Late fall to early winter can be the perfect time to squeeze in one last camping trip before chilly temperatures set in, and the Riley family had plenty of advice to offer. Shane and Ainslee Riley live in Maine with their two teenage sons, Liam and Evan, and the Rileys are avid travelers and enjoy camping. 

Both boys use complex rehabilitation technology (CRT) equipment for mobility, so the Rileys shared plenty of accessible travel and camping tips to help you prepare for your next trip. 

When planning a trip, what are some of the questions you ask or decisions you make beforehand? 

You need to determine what you will travel in that meets your needs. Will your accessible vehicle, if you have one, meet the needs for a long road trip? Will you rent an accessible vehicle or RV? If you plan to stay overnight on your way to your destination, are there accessible hotels or campsites en route? 

Also, be sure to research the accessibility at the campsite you plan to rent at your final destination and its proximity to an accessible restroom. Often non-accessible restrooms at campgrounds are very tricky to get into without a lot of heavy lifting and maneuvering, which also creates a lack of privacy. What is your ability to lift? If you can’t lift very much, you may need to travel with a portable lift to make these transitions easier. 

If you’re driving to your campsite, are there benefits to mapping out your route in advance?

We find it helpful to map our route and determine where to stay in advance. That gives us the opportunity to ensure we get an accessible room or campsite with appropriate restroom facilities for our needs. We also research the area for accessible activities and figure out how to make activities that aren’t easily accessible doable for us. 

For wheelchair users and their families and friends, what advice can you offer about selecting a campsite? 

Select an accessible campsite, but also research to ensure that the area where you will put your tent is flat and you can drive a power wheelchair up to it. Having a lightweight transport chair for getting in and out of the tent—and sometimes into the shower areas—is helpful. Our sons sleep more comfortably on a cot with a sleeping pad rather than on the ground, and that also makes it easier for us to pick them up. Again, depending on your ability to lift, you may want to bring a slide board or lift with you. We also have a tent we can stand up in, which makes transfers, helping with dressing and other tasks a little easier. 

If you use a power wheelchair, you’ll want to think about how you’ll charge the battery. If there’s no power at your site, you will need a portable charger or generator of some sort. If you use your vehicle to charge a power wheelchair battery, you risk killing your car battery. 

When planning activities—the things you’ll do and see on your trip—what are some things wheelchair users and their caregivers should consider? 

Research thoroughly. Online information can be misleading, so call ahead to confirm details. Ask about ramp access, transitions and any barriers. For example, some places may consider a 6-inch step “accessible” when it’s not for many CRT users. Specific questions can make or break your plans—especially in areas with variable terrain, like islands with gravel paths.

A National Parks Access Pass can be very helpful too, granting free entry for disabled individuals and up to three guests at all National Parks. We’ve taken our boys to accessible viewing trails in places like Arches National Park and Washington D.C., which has excellent accessibility.

Traveling with your sons, who both use wheelchairs, takes a lot of planning. Why would you encourage other CRT users and their friends or families to travel? 

Why not? It does require some additional advanced planning and research, but it’s worth it. There may be a learning curve at first—and you’ll discover things you wish you’d packed or questions you should have asked—but you’ll know for the next time. You might face unexpected challenges and have to get creative with your solutions, but as long as you’re together and having fun, it makes for great memories. 

You sometimes travel with one or both of your sons’ service dogs. Any advice for CRT users who might be traveling with a service animal? 

Once you know where you’re going, contact your vet to make sure there aren’t additional precautions you need to take or vaccinations your service dog might need. For example, in Georgia, dogs aren’t required to have a vaccination for Lyme’s disease, but in Maine they are. 

Any last pieces of advice for fellow travelers or campers? 

A disability doesn’t have to stop you from traveling. Just this year, one or both of us have traveled with our sons to Puerto Rico, Hurricane Island and Monhegan Island for school trips, taken a cross-country road trip, camped in Colorado and Utah with the Trekkers, and, most recently, gone to Hawaii for a Make-A-Wish trip. We traveled to Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia, throughout New England, New Jersey, New York, Florida and more. We love to travel! 

Looking for ramps, lifts or other accessibility products that might enhance your travel plans? Reach out to your local National Seating & Mobility branch to learn more about your options.

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When my husband, Barry, and I were told 20 years ago that our daughter, Katherine, would have cerebral palsy, we didn’t really understand what that meant. We didn’t know what that would look like, or what to do next. So we started reading, and we learned that it can be different for different people.

Then, we met a little girl named Debra, and our outlook changed.

Katherine still weighed less than two pounds. We hadn’t even held her yet because she was so fragile. Debra came to visit the nurses in the NICU on Halloween. She was six. She vocalized, but she couldn’t talk. She knew a little bit of sign language; she signed to ask for a drink. She was using a walker her father had made with PVC pipes.

And she was absolutely delightful.

She wrapped Barry around her finger — I don’t know how long they played peek-a-boo. We realized that while we might be scared of cerebral palsy, this little girl wasn’t scary at all. We realized that we could still have fun with our daughter someday. Katherine would laugh and have fun, and we could too. She gave us a vision of the future we could embrace.

I can now admit that I really struggled when Katherine’s therapists recommended a power wheelchair for her when she was five. Now that Katherine is older, I can recognize that she has developmental deficits because she didn’t “toddle.” In other words, she was unable to experience moving through space. I understand from a physical and developmental standpoint why it would’ve been so great for her to have a mobility device, one that was under her control, earlier.

At the same time, I remember the devastation I felt when we started talking about power mobility. Especially after spending so many therapy sessions — sometimes five a week — counting steps. Those steps were beneficial, critical even for her development. Katherine still uses a gait trainer and stander to stay as fit and strong as possible. However, I thought they meant that we were on a path to walking independently, and the wheelchair recommendation did not fit my vision of Katherine’s future.

In retrospect, another big part of my struggle was that I didn’t know anyone else who used a power wheelchair. I might’ve seen one here or there, especially when we were at specialist appointments at a children’s hospital, but it was very rare.

Today, Barry and I are strong advocates for mobility devices. But we didn’t get there right away.

Once we eventually got Katherine’s power wheelchair, we grappled with the lack of safety features. The constant vigilance to make sure she was not going to fall off a curb or run over someone’s toes, was exhausting.

The danger of tipping and falling out of a power wheelchair is common — and can be fatal. Statistics show that 87 percent of wheelchair users reported at least one tip or fall in the past three years. And wheelchair accidents were the cause of more than 175,000 ER visits in 2003 — 30,000 of them significant enough for admission into the hospital. 

Protection is my husband Barry’s love language. He was so driven to protect Katherine that he and his brother developed LUCI, smart technology for power wheelchairs, designed to give riders a safer and more inclusive experience. It attaches to a power wheelchair and uses cloud and sensor-fusion technologies to detect obstacles, prevent drop offs and alert caregivers with important health information. This gives us greater peace of mind that Katherine can move about the world more freely.

I’d like to challenge those of us who use mobility devices to proudly get out in the community when you feel safe – especially if you’re vaccinated.  I’ve listed seven thoughts on how to do it and why it’s so important.

1. Think about mobility holistically. Accept that if you are using a power wheelchair you are going to need a ramp van or access to accessible public transportation. We hesitated for a long time before we bought a ramp van. Katherine’s power chair lived in our garage for more than a year because we weren’t comfortable with her driving it yet. Then it lived at school for another year where she became quite comfortable and confident driving. Finally, we transitioned to a ramp van and put a ramp at the front of our house so that she could bring it inside.
2. Self-generated mobility is not always faster. Accept that life with a mobility device may run at a slower pace. It will take longer to get in and out of a vehicle. It will take longer to get dressed and ready to go anywhere. It is worth it. We need you out in the world. We need you to be seen in the community, so the next generation of kids (and families) who need wheelchairs don’t feel so alone.
3. Recruit allies. Find restaurants and places to go that work with you. I agree that we should all get to go and see and try new places and things all the time, but don’t most of us find a few favorite restaurants that we tend to go to more often? Make friends with the staff. Recruit them as allies. Katherine happens to be very social anyway, but the fact that she introduces herself and talks to waiters and store clerks (even though they can’t always make out her words) has become an advantage. Now when we go to one of our favorite spots, they work with us. They’ll have a table set up before I can get her out of the car, and these little things make life just a little bit easier.
4. Accept help. Similarly, let family and friends help. Recruit them as teammates. Even though Katherine can be hard to understand when you first meet her, it doesn’t take long to make out her words if you’re willing to pay attention. These special people will also accept the fact that some places might be tricky to get to, but they might also figure out ways to help. Notice the people who make the effort. Appreciate them. They will be your allies and will help open up the world for your family. We have been able to go on family beach trips with our friends and visit their homes because they are willing to brainstorm with us and help us find a way, even when it isn’t easy.
5. Get comfortable being vulnerable. Admit to your partner or friends that sometimes it is scary or difficult to maneuver certain public places, but try to keep that attitude away from your wheelchair using child. Or if you’re reading this and you are a wheelchair rider, I encourage you to try. 
6. Dress up. Celebrate the person IN the chair. Katherine really enjoys getting dressed up. We try to find clothes that fit well and feel good. Find a haircut you can manage. Looking good gives her such confidence. We have found that fun hairbows and shoes can be wonderful conversation starters. When Katherine was using a manual chair, we got some cute “hub caps” covered in daisies. Giving people an easy way to start an interaction helps everyone.
7. Be open to opening YOUR mind. As Adam Grant says in his book Think Again, “When we choose not to engage with people because of their stereotypes or prejudice, we give up on opening their minds.” Let’s go ahead and open some minds. We never know who we’re going to impact. It could be someone who will be motivated to become a therapist. It could be someone whose family will be affected by disability in the future. It could be another young couple whose family will end up looking a little like your family. You could be showing them that their future isn’t so scary after all.

For more encouragement for special needs parents like me, please check out the blogs of a few of my friends, Carol Schrader and Mary Susan McConnell. They are incredible resources for those of us navigating the murky waters of raising a special needs child.

Jennifer Dean is a mother of five based in Nashville. 

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The complex rehab technology (CRT) industry has also faced COVID-19 challenges, however, as a federally deemed essential provider, providers such as National Seating & Mobility (NSM) are able to forge ahead in serving clients who are vulnerable not only to the virus, but to other potential negative health outcomes without access to CRT. In addition, essential CRT services also support hospitals during this critical time by keeping high-risk potential patients out of healthcare facilities struggling with limited capacity and resources.

Barriers to CRT Care

While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has adjusted some rules for the healthcare industry, the expansion of telehealth does not yet include CRT-specific care and services provided by physical therapists, occupational therapists and assistive technology professionals.

“The healthcare industry has been fortunate that federal and state officials have been diligently supporting efforts for adjusted rules and requirement waivers from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,” said Jeremy Stone, NSM VP Payer Relations. “We are hopeful that some of the barriers to continued care will also be removed for CRT in order to further allow much needed new pathways to care for CRT users in response to COVID-19.”

Elevating CRT as Essential

Though the current designation as an essential business is specific to the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals living with significant health conditions and mobility challenges and the providers – like NSM – who work daily to ensure they have the equipment they need to move through life would argue that the acknowledgment as such has been a long time coming.

“In the mammoth healthcare landscape with varying segments vying for legislative attention and priority, our seemingly small sector that represents CRT is often easily missed,” added Stone. ““Despite the critical importance of what we do, our industry must constantly fight to elevate the awareness and magnitude of importance of CRT in the health care continuum.”

Individuals with conditions such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, and spinal cord injuries experience physical, functional and cognitive challenges and often rely on equipment to function on a daily basis. To this group of individuals, CRT is always an essential business.

For this reason, providers like NSM will step up in this time of crisis to serve those who rely on CRT. Once the pandemic subsides, the industry can align to take the progress made during COVID-19 into the future.

“COVID-19 has had a terrible impact on our country and our world,” said Stone. “Perhaps the silver lining is that decision makers will now recognize the needs of our clients and the essential services the CRT industry provides.”

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Helping clients remain mobile is critical…maybe even more so today than ever before. With that in mind, NSM – as companies in many other industries have done – has had to review every element of how the company operates in order to ensure the continuity of care for its clients during the COVID-19 emergency.

“In some ways, COVID-19 has forced us to accelerate initiatives we’d already planned,” said Charles Sargeant, NSM Senior Vice President, Field Support Operations. “From an operations standpoint, we had already begun work from home with some divisions. Now, we’ve shifted everything from customer service to billing and collections to remote. We are learning lessons that will bode well for us in the future.”

The Focus for NSM

The main focus for NSM has been on continuing to service its clients while also providing maximum protection for its staff. The company is now offering alternate delivery and evaluation methods along with service planning measures. In addition, NSM is following the guidelines provided by The Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services regarding telehealth.

“Our Thought Leadership Committee has been advocating for the approval to use telehealth where appropriate for quite some time,” added Sargeant. “This helps us be much more productive and streamlines our processes to better serve our clients. With the advent of COVID-19, the government has allowed for much more liberal use of telehealth and we hope this is ongoing.”

NSM is using only HIPAA compliant communications products for telehealth. When considering whether telehealth is viable, NSM takes into consideration the complexity of the evaluation or delivery being completed, referral source acceptance and payer rules. If these all apply, NSM ATPs can do new equipment evaluations and coordinate deliveries using telehealth.

Curbside service is not just limited to restaurants now. NSM has implemented curbside services – both at its facilities and at clients’ homes – for equipment and repair deliveries. As with telehealth, this is done on a case-by-case basis based on the situation.

“This allows our ATP/Tech personnel to service our clients outside at a schedule time, while providing the appropriate infection control and social distancing,” he said. “While we believe telehealth is here to stay, curbside service is most likely a short-term solution as traditional delivery methods will be more viable once we return to more normal circumstances.”

Forward Movement

NSM is also cautiously optimistic that the acceptance and forward movement on telehealth will open up the door to additional long-term changes such as eliminating the face-to-face requirements for clients to meet with a physician before scheduling with a therapist and also removing the physical in-home assessment requirement.

“COVID-19 has forced some advancements we’ve supported for quite some time,” said Sargeant. “Our hope is that these can be adopted moving forward and expanded even further to allow us to do what we do best: to serve those with mobility needs.”

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On the frontlines of client services are Assistive Technology Professionals (ATPs) and technicians, who are working diligently to keep clients mobile, independent and moving through life. NSM’s culture of leadership built on programs equipping employees with skills to best support clients in need, is particularly valuable while navigating this ever-changing climate.

Championing Development of Future ATPs

Some of NSM’s most recent programs include an ATP apprenticeship program, a designated technician career path and company-wide leadership development initiatives.

NSM championed the development of future ATPs with the launch of the NSM ATP Apprenticeship Program. The 12-month integrated program, led by NSM’s Training and Development Department, incorporates mentor shadowing, an 8-week online curriculum, monthly assignments and peer-to-peer collaboration calls to prepare apprentices for the ATP certification exam.

“Our ATP Apprenticeship Program is designed to shape and develop future ATPs for the long-term success of our industry,” said Ann Mahaffey, NSM Vice President of Human Resources. “Our program is available to technicians pursuing an ATP career, recent college graduates and therapists interested in making a career change. We’ve thoughtfully designed our program to set up participants for success in an ATP career.”

Empowering Technicians

To further empower technicians, NSM launched a tech career path and certification program designed to elevate the technician’s role within the company. Through continuing education, training and proficiency evaluations, technicians are able to advance through four skill levels, all with a goal to better serve clients and caregivers.

“Historically, the sole career advancement opportunity for technicians would be to become an ATP,” said Mahaffey. “Our new career path and certification program is designed to support the professional growth and evolution of the technician role, though our ATP Apprenticeship Program allows technicians to grow toward a career as an ATP should they wish.”

Leadership Training

NSM also recently initiated leadership development training for select management employees through on-site learnings, outside speakers and investments in external leadership programs. Last fall, NSM selected 25 top leaders to complete a five-month leadership program through Harvard University. Based on these learnings, NSM launched an internal program for field leaders to connect and grow on the topic of leadership.

“We’ve launched monthly leadership development courses to empower our field leaders,” said Mahaffey. “Focusing on topics including power of collaboration, servant leadership and team building, our leaders are able to learn and share best practices to support their individual markets.”

While navigating the COVID-19 outbreak, having strong leadership at local levels is more important than ever. With policies and practices changing daily across North America, NSM’s local team members are empowered to make smart and safe decisions to comply with their individual areas, all while maintaining a commitment to serve clients in need.

“The implementation of our leadership development program has been quite timely,” said Mahaffey. “Our ATPs and technicians have been on the front lines with us in helping develop and initiate innovative programs that have ensured we are able to provide critical services to our clients while keeping our associates safe and healthy.

From providing resources and continuing education courses to designating career advancement opportunities, NSM remains committed to a culture of leadership supporting the continued growth of employees and service excellence for clients.  

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Dear Valued NSM Client,

As we all continue to experience the increased impact of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), we feel it is important you know what we are doing as a company to continue to keep you safe, healthy, and moving through life. 

Your well-being is always our top priority and remains our focus amidst growing concerns regarding the impact of this virus. We continue to monitor and make decisions based on the guidelines set forth by the government, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) and local health officials.

At NSM, incorporating precautionary measures to ensure a clean and safe experience for you at all times is a standard way of doing business and that is reflected in our accreditation from The Joint Commission. As part of our accreditation it is required to have infection control policies in place, along with very specific sanitizing standards. At this time, we are placing emphasis on the importance of following our policies and implementing additional actions to further ensure a safe work environment. Specifically,

• Disinfecting commonly used surfaces, such as, evaluation rooms, doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desktops, etc.) before and after each use.
• Avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth at all times.
• Restricting visitors to our facilities except for clients and those directly supporting our clients.
• Implementing new screening procedures prior to client interactions to minimize risk of exposure.

We are also reminding all staff to initiate personal protection measures suggested by the CDC and encourage you to do the same. 

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Put distance between yourself and other people to limit possible exposure. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow. Throw used tissues in the trash immediately.
• Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.

We are committed to continuing your care. We are partnering with our clinical teams and clients to offer alternative solutions for appointments including: 

• At the your home 
• In the nearest NSM branch
• Delivery drop-offs at a clinical facility
• The use of telehealth where compliant and appropriate

While all of our facilities remain open, we have plans in place to supplement client assistance if for some reason one of our facility’s operations are disrupted.

We remain committed to serving our clients with heart, in the safest way possible. For the most recent information about COVID-19 (Coronavirus), you may reference the websites for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO) or your local health department. For specific information about symptoms you may be experiencing or questions about personal exposure, please call your physician directly.  

Thank you for allowing us to serve you.

Bill Mixon, CEO

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Porch or patio steps can cause a major challenge for people with mobility issues and make it difficult for them to access their garden or driveway. Installing an exterior stair lift would help resolve these challenges and allow them to go outdoors safely and effortlessly. Designed exclusively for outdoor stairs, this accessibility device comes with weatherproof protection to withstand even the harshest climatic conditions. National Seating & Mobility offers premium quality exterior stair lift models integrated with innovative features. Bruno Exterior stair lifts come with a safe and durable design and can be virtually installed on any type of stairs — curved/spiral, straight or with multiple landings.

Bruno Exterior Lifts – Key Features

Featuring a compact and foldaway design, Bruno Exterior stair chair lifts can be kept out of way when not in use. This ensures that the staircase space is cleared for other users and normal stair traffic is not obstructed. Other key features include –

• Two wireless call/send controls
• Seatbelt for added security
• Powered swivel
• Powered footplate
• Onboard audio/visual diagnostics for easy service
• Hand-held remote controls
• Automatic or manual hinge track
• Soft start/stop provides smooth ride from start to finish
• Seatbelt for added security

Top Models

• Bruno Elite Exterior – Ideal for use in straight stairs, this durable stair chair lift comes with two 12V batteries for uninterrupted performance. A lightweight cover protects the lift when not in use. Featuring a total of 400 lbs weight capacity, the straight stair lift comes with an anodized aluminum rail (with covered gear rack) and can be easily installed on either side of the stairway. Its offset swivel seat makes entry and exit easy at the top landing.
• Bruno Elite Exterior Curved – The stair lift comes with a generous size seat (with multiple height adjustments) and can be easily installed. It also comes with footrest/carriage safety sensors that stop the unit when any obstruction is encountered. The two wireless call/send controls make installation simple and clean with no wires running along the wall.

Choose the Right Dealer

Purchasing your Bruno exterior stair lift from National Seating & Mobility would ensure the best prices and free shipping. In addition, you would be assured of efficient installation support and full-time technical assistance to keep your equipment in good working condition.

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Negotiating a flight of stairs that lead from the doorway or porch to the garden, driveway or garage is a challenging task for most people with mobility issues. Exterior stair lifts are designed to address this problem. National Seating & Mobility offers high-quality models of stair lifts for the outdoors in a wide range of styles and configurations. Installed on outdoor stairs, exterior stair lifts help people move up and down the stairs easily and independently in a seated position. These devices are made of weather-resistant materials.

Here are the key factors to consider when buying an exterior stair chair lift –

• Type of stairs – Outdoor stairs may be either straight or curved. Choose an outdoor system that suits your stairway configuration and environment.
• Guide rail or track – Stair chair lifts travel along a guide rail made of aluminum or steel. A rack and pinion drive system is a good choice. Modern devices come with anodized rails to prevent corrosion. Take care to avoid outdated cable hauled systems as they can lead to operational problems in the long run. Cable drive stair lifts are also louder and shakier than rack-and-pinion stair lifts.
• Carriage – The carriage unit drives the seat up and down the stairs. It is guided by rollers (that run on the rail) to make it travel in straight line. Check whether the carriage has a folded structure and the rollers have sealed ball bearings to ensure that they roll smoothly over the lift. Never choose a stair chair lift with plastic rollers or aluminum die castings for the chassis structure as they can crack or break over time.
• Seat cover – The seat cover keeps the lift’s seat clean and dry for use. Seat covers should be waterproof and be able to withstand harsh climatic conditions.
• Position of travel – The position of travel — seated or perched — is an important factor. If the user prefers perching, check whether there is enough headroom for the device to travel up the stairs.
• Safety features – Top quality outdoor stair lifts come equipped with a wide range of safety features such as seat belt, auto swivel seat, slack-cable brake w/switch, retractable seat belt, emergency stop button, foldable footplate, obstruction sensors, and over speed governor that ensures a safe and comfortable ride.
• Remote control – A remote control is important if multiple users are expected to use the lift. It will allow the stair lift to be called up or down, depending on where the person is. Many systems come with two remote controls, so that you can keep one downstairs and one upstairs.

The best option when it comes to buying a stair lift is to partner with an established dealer in accessibility devices. National Seating & Mobility will ensure the services of factory-trained professionals for customized installation of your device as well as efficient maintenance support.

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