Equipment Loan Closet

The following information provides a list of equipment that could be available through ALSA CT’s Equipment Loan Program. If you are actively registered with ALSA CT, you are automatically eligible for this program. We strongly encourage having a professional evaluation by Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy and/or Speech Therapy prior to requesting any of the equipment listed below. Please read carefully as ALSA CT partners with several different organizations to provide this service. Please contact your regional care manager to request equipment. Michelle Gaski: mgaski@alsact.org - Jessica Poruban-Ortiz: jporuban@alsact.org , 203-874-5050.

Durable Medical Equipment

ALSA CT has partnered with New England Assistive Technology (NEAT) Equipment Center at Oak Hill to assist in maintaining and delivering The Chapter’s most frequently requested loaner durable medical equipment (DME). If your request is available, it will be delivered free of charge.

• To make a request for any of the durable medical equipment listed below or to have loaned equipment or donations picked up, please contact your ALS Association CT Chapter Regional Care Manager at 203-874-5050.

• Please allow up to 10 business days for your delivery to be scheduled. You can also arrange for equipment pick-up at the following location, if arranged with NEAT ahead of time: 33 Coventry St Hartford, CT 06612 (860)-286-3170

• You may be placed on a waiting list for the item you have requested. If we are not able to meet your specific DME request in a timely matter, we will provide you with additional information and resources.

EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE NEAT/ALSACT PARTNERSHIP

Adaptive Bathroom Equipment

Shower Chairs, Tub Benches (including Sliding type), Rolling Shower and Commode Chairs, Raised Toilet Seats, Grab Bars (mounted, suction, drop down), versa frames and more

Manual Mobility Equipment

Rollators, Walkers, Canes, Manual wheelchairs, Transport wheelchairs, High-back manual wheelchairs

Portable Ramps may be available depending on size needed and availability. For more information about ramps, please contact ALSA CT Care Services about our modular ramp program.

Power Mobility Requests

ALSA CT has partnered with NuMotion Mobility out of Rocky Hill, CT to store, maintain, and deliver all available power mobility. Please contact ALSA CT Care Services for more information about borrowing or donating power wheelchairs, scooters , and manual tilt-in-space wheelchairs.

Power Lift Requests

ALSA CT has partnered with On the Mend Medical Supplies & Equipment and Bullock Access, LLC to store, maintain, and deliver all loaner power lifts (hoyer and sit to stand lifts). Please contact ALSA CT Care Services directly for these requests. Your regional care manager will work with you and your medical team to access what is most appropriate for your transfer needs.

Communication Device Requests

· If you are a patient at the Hospital for Special Care, please contact Kimberly Winter, SLP for more information regarding speech evaluations and purchasing or loaning AAC devices. She can be reached at 860-827-1958 x 2035 or kwinter@hfsc.org

· The CT Chapter loan program offers low tech options including Eyelink boards, White Boards, and Boogie Boards when available. The Chapter also loans iPads based upon availability. Please contact ALSA CT Care Services to find out more about these options.

· If none of the above options can assist you, Team Gleason may be able to help. Learn more by visiting http://www.teamgleason.org/

Other Miscellaneous Items to Assist with Activities of Daily Living

Please contact ALSA CT Care Services directly for any of the smaller miscellaneous items below, as they may be available through ALSA CT loan program.

Transferring Assistance:

Gait belts with and without handles to aid caregivers in lifting patients to standing position

Pivot disc to help patient stand while caregiver pivots patient to next placement on bed or chair

Transfer boards to avoid standing transfers when they are difficult or unsafe

Leg lifts to assist with using arm strength to lift leg into place

Range of Motion/ Light Exercise

Floor Pedal exerciser to keep range-of-motion in knees and ankles

Overdoor Pulley Exerciser for arms/shoulders

Adaptive Dressing Tools

Sock pulls when bending motion is limited

Long shoehorns when bending motion is limited

Dressing Stick/button hooks

Adaptive Eating/Drinking Tools

Special drinking cups that have a cut-out area for the nose

Built-up utensils for an easier grip

Edged, tilted plates to ease getting food onto a utensil

Other

Call systems to alert caregiver when patient needs assistance

Grabbers to reach things at a distance

Door knob assists to add a lever to a round door knob