By Amy Saffell
Me with Ann Eubank, VP of Community Initiatives for Users First
|
Like
all technology these days, wheelchairs and other adaptive equipment are constantly evolving. There are now hundreds of companies out there with
products to meet a variety of needs, and many of those products aren’t
the same as what they were even a year ago. Even with an expert in the
field to help you, which can also be hard to find especially in small
towns, getting the right product for you can be a challenge. Even if you
know that there must be something perfect out there, sometimes you just
can’t find it because your community is limited in its resources, and
the internet doesn’t always give you the amount of detail that you need
to make an informed decision on something that will greatly impact your
quality of life. It can be an uphill road to get what you need, but that
road is made much easier when dozens of vendors are in the same room.
It sounds like a dream come true, but thankfully it’s not as farfetched
as it sounds.
The ISS was home to over a hundred vendors
|
This
year’s International Seating Symposium (ISS), sponsored by the
University of Pittsburg’s Department of Rehabilitation Science and
Technology, took place on March 6, 2013 in Nashville, TN, and other events like it are
cropping up all over the country. The ISS “Wheelchair User Experience”
was home to over 100 exhibitors including everything from manual and
power wheelchairs, seat cushions, seating positioning aids, and pressure
mapping technology. The show focused on products for all ages,
pediatrics through senior adults, and people of all ability levels and
needs. Those who are involved in the working with people with
disabilities had opportunities to attend seminars to learn how to help
their clients to obtain and use these products. Hundreds of people who
have disabilities and their friends and family members, as well as
professionals who work with people with disabilities, could make their
way through the exhibit hall and talk to each company about their
products and how they best fit a certain user’s needs. It’s possible to
hear about products from durable medical vendors no matter where you
live, but to be able to see and touch the products right in front of
you, to have experts there from the companies, and to talk to other
people at the show who have used the products provides invaluable
information. Many of vendor representatives are also chair-users, so
there is a lot of first hand knowledge and advice to go around.
With
lack of product availability and knowledge in some communities, some
people were seeing many of the basic products like wheelchairs and seat
cushions for the first time and realizing just how many options were
available. The show was especially important for those getting ready to
purchase a new chair or other equipment because technology changes so
frequently that what was available last time around has most likely
totally changed.
Testing out the harness |
I’ve
been a chair user for a while, so I was familiar with many of the
companies, but I, too, loved the opportunity to see products right there
in front of me. I also got two unique experiences brand new to me,
proving that the show had something for everyone. Max Mobility has the
SmartDrive, a power assist that fits on to a manual chair. Without
having to commit to a power chair, the user can easily turn on the Smart
Drive to get a little boost going up a hill or through grass. It was
easy to use and provides your shoulders a little relief from the wear
and tear of pushing. I also got the opportunity to climb a rock wall at
the show. Mark Wellman, the pioneer of adaptive climbing, and his crew
set up the wall and had a variety of harnesses available so that people
with a variety of disabilities could participate and get the support
that their bodies needed. They could also change the resistance needed
to pull, so someone with limited strength in their arms could still use
it. I’d always wanted to try rock climbing, and I loved having a true
expert there to teach me. I will definitely look for more rock climbing
opportunities in the future.
Climbing the rock wall |
The
show was a perfect way to see just how many options chair users have
for new equipment. I would strongly urge others to attend this or other
events, which can be found through UsersFirst’s website, www.usersfirst.org,
contacting your local durable medical equipment provider, or by doing a
general search online. It truly makes a big difference to be
knowledgeable and informed.
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