When a stairlift might not be right for you

Change is good, as the saying goes, but to what extent? You or a loved one should not have to move because of a simple flight of stairs. Your home is where memories are made, moments are cherished and life happens. Those stairs can easily be conquered now with a Savaria stairlift. And a stairlift solves the problem for many, but aging in place may come with future challenges.

Perhaps you or your loved one will need a walker or wheelchair in the future.  The Savaria Telecab provides mobility today and tomorrow.  Travel two levels in your home to overcome even complex staircase with curves, turns or immediate landings; or to accommodate a wheelchair or walker. The Telecab has many of the benefits of an elevator, but without the complex construction. Unlike a traditional elevator, no hoistway is required because it travels through a floor cut-out, along the provided rail system. If you’re facing a mobility challenge today, you may want to consider an investment that takes you where you want to go for years to come.

You can visit Savaria’s website for more information on the Telecab.

Inspiring athletes

We think of Olympians as highly dedicated athletes who rise to the top of their chosen sport after many years of hard work.  For the world’s almost 4000 Paralympians, that dedication comes with incredible determination for overcoming the first hurdle  – a disability.  Over the past 50 years, the Paralympics have grown from 6 to 28 sports providing more opportunities for athletes to participate and fans to cheer them on.

The sports are often adapted from traditional sports through special equipment.  Although not yet an official Paralympic sport, power wheelchair soccer may one day be added to the roster.  Created for athletes with severe disabilities, the ball is super-sized and the play is fast, with agility and strategy the major prerequisites for winning.

Like their Olympic cousins, these athletes count on support from the community, the government and corporations.  Savaria was proud to support a wheelchair rugby tournament held by the Quebec Wheelchair Sports Association (AQSFR).   If you’re looking for a thrilling and inspiring spectator sport, why not take in a Paralympic or hopeful Paralympic sport in your community.

For more information about power wheelchair soccer take a look at this article and you can watch it in action here. If you would like to learn more about the Quebec Wheelchair Sports Association click here. If you would like more information on the International Paralympic Committee click here.

Therapy session for Savaria

Savaria was pleased to host ten ergotherapists last month at its Montreal area showroom.  In Quebec, an ergotherapist (similar to an occupational therapist) assists people in living an active, independent and healthy lifestyle after an accident or due to a disability.  The event offered a collaborative exchange between manufacturer and service provider where both groups could learn about each other.

Savaria showcased its mobility products including a stairlift and wheelchair lift by way of hands-on demonstrations.  The meeting also marked the unveiling of a new 28-page guidebook from Savaria, written especially for healthcare professionals.    “Products are only part of the story when you’re working to improve someone’s personal mobility, said Alex Bourassa VP Operations for Savaria Montreal.  “An ergotherapist has to look at the condition of the client today and possibly the future in order to prescribe the best solution.  In many cases, that means modifications to a person’s home.  We’ve tried to make that more clear and simple with our guidebook.  That includes telling someone when the product won’t be the right solution.  They have a demanding job, and we’re trying to make it just a bit easier. The ergotherapists are an important source of information for product improvement as well.  They can tell us first-hand some great tips and advice on what would help people live more independently.”

The excellent feedback only means that future sessions will continue to be held in Montreal as well as Toronto and Calgary.

If you are a healthcare provider who deals with personal mobility challenges or people with disabilities, you may order your free guidebook by completing an online form on the Savaria web site.

One billion reasons to deal with accessibility

According to the World Health Organization, there are one billion people with disabilities in the world. With that, there is a possibility that one in every seven people around you may have some form of disability; just to put that into perspective.

You must be wondering why this figure is so big or what constitutes a disability? According to the study, “two thirds of disabilities are non-communicable disease such as cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer. Nine percent is attributable to conditions resulting from infectious diseases such as measles and polio, and a similar percentage is due to injuries sustained in motor-vehicle crashes, falls and so on.” (The Globe and Mail). What’s more, the aging baby boomer population number is growing and increased accessibility issues are looming. Disabilities used to be associated with purely health problems but it is also the possibility of having being denied opportunities.

So what does this all mean as a society? It means that we need to come together to acknowledge these issues by promoting opportunities for preventing disabilities such as safety training, making buildings, homes and public places more accessible for everyone and by being sensitive to the needs of those who do have them. Companies such as Savaria and eSSENTIAL Accessibility are making a push to ensure the most amount of accessibility in day to day activities or online. For information about the report and interviews take a look at the article from the Globe and Mail or the United Nations, for more information on how to make your home or workplace more accessible check out www.savaria.com and for online accessibility, http://www.essentialaccessibility.com/