Equipment and Tech

The following are links to info about durable medical equipment (DME) and assistive technologies.

General information sites:

• Excellent site: http://www.every90minutes.org/als-technology-guide/ - Comprehensive guide, including links to product sites, from a techie with ALS. He's using/used most of the things he talks about.
• http://www.childrenshospital.org/centers-and-services/programs/a-_-e/als-augmentative-communication-program/access-and-occupational-therapy
• http://www.youralsguide.com/overview.html - very helpful
• https://ccals.org/resources/equipment/ - mostly a list of vendors
• https://www.patientslikeme.com/forum/als/topics/150454 - misc. items

Funding:

• See the page on Coping Financially, under the Grants section.

Power wheelchairs:

• ALSA webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KN-JAhU6GI&feature=youtu.be&t=503
• Power wheelchairs and assistive tech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJH-theRYKU&feature=youtu.be
• Power wheel chairs: https://www.neals.org/for-people-with-als-caregivers/educational-webinars/power-wheelchairs-the-basics-and-beyond
• Excellent webinar about how power chair features help medically: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4jMpkiZ33g&feature=youtu.be
• Power wheel chair documentation requirements: https://www.neals.org/for-people-with-als-caregivers/educational-webinars/power-wheelchair-documentation-requirements
• Interesting non-medical alternative chair: https://www.zingerchair.com/
• Eye-controlled wheelchair: https://evergreencircuits.com

Beach Wheelchairs

• Article reviewing several: https://www.gogrit.us/news/2016/6/3/the-complete-guide-to-adaptive-equipment
• Two of the less expensive ones (each still costs more than $1000):
  • https://www.amazon.com/Beach-Wheelchair-Large-Tires-Blue/dp/B00K2C4C1Y
  • https://www.walmart.com/ip/Crosswind-Concepts-1600-Beach-Snow-Freedom-Chair-Model/490446393?

Augmented Communication

• Excellent webinar about Augmented Communication: https://www.neals.org/for-people-with-als-caregivers/educational-webinars/proactive-and-collaborative-consideration-of-augmentative-communication-too
• Webinar from ALSA on Communicating with ALS (July 2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f9zarij4kc&feature=youtu.be
• Boston Children's Hospital ALS Augmentative Communication Program: http://www.childrenshospital.org/ALSaugcomm
  • Excellent slide deck on all sorts of assistive tech for mouse and keyboard control: http://www.childrenshospital.org/-/media/Centers-and-Services/Programs/A_E/ALS-Program/A-mouse-by-any-other-name-Dellea.ashx

Home Automation

• Home automation for ALS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDVnNZ12Ies&feature=youtu.be
• See My Smart Home page.

Borrow Audiobooks and eBooks for free

• National Library Service: https://www.loc.gov/nls/
  • In Upstate NY: http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/tbbl/
• Monroe County, NY Library System's Overdrive : https://libraryweb.overdrive.com/

Lifts

• Sit-to-stand lift. When I could no longer get up out of low seats (shower chair and toilet, especially), we got a lift that helps me transfer between seats - where the sling just goes behind my back and under my arms, so can be put on and taken off while I'm seated. Patient must have some arm and leg strength. Insurance covered this: http://www.invacare.com/cgi-bin/imhqprd/inv_catalog/prod_cat_detail.jsp?prodID=GHS350
• Hoyer lift. Useful when patient has little or no arm and leg strength. We also used this to get me off the floor to my wheelchair when I had fallen. But hard to maneuver, especially on carpet. Also, takes some effort to get sling on and off because it goes under the whole body. We got one from our local ALSA loan closet: http://www.invacare.com/cgi-bin/imhqprd/inv_catalog/prod_cat_detail.jsp?s=0&prodID=RPL450-1&catOID=-536885359
• Overhead lift - portable. Alternative to Hoyer, but can only be used in a fixed location. We use one to transfer between bed and wheelchair, or between bed and commode. Portable (sort of). Got ours from local "Hearts for ALS" loan closet:
  • Lift: https://www.phc-online.com/Voyager_98000_Lifter_p/voyager-98000.htm
  • Track system: https://www.phc-online.com/Guardian_Easytrack_System_p/voyager-92000.htm
  • Video showing lift in use: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zie_EMU6LnI&feature=youtu.be
• Overhead lift - ceiling mounted. More flexible and functional than the portable overhead lift. But considerably more expensive, and requires installation.
• Raizer lift chair (interesting, but EXPENSIVE): https://www.raizer.com/
  • Prices: https://www.amicamedicalsupply.com/raizer-mobile-lifting-chair.html ; https://www.mobilitymatters.com.au/product/18530-raizer-lifting-chair

Tube Feeding

• Info: https://www.pchc.org/images/ListOfItemsFiles/Feeding-Tube-Resources/Section-2/2-So-They%27re-Telling-You-to-Get-a-Feeding-Tube-by-Colin-Portnuff.pdf

Neck Support

• Some options: https://www.necksolutions.com/head-supports/

Direct Connect Tech

Attempts to connect directly to the nervous system.

• Nuro: https://nuro.ca/
• Pison: https://pisontechnology.com/
• BrainGate: https://www.braingate.org/

Professional/Technical/Industry Organizations

• https://www.ataporg.org/
• https://www.atia.org/

Vendors

• Tobii Dynavox: https://www.tobiidynavox.com/en-US/
• Tecla: https://gettecla.com/
• Permobil: http://www.permobil.com/en/Corporate/
• Amazon (Echo/Alexa): https://www.amazon.com/b/?ie=UTF8&node=9818047011