What is a Custom Wheelchiar
A custom wheelchair is built around one person. The frame, the seat, the back, and the cushion are chosen after an evaluation, not pulled off a shelf as a finished chair. A standard or off-the-shelf wheelchair is a set size. It can be the right product for a short-term need or a simple rental. It is the wrong product when the person will live in the chair, when their posture is not straightforward, or when a stock cushion leaves gaps.
Custom does not mean one brand, and it does not mean the most expensive power chair. It means the chair is configured for how that person sits, how they move, and where the chair has to go: through their doorway, into their vehicle, and through a day at home, at school, or at work.
Who Decides if you get a Custom Wheelchair
Three people are in the decision. The person who will use the chair, or their family. The physician or therapist who writes the order. And an Assistive Technology Professional, an ATP, who measures and configures the equipment. Kern’s complex rehab team includes Tracy M. Hughes, ATP, and Mary A. Kaplan, ATP
What does it cover
The evaluation decides the build. That can be a highly configurable manual wheelchair, a power wheelchair, a power-assist device for someone who can still push but fatigues, or a tilt-in-space chair. It often includes a cushion or a molded seat made from the person’s measurements, not a one-size cushion. The catalog already separates those from standard wheelchairs and rentals. This page is the explanation. The products stay in the catalog.
Why the fit Matters
A chair that is the wrong size, or a cushion that does not match the person, can cause pressure sores. That is a reason to be fitted. It is not a promise that any chair, cushion, or visit will prevent them. For a child, a chair that cannot be grown or adjusted becomes the wrong chair as they grow. Many payers look at a new chair on a cycle of years, not months, so the first configuration has to be the right one.
What to ask any Supplier
Ask whether an ATP does the evaluation. Ask whether the chair will be tried, not only described. Ask who talks to the physician. Ask what happens after the visit, before anything is ordered. A custom chair is not a same-week purchase. The timeline depends on the evaluation, the paperwork, and the build. Kern will give a timeline for that person’s order. How long it takes is a separate question from what the chair is.
What happens next
Kern offers a free in-home consultation in Kern County, and you can book from the schedule form. If a clinic is sending you, ask them to send the referral to Kern and to include the face-to-face note and the standard written order. Insurance approval is a separate step. The insurance page is where that process is explained. Nothing on this page is a coverage decision.