CRT Legislative Fly-In Set for September A Complex Rehab Technology (CRT)-focused legislative fly-in has been scheduled for Sept. 16-17 in Washington, D.C. The National Coalition for Rehab & Assistive Technology (NCART) announced the dates in an April 16 bulletin to stakeholders and noted that additional information on the event would be released soon. The fly-in…
Briefly: Dates Set for CRT Fly-In; RESNA Calls for Members to Develop Adaptive Golf Car Standards
United Spinal Introduces Tech Access Product Guide
The crowd-sourced directory includes products in a range of categories, from wheelchair accessories to electronics, meal preparation, and home management.
United Spinal Association has launched a Tech Access Product Guide, “a crowd-sourced database of products designed to make life easier for people with physical disabilities, ranging from spinal cord injuries to age-related arthritis,” the organization said in an April 8 press release. “The Product Guide offers something for consumers from all backgrounds within the disability…
IKEA Enters Accessibility Market with Launch of BÄSINGEN Line
The new product series includes a shower chair and a shower shelf.
Move over, Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam. IKEA, the Netherlands-based manufacturer of affordable home furnishings has entered the accessibility market. In an April 2 news announcement, IKEA introduced its BÄSINGEN line, “an inclusive design for the many, consisting of six products designed for convenient support in the bathroom and throughout the rest of the house.”…
International Briefly: ‘Standing’ Voting Method Ended in French National Assembly; At-Home MS Dosing Offered in England, Wales
Featuring the National Assembly of France, the National Health Service, and the Multiple Sclerosis Trust.
France’s National Assembly Abolishes ‘Sitting and Standing’ Voting Method Thanks to the efforts of French politician and wheelchair rider Sébastien Peytavie, the National Assembly has discontinued its par assis et levé (“sitting and standing”) voting method because it excludes people who are unable to stand. Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of the National Assembly, said afterward on…
Airlines Sue Over DOT Rule Strengthening Protections for Wheelchair Riders
The rule, which began taking effect in January, holds airlines accountable for wheelchair damage and delays.
Five U.S. airlines have filed a lawsuit asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (New Orleans) to review the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers for Disabilities Using Wheelchairs rule. On Feb. 18, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways Corp., Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines asked the court…
HME, Accessibility Veteran Jim Greatorex Announces Retirement from VGM
Greatorex has devoted more than 30 years to the home medical equipment industry.
Jim Greatorex, a veteran of the home medical equipment (HME) and accessibility industries who has been vice president of VGM & Associates’ Live at Home business since 2015, has announced his retirement. In a Jan. 30 announcement, VGM noted that Greatorex has more than 30 years of experience in HME and accessibility. “He has been…
DOT Final Rule: Airlines Required to ‘Meet More Rigorous Standards’ for Passengers with Disabilities
Starting in January, airlines will have additional standards for handling wheelchairs and supporting passengers.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has released a new final rule that includes “new protections for people with disabilities in commercial air travel that will ensure that they can fly safely and with dignity.” A Dec. 16 DOT announcement from DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg added that the new, “more rigorous standards” applied “especially for…
Commentary: 3 Takeaways from the DOT’s $50 Million American Airlines Fine
Why this historic penalty could change the way airlines treat wheelchair riders and their equipment.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined American Airlines $50 million, saying in an October announcement that the carrier “failed to provide safe, dignified, and prompt wheelchair assistance and mishandled passengers’ wheelchairs.” This is hardly the first time airlines’ poor treatment of wheelchair riders and their equipment has made the news. But this particular DOT…
American Airlines Fined $50 Million for Mistreating Wheelchair Riders, Mobility Devices
Department of Transportation fine is the largest penalty assessed against an airline for violating disability regulations.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has fined American Airlines $50 million for mistreating passengers using wheelchairs, and for mishandling those passengers’ wheelchairs and other mobility equipment. The DOT made the announcement in late October and noted that the fine “is 25 times larger than any previous DOT penalty against an airline for violating disability…
Motion Composites’ Vision Package Improves Component Visibility, Rider Independence
Vibrant orange-colored highlights can help wheelchair riders with low vision or cognitive differences.
Motion Composites’ latest launch shows how small adjustments can lead to big improvements in mobility and wheelchair riders’ independence. The inspiration for the new Vision Package, introduced in mid October, was a hack used by seating clinicians, according to Jean-Philippe Villeneuve, Motion Composites’ marketing director. “Wheelchair users with low vision or cognitive differences, such as…