Moving Forward in Mobility
Right-to-Repair
What it Means for You By Alaina Leary Right-to-repair legislation is being considered in states across the country, aimed at allowing people to repair everything from electronics to tractors themselves without fear of voiding the warranty. Legislation recently passed in Colorado has extended the right-to-repair to include mobility equipment such as wheelchairs. “Recently, we spoke…
Read MoreMake Way for the Mighty Pens
How the University of Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center support adaptive sports BY Mandy Crow When John Fitzgerald gets on the ice to play hockey, he feels unstoppable. “When I’m on the ice, I don’t think I have a disability at all,” says Fitzgerald, a member of the Mighty Pens sled hockey team…
Read MoreMore than an Inconvenience
HOW THE SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS HAS AFFECTED CRT USER Last fall, gridlock in America’s largest ports dominated news headlines. As cargo ships circled off the ports ofLos Angeles and Long Beach waiting to offload their cargo, many of us pondered the state of the country’s supplychain for the first time. Over the past year, the…
Read MoreHow to Survive the New Equipment Process
THIS OVERVIEW AIMS TO MAKE THE PROCESS MORE TRANSPARENT—AND HOPEFULLY A LITTLE EASIER TO NAVIGATE THE NEXT TIME YOU NEED NEW EQUIPMENT. Phase One: Evaluation & Design Receive Your AssessmentYour healthcare provider must write a prescription for a seating evaluation. Your Assistive Technology Professional(ATP) will work with you and your healthcare team to determine your…
Read MoreFinding a Better Way to Pay
Mark Scheler (Ph.D., OTR/l, ATP) is the lead investigator of a federally funded grant seeking to find a better way to pay for Complex Rehabilitation Technology (CRT) equipment, in addition to his work as an Associate Professor and Vice Chair for education and training at the University of Pittsburgh. We spoke with him to learn…
Read MoreExploring Alternative Funding
WHETHER IT’S AN INSURANCE DENIAL TO NEEDING AN UPGRADE, YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO GO WITHOUT THE ACCESSORIES OR EQUIPMENT YOU NEED. A number of alternative funding sources are available to assist you, no matter your reason. Manufacturer Assistance Permobil Foundation: Focused on empowering strength and independence, the Permobil Foundation achieves this goal in many ways,…
Read MoreNot Your Ordinary House Call
WHEELCHAIR SEATING CLINIC AT THE SHEPHERD CENTER IN ATLANTA BRINGS TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN CARE TO CLIENTS DURING PANDEMIC WHEN THE PANDEMIC PUT THE WORLD ON PAUSE, THE STAFF AT THE WHEELCHAIR SEATING AND MOBILITY CLINIC AT THE SHEPHERD CENTER IN ATLANTA IDENTIFIED—AND QUICKLY RESPONDED TO—A CRACK IN THE MATRIX OF REHABILITATIVE CARE. Less than two weeks after…
Read MoreGoing Remote
TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN CARE OFFERS BIG BENEFITS FOR MOBILITY SERVICES. HERE’S HOW IT AFFECTS YOU. When Savannah Moore was evaluated for a new power wheelchair at the end of 2019, she’d imagined getting fitted for it in person. Months later, the world was in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in-clinic gatherings were a thing of…
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