Mobility Friends Together

When Chuck Killingsworth called Gary Miller of Mount Carmel Regional Medical Center, he was just looking for some used wheelchairs that he could use in one of his classes, so he never expected the generosity that Mr. Miller would extend to him.

Killingsworth, the professor of therapeutic recreation at Pittsburg State University, had been trying to find wheelchairs for one of his classes, so he picked up the phone and started calling some of the local hospitals. His last call was to Gary Miller, who decided to donate six brand new lightweight wheelchairs to Killingsworth. Miller was able to get a slight discount on the chairs, which are valued at around $700 a piece.

One of the major goals that Killingsworth wants to teach his students is how to properly transfer a person into and out of a wheelchair. They also have been brainstorming other ways to use the chairs. One of their plans is to have a wheelchair awareness day, where students spend the entire day in a wheelchair. He hopes that this will help the student have a better appreciation for what it is like for the people they will be working with.

The wheelchairs will also be used in the event of an injury and by the schools nursing department.

This is not the first time that Mount Carmel Regional Medical Center has helped out those at the school. Not too long ago they also donated a few defibrillators to the school.

Getting around is something that some people take for granted, but if you are mobility challenged, then many everyday tasks can be much more difficult. To help ensure that everyone, no matter what their physical condition, is able to get around, the American’s with Disabilities Act was enacted in 1990. The ADA is designed to ensure that public businesses make their buildings easily accessible to everyone, but it doesn’t always do enough.

Under the ADA, new construction of public businesses is required to meet certain standards. Older buildings that were built before 1990, are required to take actions to remove barriers where the barriers can be easily accomplished without too much difficulty, but many find this last clause to be insufficient.

Since there sometimes is a great cost associated with upgrading and retrofitting an establishment to be accessible, the Internal Revenue Service has a program aimed at helping to defer these costs. Small businesses can apply for and potentially receive tax breaks to help offset about fifty percent of the cost of renovations. For example a business that expands its doors can receive up to a $5,000 tax break.

This action of the IRS does help out and many businesses do take advantage of the tax credits, but there are still plenty of places that a person who is mobility challenged can find it difficult to go.

One man, Kenny Cieplik, has created his own blog to rate how accessible places are. Included in his reviews are ways that the places can help to improve their ratings.

Frequently those that are a little older or who are mobility challenged, find that it is very difficult to walk for extended periods of time. This can make going to the grocery store very difficult if not impossible and can greatly reduce your ability to travel. A mobility scooter is one type of medical equipment that can help solve this problem.

A mobility scooter is a device that is used by people of all ages who can not walk without difficulty. An electric wheelchair and a mobility scooter are very closely related, but differ slightly in their construction. A mobility scooter uses a larger base and a chair is mounted towards the rear of the base. At the front of the base is a set of handlebars which are mounted to an adjustable tiller.

Many mobility scooters are available to today. Their range can vary greatly, with some able to travel as far as 50 miles on a single charge, but most have a range that is around 20 miles. They use rechargeable batteries though, so if you need to double your range, you can purchase an extra battery pack and swap out the packs when you run out of juice.

One of the great things about a mobility scooter is that it enables you to keep up with your family. You can go to the park with the grandkids or go with your family as they explore New York City. Most travel at speeds of between 4 and 5 miles per hour, but some mobility scooters are capable of speeds over 10 miles per hour.

Those who have difficulty walking will greatly benefit from a mobility scooter, which improves mobility and the ability to move around freely without assistance.