Another forward.
Beth the OT
email address: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Adel Herge [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2001 12:39 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Fw: [dd-sis] InvaCare power chairs
Dear Beth,
This message is in response to the original re: power chairs. I am
autoforwarding my messages from work to home and DDSIS does not recognize my
home email to receive the message onto the list serve. So I am forwarding
it to you, could you forward onto list serve? thank you,
Adel Herge
----- Original Message -----
From: "Adel Herge" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2001 10:06 AM
Subject: Re: [dd-sis] InvaCare power chairs
> I have been reading, researching and teaching on safe transportation for
> individuals with disabilities for over 12 years. This is not just a
> liability issue. It is very clear in the research that individuals should
> not ride in w/c (power or manual) in buses, vans etc... Tie-down systems
> are helpful and various manufacturers are crash testing chairs with
> different tie-down systems which offers some idea of the possible
protection
> this set up can afford. Of course these must be used properly and provide
> shoulder and lap belt protection for the individual seperate from the
chair
> belting system.
>
> However, the issue, in my mind, is one of legislation and law. There are
no
> laws that cover individuals with disabilities. All 50 states and DC have
> seat belt laws that address able bodied individuals. Tie-down systems are
> strongly recommended and suggested by NHSTA (National Highway Safety
> Transportation Assoc.) but as far as I know to date there are no laws
> covering individuals who use w/c for transport. As one colleague told me,
> "they can use a clothesline to tie down a chair and still be within the
law"
> (paraphrase).
>
> Consumers must be wise in purchasing chairs. This includes therapists who
> collaborate with their clients on w/c slection and design. Various
> manufacturers have standardized the tie-down points (can't recall the
> specific name for these at the moment) on the w/c but these are offered
only
> as a up-charge and only on pediatric chairs.
>
> If anyone has any more current information I would appreciate hearing from
> you. Thanks.
>
> Adel Herge
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Cc: <[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, July 16, 2001 8:26 AM
> Subject: [dd-sis] InvaCare power chairs
>
>
> I admittated got this off another list and was hoping someone would have
> more input on the chairs. Anyone get these ordered for people know of
this
> problem. Do you think this is just a liability issue?
>
> Beth H. Thiers, OTR/L
>
> email address: [log in to unmask]
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Magenta Raine
> Sent: Sunday, July 15, 2001 12:49 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Fwd: [berkeley-disabled] WARNING: DO NOT BUY INVACARE POWER
> CHAIRS
>
>
> List-Unsubscribe: <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
>
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
>
> Unless you want to stay real close to home, don't buy an Invacare power
> chair. Invacare does not intend for people with disabilities to stay in
> their wheelchairs while being transported in a motor vehicle. That was
the
> response I received when I asked if tie down anchor points, like those on
> my Permobil, were available on Invacare's Arrow Storm Front Wheel Drive
> wheelchair, .
>
> Tonya Rodriguez, a customer service rep, sent this reply to my email
> inquiry:
> "The Arrow Storm has not been crash tested, therefore, we do not recommend
> that an individual be transported in a moving vehicle while in the chair."
>
> When I telephoned Invacare to verify or clarify this issue, I was told
that
> none of Invacare's chairs should be occupied while being transported in a
> moving vehicle. In fact, according to the customer service rep on the
> phone, many state's are working on legislation to prohibit people with
> disabilities from doing so.
>
> If they really believe it is unsafe to ride in any of their chairs while
in
> a moving vehicle, they should warn people. It should be in their
literature
> and on their website. The reason they don't is that no one would buy a
> chair they couldn't use to go anywhere.
>
> Obviously, this is Invacare's way of attempting to limit their liability
in
> potential lawsuits. They know that people in wheelchairs are riding public
> transportation, paratransit, and private lift-equipped vans. Many of us
> could not transfer to a regular vehicle seat if we wanted to and Invacare
> knows it. Even if people were transferred into regular seats, it is still
> not safe to ride with unsecured wheelchairs that could become large
> projectiles during an accident. If they really want to limit liability and
> provide more safety, they should install tie down anchor points on the
> frame to provide a safe, easy, and secure place for vehicle tie-down
straps
> to be fastened. Permobil has this option.
>
> I wonder if Medicare/Medicaid will want to keep buying Invacare's chairs
> when they find out that they are not even safe to take on paratransit to
> the doctor.
>
> Mark
>
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
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