Sincerely, Your Local Service Technicians

At 101 Mobility, we don’t come to work every day for the thrill of selling and installing chair lifts and wheelchair ramps.

Being a local service technician means being out in the field and helping people in our communities get a piece of their lives back. Customers warmly welcome us into their homes in anticipation of a problem solved. We see what no one else in the company sees on a daily basis. We’ve met with a young man in his 20’s who relied on his mother to drive him places after a devastating spinal cord injury. But then we had the opportunity to watch as the expression of pure joy formed on the young man’s face while he drove his old truck through the use of hand controls. As service technicians, we witness frustrated caregivers who seem to be one ‘can’t do it’ away from heartbreak. And we meet World War II veterans who will never take help from anyone, much less a stairlift. We were there when one came home from the hospital to find another sign of his ‘fleeting mobility’. But – our team later checked on the veteran only to find him using the stair lift to watch a movie upstairs with his grandchildren for the first time in years.

The feeling of being able to help bring back some sense of normality, confidence, independence or activity into the lives of our community members is thanks enough. Just recently, a customer from South Carolina wrote us after a custom stair lift installation to show her sincere appreciation. In response, we can only say, it was our pleasure to be of assistance:

“Our grandmother was coming to live with me (Tamara) and was in need of total care, she has Alzheimer’s and is in the end stages; it has taken away her ability to stand or walk on her own. In order to come into my home you have to go up a set of stairs. I started a quest to figure out how I was going to make it possible for our grandmother to get upstairs with ease.

I (Tamara) remembered seeing commercials with stair lifts so began my search on the computer. I came across 101 Mobility and Amber and I made the call. From the moment our call was answered, we were treated with the utmost care. David, the gentleman that we were so lucky to have help us, listened to all of our mobility needs, explained all our options and went above and beyond to make sure my family was taken care of. He then came out personally to install our grandmother’s lift and adjusted it perfectly to fit her.  To this day he continues to call to make sure all our grandmother’s needs are still being met. 101 Mobility has given our grandmother life again and for that we will be forever grateful.” – Tamara  and sister Amber Valletta

 

Stair Lift Reviews

According to the United States Census Bureau, there are approximately 22.3 million Americans experiencing difficulty using the stairs while 7.7 million Americans are unable to climb stairs. The stair lifts that are sold, rented, financed and serviced by 101 Mobility can ease difficulties that people with mobility challenges face in going up and down the stairs. 101 Mobility offers top quality stairlift brands  (Bruno, Harmar, and Sterling),  allowing consumers to choose the right product for their financial and mobility needs.

101 Mobility wants customers to be satisfied with their stair lifts and enjoy their new-found freedom to move up and down the stairs safely. Here are some reviews from 101 Mobility customers about their Stair Lift installations:

Reviews of 101 Mobility Raleigh, NC

‘Hi, just wanted to let you know that we had the chance to use the lift for my brother over the weekend. The lift worked great, we had one before when he lived in Arlington, Va. and this model is a lot more stable and doesn’t vibrate like the old one did.

I just wanted to thank you all so much for being able to respond in a short amount of time to enable us to bring my brother home for the holidays as this will be our first holiday in the new house and we wanted to host our family dinner here.’

Thanks again, Devin

Reviews of 101 Mobility Cleveland, OH

‘Joe and Jeff spent the day with my family while installing Mom’s new chair lift. From the moment they introduced themselves at the front door, til it was time to leave we felt that we put Mom in some very safe hands. They were courteous to her; informative to us; they respected our home and have provided us with peace of mind knowing Mom will be safe. They all provided top of the line customer service. Thank you!’

-A. Mincek

Reviews of 101 Mobility Columbus, OH

‘Joe and Felix arrived promptly to install the Elan stairlift. They were totally professional and efficient. They explained everything thoroughly concerning contracts, warranties, and the operation of the lift. Felix was actually from our neighborhood and Joe (like us) is a veteran. They were very sociable and are now our friends.’

Thank you and Merry Christmas!

L. and T. Kliemann

Reviews of 101 Mobility Cincinnati-Dayton, OH

‘Ed,

Thanks for all of your help. The lift looks great and works flawlessly. Your installers did a terrific job. Those guys really earn their money. Thanks again’

-R. Miller

More Reviews

“When Mom first started using the stairlift, it took a while for her to learn to use it independently.  I still check on her while she is on it since there are times she is confused about the sequence and may turn the chair facing the steps before ascending when it should remain facing to the side.  The beeping sound, although annoying at times, is very helpful in alerting me as to when she has turned the wrong way or when she has completed an ascent.  In the beginning, one of the units was overly sensitive with the beeping and also was slightly difficult to turn, but Nate came out and adjusted it and now it is perfect.  His skills are amazing.  I am very impressed with both the engineering of the design and the exacting installation of both the inside stairlift and outside platform lift.  Mom shows it off to every visitor like it’s part of a carnival ride.  The height of the seat is also optimal for her in ease of sitting and rising.”

- L. Proctor

For more details, there is a brochure available online and also in PDF-format, Stairlifts 101: A Consumer’s Guide.

Best Wheelchair Lifts for Your Porch or Deck

If you or a loved one uses a wheelchair or experiences difficulty with steps, there are now a variety of mobility solutions to choose from, including ramps, vertical platform lifts, incline platform lifts and even outdoor stair lifts. These products significantly increase outdoor independence; Yet, many people are unaware of the outdoor accessibility options available.

Gordon Raney, Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) and the owner/operator of 101 Mobility franchises in Tulsa and Dallas, has a few guidelines to help you pick the best product to meet your mobility needs:

Wheelchair Ramps

Best for? Ramping is the most common way to address accessibility issues within the home. They are perfect for individuals using wheelchairs, scooters, or who simply struggle with stairs.  Folding ramps provide a solid threshold over smaller steps or curbs. More substantial modular ramps are suggested for higher landings.

How much ramp will I need? For every inch of vertical rise, a foot of ramp is necessary. The slope of your property will also dictate the amount of ramping needed. If your property is sloped downhill, more ramping will be needed to create a steady incline and vice versa.

How will I maintain it? Aluminum EZ Access Ramps require basically no maintenance; no rust, rot or decay. Aluminum modular ramps can be disassembled, moved, and easily rebuilt should families move or decide to re-sell.

Incline Platform Lifts (aka Wheelchair Lifts)

Best for? An incline lift may be a viable option for those who have difficulty making transfers to and from their chair or scooter.

How do I use the incline platform lift? The lift includes a large platform onto which the individual can drive their wheelchair or scooter. The platform then follows the incline of the stairs by a rail installed into the staircase, not the wall.

Do I have the space for it? Incline platform lifts generally work well with larger staircases as enough space for the platform to stop at top and bottom landings is required. Keep in mind that average platform size is 28” x 36” and they fold up when not in use.

Vertical Platform Lifts (aka Porch Lifts)

Best for? The platforms are large enough for a wheelchair or scooter; similar to the incline lift, vertical platform lifts are great options for people who are unable to independently make transfers from their chair.

How is this different from an incline lift? Vertical Platform Lifts are essentially mini platforms that lift in a vertical fashion as opposed to an incline platform lift which follows the route of the stairs. Vertical platforms lifts are generally used for porches.

When should I choose a vertical platform lift over a wheelchair ramp? Porch lifts take up considerably less space than wheelchair ramps and certain models enable the user to travel up to two stories high. At approximately 30” of vertical rise, a wheelchair ramp would need to be 30 feet long and likely contain 2 landing platforms.  At this point, it becomes more cost effective to opt for a porch lift instead of a modular wheelchair ramp.

Outdoor Stair Lifts

Best for? Outdoor stair lifts are ideal for someone who is able to walk but experiences difficulty with stairs.

How does an outdoor stair lift work? Similar to indoor stair lifts, they safely transport a person from ground to porch by following the route of the stair case.

How do I keep it protected from the elements? Outdoor stair lift models have marine-grade vinyl seats and other standard features to withstand weather conditions. Ordering a cover to keep the lift free of any dirt or debris is recommended, especially if you live in an area where it frequently snows and rains.

Still have questions? No problem, find your nearest 101 Mobility location by clicking here. Learn more from Gordon Raney about accessibility enhancing modifications in an upcoming post. Stay tuned!

101 Mobility Dayton Opens December 15, 2011

101 Mobility’s proudly welcomed its newest location serving Dayton, Ohio on December 15. The new franchise will serve Dayton, Cincinnati and all surrounding areas. It is owned by Ed Goschinski.  Ed is a long-time resident of the Dayton and Cincinnati markets and has years of applicable experience that should grow the franchise quickly in these markets.  The Dayton location will be the local resource for those who are disabled and those who wish to maintain their independence by improving their mobility. Whether the mobility issue is long or short term, the team at 101 will be available to offer their assistance.

101 Mobility Dayton offers a full range of mobility products including:

• Stair lifts/Chairlifts
• Auto lifts
• Ramps, both for purchase and for rent
• Vertical lifts
• Commercial and residential mobility products including lifts, patient lifts and commercial grade stair lifts.
• Bath, pool and spa lifts
• Bath safety products
• Power chairs
• Power scooters
• Automatic door opening systems

The local 101 Mobility team is also available to help Veterans through the Home Improvement & Structural Alterations grant program.

Ed  is very excited to be opening this new 101 Mobility location. “We are looking forward to being able to help people stay in their homes and maintain their independence,” he says.  “Our goal at 101 Mobility Dayton is to provide our customers with the highest quality mobility products available while also providing them with superior customer service.  We look forward to building relationships with our neighbors and helping them to maintain their independence.”

The Dayton office of 101 Mobility is located in the Carrollton area. The office will be open from 8:30 am to 5:30pm. For more information on how Ed and his team can help you with all of your mobility needs, please call 937-789-5911

101 Mobility Cincinnati Opens December 15, 2011

Proudly serving the Cincinnati, Dayton and surrounding areas, 101 Mobility’s newest location is owned by Ed Goschinski.  The Cincinnati  location’s grand opening was on December 15.  The Cincinnati  location will be the local resource for those who are disabled and those who wish to maintain their independence by improving their mobility. Whether the mobility issue is long or short term, the team at 101 will be available to offer their assistance.

101 Mobility Cincinnati offers a full range of mobility products including:

• Stair lifts/Chairlifts
• Auto lifts
• Ramps, both for purchase and for rent
• Vertical lifts
• Commercial and residential mobility products including lifts, patient lifts and commercial grade stair lifts.
• Bath, pool and spa lifts
• Bath safety products
• Power chairs
• Power scooters
• Automatic door opening systems

The local 101 Mobility team is also available to help Veterans through the Home Improvement & Structural Alterations grant program.

Ed  is very excited to be opening this new 101 Mobility location. “We are looking forward to being able to help people stay in their homes and maintain their independence,” he says.  “Our goal at 101 Mobility Cincinnati is to provide our customers with the highest quality mobility products available while also providing them with superior customer service.  We look forward to building relationships with our neighbors and helping them to maintain their independence.”

The Cincinnati office of 101 Mobility is located in the Carrollton area. The office will be open from 8:30 am to 5:30pm. For more information on how Ed and his team can help you with all of your mobility needs, please call 937-789-5911

Home Design Features that Help You to Age in Place

Whether you are moving into a new home or are making modifications to your current home, choosing the best features can seem overwhelming. When the goal is to choose design features that will help you to “age in place” with comfort, ease, and mobility, the task can seem even more challenging. For many Baby Boomers, the desire to create a home that will meet their needs far into the future is an essential one.

When designing a new home that will age with you, it is best to consider open living floor plans with main living areas all situated on one floor. With your kitchen, family room, bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry, and garage access all within easy access on the same floor, it eliminates the need for you to worry about climbing stairs. However, many people do not wish to build a new home and are looking for ways to modify their existing space. The simple addition of a stairlift can easily overcome the need to climb stairs in any home.

Increasing the natural light in your home can be a significant help to making your home more comfortable as you age. Adding skylights and larger windows helps increase natural light and does not require the homeowner to always turn on lights. If you are replacing windows, consider casement windows over double hung windows as they provide superior ventilation and are easier to open and close.

Other features within your home that make it easier to age in place include:

• The addition of wider doors, 36” wide doors are preferred.
• Opt for lever style handles on all doors.
• Roll out shelves in cabinets in the kitchen and bathrooms allow for easier access to items stored there.
• The addition of D-shaped or loop cabinet pulls.
• Tubs with doors for easy access.
• Grab bars at the toilet and in the shower or tub for stability.
• Lever style faucets in the kitchen and bathrooms.
• Toilet paper dispensers that can be changed with only one hand.
• Counter tops with rounded corners.
• Thresholds or floor level differences of no more than ½” for easy clearance by wheelchairs or power scooters.

In order to reduce maintenance on the exterior of your home, consider upgrading the exterior to low maintenance coverings such as brick, stone, stucco or vinyl siding. All of these allow you to minimize the expense and upkeep of your home.

There are many more ways to improve the functionality of your home making it easier to age in place. Many communities have contractors who specialize in building or retrofitting homes for aging in place. Find a reputable builder who will work with you to accommodate your needs and help you to bring the changes you envision to reality.

101 Mobility Opens First Franchise in Texas

New Company Fills Niche for Home Health Care Mobility Devices in seven (7) Counties, Serving a Population of five (5) Million

Houston resident Deanna Geggatt, a registered nurse and home health care administrator with more than 20 years of experience in the medical field, has taken her compassion for helping the disabled to another level by introducing 101 Mobility to the Houston area. As the first location in the state, 101 Mobility is a franchise provider and installer of affordable brands of mobility and accessibility equipment for the elderly and disabled.

While working as a home health care administrator, Geggatt discovered a void in the home mobility device market.  She found that many patients in need of home mobility devices—such as grab bars, stair lifts, modular ramps, etc.—needed a simple way to choose the right equipment and have it installed quickly and easily.  After researching the options available in the greater Houston-area, she found that consumers in need could either go to small, independent “mom and pop-type” local businesses who at times lacked practical knowledge in mobility-related equipment (because it isn’t their core focus), or they could go to large online distributors who often fail to offer installation or face-to-face-support.

“When the elderly or disabled and their families invest in expensive mobility equipment, they prefer to have local experts install and service as well as provide face-to-face support for ongoing service and repair issues,” Geggatt said.

On August 31, Geggatt, along with her husband Glen, will introduce 101 Mobility to the Houston area, serving a population of more than five million people in seven counties, including Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery and Waller.

101 Mobility is the franchising world’s first full-service sales, service and installation provider of a complete line of mobility and accessibility products and equipment, including stair lifts, auto lifts, ramps, porch lifts, power wheelchairs, scooters and more. By working with patients to identify which home health care devices best suit each individual’s needs, 101 Mobility provides an alternative to group homes and rehabilitation centers by allowing patients to live self-sufficiently in their homes.

The combination of Geggatt’s experience in the home health care industry and Glen’s professional experience working as a contractor serves as the perfect combination for a successful full-service home mobility device business. Glen is also certified as an “Aging-In-Place-Specialist” through the National Association of Homebuilders.

“I think there’s good synergy between Glen and I where I can identify the patients at risk and recommend the right products to them; Glen then brings the technical aspect to the table by handling all the installations,” Geggatt said.

With her background, Geggatt lends her expertise in all things related to home health care mobility to the disabled and senior population throughout the Houston area.

“Our goal is to become a solution that people didn’t have before,” Geggatt said. “There’s not much awareness of what home mobility devices are available to encourage independence and serve as a practical, real alternative to moving to an assisted living facility.”

She continued, “Since we’re part of a larger franchise, we are able to offer better pricing than the small local shops, plus extra support for our customers by tapping into our franchise support network. We hope to develop a strong local business relationship with the community.”

101 Mobility plans for further expansion throughout the state of Texas and is growing rapidly across the Country as well. For more information, visit www.101mobility.com

Can I Install my own Stairlift?

It sounds like a good idea to many people. Buying a stairlift online at a deep discount and then doing the installation themselves. But at 101 Mobility, we really wouldn’t recommend it. A stairlift is an expensive, high tech piece of equipment designed for precise installation by professionals who have been trained to understand all the intricacies of the equipment.

Think about the importance of the chairlift. This chairlift will carry someone you love, up and down the stairs, each and every day, often many times during the day. The whole reason you bought this chairlift is to ensure the safety of that person.  The most important thing is that the chairlift is installed properly so that the person riding the stairlift is safely transported up and down the stairs each time they sit down.

At 101 Mobility, our experienced installers understand the importance of getting it right. They have been through a rigorous training program and are certified to install your stairlift. Our installers have hundreds of hours of training and experience installing stairlifts.  With 101 Mobility completing the installation, you can feel confident each time your loved one sits down that they will reach the top or bottom of the stairs safely.

Is there really any substitute for the comfort that comes with the knowledge of knowing that your stairlift was installed properly and to the highest safety standards by the professionals at 101 Mobility?

Click here to view our complete line of stairlifts.

Preventing Falls and Staying Healthy

Among adults age 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of injury death and the most common cause of nonfatal injuries.  According to the Center for Disease Control, one in three adults age 65 and older falls each year. With so many older adults falling, fall prevent should top the list of safety and health concerns for those aging in place and their families.

What are some of the ways we can prevent falls in the home and promote mobility and independence? 

An easy way to prevent falls is to increase leg strength and balance through regular exercise. Many older adults enjoy Tai Chi because it promotes both of these concepts through a low impact exercise routine. However, simply enjoying a regular walk around your neighborhood is good exercise and a great way to stay fit. Staying active can go a long way toward preventing falls.

Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist to look at all the prescriptions you are taking to ensure there are no reactions between your medications.  Many medications can cause dizziness and when medications interact, dizziness can be enhanced.  If you are feeling dizzy, please take care and speak with your physician immediately.

Don’t forget the importance of regular vision checkups. Getting your eyes checked and keeping your eyeglasses up to date is an important step in keeping falls to a minimum.

Another important way to prevent falls is to install safety equipment in your home. Safety equipment from 101 Mobility helps to maintain your stability. With the help of 101 Mobility, you can install features such as chairlifts/stairlifts and bath safety products to prevent falls in the home.  Our complete line of stairlifts offers you a wide variety of options so you can choose just the right chairlift for your home. From straight line chairlifts to curved rail stairlifts, our experienced professionals can help you find the right stairlift for your home so you can be safe getting up and down the stairs each and every day.

We also offer a complete line of bath safety products. Falls in the bathroom are very common. Don’t let slipping in the bathroom become a concern for you. With the help of 101 Mobility, we can install bathtub doors, grab bars and a variety of other bath safety items for you.

101 Mobility Raleigh Opens June 22, 2011

Proudly serving the Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill areas, 101 Mobility’s newest location is owned by Lisa and Melissa Fosbury.  The Raleigh location’s grand opening is on June 22, 2011. The Raleigh location will be the local resource for those who are disabled and those who wish to maintain their independence by improving their mobility. Whether the mobility issue is long or short term, the team at 101 will be available to offer their assistance.

101 Mobility Raleigh offers a full range of mobility products including:

• Stairlifts/Chairlifts
• Auto lifts
• Ramps, both for purchase and for rent
• Vertical lifts
• Commercial and residential mobility products including lifts, patient lifts and commercial grade stairlifts.
• Bath, pool and spa lifts
• Bath safety products
• Power chairs
• Power scooters
• Automatic door opening systems

The local 101 Mobility team is also available to help Veterans through the Home Improvement & Structural Alterations grant program.

Lisa is very excited to be opening this new 101 Mobility location. “We are looking forward to being able to help people stay in their homes and maintain their independence,” she says.  “Our goal at 101 Mobility Raleigh is to provide our customers with the highest quality mobility products available while also providing them with superior customer service.  We look forward to building relationships with our neighbors and helping them to maintain their independence.”

The Raleigh office of 101 Mobility is located in the Triangle area. The office will be open from 8:30 am to 5:30pm. For more information on how Lisa and her team can help you with all of your mobility needs, please call (888) 258-0652.