Category Archives: Awareness

Boston’s 6th Annual Wounded Vet Run: Updated

Boston’s 6th Annual Wounded Vet Run updated

5th Honoree For The 6th Annual Boston Wounded Vet Run Announced

Thanks to some last minute donations The Boston Wounded Vet Run proudly announced the 5th honoree for the 6th Annual Boston Wounded Vet Ride: Marine Sgt Kirstie Ennis!
Kirstie lost her leg due to a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.
This upcoming May, we ride for her!

5th Honoree For The 6th Annual Boston Wounded Vet Run Announced

 

What is A New/Used Wheelchair van?

When shopping for a new or pre-owned wheelchair van at a mobility dealership, you may hear or read the term “New/Used”. Sounds confusing, right? The term New/Used describes an accessible vehicle for sale that has a new conversion added to a pre-owned used minivan. These vehicles tend to have less than 40,000 miles and are only 2-3 years old. The reason they tend to be newer and with very few miles is that conversion manufacturers want quality vans that are going to provide reliable transportation for many years to come. New/Used van conversions can be side entry or rear entry, with most having a fold-out ramp (vs. an in-floor ramp). A VMI Summit on a Dodge Grand Caravan is just one example of a fold-out ramp conversion. Folding wheelchair ramps on a minivan can be powered or manual. Powered ramps are operated with a push-button inside the vehicle, a key fob or both.

Deciding whether to buy a new or used wheelchair van can be a difficult decision. Your choice may depend on how often or how far you plan to travel every year, whether you are the driver (with the use of hand controls) or passenger, and your preferences for a specific conversion, make or color. A lot of people want all of the latest electronic accessories and gadgets that can only be found in a new vehicle — but they also want something in a used vehicle’s price range. New/Used vehicles provide an “almost new” vehicle at significant cost savings – and may have all of the amenities that you’re are looking for.

January Is Glaucoma Awareness Month

Glaucoma is a very misunderstood disease. Often, people don’t realize the severity or who is affected.

Key Facts About Glaucoma

  • Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness
    Glaucoma can cause blindness if it is left untreated. And unfortunately approximately 10% of people with glaucoma who receive proper treatment still experience loss of vision.
  • There is no cure (yet) for glaucoma
    Glaucoma is not curable, and vision lost cannot be regained. With medication and/or surgery, it is possible to halt further loss of vision. Since open-angle glaucoma is a chronic condition, it must be monitored for life. Diagnosis is the first step to preserving your vision.
  • Everyone is at risk for glaucoma
    Everyone is at risk for glaucoma from babies to senior citizens. Older people are at a higher risk for glaucoma but babies can be born with glaucoma (approximately 1 out of every 10,000 babies born in the United States). Young adults can get glaucoma, too. African Americans in particular are susceptible at a younger age.
  • There may be no symptoms to warn you
    With open-angle glaucoma, the most common form, there are virtually no symptoms. Usually, no pain is associated with increased eye pressure. Vision loss begins with peripheral or side vision. You may compensate for this unconsciously by turning your head to the side, and may not notice anything until significant vision is lost. The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get tested. If you have glaucoma, treatment can begin immediately.

Some Statistics About Glaucoma

  • It is estimated that over 2.2 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it.
  • In the U.S., more than 120,000 are blind from glaucoma, accounting for 9% to 12% of all cases of blindness.
  • Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, according to the World Health Organization.
  • After cataracts, glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness among African Americans.
  • Blindness from glaucoma is 6 to 8 times more common in African Americans than Caucasians.
  • African Americans are 15 times more likely to be visually impaired from glaucoma than Caucasians.
  • The most common form, open-angle glaucoma, accounts for 19% of all blindness among African Americans compared to 6% in Caucasians.
  • Other high-risk groups include: people over 60, family members of those already diagnosed, diabetics, and people who are severely nearsighted.
  • Estimates put the total number of suspected cases of glaucoma at over 60 million worldwide.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Here Are 16 New Year’s Resolutions For 2016

Happy New Year 2016

This new year, I will ________________.
Fill in the blank. What will you do differently?
Here are 16 New Year’s Resolutions for 2016 to get you started.

1: Be More Positive
Be more positive not just with our words and actions, but also with our own thoughts. Focus on surrounding yourself with positive people, things and experiences. Do what makes you smile and get rid of the things that don’t. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

2: Practice Random Acts of Kindness
“It’s the little things that count.” Instead of saying you will stop doing certain bad habits, focus on the good things you want to do more.

3: Do Something Out of the Ordinary
Step out of your comfort zone, it could give you a thrill of a lifetime! Trying new things can help you not only discover different sides of yourself, but it will help you know what you don’t like. So if you’ve always wanted to try, say, a cooking class and you end up hating it, you can cross that off and move onto the next thing.

4: Read More Books
Because knowledge is power and with great power comes great responsibility. Reading is a great  past time, can help you relax and if you read before bed may even help you fall sleep.

5: Eat Healthier
Trying to tell yourself what you can and can not eat is a difficult task. Rather than attempting to stop yourself from eating all the “bad” foods, try focusing on eating the “good” ones. You could also eat several small meals a day instead of a few large ones. For Example: Instead of eating a bowl of ice cream swap it for a bowl or (frozen) yogurt.

6: Get Fit
Many of us say “I want to loose weight in the new year,” but not all of us follow through with it. Instead of forcing ourselves to go to gym, we could just wake up a few minutes earlier and exercise. That way, it doesn’t seem like a chore.

7: Learn Something New
Have a friend teach you something new and in return help them learn something new. Follow your passions because learning something new should be challenging, fun and exciting.

8: Get More Sleep
There’s the famous “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” quote, but it sneaks up on you if you’re only getting 2-4 hours of sleep. Think of it this way: the more sleep you get, the more energy you have to do the things you want to do!

9: Save More, Spend Less
If your goal in 2016 is the save more and spend less, then the 52-week money challenge is perfect for you. The concept is easy: you start with $1 in the first week, and then every week, you’ll put away an extra dollar (week 1: $1, Week 2: $2…. Week 52: $52). Before you know it, you’ll have an extra $1,378 saved up.

10: Less Text, More Talk
Put your phone down and look up. Sometimes, it’s difficult to disconnect from the digital world, but is it worth missing out on those special moments? Learning to be truly present in the moment, not only improves our relationships but also makes us more appreciative to what we do have.

11: Travel
Traveling has a special magic touch. Whether it’s taking a mini getaway or a that big vacation you’ve been saving up for go somewhere you’ve never gone before!

12: Be More Open-Minded
Everyone gets scared, nervous and doubtful at times. Accept it and challenge yourself to be more open-minded to new things, people and experiences that life throws at you. People usually only fear the things that they don’t fully understand? If you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to ask!

13: Volunteer and Give Back to your Community
The beautiful thing about people is how much of a difference one person can make, let alone a group of people all working for the same cause. Once people gather together for something that they believe in, the outcome is incredible.

14: Be More Organized
Whether you want to cut back on clutter, organize your room, recycle and reuse some of your things, everyone needs their own system to get organized. That way if you ever need something, you’re not scrambling trying to look for it.

15: Saying no when you need to  & saying yes when you really should
You don’t have to say yes to everything. If you don’t feel like going to a party, listen to yourself and take a pass. If someone tries to dish out something that isn’t your job at work, tell them no. Just embrace the word “no.”
&
Maybe your friend impulsively suggests a concert, or someone’s had a bad day and needs to go for a drink — whatever the reason, if you feel it would make your or their night, you should do it. In the best case scenario, you’ll get a memory to keep forever; at worst, at least you tried something new!

16: Enjoy the Little Things.
Living life to the fullest doesn’t just mean setting big goals like going bungee jumping or learning to scuba dive. It also includes learning to enjoy the little things. That is, learning to appreciate life’s simple pleasures, such as the following:

  • Going outside at night to look at the stars.
  • Seeing a genuine smile on the face of a person you love.
  • Walking barefoot in the grass.