Items to consider as you choose a Disability Insurance Company:

• Be sure to ask your current insurance representative regarding the options available, as your employer’s disability insurance plan may not meet your standard of coverage and care. It is best to assess your needs (and possible future needs) before making a choice on a plan. Note that the disability insurance you receive as part of your work benefits may not cover accidents or traumas that occur away from the workplace. Statistically speaking, more accidents tend to occur while people are on the road or in their homes.
• Generally speaking, more expensive policies cover more potential disability conditions. Do a cost/benefit analysis of several insurance policies before selecting one. Most major insurance companies feature a cost-benefit Disability Insurance calculator as part of their website resources.
• Speaking with one or more insurance agents from several different companies may be helpful as you discern which coverage to purchase for you and your family. There are online services (such as Protect Your Income) who will compare various Disability Insurance Companies and their plans for you.
• Note that the benefits available to you as a United States veteran disabled in the line of duty will include disability insurance. See the VA Disability Pay Chart for additional information.
• Also note that, as written by Rod Howell in his eHow Money feature article, “Disability Insurance Policies”:  “Disability insurance policies feature two protection options for the insureds: guaranteed renewable and noncancelable. The guaranteed renewable option allows insureds to renew their disability policies without an increase of their premiums unless insurance rates are raised on all insurance plans with the same class rating. Noncancelable options permits insureds to renew their disability protection plans without a raise in their premiums or a reduction in their benefits.”

What Disability Insurance Companies can do for you:

• Provide greater peace of mind for you and your spouse and/or dependents
• Provide a safety net in the event of an accident at work or at home

As noted on the Social Security Administration Fact Sheet from January 31, 2007, “Three in 10 workers entering the work force today will become disabled before retiring.” This statistic can serve as incentive for you to ensure that you (and your family members) have disability insurance coverage.

Mobility Shop staff are trained to assist you in purchasing the adaptive equipment that fits your needs. When calling ahead, be sure to ask about the licensing and accreditation of the business and the qualifications of the staff; many shops have nurses or physical/occupational therapists on staff to assist you. Some Mobility Shops accept appointments in advance, but many do business simply on a drop-in basis. You may want to ask your primary care physician (or physical or occupational therapist) for a recommendation as to a local Mobility Shop that can meet your needs. Many Mobility Shops also have catalogs and websites; be sure to peruse their selection prior to your visit/prior to placing your order if possible.

When purchasing equipment from a Mobility Shop, be sure to inquire regarding:

• their official dealership licensing (and the qualifications of their staff.) The mobility industry has seen several frauds and scams in recent years. Be extremely wary of any unsolicited phone calls or emails from a mobility dealer.
• delivery of adaptive equipment, and any additional cost associated with delivery
• insurance for adaptive equipment, as well as any applicable warranties
• your own insurance coverage, and the procedure and timing for processing claims
• additional paperwork necessary (for example, a specific physician’s order may be necessary for insurance to cover a portion — or the entirety — of the cost of your adaptive equipment)
• a tutorial (ideally both on paper and in-person) on the proper use of your new (or used) adaptive equipment
• proper care of your new (or used) adaptive equipment; under which conditions the equipment should and should not be used; the expected lifespan of the device
• additional products and services that may increase your quality of life

For more information on the various types of wheelchairs and pieces of adaptive equipment available, see our posts on:  Electric Wheelchair, Quickie Wheelchair, Mobility Scooters For Sale, Lightweight Wheelchairs, Portable Wheelchair Ramps and Mobility Scooter Batteries.

Disability Living Allowance Rates (USA) are included within the Social Security system. This system includes both Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability (SSDI). The former is for people who have not been able to work for a few years, or have never been able to work. (It also includes those who are over sixty-five and have no disability, but fall within the qualifying financial limits.) The latter is for those with long term disabilities that prevent them from working as they might have previously. Like the UK-based Disability Living Allowance, receiving Social Security Disability requires a medical examination as part of the submission paperwork. You may want to review Social Security Disability Requirements, as it contains helpful information about who qualifies to receive Social Security Disability.  As Tina writes in Disability Living Allowance: “[Both types of Disability Living Allowance Rates] will require a lot of paperwork from both you and your health care providers to qualify. In most cases, your application will be rejected the first time. However, you will be advised what needs to be done, in order to meet the qualifications. In fact, there are lawyers that specialize in SSDI. Once your application is approved, the Government pays the legal fees. After your approval has been processed, your first check will reflect the monthly disability living allowance back to the time you first submitted the application.”

Other Potential Advantages of Wheelchair Rental-Wheelchair Hire include:

• potential to try out a new piece of adaptive equipment prior to purchase, giving you the chance to assess whether or not it fits your body and your lifestyle
• potential for lower cost (rental of a mobility scooter, for example, may be much less expensive than shipping your own mobility scooter to your destination)
• avoidance of potential damage to your adaptive equipment (shipping, travel damages)
• avoidance of potential incompatibility with another country’s power system; for example, avoidance of trouble of charging your mobility scooter batteries
• greater accessibility of repair parts and repair services for your rental equipment, such as a Portable Wheelchair Ramp (via your connection with the mobility shop from which you rented the equipment.) Your wheelchair rental dealer could assist you with additional mobility needs; for example, mobility shops will likely be able to tell you if there are Mobility Cars Available in the surrounding area

when traveling, Wheelchair Rental-Wheelchair Hire may allow you to navigate your destination more easily. Road and sidewalk conditions, doorway widths and handicap-accessible standards vary from place to place. As such, it is important to research the conditions of the place to which you are traveling, and decide whether or not to rent accordingly.

Other important items to consider prior to your Wheelchair Rental-Wheelchair Hire:

• Take precaution by ensuring that you are renting from authorized, experienced dealers/mobility shops. Medical equipment companies often have Wheelchair Rental-Wheelchair Hire options; be sure to check with your local dealer for a referral if possible.
• If possible, try out your rental equipment before leaving the mobility shop; be sure to inspect it for any signs of wear, tear or damage
• Agree upon a rate of pay, deposit if needed, and a method of payment before accepting your equipment
• Request a user’s manual for your Wheelchair Rental-Wheelchair Hire
• Be sure to read the dealership’s paperwork carefully; note who will be responsible for costs in the event of accident or damage to the adaptive equipment
• Be sure to ask about options for equipment insurance for your Wheelchair Rental-Wheelchair Hire
• Ensure that you understand the mobility shop’s policies for equipment return, general use and additional travel
• Be sure to make reservations in advance if possible. Certain popular tourist locations (such as DisneyWorld and DisneyLand) have mobility shops nearby, but rentals fill up fast during peak season.
• Learn as much as possible about the type of wheelchair you are considering for hire. For more information on the various types of wheelchairs available, see our posts on:  Electric Wheelchair, Quickie Wheelchair, Mobility Scooters For Sale and Lightweight Wheelchairs.

• those who do not have the funds available to purchase a new chair
• those who wish to save money and utilize additional funds for other pieces of adaptive equipment (i.e. portable wheelchair ramps, or a second type of chair such as a transport chair)
• those who wish to use a model or type of chair that is no longer being manufactured
• those who are environmentally-conscious and wish to re-purpose a pre-owned chair

Tips for purchasing your Used Wheelchair:  Talk to your primary care physician and physical therapist/occupational therapist about the right type of wheelchair for your needs. A specialized fitting by a physical or occupational therapist (or a licensed wheelchair technician provided by a mobility shop) is ideal.

Additionally…

• Be sure to speak with an insurance representative and/or contact Medicare and Medicaid to ascertain whether your used wheelchair purchase may be partially or fully covered by these providers.
• Learn as much as possible about the type of used wheelchair you are considering for purchase. For more information on the various types of wheelchairs available, see our posts on:  Electric Wheelchair, Quickie Wheelchair, Mobility Scooters For Sale and Lightweight Wheelchairs.
• Talk to friends or co-workers who may have a similar wheelchair. Ask them if they would recommend a similar chair.
• If cost is a major factor in your purchasing decision, consider that certain types of chairs (i.e. battery-powered/electric wheelchairs/mobility scooters will likely cost more to run and own over the long term (taking into account energy costs, battery replacements and parts and repairs.)
• Check the used wheelchair carefully for wear and tear; examine each part of the chair for any damage.
• Consider your future plans when you consider a chair. (For example, if you are planning on a move to a rainy climate in the near future, an electric wheelchair may not be the right choice for you.)
• Research the additional adaptive equipment you may require after your wheelchair purchase. For example, when you purchase a used chair, you may require a new (or used) Portable Wheelchair Ramp.

Other important notes:

• It is safest to purchase your used wheelchair from a mobility shop or an authorized online dealer. In doing so, you will have the assurance of a professional inspection.
• Comfort and correct fit is essential when it comes to a used wheelchair; do not hesitate to ‘shop around’ for the chair that will best suit your body type and meet your specific needs.
• Warranties on previously-owned adaptive equipment such as wheelchairs are non-transferable; you will likely need to purchase your own coverage for your used wheelchair.
• If you have a Used Wheelchair that you no longer use, do investigate (via Google, Wikipedia) the various options for donation and re-purposing. Your former wheelchair may be exactly what another person needs!

Top Reasons to purchase a Portable Wheelchair Ramp:

• added sense of security in the event of an emergency (can be placed in such a way as to create an additional exit)
• greater sense of adventure and freedom; giving you the ability to travel and access locations that may not be retrofitted for accessibility purposes (such as historic homes)
• ability to sidestep various building-code guidelines (of the sort that are applicable to permanently-installed ramps)
• greater feeling of independence; giving you the capability to move more freely through your home or office
• affordability; giving you the ease and convenience of a wheelchair ramp for a lower price than a permanently-installed ramp
• flexibility; giving you the option of moving your ramp or relocating your home without needing to purchase a new ramp

The type of ramp you select will be dependent upon the type of adaptive equipment that you use. Bariatric Wheelchairs have their own kinds of ramps, as do Motorized (Electric) Wheelchairs. See Mobility Cars Available for more information about retrofitting a vehicle specifically for a wheelchair and a wheelchair ramp.

Here is a helpful formula for calculating the dimensions of a Portable Wheelchair Ramp for your home, vehicle or building facility, courtesy of the writers at “Front Porch Ideas and More”:

“Calculate the rise and run for a wheelchair ramp [with this] rule of thumb: Have a minimum of 12 inches of ramp for every inch the ramp must rise. The optimum rise would be 20 inches for every inch in vertical rise. For example, if your porch is 18 inches from the ground your ramp should be a minimum of 18 feet long.
- Multiply the height in inches by 12 inches {18 x 12 = 216 inches}
- Divide that number by 12 inches {216 / 12} =18 feet.
If you want the slope to be more gentle, then consider a rise and run of 20 inches. So, your ramp would be 30 feet long {18 x 20 = 360 inches, then 360 / 12 = 30 feet}.”

Care of your Portable Wheelchair Ramp:

• Take location into consideration when positioning your portable wheelchair ramp. Try not to place it in an area with high sun exposure, or in an area where leaves and other debris are likely to fall on the ramp.
• Try to keep your portable wheelchair ramp protected from rain, snow and moisture.
• Ensure that your ramp has sufficient traction on its surface to prevent slipping.

In terms of Mobility Cars Available, Ford Mobility is the leading line of cars available in connection with the Motability Charity. To date, over five hundred thousand Ford Mobility vehicles have been purchased through the Motability Charity. As Ford Mobility’s UK website states:  “We know that having a car can give you the freedom of independence. With Ford Mobility, we can also provide you with real freedom of choice, with an extensive range of award-winning cars that deliver versatility and roominess without compromising on performance, driveability or style.”

Mobility Cars Available within the Ford Mobility line of vehicles include, but are not limited to:

• The Ka
• The Fiesta
• The Fusion
• The Focus
• The All-New Five-Seat C-MAX
• The All-New Seven-Seat Grand C-MAX
• The Kuga
• The Mondeo
• The S-MAX
• The Galaxy

How can a car within the line of Mobility Cars Available help you as a person with physical disabilities?

• A Motability Specialist (in partnership with a Ford Dealership) can assist you in being fitted for a car to suit your physical needs. Specialized seat fittings are available.
• A Fleet Service Team is provided as on-call with your contract, to assist with repairs and vehicle needs.
• Various driving devices and adaptive pieces can be retrofitted to your vehicle.

How does one qualify for a Motability-sponsored vehicle (or be part of a Mobility Scheme)? To qualify, you need to be receiving either:

• The Higher Rate Mobility Component of the Disability Living Allowance (HRMC-DLA) OR
• the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement (WPMS).

There is also a United States version of the Ford Mobility Vehicle Program (in partnership with Lincoln cars), called Ford Mobility Motoring. They offer reimbursements (of up to $1,200) for adaptive equipment added to a Ford or Lincoln vehicle. They also offer up to $200 for an alert hearing device, lumbar support or running boards (this $200 is included under the $1200 general limit.) Ford Mobility Vehicle Program also offers specific vehicle plans geared toward people with disabilities. Many of their vehicles are retrofitted for portable wheelchair ramps. Additional adaptive equipment offered for their vehicles includes:  raised roof, power-assist seats, lowered floors, lifts, door openers and hand controls. The Ford Mobility Vehicle Program requires that all major adaptive equipment be installed by a Ford Authorized Qualified Vehicle Modifier if it is to qualify for reimbursement.

As MarilynHamilton.com notes, “Marilyn…and her partners brought a new palette to the industry making chairs an extension of a person’s personality. The Quickie was born, and instantly revolutionized the wheelchair industry by listening to consumers needs and wants along with innovations in manufacturing, technology, quality and marketing.”

Quickie Wheelchairs come in a variety of models, makes and colors; they offer manual wheelchairs, electric wheelchairs, pediatric wheelchairs and sport wheelchairs designed to meet the needs of those with varying degrees of ability and mobility. (They also carry a sport wheelchairs specific to tennis and basketball!) Quickie chairs are designed with function and portability in mind; they are among the most popular portable wheelchairs on the market. (The Quickie was first released as a portable, folding model in 1983.) The first Quickie chair weighed 26 pounds; by contrast, standard wheelchairs available in the 1980′s weighed 50 pounds. Marilyn Hamilton’s interest in sports and activity was a primary motivating factor behind the lighter chair; she wanted a wheelchair that she could use for competitions such as the Paralympic Games.

The Quickie represents not only a lighter, more graceful chair, but also a chair with greater personality. The variety of colors and styles offered by Quickie Wheelchair express a more fun, active lifestyle than that portrayed by the older, heavier, monochromatic chairs. Marilyn Hamilton and her colleagues desired to create a new chair and share a new message:  mobility aids were nothing to be ashamed of. Wheelchairs could be considered ‘cool.’ Thanks in part to Marilyn Hamilton’s efforts, people with disabilities were able to participate in new sports, travel to new places and feel a greater sense of pride in their means of transportation.

As Joseph P. Shapiro writes in his article, “How A Woman Re-Invented The Wheelchair” (from Disability Alert via NJNNetwork.com), “Hamilton [had] reinvented the wheelchair. She took a piece of medical equipment and made it fun and sporty. She took the universal symbol of sickness and turned it into a symbol of disability self-pride.”

You can find Quickie Wheelchairs in your local Mobility Shops, as well as through various online retailers. Quickie Wheelchair Company has been purchased by Sunrise Medical, and as such Sunrise Medical is a major distributor.

For more information regarding types of wheelchairs available, see Lightweight Wheelchairs and Electric Wheelchair.

History of Dogs For The Disabled:  Dogs For The Disabled was founded by a woman named Frances Hay, who became disabled after a cancerous tumor led to the removal of her leg. She trained several different dogs to assist her with daily life tasks, and later formed a special bond with a dog named Kim. It was this relationship that inspired the founding of Dogs For The Disabled.

Benefits of participating in Dogs For The Disabled

Benefits of participation include, but are not limited to:

• emotional support, encouragement and bonding that comes from pet ownership
• practical guidance and help in navigating daily life activities
• therapeutic benefits, including improved socialization and improved self-expression
• a sense of empowerment in being an owner and care-taker for the dog

Qualifications for participating in Dogs For The Disabled (specific to families with a child who has autism)

• child must have a clinical diagnoses of autism or an autism-spectrum disorder among the known Types Of Autism (see Types Of Autism for more information)
• child with autism must be between the ages of 3 and 10 years old, and be the only child with autism in their particular household
• child and family must live in an area served by Dogs For The Disabled
• family must be willing to welcome a Labrador or golden retriever into their home (Note:  Qualifying dogs are selected as early as eight weeks of age; they then spend at least one year with a ‘puppy socializer.’ After this time, they are moved to a highly specialized training center.)
• both parent/primary caregiver and child must be physically mobile, and willing and able to attend various training sessions

Dogs For The Disabled also includes programs for adults and children with physical disabilities, which were the pioneering programs begun in 1988. (The program for children with autism was begun in 2007.) These programs are called the Adult Assistance Dog Service and the Children’s Assistance Dog Service, respectively.

As a non-profit organization, Dogs For The Disabled welcomes donations and participates in various fund-raising events throughout the year. Most recently, the organization was selected to be part of the London Daily Telegraph’s Christmas Appeal. As Peter Gorbing, chief executive of Dogs for the Disabled says, “Learning that we’d been selected as one of the Daily Telegraph’s chosen charities has been tremendously exciting for everyone at Dogs for the Disabled. Every donation we receive makes a really big difference in helping us train more dogs. But the other great news about being selected by the Daily Telegraph is our chance to tell our story to so many more people.”

You can connect with the organization via their website, Dogs For The Disabled.

The Social Security Disability Requirements begin with a definition of disability. In their requirements, ‘disability’ is defined as:

• a physical or mental condition that prevents you from working at all (or doing work that you did previously)
• a physical or mental condition expected to last for at least a calendar year, and/or lead to death
• a physical or mental condition that prevents you from re-acclimating to your previous career/work, and that prevents you from learning the skills necessary to procure new employment.

Note that this is a fairly limited definition of disability, one which is almost entirely ‘work-based.’

There are two disability aid programs within Social Security:  SSI (Supplemental Security Income) and SSDI (Social Security Disability Income.) The Social Security Disability Requirements are shared by both programs; however, the non-medical requirements do differ. Thus, it is vital to understand the requirements before applying, particularly as the application process grows longer. Understanding the requirements and filing your application as soon as possible are essential, particularly as the government is receiving more applications than ever before. If your claim is rejected, the appeal process is long and difficult.

As Eric Eckholm writes in his New York Times article, “Disability Cases Last Longer As Backlog Rises”:  “The growing delays in the appeal process over the last decade resulted in part from litigation and financing shortages that prevented the hiring of new administrative law judges. In addition, the number of applications is rising as baby boomers reach their 50s and 60s.” The article, published in 2007, also cites an application backlog of appeals which “has soared to 755,000 [in 2007] from 311,000 in 2000.”

In order to apply for and receive Social Security Disability, you will need to:

• submit an application to Social Security Disability
• attend an intake interview
• bring your medical records, pay stubs and other relevant paperwork specified by the interviewer
• note that earning limits apply. Currently, one cannot earn over $1000 per month in gross income and receive SSI or SSDI.
• note that asset limits will apply should you be accepted for benefits. Having more than $2000 in net countable assets will disqualify you from continued receipt of SSI or SSDI benefits (Social Security requires an annual review of your assets, to ensure that your moneys have not exceeded this limit.)
• note that SSI has income requirements, and that you may exceed these requirements and not qualify.
• note that SSI benefits are available for people aged 65 and older without disabilities who remain within the qualifying financial limits.