What is the halacha (Jewish law) regarding using a wheelchair on the Sabbath for an elderly person whose weekly shul attendance is very important to them ?

Thank you very much for your question. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach Zatza”l, quoted in Sefer Shemiras Shabbos K’Hilchoso (34:27) gives the following guidelines regarding use of wheelchairs on Shabbos.

In an Eruv it is permitted to bring a person anywhere on Shabbos, as long as no electric components of the wheelchair are used.

If there is no Eruv it would only be permitted for a non-Jewish attendant to wheel the elderly person to Shul, or for that person to wheel themselves, if this is possible. This is only permitted for going to a Mitzvah (a commandment related activity), such as Shul, or to a Torah class. Another Jew would not be permitted to push him, even if neither of these two options are feasible.

Even where a non-Jew is pushing the wheelchair, the person being pushed may not carry items in his pockets nor on the wheelchair.

There are a very few situations where it would not be permitted for a non-Jew to push him, or for him to push himself. This is if the area he is being transported through is a “Reshus HaRabbim D’Oraysoh”, i.e. has the status of a Biblical public domain. To qualify for this it must
either be an intercity highway, or a major metropolitan thoroughfare 32 feet wide used by 600,000 daily. Most streets even in major metropolitan cities do not have this status, however if there is a doubt a Rabbi knowledgable in your area should be consulted.

Take care,
Rabbi Aaron Tendler