Tag: wheelchair

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - Chrysler and ABC's “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” surprised Massachusetts nurse Florence Njoroge with a brand new 2020 Chrysler Pacifica that was modified for wheelchair access by Vantage Mobility International. The acknowledgement of the donation took place during Kimmel's weekly Health Care Hero segment, which pays tribute to those on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. “We at VMI understand how important it is for families to have a safe and reliable vehicle that...

WASHINGTON - The American National Standard Institute (ANSI) has approved the revision and publication of the ANSI/RESNA WC-3 standard after five years of collaboration across wheelchair seating experts. The newly expanded volume includes improvements and clarifications, as well as new test methods for characterizing seating support surfaces. “Unlike most standards and regulations, these standards are created by the people who need them and use them, including clinicians, engineers, academics,...

SAN CARLOS, Calif. - WHILL, which launched the Model Ci in the U.S. in January, has secured $45 million in funding led by investors SBI Investment Co., Daiwa PI Partners Co. and Daiwa Corporate Investment Co., and WHIZ Partners, as well as Endeavor Catalyst and others. This funding brings WHILL's total funding to about $80 million. WHILL, expanded sales into the U.K. and Italy in July, following its expansion into Canada earlier this year, will use the funding to further broaden its geographic footprint...

YARMOUTH, Maine - The majority of wheelchair users say using a mobility device has negatively impacted them while working or job hunting, according to a new survey.The survey, conducted on behalf of the Toyota Mobility Foundation, highlights the need for innovative assistive technology to help people with limited mobility succeed in the U.S. workplace, according to a press release.More than one-third (36%) of wheelchair users in the U.S. say they have been unable to work as a result of their device;...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Permobil Foundation and National Seating & Mobility teamed up with Lain's parents to get him in a new Permobil wheelchair in time for his 17th birthday and his Junior Prom. The chair, a Permobil F5 Corpus VS, features a vertical stander, allowing Lain to dance at the prom. “I will say, I have held it together all of this time, but when I saw him standing with his friends for the first time, I became very emotional,” said Lain's mom. “He was at their height...

NEW YORK - The United Spinal Association will host power wheelchair user Ian Mackay at its 7th Annual Roll on Capitol Hill, June 24-27 in Washington, D.C. Mackay, a California native, avid outdoor enthusiast and peer group leader, will attend the event for the first time to speak with legislators on issues that affect the independence and quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries and disorders and other pre-existing conditions. In 2016, he rode his wheelchair across the state to advocate...

WASHINGTON - The Office of Inspector General has found that veterans waited an average of 69 days for power wheelchair and scooter repairs, more than a month beyond a 30-day timeliness benchmark set by the agency, according to a new report. “These delays occurred because staff and prosthetic service managers at the respective VA medical facilities did not always effectively manage and monitor repair requests,” the OIG stated in a report. “VA medical facility staff, including prosthetic...

SAN CARLOS, Calif. - WHILL was included in Fast Company's annual ranking of the world's Most Innovative Companies for 2018. The listing honors leading enterprises and rising newcomers that exemplify the best in business and innovation, according to a press release. WHILL earned a spot in the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Robotics. The company's Model Ci personal electric vehicle features embedded Bluetooth for remote driving with an iPhone app, a mobile data network connection, and GPS,...

Having worked at HME News now for longer than I care to admit (but, it's been 12 years), I often find myself viewing the world through the lens of home medical equipment. For example, a headline on oxygen will lead me to a story on winemaking. Or the answer to a Jeopardy question about lox has me shouting at the TV, “What is liquid oxygen, Alex?” rather than, “What is bagel topping, Alex?” Even when I'm not misreading something, I still wonder things that the average person...

ELYRIA, Ohio - Invacare is considering relocating the production of Küschall manual wheelchairs from its facility in Witterswil, Switzerland, to its facility in Fondettes, France, according to a Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Jan. 11. Invacare hopes to complete the move, which it believes will allow it to better optimize the Fondettes facility, by mid-year 2018. By Swiss law, however, Invacare must first perform a “consultation procedure” with the potentially...