Blog - Mobility City of DuPage County

​The 12th annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day (FPAD) is September 23, 2019.  This year we want to remind everyone that falls prevention is a team effort.

• Your pharmacist is part of your falls prevention team! The @National Council on Aging and The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists created a toolkit for clinicians to assess falls risk. https://www.ascp.com/page/fallstoolkit

​• Falls are NOT a normal part of aging, and you have a team to help prevent them! Watch this award-winning video showing 6 simple steps which prevent falls.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7lC5Pdpx_k

• Preventing falls is a team effort.  Show your support for Falls Prevention Awareness Day on Sept. 23 by sharing these tips with friends and family! https://www.ncoa.org/healthyaging/falls-prevention/preventing-falls-tips-for-older-adults-and-caregivers/6-steps-to-protectyour-older-loved-one-from-a-fall/

• It’s easier to prevent falls when your whole team knows the risks. Share these important falls prevention facts with friends and family! https://www.ncoa.org/wp-content/uploads/Myths-ofOlder-Adult-Falls_2017.pdf

• A home can be equipped to help prevent falls. If you’re looking for a place to start investigating the kinds of modifications needed, take a look at this program with options for individuals, families, and professionals in your area: http://stopfalls.org/resources/home-modification-toolsprograms-and-funding-landingpage/

• Older adults should feel confident they have a team to help prevent falls. Watch the @National Council on Aging’s Facebook video on Sept. 23 @ 12:00 p.m. ET to learn how family, caregivers, and healthcare professionals all play a role in keeping seniors healthy. https://www.facebook.com/NCOAging

• Talk with professionals from aging organizations across the country about the ways older adults can use their whole network to prevent falls.  From doctors and pharmacists to caregivers and seniors, you’ll learn what everyone can do to makes falls prevention teamwork successful.  Join the annual Falls Prevention Awareness Day Twitter Chat on Sept. 24 @ 1:00 p.m. ET https://www.twitter.com/ncoaging 

​Mobility City of DuPage County is excited to be part of the DuPage County Fair from July 24th through July 28th.  Mobility City will have a tent near the entrance of the DuPage County Fairgrounds renting mobility scooters and wheelchairs.  Please come by and see us!

​Mobility City's engagements with big box stores, gourmet grocery chains, and other facilities are designed to support & enhance their current efforts in fall prevention, skin integrity and infection control, as well as prepare their scooter fleet for corporate inspections.  At the conclusion of each visit, our technicians would provide documentation of all repairs performed, parts replaced, and the condition of all equipment they have looked at during the visit.  This would be placed in a binder stored on the facility  premises.  We are willing to work after hours (i.e. after the store customers have gone home, etc.).   Mobility City of DuPage County would recommend a monthly service cycle.

We have two popular options: 

1.  Standard Service with Sanitization:   $35.00 / Scooter
* Disinfectant products or power washing doesn’t do it.  You need hot steam at 212°, which kills 99.9% of bacteria such as staph, e-coli, salmonella, mold and germs.  This eliminates health hazard ramifications from cleaning with chemicals.
* perform load test on both scooter batteries; make recommendation on future battery life
* perform diagnostic test on ac/dc transformer charger unit (on-board or off-board)
* tighten screws on seat, tiller/hand enclosure, floor board, and any accessories
 
2.  Full Service:   $65.00 / Scooter
* includes the Standard Service with Sanitization
* clean (apply electronic contact cleaner) and tighten all electrical connections (e.g., connections from battery to the controller); this resolves some water damage issues
* diagnose any flash code errors; resolve/repair as needed; additional discounted charges for parts as needed described below:
- replace seat cover ($89)
- replace charger ($95 for 24V/3A unit, $199 for 24V/7A unit)
- replace batteries ($239 for two 12V33A U-1 batteries)
- replace potentiometer assembly ($129) 
- replace main wire assembly harness/MPC cable (additional discounted charge: $139)
- replace top control hand enclosure - broken keyway/horn, battery indicator, and/or display malfunction caused by water damage ($249) 
- replace controller ($369)
- replace motor, brake & transaxle ($539)

​
What to know Before You Buy Mobility Equipment…and After
“A loved one’s mobility is very personal-find someone who makes it personal for you”
 
At some point in our lives we will all find it difficult to get around.  Some people find themselves with limited mobility due to car accidents, random accidents, or aging.  According to DHEC 4.5 million Americans rely on some level of mobility equipment on a daily basis and approximately 425,000 live in the Greenville/Spartanburg area. 
Mobility devices have long been a source of confusion and stress in deciding what to buy.  To help ease the stress of shopping, here are a few questions to consider before you invest in your mobility equipment.  Always do your research and talk with users, trusted advisors.  A loved one’s mobility is very personal so find someone who makes it personal for you.        

Things to consider before you buy a walking cane, walker, rollator, wheelchair, power wheelchair or mobility scooter:

• How long do you need the equipment? If you need equipment for a short period of time due to surgery or an untimely break, consider renting for a month or two.  If you will need the equipment longer than two months you may be better off purchasing something new. 
• Know your budget. Most mobility equipment prices have come down to where you can find what you need in a price you can afford.  There are even finance options. Be sure to ask if you need assistance.
• Make it fit you. As always, you want your equipment to fit you.  (If you are shopping for someone else know their height and weight.)  The only way to really fit the person to the equipment is to have an “in person comfort test.”  Go and “test-drive” the equipment before you buy.  Some companies will even bring the equipment to you to try out if you can’t get to them.
• Make comfort priority.  It’s important to check the maximum weight capacity before purchase, to be sure you can use your equipment comfortably. 
• What is the terrain like where you will drive? Some mobility equipment is only suitable for indoor use, while others can be used on sidewalks, grass, and roads.
• Transportability—Is it easy to transport? Look at the features and talk with a trusted advisor about ease of use.  Can you load and unload the device yourself or will you need help?  For example, some mobility scooters are airline friendly while others require special lifts just to go to the store. 
• Does the equipment have good safety features? The three most important safety features to look for are sturdy wheels for stability, easy to use locking brakes, and if it the device is motorized-is the controller easy to use.

Equipment Maintenance

• When you invest in mobility equipment you want to put in a plan to maintain your investment and keep it in good working condition.  Keeping your equipment well maintained may help reduce falls, improve skin integrity, and reduce infection. 
• If you are considering used equipment, consider getting a trusted advisor to give you a pre-purchase inspection which could save you money in the long run on costly repairs or equipment failure.
• Remember to clean your equipment regularly (once a month) or schedule maintenance with a local company.  Steam cleaning kills 99.9% of bacteria such as staph, e-coli, salmonella, mold and germs.  Steam is also very hypoallergenic and will not leave any residue for sensitive skin like other chemical based cleaners.  

There is no doubt, mobility equipment is your friend and will be with you for a long time.  And just like a friendship: nurture it, love it, and take it out on the town from time to time, and you will see you are able to live an abundant life and not miss out on the fun!  A loved one’s mobility is very personal so find someone who makes it personal for you.    

Safety Checklist
(Once you own your equipment, keep this safety checklist in mind and perform it regularly.) 

• Visually check your equipment. Look for cracks, loose screws, missing parts.   No problem is too small, aesthetic issues can lead to real issues.
• Check brakes: are they working properly?
• Check footrests: are they working properly?
• Check arm pads and upholstery: are there any breaks, rips, or tears in the upholstery?
• Check wheels: are they worn, wobbly, or have chips out of them?
• Check end caps and handles: Are there any worn or missing rubber or plastic parts?
• Batteries: are they charging? Do they need replacing?

 

1. Patient Safety​:
Wheelchair brakes and footrests are assured to be working properly.  Brakes are tightened or replaced as needed.
2. Skin Integrity:
All torn or broken arm pads are replaced.  All worn or ripped seat and back upholstery is repaired or replaced as needed.  All missing rubber or plastic parts are replaced.
3. Infection Control:
Wheelchairs are steam cleaned at 212°, which kills 99.9% of bacteria such as staph, e-coli, salmonella, mold and germs.  This eliminates health hazard ramifications from cleaning with chemicals.