One purpose of this study was to describe how every day life is affected by using a wheelchair for residents of public nursing home facilities. A second purpose was to develop measurement methods for evaluation of seating and wheelchair functioning for elderly and to identify problems with elderly persons' seating position and/or wheelchair. 20 nursing home residents, age 71 to 95 (mean age 85 years), all wheelchair bound were videofilmed and photographed in a standardized manner while "driving" a fixed path indoors. The residents answered questions about how they experienced their wheelchair before and after interventions were implemented. Their driving skills and ability to transfer in and out of the chair was assessed according to an 8-point scale (FiR), developed for this purpose. A physical therapist and an occupational therapist analyzed seating positions and corrected numerous details on the wheelchairs. Six persons received new wheelchairs. The contact person of each resident was interviewed. Results showed that the elderly spent a large part of the day sitting in the wheelchair (mean 9 hours). At the follow-up, one month after concluding interventions, all residents experienced improvements in both seating position and wheelchair function. Responsibility for ordering and adjusting wheelchairs varied as did funding sources. A more rational order ought to be strived for.