Daily Living Blog

Homecare Suppliers 2012

It is good for us to occasionally take a step back and look at not only what we have accomplished since our beginnings but also to look at what is working, what is not and how we can improve. The New Year is a perfect time for this self-assessment.

Homecare Suppliers began as simply a stairlift company. We sold one stairlift in the beginning, the Summit SL350. There was a huge need for qualified dealers and installers at that time. The market was not saturated with internet dealers and there weren’t 14 different dealers in our area. Simply put, there was a need and demand. We stepped into the gap in our area as well as online. It was our online presence that set us apart. There were not very many dealers selling these units via the internet. Our sales were amazing those first years.

Then two things happened, the economy took a hit and the market became saturated with stairlift dealers. Thankfully, we had diversified. We had increased our stairlift product line, we began selling various other mobility products including ramps, lifting devices and daily living products.

During the next couple of years the economy also boomed with senior living products and CAP (Certified Aging in Place) remodelers and builders. The baby boomers caused a boom in the senior market. With the influx of retailers, including big box stores carrying aging in place items, smaller mobility companies felt the most changes. Amazon and large online dealers added to the crunch by offering some of our products at discount pricing that was so low many of us were unable to compete.

So, what then set Homecare Suppliers apart? These things alone: Customer Service and the willingness to go the extra mile. We aren’t tooting our own horn here. That is truly what has allowed us to stay in the game. We have always been a family run organization. We have always focused upon our customers and their needs, not the bottom line. We committed to being a supplier of stairlifts and home care supplies because there was and is a huge need.

The people that call us are in need, often a far greater need then just getting a simple product. They are in transition. They or someone they know are suddenly facing mobility challenges. These challenges come with many questions, more than just the price of the unit. It is there that I believe Homecare Suppliers stands apart from the big box stores, the massive internet distributors and the fly-by-night dealers that pop up overnight and then slip away when they see how competitive the market is.

We have ate, slept and lived stairlifts and mobility products. When we began our company we came from diverse backgrounds. One of us had years of experience in human resources and customer service. Another of us was a trained law enforcement officer with an inherent desire to serve and protect. Another of us was an experienced IT person with vast experience in internet marketing and web promotions. We came with qualified consultants and contractors that knew all the ins and outs of the industry. We each stepped into our rolls with a hope of making a difference.

Looking back over the last seven years, I know that we have.

So looking forward into the fullness of 2012, our eyes continue to be on standing apart from our competitors. We will never be a huge conglomerate that carries every item needed for those facing mobility challenges. Our goal was never to be a big box store. So, with eyes focused straight ahead we will continue down the path that is before us – making it possible for those with mobility challenges to live life unlimited!!

Healing For The Holidays

Featured Guest Writer – Judy Keisling.

This year will be the 8th Christmas that I have been alone. Well, not really alone, as I have many friends and a wonderful supporting family in my life. But I will be alone in the sense that my husband is no longer with me – he passed away in 2004 after we had been married 46 years. How do you deal with that?

Now, 8 Christmas’ later, I have a wonderful life; I feel fulfilled. I have a purpose. I’ve learned that by helping others, you help yourself. If you are suffering from depression because of a loss or loneliness, I encourage you to take a page from my book – get involved and give your life a purpose. Yes, sometimes it’s hard, but the rewards will positively change your life.

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If you know someone that is suffering from depression or who is having difficulty with the holidays or transitions in their life due to loss, Homecare Supplier’s encourages you to share not only this article but the following links with them.

National Mental Health America – http://www.nmha.org/go/help
Guide To Coping with Grief & Loss – http://helpguide.org/mental/grief_loss.htm
Mayo Clinic – Stress, Depression & The Holidays - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/MH00030

Supporting Our Disabled Law Enforcement

In 2010 there were over 705,009 active Police Officers in the United States. According to the FBI, last year 56 officer were killed in the line of duty, 72 were accidently killed while on duty, and over 53,469 were reported assaulted while performing their job. Of those assaulted, 26%, approximately 13,000 sustained injuries (FBI). While many of those injured were able to return to their normal lives of active duty defending our communities, some could not and their lives were forever changed.

Out of these devastating facts, an amazing non-profit was born, Hunting For Heroes. The founders, Chris Allen and Chuck Bowles, were police officers in St. Louis, Missouri. They were also avid hunters. While working on a hunting television show with a law enforcement and police angle, they began to research organizations that were taking care of disabled law enforcement officers. Unfortunately, what they discovered was there was not a single organization that was providing services specifically to the disabled law enforcement community. They put their television show on hold and instead turned their attention to meeting the need and founded Hunting for Heroes.

Their mission statement is to provide resources, such as recreational therapy and counseling, to disabled law enforcement officers who were injured in the line of duty. Hunting for Heroes provides a hunting camp environment where disabled officers and their families can connect with other families that have suffered life-altering injuries.

Hunting For Heroes has grown exponentially in the last year. According to Chris Allen, “We have had participation from Missouri, Iowa, West Virginia and interest from 10 other states. We even have people contacting us to find out how to have chapters in their home state.” In the last year, Hunting For Heroes has hosted two events and had over 15 nominations for heroes.

As the heroes are selected, they and their families are provided with an all expenses paid trip to a hunting and game farm in California, Missouri. This includes their airfare, hunting licenses, food and lodging. The facility chosen is handicap accessible and has fishing, hunting and a children’s area – something for the entire family.

Hunting For Heroes has truly taken a stand to make a difference and help those protecting us here in the United States to live LIFE unlimited. There are some awesome ways that you can help them. They are definitely in need of financial donations. They also accept product donations that can be raffled off at fundraising events. There are many volunteer opportunities as well. Help us spread the word. You can contact Chris Allen at Hunting For Heroes
8426 Clint Drive, Suite 353,
Belton, MO 64012
E-mail: contactus@huntingforheroes.org
Telephone: 816-812-7991

To find out more about upcoming events, visit their website at http://www.huntingforheroes.com

Used Stairlifts

Homecare Suppliers gets calls a couple of times a week asking what to do with a stairlift that is no longer needed. This is a common question after a loved one moves to a nursing home or passes away. As the family faces the challenges of taking care of the home, they find themselves looking at this unique piece of equipment. Oftentimes they don’t even know what it is called – lift chair, stair chair, stair or chair glide.

What they discover next is that they don’t know where to go to “get rid of the unit”. So they find us online or in the phone book and call us. They are headed in the right direction. Many dealers do not buy back used units, even if they sold it to the customer. Homecare Suppliers is quite different in that we do try to offer this service to our local customers, if our inventory is not full. For those that live outside of our service area, we explain that it would not be cost effective for them to send the unit to us as they would have to pay the shipping fee and that would cancel out any money they would potentially make selling us the unit.

Since this is a common conversation, we have created a list of recommended steps they can take to get “rid of the unit”. We thought we’d share that list with you today, should you find yourself needing to remove and dispose of a used stairlift.

First, figure out what kind of stair lift it is. If you have the original purchase receipt, it should tell you the make and model as well as provide you with the Dealer’s contact information. If you do not have this, you can inspect the unit to see who the manufacturer is. Most manufacturers have identifiers on the chassis, either on the outside or inside of the unit. Once you locate that, you will want to write down all the information as well as a description of the unit: straight or curved, battery or electric run, and the age (or approximate age) of the unit.

If you know who sold the unit originally to your loved one, call them to ask if they have a buy-back or used stairlift program. Please keep in mind that the buy-back amount will be significantly less than the purchase price. This could be do to many factors including model, age, use, wear & tear, lack of warranty as well as the original stairlift price might have included installation fees.

If you do not know the original dealer, you can call the manufacturer to see if there is a stairlift dealer in your area. You do not have to contact the actual dealer to get a buy-back offer – we occasionally purchase units we did not originally sell. You can also look in the yellow pages under medical supply companies, stair lifts, or mobility products to find a stairlift dealer. Some local companies do purchase used units as they market them to their local customers at a discounted rate.

If you cannot find a local dealer that does buy backs, then your next step is two-fold. First, find out how much of a deduction you would get for donating the unit to a non-profit that helps those with disabilities or those who are aging; Second, make a list of area places to advertise the sale of the unit. Decide which is more cost and time effective for you.

You may find that it may be less of a hassle and more of a blessing to donate the unit to a worthy cause. Some places to consider are your local Muscular Dystrophy or Cerebal Palsy nonprofit (there are many people with MS or CP who are unable to afford a stairlift), as well as brain trauma or stroke support groups. Additionally, some smaller churches often know of members who have mobility issues or who would like to have the unit for their congregation.

If you are set upon selling the unit, then you might want to list it on www.craigslist.org, which is a free service. You might list your desired price as well as a note that you will consider “or best offer” (OBO). Keep in mind that if you list the amount that your loved one paid for the unit, you will probably not get any takers; be fair in your estimation and make sure to take pictures to post with your description. You can also contact your local penny pincher paper or city newspaper, but those charge money for the ad.

If you have found our article and are in the market for a used unit, we would like to caution you to buy from a reputable dealer or seller. If you are purchasing from Craig’s List we recommend that you ensure that the unit is a working unit prior to the purchase (hopefully they have not taken the unit out of the house and you can see it working). Additionally, some units should not be installed by anyone other than a licensed installer as they have parts, components and circuit boards that can be damaged if installed or uninstalled improperly. We further caution you to use care, common sense, and caution if purchasing from an individual you do not know that you have found through an online advertisement site or in the paper.

Homecare Suppliers, LLC is a nationwide provider of Home Medical and Mobility Equipment. We sell new and re-certified stairlift units throughout the United States. We sell used units as well as having a rent-to-own program for those in the Kansas City metropolitan and surrounding areas. If you have any other questions, please contact us at 888-252-2205. Our website is http://www.buyastairlift.com.

Limitless Living – A Closer Look

I am the mother of two. I assisted my mother in being a caregiver to my father while he struggled with a fatal disease. I help people every day to deal with mobility issues and questions on caregiving. I thought it would be a while before I became the person in need of caregiving. You know that old saying that doctors make the worst patients, well it is true. I am now the advisor that has become the advisee.

I have lost the use of my right arm. I am hoping that this is a temporary situation that will last just a few weeks. However, no one can give me a definitive answer on recovery time. I have been seen by two doctors in the span of 72 hours, with additional appointments scheduled in the days to come. The only information that I have ascertained is that I am a woman in my forties with a healthy appetite and a pleasant disposition! I read both of my medical charts. When a doctor says you have a healthy appetite, should you be offended? I digress, my apologies. Since I became injured during a marathon training session, I am going to choose to focus on the pleasant disposition part!

As the Director of Operations for Homecare Suppliers, I often perform awareness seminars to educate people on the various products that can assist with making an individual’s life limitless. I am constantly surprised by the new daily living products that exist. However, as a result of my current injury, I now have a greater appreciation for many of these products, including the bendable spoon and fork. Since I am right handed, I thought that the only limitation would be typing and writing. How wrong I was. There are so many things that require the use of two hands. I am unable to wash my own hair. I cannot put deodorant on the left side. I have great difficulty with curling or blow drying my hair. It requires two hands to put on socks and tie my shoes. It requires two hands to lift something into or out of the microwave, unless I want to live on popcorn alone.

How long I will be immobile is yet to be determined. But, I am assured I will eventually have the use of my right arm again.

I believe that there are daily lessons that we must learn in life. Right now, I think that my lessons are patience and pride. An additional lesson that has become very clear to me is the importance of support. I am very fortunate to have people around me that are more than willing to help. I am blessed that they are ready whether asked or not. I firmly believe that everyone can find someone to help them. It may just be a matter of getting past your pride, inhibitions or worries and asking for help.

In spite of this injury, I know that I will take each lesson I am learning and turn it into something that can assist others. I have listed below some contact information and various resource links to assist you in finding the assistance you may need to live life unlimited!

Helper/Assistance (Click on the link to find available resources)
Senior Helpers – A network of Senior Helper Program across the US.
Home Health – Home Health is not just for seniors, but also anyone recovering from an injury. While this list is for medicare approved, it is a good place to start even if you are paying out of your pocket.

Homecare Suppliers Resource Lists
Disability Resources
Daily Living Related Resources Lists
Making Your Home Safe Resources

I’d like to add that one important resource which is often forgotten or not mentioned is mental and spiritual help experts. Depression is a normal reaction for someone facing a physical limitation. Seek out a person from your church, a support group or a professional counselor. It is okay to be sad. Just don’t let the sadness drown you, and don’t allow the depression to control you.

Pam Billings
Director of Operations
Homecare Suppliers, LLC