, she is responsible for teaching apprentices. Her educational responsibilities are a key driver in a career that she finds both rewarding and varied. Owning a wheelchair, that has been specifically designed for her needs, has been crucial to her career development and activities outside of work. 

Elisa is a talented musician who is a member of the Thames Valley Recorder Orchestra, plays flute and piano and directs musical productions. All of these activities have been made possible by her Zenit wheelchair – uniquely specified and supplied by Recare, the mobility equipment specialist based in Long Hanborough. Elisa has neurological damage which means walking long distances and hand-eye coordination are difficult. By owning a lightweight and adaptable wheelchair, that is easily transported in her automatic car, she has been able to thrive and excel in all aspects of her life. Elisa says Recare have been instrumental in making this happen.

Elisa explains how it all began, "This is my second Ottobock wheelchair and I'm really pleased with it. My students particularly like the orange colour. I got my first Ottobock back in 2005 when my dad and I met the Recare Managing Director, Richard, at the Naidex exhibition. I had a cheaper old wheelchair which was not meeting my needs. As I'm not spinally injured and have neurological damage, it was difficult to know how long I would need a wheelchair for. When I saw the Ottobock wheelchairs my face lit up according to my dad."

"When I was a teenager, I used to help out at summer clubs for special schools. We used to play around in wheelchairs and the kids were always way faster than me! Some of the kids had prosthetics so I got to know Ottobock from these so when I saw their sign at Naidex, I wasn't thinking they did wheelchairs. How wrong was I! Richard had worked for Ottobock for many years before setting up Recare and explained how many they made."

"He introduced me to a green, second-hand wheelchair and had a word with my dad while I was whizzing around and popping wheelies, all the things you shouldn't do in a wheelchair. I thoroughly enjoyed myself; it was a far better chair. Richard came to our house a couple of weeks later to check the wheelchair was right for me, but it was slightly too small. We ended up agreeing an Ottobock Avantgarde was more suited to me."

"This was 20 years ago. Fast forward to last year and my wheelchair was still going strong after 18 years; my students had even bought it a pint for its 18th birthday, but I felt it was time to change. So, I visited Richard at Recare and said I needed a new one. He showed me their workshop and the huge number of products on display. I asked to see an Ottobock and Richard showed me a Zenit. It was orange. It was Halloween. I was instantly drawn to it and we ended up putting in an order that day. I received my new Zenit in less than five weeks; it's been incredible even since."

Recare have supported Elisa throughout her ownership journey and continue to do so. She was impressed with their unique service right from the start as she adds, "Recare have a fantastic showroom; you are literally shown a huge range of wheelchairs from different manufacturers. You get to sit in them, see how they feel and find out what support the cushions provide. Richard tends to tip customers back in a wheelchair, safely, so you get to know how that feels and whether anti-tip castors will give you peace of mind. He'll check where the best place is for the wheels to attach to the frame so pushing is easier and can discuss the best castors. I never knew there were so many options!"

"Recare have so much product expertise and knowledge, as they help so many people; you'll feel at home in the wheelchair they recommend. You are measured, in a mindful way, to make sure you fit snuggly and have healthy posture. And then there's the fun stuff like choosing the colours of frames and wheels."

Since owning her new Zenit for over six months, Elisa has experienced a massive difference to her working week. She continues: "It gives me freedom. It's brilliant. I love my Zenit. It's so comfortable and is my safety net. I can walk but not very well, so my wheelchair is my totally safe space. It gives me energy. If I'm going to see a client and I'm a bit nervous, I feel reassured as I'm in my Zenit. It's my superpower because it's designed for me."

"I need to go to work to use my brain, there is no option. That's why I need my wheelchair. My Zenit lives in my car and is quick to fold out and so easy to lift. It means I can get in and out of the office and in and out meetings with no problems. If a client turns up unexpectedly, as they often do, I can move quickly to meet them. And if my boss needs to see me immediately or a student has a query, I can get there to help. It's a Godsend. I teach students about day-to-day accountancy, how to interact with clients, how to ask questions, so they learn on the job. As I struggle to learn due to my neuro damage, it makes me a good teacher. I've got an incredible support network around me in the office which I fully appreciate."

"Outside of work I'm a musician. I've played music since age seven – I was 'bitten by the bug' as I started learning the recorder. I've progressed onto the flute and piano over the years and also being involved in musical direction of shows. The only difference is I turn up in the wheelchair and transfer onto a high stool so the musicians and audience can see me. 

"These days I tend to focus on piano and recorders. I'm a member of the Thames Valley Recorder Orchestra, which I absolutely love. My Zenit gives me the energy to play. If I'm performing in the orchestra, I'm not sat in a wheelchair but after a long performance I will be. It gives me the opportunity to rest my brain and so lets me concentrate on my music. This is a key point, using my wheelchair doesn't drain me whether at work, or when performing, so I can give everything my all."

In summary, Elisa feels the support of Recare has been just as important as her choice in wheelchair. To wrap up, she concludes: "Why would I recommend Recare? It's personality. They're people, not robots. They always give you an honest answer. When they met me for the first time, they didn't try and sell me anything, they just explained what they thought would be best for me. And ever since, their service has been spot-on, flawless. They'll visit you at home or you can go to their showroom, it doesn't matter, the service is equally brilliant. Whatever suits you and they're always upfront with costs.  They do what they say they'll do. The question is more 'why wouldn't you choose Recare?!' "