THE DERBY CITY NSCIA NEWSLETTER

Message From the President

Dear Members & Friends-

Our speaker this month will be Chase Forrester. 'He will talk about KATS Network, which deals with adaptive technical devices for people with disabilities. There are a lot of new innovative items out there that you may not be aware of that could increase your quality of life. He will also briefly discuss the Kentucky (Disability Coalition and what its mission is. He will have some very helpful handouts as well, so come join us for what should be an interesting and informative talk.

The following officers were voted in when elections were held at last month's meeting:
president, David Allgood; Vice President, Adam Ford; Treasurer, Tom Stokes; Secretary, Michael Feger, Member at Large, Mike Perry, Member at Large, Kelly Young.

Next month's meeting will be held at Frazier Rehab, 4th floor dining room. Social hour. 6:30; speaker at 7:00 p.m. Refreshments provided

- David Allgood

The following articles are from New Mobility.com

POWER DOOR OPERATORS
By Karl Beck

You're ready to leave for vacation. The van is washed, fueled and running like a dream, the hand controls are tuned and the lift works great. But you can't get into your van because the door operators just died. You have just found out that the best engineered lift in the world is worthless if the power door operators fail.

The truth is that most disabled motorists spend a lot of time and energy picking out the right van and lift, then buy their door operators as an afterthought.

You can find products to operate the doors on most full-sized vans and many mini-vans, including Chrysler's Caravan and Voyager, Chevrolet's Venture and Astro, and Ford's Windstar and Aerostar. Sliding door operators generally have a motor attached to the doorway and a chain, cable, or toothed linear gear to open and close the door. Swing door operators usually have motors mounted in the door, on the floor, or on the lift to activate extension arms that open and retract the doors. One exception is Braun's linear actuator swing door operators that open the doors almost flat against the side of the van to allow clearance for a swing-out lift. Another is a hydraulically powered hatch-back

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THE DERBY CITY NSCIA NEWSLETTER

Derby City Area Chapter
of the
National Spinal Cord Injury Association

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

The Derby City Area Chapter of the N.S.C.I.A. is a membership organization for individuals with spinal cord injuries, their families, and health professionals. Founded in 1984 as a Charter Member of the N.S.C.I.A., it was incorporated under IRS Section 501 (c) 3 as a not for profit organization. The Board of Directors consists of the Officers, Past President and the Board Members At Large.

***

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT
David Allgood - (502) 589-6620

VICE PRESIDENT
Adam Ford - (502) 425-2206

TREASURER
Tom Stokes- (502) 957-5865

LIAISON TO FRAZIER INSTITUTE
Dr. Bill Kraft – (502) 582-5865

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
Michael Feger- (502) 647-0368

PAST PRESIDENT
Adam Ford- (502) 425-2206

BOARD MEMBERS AT LARGE-
Mike Perry
Kelly Young

NSCIA
DERBY CITY CHAPTER
NEWSLETTER

Editor- Barbara Davis

Contributor- David Allgood

POWERED DOOR OPERATORS, CONT'D

door operator for the Dodge Caravan made by Med-Net for its Kneel-Car.

Reliable operation of door openers begins with a good installation. The doors should close smoothly and completely, and the should look like they are closed. Otherwise, it is likely that someone will eventually pull or push the door to check its closure and damage the door operator inside.

It is important for the installer to align all brackets for the door and motor properly and —especially for sliding door operators with a chain drive—make sure the chain doesn't bind. If it does, it will lose its strength over a period of months and eventually break. Once the door operator is in place, the control circuits—which include microswitches to activate or interlock functions with the lift — require very exact installation and thorough testing.

Consumers can help themselves by becoming familiar with the mechanics of the door operators and reading the owners manual. Find the location of any microswitches before taking possession of the equipment and learn what happens when they're out of adjustment.

Almost every current production power door operator has a back-up provision for manual operation of the doors. Make sure you know how to use it. Most back-ups are either a simple handle or a pull-pin that releases the door.

Because of the prolonged exposure to the elements, doors and door operators require more maintenance than lifts or hand controls. This is particularly true for the hinges on swing doors and the roller mechanisms on sliding doors. Both require periodic lubrication and should be put on your van's maintenance list just like oil changes and chassis lubrication.

Continuous problems with a power door operator usually indicate that the door has dropped out of alignment for one reason or another. Depending on the damage and type of door, it can be a quick adjustment or require a body shop to align and repaint the hinge area. It is important to do the job thoroughly because nothing can cause more frustration than repeated door operator problems.

Power door operator designs have become more reliable over the years, but they still require maintenance. If consumers will take the time to educate themselves on proper care and use, they can minimize problems.

THE DERBY CITY NSCIA NEWSLETTER

Refrigerator Calendar
*2004

FEBRUARY        
     

2nd - Elderly & Disabled Advisory Council Meeting
Mon 1:00-2:30 p.m.; TARC; 1000 W. Broadway; Board Room.

16th - NSCIA Derby City Area Chapter meeting; 7 p.m.; Frazier Rehab
Mon 4th floor dining hall; speaker:

21st - Metro disAbility Coalition Meeting; 1 p.m. - 3 p.m.; PVA Office on Goss Avenue.
Sat Speaker to be announced; if questions, contact Terri Leasor at 589-6620 or at mdclouky.org

For More Information Call
David Allgood, 502-589-6620

THE DERBY CITY NSCIA NEWSLETTER

QUESTION & ANSWER

Q: l"m a quad looking for second hand vans. Can you point me to an e-mail list or a web page address?

A: Disabled Dealer magazine lists used mobility equipment and is currently published in Fl and Ca with more regional publications to come. One caveat: Remember that beauty, or in this case, price, is in the eye of the beholder. The magazine does give a useful basis for comparing prices of used adapted motor vehicles. Contact Disabled Dealer by e-mail at disdeal@aol.com or by phone at 800/555-4036.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES' DISABILITY PLATFORMS

Both the National Organization on Disability and the American Association of People with Disabilities now have current information about the presidential candidates posted on their web sites.

Links to the disability platforms of President Bush and each Democratic contender who responded can be found at www.nod.org/election.2004.html. "I am pleased that the candidates' statements linked to our web site reflect serious thought and attention to our constituency by the candidates," says NOD President Alan Reich. "Never have they spoken out so early in a campaign."

AAPD asked a series of questions on such issues as MICASSA to all nine Democratic contenders. Seven responded: Carol Moseley Braun, Wesley Clark, Howard Dean, John Edwards, Dick Gephardt, John Kerry and Dennis Kucinich. AAPD says President Bush was not sent a questionnaire since he definitely will be the Republican candidate. For candidates' responses, log on to www.aapd-dc. org/campaign04/presdisability.html, or call AAPD at 800-840-8844.

ADA CASES TO WATCH

RadioShack is being sued for inaccessible merchandise displays, lack of clear path travel, and inaccessible entrances. One of the plaintiffs, wheelchair user Stephen Rosen, says he tried to enter a RadioShack in Bethesda, Md., but a step blocked the entrance and RadioShack employees ignored his requests for help, saying they were "too busy."

In addition to Rosen, the RadioShack plaintiffs

include the Disability Rights Council of Greater Washington and wheelchair user Selene Fear DaltonKumins. The DRC says 100 percent of the RadioShacks in the Washington, D.C., area are inaccessible in one way or another.

Also in Washington, D.C., four former patients with physical disabilities sued the Washington Hospital Center in late November, saying the hospital lacks adjustable-height examination tables, accessible nursing call buttons, rest rooms and telephones. Plaintiffs in both cases are being represented by the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.

MED SCHOOL? NO PROBLEM

Dale Brannon was a 24-year-old college junior when his plans to attend med school were put on hold—but only temporarily—after a C6-7 injury in 1994. Now in his first-year residency at the University of Oklahoma, Brannon joins the small but growing number of quads who've graduated medical school.

"I had to do a gut check," he says of his post-injury options. "I was married, had a baby, and considered teaching, business, or running a restaurant, but those things would have been just as difficult, so I just did what I always wanted to do. The biggest hurdle was just getting in."
Brannon employs a nurse practitioner to assist in some duties of his first-year residency in nuclear medicine, but the expense is out-of-pocket. "I'll accept assistance when I'm entitled to it," he says, "but nobody's going to see me trying to get a free ride."

Still, Brannon admits he didn't get through med school entirely on his own. "If it wasn't for my wife and family, I wouldn't have been able to do it," he says. "I saw a lot of guys abandoned by their friends and families in rehab. I know how lucky I've been.

LOOK MA, FREE HANDS!

Quads are benefiting from an advanced application of functional electrical stimulation in NeuroControl's Freehand system, which restores some hand function.

"I use mine every day and I'm lost without it," says Freehand user John Mumford of Denver, a 49-year-old C5-6 quad who's been using the implant for three years. "I use my hand the same way someone with a functional hand would. Instead of wishing I could do what was needed or wanted," says Mumford, who is 18 years post-injury, "I

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THE DERBY CITY NSCIA NEWSLETTER

LOOK MA, FREE HANDS, CONT'D

activate my hand to do it." Added benefits are less attendant care and higher self-esteem, he says.

A survey in the March 2001 issue of Spinal Cord reported that seven Freehand users added an average of 11.3 daily living tasks from a list of 29 provided by researchers. They also added activities not on the list, such as playing pool, sweeping the floor, using a TV remote, applying makeup, removing and replacing spectacles, and cooking. Two of the users became fatigued and one reported exercise-related dysreflexia, but these side effects were eventually resolved.

The implant procedure isn't cheap — $60,000 to $65,000 - but it's covered by many insurance companies, and post-op training is reasonably brief. For more information, contact NeuroControl at 800-378-6955 or www.neurocontrol.com.

WE LOVE THIS WEB SITE

Are you hungry, out-of-town and looking for an accessible eatery? Plug in your laptop, log onto Wired on Wheels at www.wiredonwheels.com, and pick your cuisine. This searchable database lists reviews of restaurants by wheelchair users across the nation. The system works great for big cities with lots of webheads, but small and mid-sized cities — with proportionately fewer technogeeks — are not as well covered.

FOR SALE!!!!***

*1999 Customized Chrysler Town &Country LX; excellent cond.; forest green exterior; 3.3 liter V6, power windows; power locks; power mirrors; 42,000 mi; CD player, AM/FM radio; hand controls; dropped floor; kneel system; removable driver seat; removable passenger seat; power ramp; power door; remote entry. Call Charles Bond; (502) 893-2897.

*Ro Ho high profile 16x16 cushion; new - still in box; $175; 589-6620.

*Wheelchair; 20" wide; adjusted petals; standard wheels; asking $2,2500. Quickie wheelchair; 19" wide; asking $2,000; needs batteries. New bedside commode; used; $75.00. Call 502-636-4043.

*1984 Dodge Ram; handicap conversion; Crow River lift w/exterior/interior controls; heightened roof/door; captain chairs; exchange driver's seat; hand controls; AC; AM/FM cassette & CB radios; wheelchair lock down/ties; rear bench; 2 spare captain chairs; 86,584 miles; good condition. Call 859-734-6852.

*Ford 1997 Econoline Van; 100,140 mi; $16,000. Hunter Green-gray; new tires & brakes; "loaded"; call 270-786-4547; ask for Dale.

* Jazzy Electric Wheelchair; $2,000; 812-867-0137.

*1985 Komfort Koach Van with Power Lift; V-8; 350 BB; 5 liter engine; wheelchair safety straps; hook; television; power window and door locks; 127,000 mi; excellent condition; new tires; AC/front and rear vents; cruise control; AM/FM radio; tape deck; CB radio; game table and window shades; trailer hitch. Asking $2,995. Call 425-0314.

*Video tapes for sale. Various topics related to spinal cord injuries. Call David Allgood or Buddy Lawson.

***If assistance is needed to pay for any of the above items, contact Kentucky Assistive Technology Loan Corporation at  for information on loans at 5% interest to qualified candidates.

THE DERBY CITY NSCIA NEWSLETTER

You are cordially invited to join us!

The Derby City Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association
consists of people with spinal cord injuries and similar physical conditions, their family members, friends, and
professionals or other interested parties.

We meet:

WHEN- Third Monday of every month from 6:30 to 9:00 PM
WHERE- Frazier Rehab Center , 4th floor Dining Room
220 Abraham Flexner Way

If you wish to be a member, donor, and/or be on the mailing list of the Derby City Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association please complete and mail the following form to the address below