Active Mobility Center at Medtrade Orlando

Last Week (Oct 8-10) I attended Medtrade East, a yearly event where manufacturers of Home Medical Equipment present their products to equipment providers. Many new products and vendors provide a resource for offerings to people recovering, rehabing or requiring equipment for life. 

I have been attending Medtrades since the early 1990's, in a time where equipment funding was much better than today; and it showed with the event's attendance. Medtrade used to take up the entire convention center, and this year only spread 19 rows.  This proves that this industry is hurting and needs your support to ensure it is there for future generations.

This year, there were very few rehab (complex rehab) companies exhibiting. Many companies providing retail and products not affected by the Medicare competitive bidding program.

Some of the new items that I thought could help our customers were;

Environmental Controls- these controls allow a mobility challenged user to use voice ,touch, or other input to operate and control items around the home including the TV, Radio, Lights, Appliances, Door Openers, Electric Beds and more.  In the past these systems were clunky, complicated and very expensive. I was impressed a few companies using tablets and smart phones to operate home devices.

Beach Powered Wheelchairs- it was interesting to see a beach powered wheelchair for under $7000 that fits on an adaptive van lift. This will certainly offer more people access to the beach as well non paved areas.

Rifton Toileting Chair- rifton has redesigned it's toileting chair to allow attachment to multiple bases, including a tub base, and a tilt in space base. Their new design is much improved from the current version and will release shortly.

New Information Companies- there were some companies that provide some interesting information management systems that can help efficiency and the paper process.

Ram Mounts- the Ram company is making several mounts to be used on wheelchairs including, smart phone, tablet, cup holders, lap top computers, and much more.  This will allow wheelchair, scooter and powered wheelchair users to be more functional and have increase Access.

Modular Ramps- there are more companies offering more options of modular ramps. Once only available in aluminum are now available in wood and steel allowing for more options and reduced costs.

Portable Scooters- there are more companies offering foldable and compact scooter devices; some which can fit in a suitcase. This makes sense as the baby boomers are aging and need more mobility options.

ASL- Adaptive Switch Labs has some new switch options allowing powered wheelchair drivers additional options.

Pride / Quantum- has an increased number of accessories for their powered wheelchairs including cup holders, hydration systems, cell phone holders and more.

Although the show was small, with the reduced traffic attendees were able to navigate the show floor and spend more time with the vendors learning about what is new and what can help our community.

This article was written by Carey Britton, Seating and Mobility Specialist for Active Mobility Center. Carey can be reached at (954) 946-5793 or at cbritton@wheelchairguys.com

Standing with Standers.....Training at Active Mobility Center

Benay Britton and Joe Navarro

This week, Benay Britton, from Active Mobility Center presented on Standing Equipment for people with mobility impairments.  Benay led the presentation saying that anyone not independently standing, and who has a mobility challenge needs to be standing. 

Benay clearly noted that anyone requesting a Standing device needs to be cleared by their physician and issued a prescription for standing.  Many people have skeletal and tendon/ligament limitations that may be aggravated or injured.

She went on to say that there are many benefits of standing from

• Builds Cardiovascular Endurance
• Improves Respiration
• Normalizes Bowel Function
• Improves Urinary Drainage
• Improves Motor Function
• Reduces the Risk of Pressure Sores
• Decreases Abnormal Muscle Tone
• Increases Circulation
• Maximizes Weight Bearing on Long Bones
• Increases Bone Density
• Increases Range of Motion

All of these helps reduces the negative affects of sitting in a wheelchair, scooter, powered wheelchair or bed.

There are many types of standing devices and they come in pediatric through adult sizes. The main types of standers are Prone, Supine, Upright and Sit to Standers. These systems come in manual or powered operation. The Prone/Supine standers come in fixed angle standers or tilt table standers. The fixed angle systems are generally for small children that are easy to transfer and where a specific angle is desired by the physician/clinician.  In many cases, it takes time to achieve more upright standing, and where an adjustable table stander is used in either prone or supine. These larger tilt tables allow the caregiver to be loaded on a flat table and then adjusted to the angle of standing tolerated or prescribed.

As the user becomes heavier and taller, transferring can be more difficult and using a table type stander. Additionally these tables for adults become very large and the user's environment may not accommodate the footprint. 

The Sit to Stand systems offer a smaller footprint, and allow for easier transfers for larger users.The

sit to stand systems can be used from sitting through standing and can be operated by the user themselves.  There are emerging studies that show increased benefits to bone density going from sit to stand. The drawback to the sit to standers is that they place force through the knees to achieve standing, and where the user needs to be able to tolerate this pressure

There are several manual and powered wheelchair standers that are commercially available. For many people standing affects their vocation, their ability to cook, access the home and interact with people.  Many times the need to stand cannot wait until one transfers into a separate standing device. 

What's Required from Insurance for Funding?

Like all Medical Equipment, a Prescription from a physician, explaining the need for standing, and most insurances now require a clinician to perform a specialty evaluation. The clinician may be a physiatrist (physical medicine doctor), a physical or occupational therapist.  These clinicians will perform a functional assessment which will determine whether a stander is medically necessary, and which type/orientation is most appropriate.  Many times it can require trialing equipment to determine what is most appropriate. Today, an ATP (Assistive Technology Provider), or SMS (Seating and Mobility Specialist) can help make recommendations once the user has been cleared for standing.

Who Funds Standers?

Technically any insurance should if medically necessity is established; however Benay explained that Medicare is very difficult to achieve approval. She explained that Medicaid, Vocational Rehabilitation, Worker's Compensation and most Private Insurances do approve these items.  Benay further explained that many insurances look at Standers and Gait Trainers as same or similar equipment, so when discussing options with one's physician and clinician; ensuring the most appropriate equipment is being provided.  Typically like all DME, there is a five year life expectancy on this equipment by the insurance provider.

This article was written by Carey Britton, Seating and Mobility Specialist for Active Mobility Center, and Complex Rehab and Assistive Technology Provider in South Florida. Carey can be reached at (954) 946-5793 or at cbritton@wheelchairguys.com .