Regional Roundup Nov 8, 2009
Sharon Boyd is in fair condition at UC-Davis after being hit by a car in her electric wheelchair at the intersection of Ham Lane and Walnut Street on Thursday morning, said Susan Mar-Schwab, hospital spokeswoman. Boyd, 51, was crossing the street in the crosswalk when an unlicensed, 18-year-old female struck her. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Woman in wheelchair struck by car Nov 7, 2009
Sharon Boyd was struck by a car while she was in her electric wheelchair Thursday at the intersection of Walnut Street and Ham Lane ... Neighbors surrounding Ham Lane and Walnut Street were shaken up Thursday morning after a woman in her electric wheelchair was struck by a car at the corner of Ham Lane and Walnut Street. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Woman in wheelchair hit on U.S. 1 dies Oct 29, 2009
A woman in an electric wheelchair, who in the past drew warnings from officers to use intersections when crossing the street in South Daytona, was killed this week when a motorist hit her, police said Wednesday. Diane Elizabeth Knoop was a colorful, cheerful woman known for singing the blues and using a motorized wheelchair to traverse town, said Gus Murphy, administrator of the nursing home Oak Tree Health Care, where Knoop lived for the last two years. (Daytona Beach News Journal)
Organized crime's new target: Medicare Oct 23, 2009
Two Nigerians, Christopher Iruke and his wife, Connie Ikpoh, were charged October 15 with bilking Medicare of $6 million dollars by fraudulently billing the government for electric wheelchairs and other expensive medical equipment ... Agents questioned Burdi, a psychiatrist, about whether he had prescribed $800,000 worth of electric wheelchairs for Medicare patients ... "I said no. I am a psychiatrist. Why would I prescribe an electric wheelchair?" said Burdi. (CNN -- Law)
Thai king makes first appearance in more than month Oct 23, 2009
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's 81-year-old king made his first public appearance on Friday after more than a month in hospital, in an electric wheelchair and surrounded by hundreds of well-wishers as he visited statues of his parents. The health of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the world's longest-reigning monarch, is a sensitive topic in financial markets because he is the sole unifying figure in a politically polarised country with a long history of coups and upheaval. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Ailing Thai King Makes Public Appearance Oct 23, 2009
Wearing a light-blue short-sleeved shirt, Bhumibol was wheeled in an electric wheelchair into a closed-off area of the hospital compound, surrounded by hundreds of well-wishers. The king's health is an extremely sensitive topic in Thailand because of concerns about his eventual succession. (Time.com)
Toughing it out Oct 22, 2009
I don t have bad days anymore, he said in his electric wheelchair. I can feel things getting better every day. (Boston Globe)
Japan's car brands get personal Oct 22, 2009
Suzuki is taking the personal mobility concept further by introducing a zero-emission electric wheelchair. The Fuel Cell Senior Car uses a methanol mix, carried in a tank under the seat, to generate electricity through a fuel cell to power the vehicle's electric motor. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Dinner planned to help Habitat for Humanity Oct 9, 2009
Cook was then on the Habitat for Humanity board (Somerset Daily American, PA)
Hanover seniors give acupuncture a try Sep 24, 2009
Marilyn Kosianowicz, who gets around on an electric wheelchair, suffers from neuropathy in her leg and has tried acupuncture once before. I m definitely feeling some sensations in my leg from the needles, she said. (Hanover Mariner, MA)
Bike benefit for Suwanee man Sep 12, 2009
Although the ride s proceeds pay day-to-day expenses and computer upgrades, Judy Samples said this year the funds will go toward an electric wheelchair, one her husband can navigate on his own with the facial device. He hasn t been out of the room since 2001, she said. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Starting over after fire: 'Lucky' to escape blaze Aug 29, 2009
She had just obtained an electric wheelchair, knowing her worsening condition would soon require it. The chair was damaged in the fire, and she has not yet found out if it is repairable. (Gaylord Herald Times, MI)
Electric wheelchair stolen Aug 28, 2009
POST FALLS, Idaho (AP) -- For three months, Christopher Sollenberger has ridden the bus to his job at the Post Falls Goodwill and picked up his electric wheelchair from the spot where his mom drops it off, behind the store and well away from the donation area ... But when he showed up at the thrift store on Tuesday, the 5,000 electric wheelchair had been stolen, the Coeur d'Alene Press reported. (Pocatello Idaho State Journal, ID)
Japan robotics experts unveil sci-fi wheelchair... Aug 27, 2009
Robotics and medical experts in Japan on Wednesday unveiled the prototype of a new hi-tech electric wheelchair that resembles a scooter and promises greater mobility. Users ride astride the four-wheeled Rodem -- rather than sitting in it, as in a conventional wheelchair -- steer it with a joystick and hold onto motorbike-style handles while the knees and chest rest on cushions. (The Drudge Report)
Paralyzed teen refuses to accept doctor’s diagnosis Aug 27, 2009
In just a year, this teen-ager with the two titanium rods, 16 screws and numerous pins in her neck has learned to feed herself, brush her teeth, put on her makeup, write her name (large but legible), send text messages on her cell phone and drive her electric wheelchair. Two weeks ago, she started flexing the wrist on her dominant right arm. (Winter Garden West Orange Times, FL)
•Volunteers aid community, United Way Aug 26, 2009
Dunn has used an electric wheelchair since her arthritis worsened and she collapsed in her home about two and a half years ago. Her partner cleans and cooks and helps Dunn around the home but never could find the time to paint the exterior. (The Daily Journal)
After the Community Shower: Im all worn out from everything that happened Aug 19, 2009
Lost also was the mobility provided by her electric wheelchair. A battery charger for the chair was destroyed in the fire. (Gaylord Herald Times, MI)
It was total chaos, says Alpine Haus fire survivor Aug 12, 2009
By Lorene Parshall, HT Staff Writer Tuesday, August 11, 2009 3:23 PM EDT GAYLORD -- "I was the first one to see the fire, said Monica Kessler, talking about the July 22 destruction of the Alpine Haus Apartments where she resided. I went outside after the storm and I saw smoke coming out of the roof. Kessler is a slender, 44-year-old woman who looks much younger than her years. She has a quick smile, dark hair and dark sparkling eyes that seem to cloud over when she talks about the fire. I was... (Gaylord Herald Times, MI)
- At 87, El Centro man still knows how to put on a party 0 Aug 9, 2009
His secret to good health into his old age, he said, is staying active his family said he never uses an electric wheelchair they bought for him, he prefers to walk and watching his diet. Though family parties always involve slaughtering a large animal for the feast, Macias, who in the 1980s had two major heart operations, said he sticks to chicken and vegetables. (El Centro Imperial Valley Press, CA)
Jamies takes the wheel for disabled girl Aug 6, 2009
Miranda uses an electric wheelchair to move about, but her parents have difficulty helping her get into their car. She has gotten older and bigger, Kelly told the News. (Weymouth News, MA)
A man on the move Aug 1, 2009
"It was exhilarating," Mr. Mooney said of seeing himself out of his electric wheelchair and walking, thanks to a new program at the Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center. The program uses equipment called Lokomat Pro, where a computer drives robotic limbs attached to the patient's legs to help move them in a walking gait on a treadmill while the patient is supported in a harness. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Briton wins landmark ruling on assisted suicide Jul 31, 2009
"I feel like I have my life back," said Debbie Purdy, who uses an electric wheelchair and has lost the ability to perform many basic functions, after the ruling Thursday by the Law Lords, Britain's highest court. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) now says he will set to work clearing up the legal position and hopes to publish a new policy by the end of September. (Yahoo! Asia News)
Fundraiser set to help Albany man buy van Jul 23, 2009
You may have seen Hasek around town on his electric wheelchair distributing information as ambassador for the Linn County Democrats or one of the other organizations he works with. Hasek is in need of the specially equipped van to get him to treatment at OHSU in Portland. (Albany Democrat-Herald, OR)
Kalaupapa residents caught in middle of Pacific Wings-DOT dispute Jul 23, 2009
For the past week, the argument has migrated to the question of the electric wheelchair ramp at Kalaupapa and whether Kahlstorf and Morioka, who have never met, should meet. Kahlstorf, who lives in Arizona, offered a teleconference. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Life is good without limbs Jul 6, 2009
He uses an electric wheelchair and has a team of carers to help him travel. He has visited over 24 countries and has plans for further travel to South America and the Middle East. (People's Daily Online, China)
Wheelchair 'steered by thought' Jul 1, 2009
Japan's Toyota Motor said on Monday it had invented a way to allow a person to steer an electric wheelchair through simple thought, using a helmet-like device that measures their brain waves. The cutting-edge Brain Machine Interface (BMI) technology uses electrodes attached to the scalp to measure localised brain activity when a user concentrates on certain physical movements. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Technology)
Wheelchair stolen from man's home Jun 28, 2009
The electric wheelchair, valued at $1,500, was gone when the man returned home about 2 p.m., but he couldn't immediately call police because he doesn't have a phone, the man told the officer. Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, June 28, 2009. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Thankful for an act of kindness Jun 5, 2009
It doesn't matter that it was only of slight cost or that I was in an electric wheelchair. Rather, what does matter is the joy such an act can bring into anyone's life. (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
School sense - Teachers turn to rooms to calm or stimulate children Jun 3, 2009
I like cookies and milk, Cesar said, sitting up in his electric wheelchair as the board flashed in yellow, red and blue. I like to do math in school. (Missoulian, MT)
Friends Of Baffour May 28, 2009
Diasporian News of Thursday, 28 May 2009. Diasporian News of Thursday, 28 May 2009. (Ghana Web, Ghana)
Virtual Smart Home Controlled By Your Thoughts May 27, 2009
A virtual environment could be used to train a disabled person to control an electric wheelchair through a brain-computer interface, explains Mel Slater, the coordinator of the Presenccia project. It is much safer for them to learn in VR than in the real world, where mistakes could have physical consequences. (Science Daily)
Stair-climbing chair rolls to a stop May 26, 2009
But a 70-year-old who can't undergo that operation must become too impaired to easily care for herself at home before being approved for a basic electric wheelchair when short stands in the kitchen are less of an issue than going to the grocery store, Boninger says ... Yet by the end of 2006, Medicare had concluded that the stair-climbing function and other features lifting users to standing height and powering over uneven turf weren't medically necessary for at-home care; it would... (MSNBC -- Health)
Cops seriously hurt on job say city stonewalls aid May 23, 2009
Biello said his leg was broken in January when his foot slipped off his electric wheelchair and two brittle bones snapped when his foot caught on a door jamb. Biello said he had tried for six months to get the city to fix the leg rest. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Metro)
Daughters: City negligence caused mom's death May 19, 2009
She was frequently seen traveling around Palo Alto in her electric wheelchair with her fluffy white Samoyed dog, Sintah, who died last fall. -- Palo Alto Weekly staff. (Palo Alto Online, CA)
Let the Games Begin! Special Olympics athletes receive star treatment at send-off event May 15, 2009
A nine-year participant in the Special Olympics, she competed in a pair of electric wheelchair events last year. Nora was absolutely wonderful, said Bliss. (Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise, OK)
More people live with paralysis than doctors knew May 6, 2009
From a youth spent in wheelchair marathons, he's entering middle age suddenly needing more care, like an electric wheelchair instead of a manual. Infections are becoming more common. (North County Times)
Ted Ellsworth: Bringing Instant Hope to the Depleted Job Market via His Unique Business Concept May 3, 2009
"I learned early in life about responsibility as I had a paper route starting at age 11," said Ellsworth, "and worked as a life guard and swimming instructor in high school. Then worked my way through college as a food service employee on campus while also participating as part of the Army Reserve .... a great time of my life but a time that included a moment of my life that changed everything as I had a diving accident at age 21 that rendered me a quadriplegic and confined me to an electric... (Yahoo News -- Press Releases)
Tokay High Grape Bowl graduation not certain Apr 18, 2009
Contrapasso wrote on Apr 17, 2009 2:21 PM:" Jeremy has an electric wheelchair, but the ground at the grapebowl is uneven and it would be very difficult to navigate even in a 4 wheel drive wheelchair. His chair has batteries, but I don't think it just "goes" like a golf cart because I always see him wheeling. I think it's an assistance type chair...not a full power chair. ". sam wrote on Apr 17, 2009 2:13 PM:" Since this is a front page story, wouldn't be GREAT if one of the hospital supply... (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Accessibility serves tourism Apr 6, 2009
That includes getting on and off the plane and preparing for whether the electric wheelchair will be checked at the gate. She said she's encouraged by some of the programs that are becoming increasingly available. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Study: Seattle housing for alcoholics saves money Apr 1, 2009
lilsue62 wrote on Mar 31, 2009 5:40 PM:" They need a place for homeless disabled people to stay at. When I was homeless I was not able to stay at the community house; because I was unable to climb the 3 flights of stairs. When will this community open a shelter where the disabled will be able to stay. I had a good friend who was homeless also. She has no legs and depended on an electric wheelchair to get around in. She was found unconcious behind the 15th ave Safeways. She ended up in a nursing... (Longview Daily News, WA)
Pimping a wheelchair to reach out to young America Mar 25, 2009
The flat screen TV, Playstation, sidecar and speakerphones that Darius was hoping for were no longer a possibility, but the crew was still able to pay West Coast Customs a visit, where Mad Mike attempted to fix his current run-down electric wheelchair. After getting caught in a tornado on the way home from their three-week excursion, the crew returned to find that Clifton Downee, a member of Full Effects (an Atlanta-based company similar to West Coast Customs), had provided Darius with a new... (The Daily Campus, CT)
New Dolls on the Block Mar 20, 2009
Among its hottest items are the Disability Set which comes with two dolls, a guide dog, dark glasses and leg braces; and Tilley, who uses an electric wheelchair. "She's jazzy, she's modern, she's now," says company director Emmanuel Blackman. (Time.com)
Jennifer Barnhill: Stem cell research plagued by misconceptions Mar 13, 2009
Some of my favorite memories are of riding around on the back of his electric wheelchair. His being paralyzed didn t stop him from being the best grandfather I could ever imagine having. (Medfield Press, MA)
Thief makes off with wheelchair Mar 12, 2009
Someone swiped a woman's electric wheelchair valued at $5,900 while it was in a hallway outside her room at Denny Towers, 250 W. Dougherty St., between 3 and 5 p.m. Monday, Athens-Clarke police said. Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Thursday, March 12, 2009. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Patients who stand to benefit Mar 7, 2009
He has no movement below the neck and uses a straw in his mouth to control his electric wheelchair. He is another fund-raiser for stem cell research: "I want to put something back to help the community" he says. (BBC News -- Americas)
Olson out of the hospital, in therapy Mar 4, 2009
He is using an electric wheelchair, but sometimes works with a smaller, manual wheelchair. He hopes eventually to be able to use the manual wheelchair more because it will make it easier for him to get around. (Mason City Globe-Gazette, IO)
Firm recycles medical supplies More people need medical supplies as they lose insurance coverage Mar 2, 2009
An electric wheelchair requires $400 in batteries to run, Hamlet said. It's not a big investment compared to the $20,000 price tag for that type of wheelchair, but battery costs add up, he said. (Fredericksburg.com, VA)
Surgery in the super old: Success at what price? Feb 7, 2009
retirement center in an electric wheelchair, bright red and outfitted with a joystick. But she certainly can walk if she wants to, and often does, thanks to the total knee replacement surgery she had two years ago, when she was merely 100. (MSNBC -- Health)
