EZ Able® - news

Fall prevention

2012-05-15T11:46:03-04:00

Falls put you at risk of serious injury. Prevent falls with these simple fall-prevention measures, from reviewing your medications to hazard-proofing your home.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Fall prevention may not seem like a lively topic, but it's important. As you get older, physical changes and health conditions — and sometimes the medications used to treat those conditions — make falls more likely. In fact, falls are a leading cause of injury among older adults. Still, fear of falling doesn't need to rule your life. Instead, consider six simple fall-prevention strategies.

1. Make an appointment with your doctor.
Begin your fall-prevention plan by making an appointment with your doctor. Be prepared to answer questions such as:
What medications are you taking? Make a list of your prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements, or bring them with you to the appointment. Your doctor can review your medications for side effects and interactions that may increase your risk of falling. To help with fall prevention, your doctor may consider weaning you off certain medications — such as sedatives and some types of antidepressants.
Have you fallen before? Write down the details, including when, where and how you fell. Be prepared to discuss instances when you almost fell but were caught by someone or managed to grab hold of something just in time. Details such as these may help your doctor identify specific fall-prevention strategies.
Could your health conditions cause a fall? Certain eye and ear disorders may increase your risk of falls. Be prepared to discuss your health conditions and how comfortable you are when you walk — for example, do you feel any dizziness, joint pain, numbness or shortness of breath when you walk? Your doctor may evaluate your muscle strength, balance and walking style (gait) as well.

2. Keep moving
Physical activity can go a long way toward fall prevention. With your doctor's OK, consider activities such as walking, water workouts or tai chi — a gentle exercise that involves slow and graceful dance-like movements. Such activities reduce the risk of falls by improving strength, balance, coordination and flexibility.
If you avoid physical activity because you're afraid it will make a fall more likely, tell your doctor. He or she may recommend carefully monitored exercise programs or refer you to a physical therapist. The physical therapist can create a custom exercise program aimed at improving your balance, flexibility, muscle strength and gait.

3. Wear sensible shoes
Consider changing your footwear as part of your fall-prevention plan. High heels, floppy slippers and shoes with slick soles can make you slip, stumble and fall. So can walking in your stocking feet. Instead:

Have your feet measured each time you buy shoes, since foot size can change.
Buy properly fitting, sturdy shoes with nonskid soles.
Avoid shoes with extra-thick soles.
Choose lace-up shoes instead of slip-ons, and keep the laces tied. If you have trouble tying laces, select footwear with fabric fasteners.
If you're a woman who can't find wide enough shoes, try men's shoes.

4. Remove home hazards
Take a look around your home. Your living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, hallways and stairways may be filled with hazards. To make your home safer:

Remove boxes, newspapers, electrical cords and phone cords from walkways.
Move coffee tables, magazine racks and plant stands from high-traffic areas.
Secure loose rugs with double-faced tape, tacks or a slip-resistant backing — or remove loose rugs from your home.
Repair loose, wooden floorboards and carpeting right away.
Store clothing, dishes, food and other necessities within easy reach.
Immediately clean spilled liquids, grease or food.
Use nonskid floor wax.
Use nonslip mats in your bathtub or shower.

5. Light up your living space
Keep your home brightly lit to avoid tripping on objects that are hard to see. Also:

Place night lights in your bedroom, bathroom and hallways.
Place a lamp within reach of your bed for middle-of-the-night needs.
Make clear paths to light switches that aren't near room entrances. Consider trading traditional switches for glow-in-the-dark or illuminated switches.
Turn on the lights before going up or down stairs.
Store flashlights in easy-to-find places in case of power outages.

6. Use assistive devices
Your doctor might recommend using a cane or walker to keep you steady. Other assistive devices can help, too. For example:

Hand rails for both sides of stairways or consider installing a stair lift.
Nonslip treads for bare-wood steps
A raised toilet seat or one with armrests
Grab bars for the shower or tub
A sturdy plastic seat for the shower or tub — plus a hand-held shower nozzle for bathing while sitting down

If necessary, ask your doctor for a referral to an occupational therapist. He or she can help you brainstorm other fall-prevention strategies. Some solutions are easily installed and relatively inexpensive. Others may require professional help or a larger investment. If you're concerned about the cost, remember that an investment in fall prevention is an investment in your independence.

What Boomers Want

2012-05-10T17:35:25-04:00

Nearly all pre-retirees want to age in place in their homes, and they're relying on home-health tech to do so.

BARBARA BALLINGER

For baby boomers who have come to expect the best, they’re now thinking about making their older years the healthiest. Many have or will design or remodel their existing homes with universal design principals to make aging in them more practical and safe, such as lower countertops, wider entries and hallways, and curbless showers. But there also are new in-home technological advances that will make boomers’ lives easier – and healthier.

Just how big is demand for aging-in-place technology? Huge, and it’s growing.

According to the MetLife Mature Marketing Institute, 91 percent of pre-retirees aged 50 to 65 want to live in their homes in retirement. Aging-in-place technology already is a $2 billion industry, according to Laurie M. Orlov, who writes the “Aging in Place Technology Watch” blog at AgeInPlaceTech.com.

Telehealth devices designed specifically to maintain wellness – weight scales, blood pressure cuffs, and diabetes monitoring devices, for example – are big, as are passive activity monitoring systems. The Intel-GE Care Innovations QuietCare system, for example, detects activity or the lack thereof through motion sensors placed throughout a home, which alerts a call center, if necessary.

Besides health and safety, there’s a financial incentive. Having a home wired and equipped with proper software and products costs an average of $4,000, plus $130 a month for monitoring, says Ric Johnson, chief systems designer for Elite Systems Solutions, an electric home-systems company based in Waynesfield, Ohio. Johnson regularly tackles such work – perhaps, wiring and adding software so an adult child living away from aging parents can keep an eye on the home or be sure the parent took proper medication. Or, the elderly parents can check their own blood pressure and relay the information to a health provider and get a quick response. Making such changes can help the aging homeowner avoid the greater expense of heading to an assisted living facility apartment, which cost $41,000 a year last year while a nursing home was a costlier $85,000 a year in 2011, according to a MetLife survey.

Other experts are joining the bandwagon. Johnson often performs his work in conjunction with contractors, builders or architects like

Tony Crasi, an Akron, Ohio-based architect who often works with Johnson on projects, has earned the Certified Aging-in-Place designation from the National Association of Home Builders, meaning he is specialized in modifying homes for aging in place. Crasi might be responsible for building a first-floor bedroom and bathroom or widening hallways before Johnson installs the systems.

But before choices are made, Orlov urges buyers to do thorough research, particularly with merchandise from new vendors. “Determine what the main physical and mental limitations are that need to be dealt with, so you pick the best products. Search for online information about them and comparable ones, call companies, ask for testimonials, and, if feasible, ask to speak with satisfied customers,” Orlov says.

May. 08, 2012
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

BASA Event 5/16/12

2012-04-30T10:12:17-04:00

Don't miss the FREE 2012 Ideas for Life Senior Expo.

There will be lots of great organizations which offer products and services that promote the well being of older adults, families and caregivers.

May 16, 2012

10:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Grand Traverse County Civic Center.

Stair Lift - Outstanding!

2012-04-04T15:47:14-04:00

What is your overall opinion of EZ Able®? Outstanding!!!

Outstanding stair lift knowledge, demonstration, installation and very timely completion.

- John M. Traverse City, MI

EZ Able® FaceBook

2012-03-22T20:04:52-04:00

Find EZ Able® on FaceBook. You can even shop for EZ Able® products right from FaceBook.

VA Benefits Workshop

2012-03-16T14:03:25-04:00

At EZ Able® we often get questions regarding VA Benefits. Get your Veteran's Benefit questions answered at this FREE workshop offered by Financial Independence.

Date: 3/29/12

Time: 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

Location: Veterans of Foreign Wars, Cherryland Post 2780, 3400 Veterans Dr., Traverse City, MI 49686.

PLEASE RSVP 231-421-5422.

Alzheimer's Walk 2012

2012-03-15T16:33:46-04:00

EZ Able® is letting people know about the 2012 Alzheimer's Walk.

The Alzheimer's Association is registering people around the country to participate in 2012's fundraiser. Dates and times vary by location. Please Click NATIONAL LINK below to Sign Up in Your Community.

EZ Able® works with construction professionals, architects and customers across the continental USA, providing a wide array of products and services that promote independent living.

EZ Able® is an equal opportunity employer.

Welcome Home Survey

2012-03-14T17:46:28-04:00

Does your evolving lifestyle have you thinking about a smaller, more efficient, carefree home? Welcome Home, a joint project of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), wants to learn what features will make your "next" home your best home.

Do you care about universal design? Green or eco-friendly construction and products? A stylish interior that reflects your good taste?

You can help by completing our online questionnaire, open from now until the end of March. You will be asked to rate 83 features covering the exterior and main living areas of the home, using a simple scale of "NEED," "NICE", or "NO." The questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes or less to complete.

All responses are anonymous and confidential. The results are planned to be the premise for a prototype urban townhouse, a set of guidelines, and/or an award or recognition program for builders who successfully incorporate these features into their homes. To thank you for taking the time to complete the questionnaire, you can enter to receive a copy of the findings AND possibly win one of four $50 Amazon.com gift certificates.

To start the questionnaire now, click here.

Heated Seats!

2012-03-02T12:32:06-05:00

Best Bath Systems, a premier supplier of US made walk-in tubs, just announced a new feature for it's walk-in tubs - HEATED SEATS. Heated seats are a great new feature and Best Bath is still offering it's walk-in tubs at 2011 pricing.

Stair Lift Testimonial

2012-03-01T12:14:41-05:00

"I liked the service and every contact I had with EZ Able®. Very quick service!" Pat S., Retired R.N., Frankfort, MI

Thank-you Pat! We enjoyed working with you too. We hope that you are enjoying your stair lift!

Retirement Income Show

2012-02-09T14:22:44-05:00

Financial Independence sponsors financial educational programs, and can be heard every Sunday at 12:00pm on The Retirement Income Show on WTCM NewsTalk 580. On Feb. 12, 2012, The Retirement Income Show is featuring EZ Able® a provider of Independent Living Solutions.

EZ Able® offers advice, products and services that help foster Independent Living. EZ Able® offers installation services through-out lower Michigan. Some of the installation services EZ Able® offer include: walk-in baths, walk-in showers, stair lifts, elevators, vertical platform lifts and ramps. Additionally, EZ Able® sells products through-out the Continential USA via the web. EZ Able® can be found at www.ezable.com or reached at 877-392-2531.

Financial Independence was established by Bill Kumm in 1995, and has become one of Michigan's most trusted financial management firms, specializing in retirees, pre-retirees and business owners. One of Financial Independence's mission is to educate people about the basic concepts and strategies of financial management. Services include preparing for and implementing retirement income strategies, wealth management services, and developing business succession plans.

Click Here to Find Financial Independence Online.

GE Financing Coming!

2012-02-08T12:51:23-05:00

Beginning March 2012

EZ Able® is launching financing via GE Capital for it's Independent Living Products like: walk-in baths, walk-in showers, and for various lift products. Full details will be released March 2012.

Jody Fisk - Owner, "We are very excited to be able to offer innovative financing to people who desire to age comfortably in their homes. Our mission is to offer the products and services that make creating an Independent Living environment an easy process. Offering financing is just one more step toward that goal."

Look for full program details March 2012.

EZ Able's New Look.

2012-01-20T17:03:48-05:00

EZ Able® website has a new look. We believe that these upgrades will make it easier for people to navigate the website. What do you think?

Read a recent article from the website Hotel Interactive.

2012-01-12T14:12:11-05:00

www.HotelInteractive.com

ADA Regulations Update - Recreational Facilities

One of the most impactful standards from the 2010 ADA regulations will concern pools and exercise facilities. Here’s what you need to know.

Hotelinteractive.com provides hotel news and lodging industry management tools for hospitality professionals and information about BITAC Hospitality Events.

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Dan Marcec

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On Twitter @hotelinteractiv

As we outlined a few weeks ago, the impeding deadline of March 15, 2012 to comply with the 2010 Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations will have a significant impact on hotel investments and operations. While many of the standards in place are either updates or revisions from the original 1990 guidelines, one of the key differences this time is that there haven’t been recreational standards published before. Therefore, your hotel couldn’t have been compliant in the past with the 2010 standards for those items, and that’s why it’s the issue that’s going to affect hotels and resorts the most immediately, because you have to do something before March 15 if you haven’t already.

Here’s a list of the newly covered elements that will be affected at hotels and resorts:

Swimming pools, wading pools, and spas
Saunas and steam rooms
Exercise machines and equipment
Play areas
Fishing piers and platforms
Recreational boating facilities
Golf facilities
Amusement rides
Mini golf facilities
Shooting facilities
Team or player seating
Accessible route to bowling lanes
Accessible route to court sports facilities

In a webinar hosted by AH&LA, Minh N. Vu, partner in the Labor and Employment Department, Seyfarth Shaw LLP, overviewed some of the logistics behind the new standards to get into the specifics of some of the most common elements that will affect hotels, particularly the first three on this list – pools, spas and exercise rooms.

In addition to the fact that recreational standards have been outlined for the first time, which means there are no safe harbors or grandfather clauses, the 2010 set of standards also introduced another first. The Department of Justice (DOJ) now has put a number on how much properties can be fined for violations, to the tune of $55,000 for the first fine and $110,000 for any subsequent fines.

While the deadlines and regulations seem pretty straightforward, don’t be surprised if commercial property owners try to call the government’s bluff. While you never know what kind of extensions you might be able to get, you have to ask yourself if it’s worth the risk. If it ends up your deadlines will not be extended, you can expect it to be more expensive and more difficult it becomes to place an order, on top of the potential fines levied by the DOJ.

Pools & Spas

The basis for swimming pool and spa guidelines are all centered upon access, and the new standards dictate either purchasing a pool lift or renovating it completely:

Each swimming pool with less than 300 feet of wall requires or sloped entry.
Each swimming pool with 300 feet or more of wall requires two accessible means of entry, one of which must be a pool lift or sloped entry.
Each wave action, leisure river, sand bottom, or other type of pool where entry is limited to one area requires one accessible means of entry.

Most hotels likely will opt for the pool lift, since it’s a purchasable item that doesn’t put the pool out of service for any length of time. However, the pool lift also has several specific requirements it needs to meet, which are detailed below with reference to sections in the ADA regulations where you can find more information:

Seat height and width (Sections 1009.2.4 and 1009.2.5)
Footrest (Section 1009.2.6)
Armrest (Section 1009.2.6)
Independently operable by user (Section 1009.2.7)
Controls and operating mechanisms (Section 1009.2.7)
Submerged depth (Section 1009.2.8)
Lifting capacity (Section 1009.2.9)
Various other space requirements relating to location of installation (Sections 1009.2.1 through 1009.2.3)

CLICK HERE TO FIND YOUR ADA COMPLIANT POOL LIFT AT EZ ABLE®

“If you decide to install a pool lift, which is the most flexible option, you have to be sure to evaluate all these options,” says Vu. “Don’t just order it before seeing it in person. The literature provided by pool lifts doesn’t always address all these aspects.”

For spas (in this case, whirlpools) and wading pools, the standards are similar. If a property has one spa, obviously it must be accessible, and if there is more than one, 5 percent of the total must be accessible. Furthermore, at a resort property for example, if there is more than one cluster of whirlpools, 5 percent of each cluster must be accessible. Accessibility for a spa is defined by a lift, a transfer wall or a transfer system.

“In new construction, a transfer wall is probably the most practical option, but existing properties will find that challenging,” says Vu. “Lifts seem the most likely installation for retrofits.”

Each wading pool must provide at least one sloped entry into the deepest area. However, Vu says this may not be “readily achievable” based on the traditional size of a small wading pool compared to the proportions the standards require. (see our previous piece on ADA regulations, linked above, for more details on what is “readily achievable.”)

While the guidelines are clearly laid out, the new requirements have left unanswered questions. For example, AH&LA submitted a letter to request clarification on whether you can have a portable pool lift and whether it has to be all the time or only brought out on request. While there is no requirements saying a lift has to be screwed down to the deck, and a good one will function just like one that’s stationary, the question remains how quickly a portable unit would have to be provided if requested.

“If a person has to wait what could be conceived as an unreasonable amount of time to gain access to a good or service by a public accommodation disproportionate to a regular wait, it’s disparate treatment,” says Vu. “Therefore, I think every hotel has to ask itself if the operation is capable of responding to a request to bring a pool lift in a ‘timely’ way? If the answer is no, it’s probably not practical to have a portable lift.”

Also, the regulations actually say that there must be one lift for each body of water. That means if your hot tub and pool are separate, you’re on the hook for two lifts, and perhaps two fines if both are not accessible.

Exercise Rooms

Fortunately, unlike the pool access standards, exercise rooms for most properties likely won’t cost much – or anything – other than some time and effort to rearrange what you have and perhaps the inconvenience of losing a piece or two.

The new rules dictate that at least one of each type of exercise equipment must provide a 30” x 48” clear floor space positioned for transfer by someone using a wheelchair, in addition to being on a 36” wide accessible route.

“Originally, we were concerned with space requirements, because positioning them as proposed means you couldn’t put ellipticals and treadmills close to save space, as is traditional in small hotel exercise rooms,” says Vu. “However, the DOJ came back with helpful clarification that said for machines on which you have to stand up, you can put the clear floor space in the pathway route, which will allow people to keep most of their equipment.”

All these issues considered, it’s important to plan for the inevitable, a compliance date of March 15, 2012 for the new ADA standards. While there certainly are legitimate reasons why some hotels could receive leeway, in general these regulations will be enforced and you need to be ready. Hotel Interactive will continue to detail this information for you and include responses to your questions, so stay tuned to our coverage in the coming months.

Stay tuned for our next feature in the series on the 2010 ADA standards, where we discuss our furry friend Fido and the new regulations surrounding service animals.

Credit

Dan Marcec
Managing Editor
Hotel Interactive, Inc.

Now you can shop for EZ Able® Products on FACEBOOK!

2012-01-04T13:32:27-05:00

Now you can find EZ Able® products via FACEBOOK.

Click Here to go to our FACEBOOK Store.

Bruno Independent Living Aids - Dealer Training Fall 2011

2012-01-04T11:37:42-05:00

Fall 2011 was a great time to visit Oconomowoc, Wisconsin and see the Bruno Independent Living Aids team and manufacturing facility hard at work. Yes, there are some great products still manufactured in the USA! And many of those independent living products can be found at EZ Able®! Here are some pictures from our trip. Needless to say, we were impressed!

	The CAD operator creating drawings for a custom curved stair lift.
	Each curve rail for Bruno Electra Ride III, curve is hand made specifically for each clients stairway.
	Every Bruno Stair lift and rail is tested for runnability.
	Quality control - Straight rails are tested for fit prior to packaging them for shipment.
	Straight rail getting packaged for shipment
	Every Bruno Stair lift chair's seat is sew and assembled in the Oconomowoc, WI manufacturing facility.
	Even the stair lift wiring harnesses are Made in the USA!!!

Nice Job BRUNO!!!

HB 4936 - Pending Changes to Michigan's Auto No-Fault Legislation

2011-09-28T16:09:53-04:00

HB 4936

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

In mid-September 2011, HB 4936 (sponsored by Representative Lund) was introduced in the Michigan Legislature. This Bill makes massive changes in the Michigan auto no-fault insurance system and will result in significant limitations on the medical expense coverages and legal rights of auto accident victims. The highlights and consequences of these proposed changes are summarized below.

The House Insurance Committee will meet on HB 4936 at the House Office Building (519 House Office Building, Lansing, MI) next Tuesday, October 4, and Thursday, October 6. Hearings will start at 9am and will end at 12pm.

A. CONTENT SUMMARY*
1. Medical Expense Coverages Reduced.
(a) The current lifetime coverage for reasonably necessary products, services, and accommodations is eliminated. No one will be able to buy this coverage any longer. Rather, coverage for such expenses will only be available in incremental coverage levels of $250,000, $500,000, $1,000,000, or $5,000,000. [§3107(1)(a)]

(b) If a person incurs medical expenses in excess of his or her selected PIP coverages, the victim has no recourse other than to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party to recover the unpaid balance. [§3135(3)(d)]

(c) The coverage election made by the insured person is applicable to his or her spouse and any relative of either domiciled in the same household, including children, regardless of whether they were able to participate in the coverage election. [§3107(1)(a)]
*Content Summary prepared by CPAN General Counsel, George T. Sinas, Sinas Dramis Law Firm, Lansing, Michigan.

(d) Individuals who do not have auto insurance available to them in their household, are limited to the minimum coverage level and then, only after the victim first exhausts his or her health insurance coverage or other benefit sources. [§3107(3)]

(e) Employees driving vehicles furnished by their employers are limited to the coverages selected by the employer, regardless of whether the injured employee purchased higher coverages on his or her personal auto. [§3114(3)]

(f) Insurance companies and their agents have no liability whatsoever if they sell incorrect or inadequate coverages to policyholders, regardless of the instructions, requests, or needs of the policyholder. [§1245(1)]

(g) The legislation contains no guidelines regulating how insurance companies can price the reduced PIP coverages. Therefore, insurance companies will be able to charge excessive premiums for the higher coverages, thereby leaving many with no choice other than to buy the cheapest medical coverage.

2. In-Home Attendant Care Benefits Reduced.
(a) Attendant care or nursing services provided to an injured person in his or her home by individuals who are not certified, registered, or licensed under Article 15 of the Public Health Code, are limited to a total of 56 hours per week (8 hours per day) and are payable at the rate of $11 per hour for basic care and $17 per hour for skilled care, regardless of how severe the injury or the extent of the patient’s needs. It is only if the injured person is institutionalized or hires certified/registered caregivers, that an auto insurance company may be required to pay more for attendant care. [§3107C(2)]

(b) These changes in in-home attendant care benefits appear to be retroactive and thus, applicable to all current and future accident victims.

3. Fee Schedules for Medical Providers.
(a) All physicians, hospitals, clinics, and other persons lawfully rendering treatment to an injured person can only be paid for services rendered in an amount that does not exceed the current workers’ compensation fee schedules, regardless of the severity of the patient’s injuries or the extent of their needs. [§3157(2)]

(b) The Insurance Commissioner has the authority to make changes to these fee schedules, presumably increasing or decreasing them, and can do so without legislative approval. [§3157(2)]

4. Injured Motorcyclists’ Rights Severely Limited.
(a) Any motorcycle operator or passenger who does not wear a helmet conforming to Motor Vehicle Code requirements is completely disqualified from receiving any auto no-fault PIP benefits, regardless of whether the lack of a helmet had anything to do with the nature of the injuries suffered. [§3113(D)]

(b) Even if motorcyclists wear required helmets, they are only entitled to the minimum PIP coverage of $250,000 for medical and rehabilitation expenses, regardless of whether the motorcyclist purchased higher coverage on his/her auto no-fault policy. [§3114(6)]

(c) Motorcyclists who do not wear conforming helmets are not entitled to collect any economic loss damages from the at-fault driver, regardless of the relationship between the type of injuries suffered by the motorcyclist and the failure to wear a helmet or the fact the motorcyclist was not at fault for the accident [§3135(3)(c)]

(d) Motorcycle operators or passengers who do not wear conforming helmets are deemed to be at least 35% comparatively at fault regarding any claim they make for noneconomic damages, regardless of the relationship between the type of injury suffered by the motorcyclist and the failure to wear a helmet or the fact the motorcyclist was not at fault for the accident. [§3135(2)(b)]

5. Assigned Claims Facility Changes.
(a) Any PIP benefit claim processed through the Michigan Assigned Claims Facility which involves no applicable or identifiable insurance is payable only at the lowest PIP benefit coverage level. [§3172(5)]

(b) Any PIP benefit claim processed through the Michigan Assigned Claims Facility which involves a dispute between two or more insurers, is payable only at the lowest PIP benefit coverage level as among the insurance policies in dispute, regardless of whether one of those policies was purchased by the injured person and has PIP coverage limits that are higher than the other policies involved in the dispute. [§3172(4)(b)]

6. Increased Threshold Protection for Drunk and At-Fault Drivers.
(a) The no-fault “serious impairment of body function” tort threshold is made more restrictive than current law by requiring proof that the victim’s injury and impairment have had “a meaningful affect on the person’s general ability and capacity to lead his or her normal life.” [§3135(7)(a)(ii)]

(b) The new threshold requirement recognizes only a handful of injuries that constitute serious impairment as a matter of law. Absent from this list are victims who sustain permanent and total blindness, permanent and total deafness; severe brain damage rendering the victim mentally incompetent; and a host of other severe injuries. Any injury not in this “matter of law”category will require a jury trial or judicial hearing to determine if the injury constitutes serious impairment. [§3135(8)(9) and (10)]

7. No Rate Reduction or MCCA Oversight.
(a) There is nothing whatsoever in the proposed legislation that would require insurance companies to reduce auto no-fault premiums in any way.

(b) There is nothing in the proposed legislation that increases the transparency of the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association or subjects it to any regulations regarding how it may invest the public’s money or the extent to which it can surcharge the public for the coverage it provides.

B. ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES
1. Increased Taxes—The elimination of lifetime coverage for all reasonable charges for reasonably necessary products and services will result in a very substantial amount of unpaid medical expenses incurred by catastrophically injured auto accident victims. In this regard, last year the MCCA paid over $600 million in catastrophic claims. The loss of no-fault auto insurance funding for these expenses will mean a massive cost shift to Medicaid and Medicare, thus increasing the State and Federal tax burden for Michigan citizens.

2. Loss of Jobs—The under-funding of medical treatment for severely injured accident victims will result in thousands of lost jobs in that sector of Michigan’s medical care industry that services those patients.

3. Increased Insurance Premiums for Liability Coverage—Most Michigan drivers will be forced to buy more liability insurance coverage because all citizens now will have personal financial liability for any unfunded medical expenses suffered by the victim of an at-fault accident.

4. Inadequate Medical Care for Severe Injury—Persons who suffer catastrophic injury and who did not buy enough PIP coverage to cover the expense, will, in many cases, not receive the medical care, treatment, and rehabilitation they require in order to attain the highest level of recovery.

5. Increased Risk of Financial Ruin for Michigan Families—Michigan citizens who cannot afford the optional higher PIP benefit coverage limits could be financially destroyed if a catastrophic injury results in medical expenses in excess of the coverage selected. This is particularly true of motorcyclists who will never have more than $250,000 of medical coverage for severe injuries suffered in motorcycle-auto accidents.

6. Increased Health Insurance Costs—Because health insurance will pay on a primary basis for any auto accident victim not covered by a household no-fault insurance policy, a significant cross-shift form auto no-fault to health insurance will occur, thereby increasing health insurance costs for Michigan families and small businesses who provide health insurance to employees.

7. Increased Litigation—Victims incurring medical expenses in excess of their selected PIP coverages will be forced to sue at-fault drivers to recover the unpaid costs, thereby unnecessarily increasing litigation throughout the Michigan court system.

8. Increased Protection for Drunk and Reckless Drivers—Totally innocent victims sustaining serious injuries will have a much more difficult time holding drunk and reckless drivers accountable for the harm they inflict on the public.

*Content Summary prepared by CPAN General Counsel, George T. Sinas, Sinas Dramis Law Firm, Lansing, Michigan.

Mobile Website NOW Available

2011-08-08T13:23:05-04:00

Applying for VA Benefits

2011-07-28T13:22:25-04:00

EZ Able® often gets asked about the process for applying for Veterans Benefits. Below is the link to VA Form 21-526. This is the required form to use to apply for compensation and/or pension benefits.

You should apply for compensation benefits if:

You currently have a disability that is the result of an injury, disease, or an event in military service. NOTE: Many common diseases are now considered military service related. Please check with the VA to see if your circumstances qualify for compensation.

You should apply for pension benefits if all of the following are true:

You are age 65 or older or are permanently and totally disabled.

You served on active duty with at least one day during a period of war.

Your income and net worth does not exceed certain limits. Visit the VA website, http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/rates for the maximum yearly income they allow.

Click Here for The Steps In Applying for Veterans Benefits

OT/PT Continuing Ed In Traverse City, MI

2011-07-24T17:28:55-04:00

LSVT® BIG
Training and Certification Workshop
TRAVERSE CITY, MI

Date:
Saturday, October 1, 2011: 9am – 5pm
Sunday, October 2, 2011: 9am – 4pm

Workshop Location:
Great Wolf Lodge
White Pine Ballroom
3575 N. US 31 South, Traverse City, MI 49684

Registration Deadline:
September 30, 2011

Hotel Options Available at:
Great Wolf Lodge
3575 N. US 31 South,
Traverse City, MI 49684
$129 per night
Call Group reservations: 231-941-3600 Ext 706

LSVT GLOBAL announces the 2011 LSVT® BIG Training and Certification Workshop Series for physical and occupational therapists
The LSVT BIG Training and Certification Workshop is a two-day program designed to train physical and occupational therapists in an intensive whole body amplitude-based training protocol for individuals with Parkinson disease. The fundamental treatment principles and rationale, key treatment elements, efficacy data supporting treatment outcomes, details of treatment tasks, and practical delivery and marketing considerations are taught through lecture, demonstration, and case study presentations. Participants should wear loose fitting clothing that allows freedom of movement for participation in hands-on practice and interactive sessions. This training qualifies for 12 contact hours.

EZ Able® has no affiliation to LSVT. We are sending this information only to help OT/PT's learn about Michigan continuing education opportunities.

EZ Able® Accessible Solutions works with construction professionals, architects and customers across the continental USA, providing a wide array of products and services that promote independent living.

EZ Able® is an equal opportunity employer.

Bath Safety Quiz - How safe is your bathroom?

2011-07-12T15:31:19-04:00

Often not enough attention is paid to accident prevention. Take 5 minutes to learn how your bathroom rates with EZ Able's easy BATH SAFETY QUIZ.

The only wrong answer is choosing NOT to take this simple quiz.

2010 Standards of Accessible Design - Pool Lifts

2011-06-16T14:10:44-04:00

2010 Standards of Accessible Design, now the law for public pools in the USA.

Are you confused about the ADA public pool lift requirement? Click Here to Learn More

Looking for a ADA compliant pool lift? Click Here.

VA Benefits - Service Connected Disabilities

2011-06-15T14:24:58-04:00

Service-Connected Disabilities

Specially Adapted Housing Grant (SAH)

This grant program is for Veterans with service-related disabilities who need to adapt their home in order to achieve a level of independence. This grant is generally provided to make a home wheelchair accessible. The maximum grant amount with this program is $50, 000.

Special Home Adaptation Grant (SHA)

The Special Home Adaptions Grant (SHA) is for veterans with service-related disabilities who need to make special adaptions to their homes. The purpose of this grant is to assist veterans with mobility issues in the home. The maximum grant amount for this program is $10,000.

Home Improvements and Special Alterations Grant (HISA)

The Home Improvements and Special Alterations Grant (HISA) is for veterans with service and non-service related disabilities who need to make special need-based alterations to the home. Veterans can receive a HISA grant in combination with a SHA or SAH grant. A medical determination is needed for approval of a HISA grant. Veterans with service-related disabilities can receive a HISA grant up to $4100.00. Veterans with non-service related disabilities can receive a HISA grant up to $1200.00.

Presumptive Conditions for Disability Compensation:

A ll veterans who develop Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, at any time after separation from service may be eligible for compensation for that disability.

Certain veterans are eligible for disability compensation based on the presumption that their disability is service-connected.

Prisoners of War:

For former POWs who were imprisoned for any length of time, the following disabilities are presumed to be service-connected if they are rated at least 10 percent disabling anytime after military service: psychosis, any of the anxiety states, dysthymic disorder, organic residuals of frostbite, post-traumatic osteoarthritis, heart disease or hypertensive vascular disease and their complications, stroke, residuals of stroke and effective October 10, 2008, osteoporosis if the veteran has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

For former POWs who were imprisoned for at least 30 days, the following conditions are also presumed to be service-connected: avitaminosis, beriberi, chronic dysentery, helminthiasis, malnutrition (including optic atrophy), pellagra and/or other nutritional deficiencies, irritable bowel syndrome, peptic ulcer disease, peripheral neuropathy, cirrhosis of the liver and effective September 28, 2009, osteoporosis.

Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange and Other Herbicides:

A veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam between Jan. 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, is presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange and other herbicides used in support of military operations.

Twelve illnesses are presumed by VA to be service-connected for such veterans: chloracne or other acneform disease similar to chloracne, porphyria cutanea tarda, soft-tissue sarcoma (other than osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma or mesothelioma), Hodgkin’s disease, multiple myeloma, respiratory cancers (lung, bronchus, larynx, trachea), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, prostate cancer, acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy, diabetes mellitus (Type 2), chronic lymphocytic leukemia and AL amyloidosis..

Veterans Exposed to Radiation:

For veterans who participated in “radiation risk activities” as defined in VA regulations while on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, the following conditions are presumed to be service-connected: all forms of leukemia (except for chronic lymphocytic leukemia); cancer of the thyroid, breast, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, pancreas, bile ducts, gall bladder, salivary gland, urinary tract (renal pelvis, ureter, urinary bladder and urethra), brain, bone, lung, colon, and ovary, bronchiolo-alveolar carcinoma, multiple myeloma, lymphomas (other than Hodgkin’s disease), and primary liver cancer (except if cirrhosis or hepatitis B is indicated).

To determine service connection for other conditions or exposures not eligible for presumptive service connection, VA considers factors such as the amount of radiation exposure, duration of exposure, elapsed time between exposure and onset of the disease, gender and family history, age at time of exposure, the extent to which a non service-related exposure could contribute to disease, and the relative sensitivity of exposed tissue.

Gulf War Veterans with Chronic Disabilities:

may receive disability compensation for chronic disabilities resulting from undiagnosed illnesses and/or medically unexplained chronic multi-symptom illnesses defined by a cluster of signs or symptoms. A disability is considered chronic if it has existed for at least six months.

The undiagnosed illnesses must have appeared either during active service in the Southwest Asia Theater of Operations during the Gulf War period of Aug. 2, 1990, to July 31, 1991, or to a degree of at least 10 percent at any time since then through Dec. 31, 2011. This theater of operations includes Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the neutral zone between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, the Gulf of Aden, the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea, and the airspace above these locations.

The following are examples of symptoms of an undiagnosed illness: chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, skin disorders, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, neurological symptoms, neuropsychological symptoms, symptoms involving the respiratory system, sleep disturbances, gastrointestinal symptoms, cardiovascular symptoms, abnormal weight loss, and menstrual disorders.

EZ Able® is a VA Registered Builder.

EZ Able® works with builders, architects and customers across the continental USA, providing a wide array of products and services that promote independent living.

EZ Able® is an equal opportunity employer.

Phone Outages

2011-06-10T07:57:53-04:00

On June 7 & 8, 2011 our phone service provider experienced wide spread outages. Please accept EZ Able's apologies and know that we are always available. If our toll free number is not working, please call 231-668-9502, leave a message and we will contact you as soon as possible. Sincerely, EZ Able Customer Service.

Here is an excerpt of the message from our phone provider.

On Tuesday & Wednesday we experienced a major outage unlike anything we’ve experienced since launching 8 years ago. For details please read the full explanation below. In short, we had major hardware failure and our disaster recovery systems that we’ve spent millions of dollars on did not work as designed.

Although outages are inevitable with any tech provider, an outage of this magnitude is simply unacceptable and we are very sorry it happened – we know how important your phone is to your business. We want you to know that we take this outage very seriously and are very disappointed that it not only happened in the first place, but it took significantly longer than expected to resolve.

Now that all services have been restored, our team is focused on making sure this does not happen again.

26th Annual Parkinson’s Summer Forum

2011-06-01T13:34:25-04:00

Topic: Psychiatric and Cognitive Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease: Assessment and Management.

Location: NMC Hagerty Center, 715 East Front Street, Traverse City, MI 49684

Date and Time: June 2, 2011, registration begins at 9:30 AM.

Keynote Speaker: Daniel Weintraub, M.D.

Dr. Weintraub is Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Pennsylvania and Psychiatrist at the Parkinson’s Disease Research, Education and Clinical Center at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. A board-certified geriatric psychiatrist, he conducts clinical research in the psychiatric and cognitive complications of Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease and is author of more than 50 original research articles. He com-pleted a NIMH Career Development award titled, “Depression Diagnosis and Treatment in Parkinson’s Disease,” and has also been Principal Investigator on grants from the VA, the Institute of Aging at Penn, the Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, and several industry-sponsored studies.

Dr. Weintraub is on the Editorial Board of Movement Disorders, has been a member of four Movement Disorder Society (MSD) task forces to revise and make recommen-dations for the assessment of cognitive and psychiatric symptoms in Parkinson’s dis-ease, and is Chair of the Psychiatry Sub-group of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)

Another Satisfied Acorn Customer! 2011-5-9

2011-05-09T11:48:57-04:00

I appreciated being able to show my daughter the “sample” stair lift so she could understand it better. Jonathan was very polite in answering my many questions and was always most helpful. I appreciated this very much and would highly recommend him and your stair lift products. I only wish medicare or insurance would help to cover part of the cost.

Anonymous – Traverse City, Michigan

May 6, 2011 - EZ Able® at Senior Living Week Expo (Washtenaw Community College).

2011-05-05T08:38:45-04:00

Find EZ Able® at Senior Living Week Expo, on Friday May 6 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., at the Morris Lawrence Building at Washtenaw Community College. The expo features more than 70 vendors representing senior residences, home health care services, and legal and financial services, as well as different products for the elderly.

The big annual senior event in Washtenaw County starts this week. All the details of Senior Living Week were shared this weekend by our radio show guest Justine Bykowski. Justine is the housing and care coordinator with the Housing Bureau for Seniors.

Justine is immersed in Senior Living Week, and really gets to know many of the participants. She loves the new friends she makes each year.

An important part of Senior Living Week is the 19 workshops, the most ever. There are four workshops held at the expo itself, and the workshops continue through Friday, May 13. These workshops cover many interesting topics, everything from “The Online World of Facebook and Skype” to “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?”.

The final major component of Senior Living Week is the 26 open houses at residential communities across Washtenaw County. These events start Saturday, May 7, and run through Sunday, May 15. This is a wonderful chance to explore and learn all about the terrific local housing options.

For any questions, and to confirm space availability for any of the workshops, please contact Justine or the Housing Bureau for Seniors at 734-998-9336.

To learn much more about this event, the best resource is the website med.umich.edu/seniors.

Turning Questions and Frustration into a Successful Business

2011-05-02T11:14:50-04:00

Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce – Submitted by Nate on Fri, 04/22/2011 – 11:07

While showcasing her work in the 2006 Parade of Homes, Jody Fisk, a small business owner and licensed builder since 1991, heard several attendees ask why no one was building accessible homes, noting their stories of parents being forced from their newly-built dream homes due to the inaccessibility of doorways, showers and stairs.

She responded, “Good question,” and started looking for builders that were specializing in such construction. Intrigued by not easily finding anyone promoting accessible home-building, she went on to build an accessible or “lifetime home” for the following year’s Parade of Homes.

During the building process for that first accessible Parade home, Jody grew frustrated with the lack of good sources for accessible products such as elevators, stair lifts, barrier free showers, threshold ramps, etc. Like a smart entrepreneur, she saw opportunity in the troubles she was experiencing.

As a teenager, Jody had volunteered as an instructor for special needs children, teaching swimming and horseback riding. She later graduated with degrees in electronic engineering and economics from the University of Michigan-Flint, and went on to work for General Motors and Dow Chemical before giving birth to a son, an experience that changed her life perspective, leading her to change fields of work and relocate to beautiful Traverse City.

Then in 2008, Jody combined her ideas from building an accessible home, her previous building experience, her technical expertise from engineering, and her passion for helping people into a new company – EZ Able® with a mission to be a one-stop source for products and services that create lifetime or universal design homes.

EZ Able® now sells accessibility products nationally and offers expert installation solely in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. Jody is a Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist, a board member of the Home Builders Association of Grand Traverse, and (of course) a member of the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce.

“Life is meant to be enjoyed. It is hard to explain, but I feel like I have been ‘called’ to do this work. All of those seemingly unrelated experiences have pointed me here, to this one spot in my life,” she ended.

You can learn more about EZ Able® at www.ezable.com.

Mind Reading: The Surprising Upside of Getting Old by Maia Szalavitz

2011-04-21T17:49:29-04:00

Mind Reading: The Surprising Upside of Getting Old

http://healthland.time.com

By Maia Szalavitz Thursday, April 21, 2011

Americans have tremendous fear of aging — and a great deal of prejudice against the elderly. But, as the joke has it, being old is better than the alternative. And, despite our fears, new research suggests that being old is also a lot better than it looks.

I spoke with Dr. Marc Agronin, whose new book, How We Age: A Doctor's Journey Into the Heart of Growing Old, explores these issues through the rich stories of his patients' lives. Agronin is the psychiatrist for the Miami Jewish Health Systems, a nonprofit that is the largest provider of health care for seniors in the Southeast.

What led you to want to work with older people?

When I went to medical school, I knew I wanted to go into psychiatry, that was a given. In my second year, by a chance encounter I began working with a geriatric psychiatrist and I loved the work. I took an immediate interest in working with older patients. They reminded me not only of my grandparents but also of my wonderful aunts and uncles. I felt that there was so much I could learn from these elders that I was just drawn to it and never looked back.

Many people would think that would be a very depressing field of medicine.

I see that all the time and experienced it even when I was doing my training. The older patients were often the ones that the students didn't want to be around. [But] the difference wasn't just in attitude for me: whenever I had experience with older individuals I quickly had deep appreciation for not only their life experience, but also the gratitude they had when someone younger would spend time with them. It was always a positive experience. I never regarded it as something frightening or unpleasant. I love the stories they tell and hearing about history. So, for me, writing this book was natural — it would be full of stories.

Research now suggests that as we age, our moods improve and we actually grow happier.

There's great potential. It didn't occur to me right away how much people learn and grow as they age. That message really transformed my view of aging. I wasn't trained to look for strengths, but found over time that those strengths are the things that get people through difficult times, whether psychological or spiritual or emotional. They also allow people not only to overcome challenges but even to thrive. The more I saw, the more impressed I was. Aging, in spite of the inevitable [challenges], is a long process and has its rewards. Amid all the challenges, often the rewards not only balance things out, but most individuals experience a greater degree of well-being and a deeper sense of meaning than they do when they are younger. I often find I get a little taste of that. I feel when I'm with older individuals, I'm as close to the fountain of knowledge as one can get.

But as a physician, aren't you faced constantly with incurable conditions like dementia?

We have to acknowledge that aging brings great challenges. It brings us closer to the end of life. I would never deny those facts. My job is to face them on a daily basis with individuals. Those I end up seeing in the nursing home are in the most dire situations. Because of my position as doctor, I'm charged with finding solutions to problems that are very tenacious. One is always looking for ways to improve a situation. [But] the connections that people are able to make — whether between doctor and patient, or between grandchild, parent and adult children — can be so rich and can help buffer the difficult emotions that can come with aging. How common is dementia and how do you cope with it? In people 85 and older, the rate of Alzheimer's disease approaches 50% and that's just Alzheimer's. There are other forms of dementia as well. For many people, this is the brick wall of aging. They can envision a good old age except if they develop dementia. It's one of the greatest fears, and every little memory lapse brings up the specter. Based on my clinical experience, individuals still retain their humanity even as they lose their memory. And they really rely on other individuals to keep them vital. The best we can do now — someday, hopefully, we will have a cure — in the interim, there is both a moral imperative as well as a great opportunity to be there with someone and do everything we can to enrich life. And I see that happen every day.

A lot of people say they would rather be dead.

The people who say that universally don't have Alzheimer's. Because just like with any other fear, we project ourselves into it when we are well. When it actually happens, most of time people and family rally. They find ways to deal and cope. It's not like they wake up one day suddenly completely demented. It's slow and there's a long time to adapt. We're working furiously to find a cure and the hope is that baby boomers may live to see the cure.

It's very hard on the caregivers.

That's the bulk of my work, working with caregivers. If you look at caregivers, rates for depression are higher. In our program, we're very aggressive with caregivers and provide as much attention to them as we do to individuals suffering from dementia. The better the caregiver is doing, the better the person with the disease is doing. We help caregivers cope with who the person is now and trying to balance what's still there, and meet them at that level. The ones who do better are able to take changes in stride and adjust. Caregivers with more denial tend to struggle more.

Do your patients become more religious or spiritual?

I find two things. One is that ritual plays a more important role. Rather than prayer, it's lighting the Sabbath candles, meeting with clergy — the behaviors themselves provide comfort. I think it's because rituals tap into deep strengths and conjure up for most people pleasant memories. Also, I don't see individuals reflecting as much about what death is about. It's more about "What can I do on a daily basis to deal with loss of loved ones, stress and pain?" It really is more day-to-day life rather than larger causes and issues.

So people aren't obsessed with fear of death?

Nine hundred ninety-nine times out of 1,000, individuals say that they don't have fear of death. What they fear is pain. They are ready. They don't know what will happen, some even welcome it. [Still], they almost never say they're afraid of death. There's a degree of denial but most of the time, they're happy to talk about it and they're very matter of fact. Many have been through losses. Many have had life-threatening experiences. When you get to that point, death is not such a stranger.

That's surprising to me.

I agree. That's why I usually ask about it. I think, "How can they not be?" It always baffles me. But what people told me seemed to be the opposite of what I expected. My personality at 45 is so different compared with those of people in their 80s and 90s. In fact, the studies show that well-being improves, and stress and worry decline, as people age. The older brain is apparently less reactive to negative experience. Think about the teenage brain; it's a different brain than that of 30- and 40-year-olds. The older brain is different in similar ways. At 18, you can't have the personality of a 40-year-old. It's terrifying to think about being 40 or 50. You can't really imagine what it's like to be 80 and 90. When you get there, it's not what you imagine. Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/21/mind-reading-the-surprising-upside-of-getting-old/#ixzz1KCDehpCF

Symposium - April 29, 2011; MotorCity Casino Hotel Detroit

2011-04-20T15:28:53-04:00

2011 Rehabilitation Symposium

Keynote Speaker: Dr. John McDonald

International Center for Spinal Cord Injury

Kennedy Krieger Institute

Keynote Speaker
John W. McDonald, MD, PhD, a neurologist and research scientist, directs the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury at Kennedy Krieger Institute. McDonald is credited for developing “activity-based restoration” (ABR) therapies designed to help patients with long-term spinal cord injuries recover sensation, movement and independence. ABR was publically acknowledged as producing the substantial and delayed recovery of actor/activist Christopher Reeve, with whom McDonald worked with. McDonald has lead several multi-center clinical trials in spinal cord injury repair, including the first human stem cell transplantation study with the company Diacrin.

Find EZ Able® at the Symposium supporting this important educational event.

The conference is FREE, however if you wish to attend the lunch and keynote presentation, there is a $30 fee. Click HERE for Agenda.

Friday, April 29, 2011
8:00 am – 3:15 pm
MotorCity Casino Hotel
Conference Center
Detroit, MI