Wheelchair or Mobility Scooter in Rome?

I've not had any experience renting a wheelchair or mobility scooter but you may want to compare prices on this website: Sagetraveling.com.

Has she used either one before? She may want to try both while in the US and decide which one she prefers or feels more comfortable maneuvering.

Rome could be a challenge in a scooter or wheelchair. Neither the sidewalks or the roads are especially level, they are made up of hexagonal paving stones with or without a thin layer of intermittent tar. They can be very bumpy underfoot, I can only imagine rolling over them. There are not a lot of cut kerbs but luckily the sidewalk is usually quite low relative to the street.

I've never wandered Rome as a disabled person but I think it would be a challenge both for her and for you. But with you to help her I am sure you will find a way.

Are you sure that an electric scooter or wheelchair will be able to get into your hotel. Many Roman hotels have a short set of stairs to the elevator, and many elevators are very very small. Even one step would rule it out. Will she be able to charge the batteries in the room?

What is her level of disability? Is she unable to walk at all or unable to walk long distances? My husband has a progressively disabling disease and we've been through all the variations on wheelchairs and I've found advantages/disadvantages with each. An electric wheelchairs or scooter would give her maximum freedom as long as the surfaces are flat and smooth but a manual chair would allow her to "cheat" when faced with steps or a too-bumpy entrance by simply getting out of the chair, walking those few steps, and letting someone else lift the chair to a more usable spot. Is there anyone in the party who could push a manual wheelchair over the longer distances? If so, she could navigate short distances by turning the large wheels by hand. A folding portable chair like this one https://www.amazon.com/Drive-Medical-Rebel-Lightweight-Wheelchair/dp/B008NW7ABE/ref=sr_1_10_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1503494333&sr=8-10&keywords=portable+wheelchair+lightweight can be purchased for under $200 and shouldn't count against her luggage quota. I pushed my husband all over Manhattan and it's not that hard. Of course if she can't walk at all then you can ignore this response!

She could benefit from a professional evaluation. These are available through a physiatrist (physicians specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation) some physical therapists or occupational therapists. Start with your local hospitals PM&R department (if they have rehabilitation as a service) or shop occupational therapists. It might be a combination of assistive devices is what works best. Don't guess here, none of us really know what would best suit her.

A possible hang-up is that sidewalks can be very narrow in the historic areas of European cities, especially considering the size of the population wandering a city like Rome. On the other hand, some streets have been pedestrianized so she wouldn't be limited to the sidewalk.

It would be great if you could find blogs that give an idea of what conditions are like in some of the key tourist areas. I remember thinking, "Hey, curb cuts; great!" when I traveled around Italy in 2015, but I was just thinking about my suitcase.

I found the Sage traveling website very helpful when planning my trips with my mom who was in her late 80's. Even though she did not use a wheelchair, it was great to know which monuments had an elevator or which sites would not be suitable for her due to the terrain, stairs, etc.
Here is some information about traveling in Rome: Sagetraveling.com/Rome accessible travel

Wishing you a wonderful trip!