Category Archives: Mobility

Mobility needs for wheelchair users including wheelchair vans, ramps, foot and hand controls.

Warfighter Sports

Warfighter Sports have provided 8,200 wounded warriors and family opportunities to participate in more than 30 sports since 2003, free of any costs.

The mission of Warfighter Sports is simple:
Provide adaptive sports to severely wounded warriors free of cost. Thanks to generous supporters, they have supported 1,500 wounded warriors just last year alone.

Apply To Be A Warfighter Here

Warfighter Sports Individual Training Grants
Warfighter Sports is offering grants to veterans and members of the armed forces with permanent physical disabilities who do not have nearby access to adaptive training in the sport of their choice.

Grant funding can be used to assist with participation expenses associated with their individual sport goals. Successful applicants will be awarded grant funding as well as Warfighter Sports apparel to wear during their participation.

The goal of this program is to help veterans and members of the armed forces with permanent physical disabilities gain independence in their chosen sport, so that even if an adaptive club is not available nearby, they have the ability to participate in non-adaptive programs alongside family and friends.

Grants of up to $1000, per warrior, per year are available on a rolling basis until all funds have been spent. Funds are only distributed once valid receipts and reports have been received by Disabled Sports USA. Applicants will be notified if their grant is approved within 21 business days of their submission.

Grant Qualifications:

Veterans or members of the armed forces with a permanent physical disability* who do not have nearby access to adaptive training in their chosen sport
Veterans or members of the armed forces with a permanent physical disability* who are seeking advanced training, competitive or classification opportunities in their chosen sport
$1000 maximum grant awarded per year
Must participate in qualified sporting activity (see application for specific list)

*i.e. spinal cord injury, amputation, vision impairment, traumatic brain injury, nerve/joint or muscle damage that permanently impedes function.

Sample Expenses Covered:

Travel expenses to train in an adaptive sport if not offered locally
Travel to attend classification opportunities or Paralympic competition
Coaching fees for individualized instruction
Adaptive sports equipment not covered by the VA

Reporting Requirements:

The following is to be submitted no later than two weeks post-activity or by September 1, 2015 (whichever is soonest)

Brief summary of program outcomes (one paragraph)
Photo of participation in activity (preferably while wearing Warfighter Sports provided apparel)
Provide valid receipts for expenses

Communication Awareness

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The first step to respectfully communicate with a person with a disAbility is simply by making an effort. There’s no absolute formula for compassion, but putting forth the effort — any effort, really — goes miles.

Recognize there are trigger words that often carry a deep connotation of disrespect and disregard for a magnitude of communities. Titles like “cripple,” “retard,” “slow” and “vegetable” carry vulgar consequence, but conversations surrounding people who have disAbilities deserve a deeper level of understanding than simply avoiding a handful of hurtful words.

These people are humans, not disAbilities.

Build, Don’t Box
Common tongue often highlights a person’s disAbilities like the elephant in the room. A more active approach is to acknowledge and applaud one’s abilities. Focus on the person, not the disAbility. And, just like any of us, we each have our challenges but we don’t go around telling people we “suffer from” one thing or the other. This language would steal any sort of confidence that we might overcome our daily hurdles.

Furthermore, it’s crucial to recognize individuals. For example: Jane is Jane/John is John. S/He is not one of “the handicapped,” “the paraplegics” or any other all-inclusive term. S/He is one, able individual who has paraplegia. The condition does not define her/him, and though s/he may be proud and affiliated with communities who engage paraplegia, it’s best to allow s/he the opportunity to define those relations.

Never Stop Learning
Simply put: Don’t be afraid to ask. If you’re concerned you don’t know how to interact with people with disAbilities, voicing your innocent naivety may be the wisest approach. Instead of shying away from the conversation and further alienating that person, seek out a respectful opportunity to ask about his or her story.

Experienced Mobility Equipment Dealers

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When it comes to finding the right transportation solution for your needs the options are almost endless. There’s accessible minivans, trucks, wheelchair and scooter carriers, lifts, ramps, hand controls, transfer seats etc. To ensure you are getting the right mobility products for your specific needs it’s important to get the help of an experienced mobility equipment dealer. Most local mobility equipment dealers have been in business for years and over that time have gained the knowledge and expertise to fit you with the very best product for your situation.

Quality mobility equipment dealers will meet with you in person to help determine your individual needs and what adaptive vehicle or equipment is best for you. They’ll ask you questions about you, your disability, your wheelchair or scooter, how you’ll be using the vehicle, will there be additional drivers, your budget etc.

It’s important that you ask the mobility equipment dealer some specific questions, as well. You’ll need to find out if they offer 24-hour emergency assistance, are their technicians trained and certified, and are they a full service automotive shop. You then have to ask yourself if you feel like they’re easy to work with and ultimately if you want to do business with this dealership.

Whether you buy new or used will depend on your finances but the most important thing is that the vehicle is designed to fit your requirements. Your local mobility dealer is the key to getting you into the right vehicle. Based on your disability, together, you can easily determine what’s the best transportation solution for you.

Un-Converted Senior-Friendly Vehicles

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Are you looking for comfortable seating, a roomy driving position, safety, good visibility and wide doors with high entries/lowered floors so you don’t have to struggle to get in and out? In a vehicle with style, of course! Well now most automakers are designing cars with features that are more senior-friendly.

What to look for:

Sliding rear doors that require little strength or even better, power sliding doors. Power anything is a plus.
Brighter instrument displays and larger type.
Doors that open wider.
Navigation screens closer to eye level and not at arm’s length.
Large side mirrors.

AAA recommends that drivers look for vehicles with features that address their specific health issues/mobility needs:

For hip, knee or leg problems, a 6-way adjustable power seat is easier for drivers to enter and exit. Also look for seat heights that hit the driver between mid-thigh and lower buttocks.
Arthritic hands, painful or stiff fingers benefit from four-door models, thick steering wheels, keyless entry and ignition, power mirrors and seats and larger dashboard controls.
Those with diminished vision should look for extendable sun visors, large audio and climate controls and easy-to-read displays with contrasting text. And less glare. (Blue-green instrument lighting is easier to read than red.)
A roomy trunk that can fit a walker or wheelchair.

If you can’t find one car that has it all, remember that there are many different types of adaptive equipment that could work for you. Adaptive equipment options vary from the ability to control secondary functions like turn signals and wipers with a touchscreen or voice control to pedal extenders, swivel seats and much more.

Find Financial Resources for Your Mobility Needs

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Far too often, you find it hard to afford many of the tools and resources that you need in everyday life. For that reason, there are several alternative ways to get funding that will ensure that you get the assistance you need to live a hassle-free life without worrying about breaking the bank.

Here are a few sources of financial assistance to look into if you are finding it hard to cover all of your mobility expenses.

Medicare:
Usually offered only through private companies, Medicare can be a good option for certain medical devices and equipment and is based on your medical necessity for the goods or services you may need help with.

Medicaid:
While there is no exclusive list in terms of medical equipment covered, cases are approved on a case-by-case basis. Medicaid is a great option to look into if your expenses and needs aren’t covered by Medicare.

The IRS:
Did you know that certain mobility aids such as adaptive driving equipment can be deducted from your federal taxes? Contact your local tax adviser to see what equipment and supplies you use regularly to see if they can be deducted.

State Programs:
Check with your state’s vocational rehabilitation agencies to see if your mobility needs are approved for financial assistance. If any of it helps you get to work or perform your job efficiently, you may be covered here. Aside from that, you may also want to check out your local Center for Independent Living to see if they have any other resources that you can look into for financial assistance.

Vehicle-Related:
If you’ve recently had any adaptive equipment or ramps installed in your vehicle—or, for that matter, if you’ve recently purchased wheelchair van—there are some dealerships that will reimburse you for such things. Check with your local mobility-friendly dealership to learn more.

With these resources at your disposal, you can hopefully stop worrying about money and focus more on living a stress-free life where your mobility needs are easily met.