At the recent National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association (NMEDA) meeting held in Daytona, Fla., consumer awareness was one of the biggest concerns according to mobility dealers and manufacturers. How do you connect the products to the people if the people don’t know about the products? Here Home Health Products offers a list of Web Site Resources for you as well as your clients.
Auto Access Awareness:
Accessible Vans of America, www.accessiblevans.com
Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), www.enjoythedrive.com
Wheelchair Getaways, (800) 536-5518, www.wheelchairgetaways.com
Wheelers Handicapped Accessible Van Rentals, (800) 456-1371, www.wheelersvanrentals.com
Client Self-Assessment Options: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, www.seniordrivers.org
AARP Driver Safety Program, www.aarp.org/families/driver_safety/
American Occupational Therapy Association www.aota.org/olderdriver
National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, www.nhtsa.org
UMTRI Driving Decisions Workgroup, www.umtri.edu/library/pdf/2000-14.pdf
Senior Information and Assistance Office, the Eldercare Locator Service, www.edldercare.gov
Easter Seals Project Action, http://projectaction.easterseals.com
Rehabilitation Engineering and Research Center on Wheelchair Transportation Safety, www.rercwts.pitt.edu
University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, www.untri.umich.edu
University of Pittsburgh, www.wheelchairnet.org
Society of Automotive Engineers, www.sae.org
Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America (RESNA), www.resna.org
Toyota Mobility, www.toyota.com/mobility
Product Highlights
Loading and unloading on inclines and rough terrain is no problem for the Full Platform Exterior Lift, equipped with a self-leveling platform and a three-point tie-down system.
Silver Star Lifts, a division of Pride Mobility Products Corp., (800) 800-8586, www.silverstarmobility.com
Break the chains of dependence, literally, with the Curb-Sider. The no-chain design offers performance and virtually maintenance-free operation, plus a small footprint.
Bruno Independent Living Aids, (866) 882-4990, www.bruno.com
The Equalizer 3 features an action base with 180 degrees of adjustability at the lift base mounting legs, plus a low-profile leg base design.
Freedom Lift Corp., (800) 755-2856, www.freedom-lift.com.
Great for smaller rear-door openings and side-door minivan applications, the AL430 Tri-Powered Inside Lift combines powered lifting and a 12″ telescoping boom.
Harmar Mobility, (800) 833-0478, www.harmar.com
Drivers and passengers get an unobstructed view with the Klearvue folding platform lift. The unique folding design eliminates hazardous blind spots.
Vantage Mobility International (VMI), (800) 348-8267, www.vantagemobility.com
A lift for larger power chairs, the fully automatic Braun UVL provides full-size van users with an unobstructed doorway, a full window view and greater interior space.
The Braun Corp., (800) THE-LIFT, www.braunability.com
Great for scooters and power chairs, the SilverBoom 300 lift requires a low 30″ of headroom and supports 300 lbs.
Silver Star Lifts, a division of Pride Mobility Products Corp., (800) 800-8586, www.silverstarmobility.com
Drive on and drive off with the Joey interior platform lift’s visible docking light, safety plate obstruction sensor and manual backup system.
Bruno Independent Living Aids, (866) 882-4990, www.bruno.com
Get going faster with the Elite. The lift boasts a 40 percent faster cycle time and operates with a wireless key-chain remote.
Vantage Mobility International (VMI), (800) 348-8267, www.vantagemobility.com
A dream come true for those with minimal lifting strength, the HITCHhiker™ Ramp frees up interior space, self-adjusts for a smooth continuous path and folds into a compact unit.
EZ-ACCESS, (800) 451-1903, www.ezaccess.com
A ramp suitable for snow and ice, AmRAMP®’s open pattern surface allows moisture to pass through, preventing slips and falls.
American Ramp Systems, (800) 649-5215, www.americanramp.com
A low-cost solution to expensive conversions, the MiniFold Powered Ramp for minivans requires no vehicle modifications.
Roll-A-Ramp, (866) 883-4722, www.rollaramp.com
Addressing the need for portability, the Multifold Ramp separates into two pieces for easy carrying. The ramp also features a closed-hinge design, which eliminates the major pinch point.
Prairie View Industries Inc., (800) 554-7267, www.pviramps.com
The Dec Pac Ramp is a ramp for all seasons — it works for getting in and out of minivans and overcoming steps and doorway thresholds. Plus fold this versatile ramp accordion style and slide it right under the seat.
Clarke Healthcare, (888) 347-4537, www.clarkehealthcare.com
Take accessibility anywhere with the XL series portable ramp systems. Choose from four heavy-duty sizes: 4′ and 6′ single-fold and 8′ and 10′ multi-fold models.
Harmar Mobility, (800) 833-0478, www.harmar.com
Increase width easily with the Bariatric Panel Ramp. Three interlocking lightweight ramp sections come in lengths of 3′, 4′, 5′ and 6′.
Prairie View Industries Inc., (800) 554-7267, www.pviramps.com