Don't feel compelled to communicate your empathic impressions of what it must be like to use a wheelchair. Each person's experience is different. There are people who would say being in a wheelchair is the best thing that ever happened to them. There are ocher people who wouldn't agree. If you're trying to bridge any social distance you might feel, talk about something that you both have in common like work, recreation, sports, etc.
Words Words are very powerful.
When the author hears this term, he thinks of a wheelchair which has eyes, ears, a nose and a mouth. This term will dehumanize the person. Use words that promote the personhood and abilities of the individual rather than a device they use or a physical limitation they have.