Accessible Wheelchair Scales in Clinic or at Your Home

Getting an accurate weight can be difficult when you use a wheelchair or are unable to safely stand on standard scales.

At Optimum Intake Dietitians, we offer a dedicated wheelchair weighing service using portable wheelchair scales. You can visit us at our Tuggerah or Broadmeadow clinics, or we can bring our scales to you with a home visit across the Central Coast, Newcastle and Port Stephens areas.

You don’t need to be an existing Optimum Intake client and you don’t need a referral.

Our 30-minute weighing appointments are designed specifically for people who need an accessible, straightforward way to have their weight checked and recorded.

A Simple Appointment When You Just Need Your Weight Checked

Sometimes you need an accurate weight without needing a full dietetic assessment.

You may need your weight checked for:

  • regular health or nutrition monitoring
  • a medical or specialist appointment
  • medication monitoring or dosage requirements
  • NDIS or disability-related health care
  • monitoring unplanned weight loss or weight gain
  • equipment or mobility-related assessments
  • monitoring changes associated with a health condition
  • providing an updated weight to your health care team
  • situations where standing safely on standard scales isn’t possible.

Our 30-minute wheelchair weighing appointment gives you access to appropriate equipment and a disability dietitian who understands the practical considerations involved in weighing someone who uses a wheelchair.

You can attend for this service even if you don’t require ongoing dietetic support.

wheelchair weighing machine

Who Can Use Our Wheelchair Scales?

Our wheelchair weighing service may be suitable for people living with disability, reduced mobility or health conditions that make using traditional standing scales difficult or unsafe.

This may include people living with:

  • spinal cord injury
  • cerebral palsy
  • muscular dystrophy or other neuromuscular conditions
  • multiple sclerosis
  • motor neurone disease
  • acquired brain injury
  • neurological conditions
  • physical disability
  • significant mobility limitations
  • bariatric needs
  • other conditions affecting a person’s ability to stand independently or safely.

You don’t need a particular diagnosis to use our service. If standard scales aren’t suitable for you, please contact our team to discuss whether our wheelchair weighing service will meet your needs.

How Does Wheelchair Weighing Work?

We use Wedderburn WM502 portable wheelchair scales, with a weight capacity of up to 300 kg.

The scales consist of weighing beams that allow a wheelchair to be carefully rolled onto the equipment. Our wheelchair scales are regularly calibrated to support accurate and reliable measurements.

The combined weight of the person and wheelchair is measured. The weight of the wheelchair is then accounted for to determine the person’s weight.

Many wheelchairs have their weight labelled on the chair or documented by the manufacturer or equipment provider. If you know the weight of your wheelchair, please bring this information with you.

What If We Don’t Know the Weight of the Wheelchair?

That’s okay.

Where required, we can also weigh the wheelchair separately during the appointment.

For this to occur, the person needs to be able to safely transfer or be assisted out of the wheelchair by their carer or support person while the wheelchair is weighed separately.

Our dietitians are unable to lift or physically transfer clients or lift wheelchairs.

Please Bring a Support Person

For safety, a carer or support person who knows you and can assist with manoeuvring your wheelchair must be present for the weighing appointment.

Our team can guide the weighing process and operate the wheelchair scales, however our dietitians are unable to undertake manual handling, lifting or physical transfers of clients or their wheelchairs.

If your wheelchair is powered, it needs to be able to be placed into manual or freewheel mode so that it can be safely rolled onto the weighing beams.

If you’re unsure whether your wheelchair will be suitable, please talk with our Client Care team before booking.

Wheelchair Weighing at Our Clinics

You can book a wheelchair weighing appointment at our:

Central Coast Tuggerah Clinic or Newcastle Broadmeadow Clinic

Your appointment is scheduled for 30 minutes, giving us time to set up the equipment, safely complete the weighing process and record your result.

You don’t need a referral and you don’t need to be an existing Optimum Intake Dietitians client.

Mobile Wheelchair Weighing — We Can Come to You

Getting to a clinic isn’t always easy, particularly when mobility, transport, equipment or support needs are involved.

Our wheelchair scales are portable, which means our dietitian can bring the scales to your home.

Mobile wheelchair weighing appointments are available across our service areas, including:

Travel requirements and costs will depend on your location. Our Client Care team can provide a quote when you enquire so you know the expected cost before booking.

For home visits, we will also need to confirm that there is a suitable, safe and level space where our portable wheelchair scales can be set up.

Your Weight Can Be Documented for You

Once your weight has been measured, we’ll record the result with you.

If required, we can also provide your recorded weight on Optimum Intake Dietitians professional letterhead so you have a documented result to keep or share with your health care team.

This may be useful if your weight has been requested by your:

  • GP
  • specialist
  • allied health professional
  • support coordinator
  • NDIS team
  • other health care provider.

Please let us know when booking if you require written documentation.

What If I Need Nutrition Advice as Well?

The 30-minute wheelchair weighing appointment is specifically designed as a weighing service.

If you would also like to discuss nutrition concerns, recent weight changes, eating difficulties, nutrition support, supplements, mealtime concerns or another health issue with one of our dietitians, please let us know when booking.

We can then recommend an appropriate dietetic appointment and make sure enough time is allocated.

Trying to fit additional assessment and advice into a weighing appointment may mean there isn’t enough time to properly explore your concerns. Letting us know in advance helps us book the right appointment for you.

NDIS and Private Payment Options

Our wheelchair weighing service can be accessed by NDIS participants where the service is appropriate to their plan and available funding.

You can also pay privately.

This means you can access the service even if you’re not an existing Optimum Intake client or don’t have NDIS funding available for the appointment.

Our Client Care team can discuss the appointment fee, NDIS payment arrangements and any applicable travel costs with you before you book.

Accessible Weighing With a Disability Dietitian

Our wheelchair weighing appointments are conducted by an Optimum Intake dietitian with experience supporting people living with disability.

We understand that something as seemingly simple as getting an accurate weight can become complicated when the right equipment isn’t readily available.

Our aim is to make the process straightforward, respectful and accessible.

Whether you need a one-off weight measurement or regular weight monitoring, you can book our wheelchair scales without committing to ongoing dietetic appointments.

Book a Wheelchair Weighing Appointment

Need access to wheelchair scales on the Central Coast, in Newcastle or around Port Stephens?

Contact the Optimum Intake Dietitians Client Care team to book a 30-minute wheelchair weighing appointment at our Tuggerah or Broadmeadow clinic, or ask us about a mobile home visit.

When you contact us, please let us know:

  • whether you would prefer a clinic or home appointment
  • your suburb if requesting a home visit
  • the type of wheelchair you use
  • whether it is a powered or manual wheelchair
  • whether you know the weight of your wheelchair
  • whether you require written documentation of your weight
  • whether you need any dietetic advice or assessment in addition to weighing.

We’ll help you determine the most appropriate appointment and provide a quote for any applicable travel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be an Optimum Intake Dietitians client to use the wheelchair scales?

No. Our wheelchair weighing service is available to existing clients and people who simply need access to suitable wheelchair scales. You can book a one-off weighing appointment without booking ongoing dietetic services.

Do I need a referral?

No referral is required to book a wheelchair weighing appointment.

How long is the appointment?

Our dedicated wheelchair weighing appointment is 30 minutes.

This appointment is specifically for weighing and recording your weight. If you would also like nutrition assessment or advice, please tell us when booking so we can allocate an appropriate appointment length.

Where can I have my wheelchair weighed?

Wheelchair weighing appointments are available at our Tuggerah and Broadmeadow clinics.

We can also bring our portable wheelchair scales to your home across the Central Coast, Newcastle and Port Stephens/Nelson Bay areas, subject to clinician availability and suitable access.

Can you come to my home with wheelchair scales?

Yes. Our Wedderburn wheelchair scales are portable, allowing us to provide a mobile weighing service.

Travel charges apply to home visits and depend on your location. We can provide a quote before you book.

What wheelchair scales do you use?

We use Wedderburn WM502 portable wheelchair scales. They have a weight capacity of up to 300 kg and are regularly calibrated.

Can you weigh a powered wheelchair?

Yes, provided the wheelchair can be safely placed into manual or freewheel mode and manually rolled onto the weighing beams.

Please discuss your wheelchair with our Client Care team when booking so we can confirm that our equipment is suitable.

Do I need to know how much my wheelchair weighs?

It is helpful if you know the weight of your wheelchair. This may be shown on the wheelchair or available from the manufacturer, supplier or equipment documentation.

If the wheelchair weight is unknown, we may be able to weigh the chair separately. This requires the person to be safely assisted out of the wheelchair by their carer or support person.

Do I need to bring a support person?

Yes. A carer or support person who can assist with manoeuvring the wheelchair and any transfers or physical assistance required needs to attend.

Our dietitians cannot lift or physically transfer clients or lift wheelchairs.

Will you give me a record of my weight?

Yes. We will record the weight with you and can provide written documentation of your recorded weight on Optimum Intake Dietitians professional letterhead if required.

Can I use my NDIS funding?

NDIS funding may be used where the service is appropriate to your plan and available funding. Please speak with our Client Care team if you’re unsure.

Private payment is also available.

Can I have regular wheelchair weight checks?

Yes. Some people need their weight monitored regularly as part of their health, medical or nutrition care. You can book wheelchair weighing appointments as required.

If regular changes in weight raise nutrition concerns, you can also choose to book an assessment with one of our dietitians.

What happens if I want nutrition advice during the appointment?

Please tell us when you book.

The standard 30-minute appointment is specifically for wheelchair weighing. If you have nutrition concerns or would like assessment and advice from the dietitian, we can arrange an appropriate dietetic appointment and allow enough time to properly address your needs.