A Cornell University study showed a considerable gap between many of today’s walkers and what seniors actually want and need in an assistive device. “Reimagining Assistive Walkers: An Exploration of Challenges and Preferences in Older Adults,” published this spring, used data from questionnaires completed by 24 older adults, 30 caregivers, and 27 health care professionals.…
Research: Walker Designs, Physical Requirements Don’t Support Some Seniors
Not So Rare: Study Says Number of People Living with ALS Will Jump in Next 15 Years
The ALS Association-funded research noted that improving ALS treatments will cause the global number of patients to rise.
The aging of the world’s population along with improved survival rates will cause the number of people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) to rise sharply over the next 15 years, according to a new study published in Annals of Clinical and Transitional Neurology. The study — Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Prevalence Projection in 2040: A…
HERL Awarded $41.5M Grant to Develop RAMMP System of Robotics, Wheelchairs
The project will coordinate greater wheelchair functionality with improved robotic arm manipulation.
Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) has been awarded a grant of up to $41.5 million to develop the Robotic Assisted Mobility and Manipulation Platform (RAMMP) that will combine robotics and new forms of assistive technology “to reimagine a wheelchair and assistive robotic arm that will improve the independence, safety and quality of life for people…
Study Calculates First-Year Costs for Newly Diagnosed ALS Medicare Beneficiaries
New ALS patients had higher costs for acute care, prescription medications and durable medical equipment.
A new study has revealed the financial costs for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the first year after diagnosis. The research led by the ALS Association and published in the October edition of The American Journal of Managed Care said the average Medicare beneficiary diagnosed with ALS racked up first-year medical expenses of…
Briefly: UC Berkeley Study Names Most Inclusive Countries; Novartis to Acquire Biotech Company Known for MD Treatments
Featuring University of California, Berkeley; Novartis, and Avidity Biosciences.
New Zealand, Hawaii Lauded for Inclusive Cultures New Zealand has been named the most inclusive country in the world for the fourth straight year in a study by the Othering & Belonging Institute’s annual Inclusiveness Index. The institute, based at University of California, Berkeley, said the index “ranks countries and U.S. states by their levels…
Researchers: ALS Patients with Diabetes Quicker to Lose Ability to Walk
The study’s authors recommended “early implementation” of walking aids for ALS patients with a history of diabetes.
Patients who had diabetes when diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) were on average quicker to lose their ability to walk compared to ALS patients without diabetes. Japanese researchers published their study — Factors Influencing the Loss of Ambulation in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study — in Health Science Reports in…
Research: Smith+Nephew’s ALLEVYN Dressing Reduces Shear, Heel Pressure Injury Risk
The study’s authors were Darla Orlova, Aleksei, Orlov, and Amit Gefen.
Shear forces might be an inescapable part of life and movement — but what if large portions of those shear forces were absorbed by a multi-layer dressing that keeps skin and underlying tissues safe? That’s the investigation at the core of new research published in International Wound Journal. The study discusses the efficacy of Smith+Nephew’s…
Medicare Changes to 5-Year PMD Prior Authorization Rule: Inside the Clinician Task Force Response to CMS
CTF Executive Director Tamara Kittelson said clinical assessments directly impact wheelchair provision outcomes.
Are you exactly the same person today — physically, cognitively, task wise — as you were five years ago? That’s the basic and critical question behind the Clinician Task Force’s (CTF) recent letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) concerning CMS’s recent change to the Medicare five-year replacement rule for prior authorization…
Briefly: Southwest Changes Wheelchair Rules; Biotechnology Company Wins $5M Parkinson’s Grant
Featuring Southwest Airlines, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and Lys Therapeutics.
Southwest Changes Wheelchair Battery, Size Policies Southwest Airlines has changed its policies for transporting wheelchairs and mobility devices, with new rules going into effect Sept. 25, 2025. Starting on that date, “wheelchairs and devices with a height that exceeds 34 inches (86.36 cm) or a width or depth that exceeds 45 inches (114.2 cm) will…
Study Challenges Belief that the Brain Rewires Itself After Limb Loss
New research could help support clients living with limb loss or using prosthetics with brain-computer interfaces.
Results of a new study are challenging the long-held belief that the human brain significantly changes itself following the loss of a limb — and this new information could help clinicians to better support patients before and after amputation. The study — Stable cortical body maps before and after arm amputation — was published Aug.…