Category: blog

Since July of 2020, we’ve given away over 134 refurbished power wheelchairs, the most expensive items in our inventory. New, these power chairs range from $5,000 (basic models) to $45,000 (custom configurations). As you can imagine, giving away equipment this expensive makes a remarkable difference in the lives of people who request it. The challenge now is to keep pace with device donations and demand.

Our technicians spend most of their time evaluating, inspecting, repairing, cleaning, and testing each power wheelchair before it is assigned to a new owner. Every power wheelchair receives two new batteries to ensure the chair will operate properly. We use our limited resources wisely and shop around to get the best price we can for batteries; it costs between $160-$200 per power wheelchair for batteries alone. Since the start of the pandemic, the cost of batteries has risen due to costs associated with the supply chain.

Why are we so motivated? Some people can’t function without this equipment. They’re people with new or lifelong disabilities, older adults, families with children with disabilities, or those with a temporary need due to surgery or illness. Examples include:

•    a 93-year-old WWII/Korean veteran needing a power wheelchair to stay in the home where he and his wife raised their family and to get to his newly built accessible garden.

•    a woman with cerebral palsy from Boston who no longer had the energy to walk long distances received a power wheelchair to get to her appointments and have a social life.

When I tell people what REquipment does–accepting used medical equipment, cleaning, repairing, and giving it away for free–I always get a great response: “That’s wonderful!” “It’s so needed!” “It’s great someone is doing it and not throwing all that equipment away!”
Well, now I’m asking for your support.

REquipment is the only reuse program in the state refurbishing power wheelchairs.  All the other smaller programs have stopped due to the cost of batteries and the increasing complexity of repairing power chairs. When they get a donation offer of a power wheelchair, they send the person to us.  We are the only program that serves the entire state and provides delivery.

Won’t you sponsor a power wheelchair? Approximately. $500 gets a REquipment power chair out of our warehouse and rolling into your communities.

Donations of any amount can be made at www.dmereuse.org through our secure Network for Good portal or by sending a check made out to REquipment DME Reuse Program to REquipment, PO Box 311, Methuen, MA 01844. We will provide you with a tax donation letter.

We feel tremendously fortunate to receive so many wheelchair donations and be able to transform so many lives. Be a part of this!

We promise your donations will be powerful.

I, like almost everyone else, am happy to see 2020 go. Even though the pandemic is still at a peak, there is some hope with the vaccines rolling out this past week that an end is in sight for 2021.  Next step is to get every American, who wants and is able to receive the vaccine, one for free.

I am very hopeful for the DME Reuse Program as we enter the new year as our funding cut has been restored, which will allow us to add additional staff to pick up donations, evaluate, sanitize, refurbish and deliver even more durable medical equipment.  Since July 2020, we have delivered 737 pieces of equipment to MA residents. Equipment such as power and manual wheelchairs, standers, rollators, tub seats and shower chairs, lifts, portable ramps and more.  We are on target to deliver 1500 by June 30th.  Our friends and neighbors, who are seniors, children and adults with disabilities and others, are in need of equipment and we want to provide them with free, quality refurbished durable medical equipment so they can lead safer and more independent lives in their home and community.

We also couldn’t do this without donors, both financial and equipment. Without donated equipment, this program wouldn’t be in existence. We hope to continue to receive bulk donations from individuals, assisted living and other facilities, that no longer need it.  I am incredibly grateful for financial donors, big and small, that help to pay for a tank of gas, replacement wheelchair batteries and the costs associated with doing business in the state. Please continue to support this “safety net” program so it will be there when needed.

Sadly, some people who have survived the COVID-19 virus will go on to have long term symptoms and conditions. Their chronic condition may mean they will need durable medical equipment for mobility or to conserve strength or energy. We will continue our outreach activities to let the range of social service agencies know about our program and pass it on to the people they serve.  If you need more information check our website at www.dmereuse.org or call us at 1 800 261-9841.

Stay safe, continue to wear your mask, social distance, wash your hands frequently, get the vaccine when available and look out for others.

Happy New Year!

October of 2020 was an excellent month for REquipment!  We delivered 135 refurbished and sanitized DME devices to our neighbors across Massachusetts. These included 40 manual wheelchairs, 8 power wheelchairs, 7 scooters, and 24 shower chairs: devices that make it possible for individuals of all ages with disabilities, as well as seniors and veterans, to get around in their homes and communities with independence and confidence. We couldn’t be prouder to be serving Massachusetts communities this effectively and safely (with tight Covid-19 protocols) during the pandemic.

To date this year, we have delivered 523 pieces of refurbished equipment valued at over $680,000!

However, I’m reaching out because we need your help and support for continuing into the new year. Massachusetts has not passed an FY’21 state budget, and our state contract ends December 31. Rumors are the budget won’t pass until early January 2021, but we have no assurances. Without a guarantee of funding, we will be forced to lay off staff and shut down operations starting in mid-December.

How you can help:

1. Contact your state senator and state representative and let them know they need to pass the FY’21 budget as soon as possible so that programs relying on state funding can provide services. Need their email address or phone number? Search your legislator.
2. Ask your state senator and state representative to ensure the REquipment Durable Medical Equipment Reuse Program gets funded through June 30, 2021, in Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission’s 4120-4000 account.  Let them know the program will close down without their support. Let them know why this program is important to you.
3. Make a financial donation to the program through our web portal at www.dmereuse.org or send a check to REquipment DME Reuse, PO Box 311, Methuen, MA 01844.  We have secured a small SBA loan to cover salaries for 6 weeks beginning January 2021. But we need resources to pay for telephones, gas for delivery vans, etc. to bridge the gap while we await a contract extension.

Your support will mean so much during this critical time. Please feel free to contact me at klangley@dmereuse.org with any questions. Thank you for your essential ongoing support.

REquipment is delighted to announce a new partnership with the Cape Organization for the Rights of the Disabled (CORD’s) Mobile Food Pantry. The Mobile Food Pantry serves thousands of residents with disabilities who can’t get to food pantries on the Cape. CORD and REquipment are joining forces to spread the word about their essential services for individuals with disabilities.

CORD is the independent living center that serves individuals with disabilities on the Cape and Islands. CORD’s bus removes access barriers by bringing food closer to where people with disabilities live, increasing food security, and improving health. The Mobile Food Pantry has a visible presence on the Cape; the bright yellow bus travels across 13 towns between Bourne and Provincetown. The bus is operated by volunteers and since inception, the program has distributed 6,800 bags of food from designated delivery sites.

REquipment does not have a physical presence on the Cape. Getting the word out about our program has been a challenge there. The visibility of that bright yellow bus inspired us to purchase ad space and help support its mission. Now, as the bus travels up and down the Cape, REquipment’s logo and message is carried with it: “Choose to Reuse Your DME.” Our ad is helping support the operation of a program that has been “Fighting Hunger – Feeding Hope” since 2016.

We are thrilled to join together in this way and help promote food security and greater independence and safety at home and in the community. We hope to see an increase in equipment donations as well as equipment reassignments on the Cape this next year as a result of this partnership.

For more information about the Mobile Food Pantry contact CORD at (508) 775-8300 or cordinfo@cilcapecod.org.

This past month REquipment Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Reuse Program hit an important milestone. Since our program was first piloted in 2013, we have now refurbished and delivered over $10 million worth of durable medical equipment to seniors, people with disabilities including children and veterans, and those with a temporary need throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

How many devices does this add up to?

5,535 power and manual wheelchairs, scooters, standers, lifts, rollators, bathroom devices, portable ramps, recreation equipment, and other types of DME have been distributed. Each has meant a Massachusetts resident was made safer and more independent at home and in their community.

Residents like the woman whose son called us desperate to obtain a manual wheelchair so she could get out of the hospital in advance of the Covid-19 epidemic. With our assistance, she was discharged the next day with a new-to-her manual chair.

Residents like the woman with a terminal condition whose daughter asked us for a power chair so her mother could get around her house and regain a sense of some control in her life. We provided the chair and her daughter let us know about the renewed independence her mother felt during the time she’d had left.

We’ve been humbled to help so many Massachusetts residents avoid institutionalization and help others transition home more quickly from a hospital or nursing home.

Some of our favorite successes, however, are hearing from residents who are using adaptive bikes or sports equipment for the first time. REquipment has made it possible for individuals with disabilities to get out with their family and friends and enjoy what it feels like to ride a bike and be a part of the group, boosting their quality of life and sense of well being.

So let’s celebrate! Not only have we improved lives, our program has also saved public and private insurers and those paying out of pocket, millions of dollars by giving valuable equipment a second life, and keeping it out of landfills.

In the words of Massachusetts Senate President Emerita Harriet Chandler, “REquipment is a gem of a program!”

View an audio-described version of this video

A power wheelchair was recently donated to REquipment with an anonymous note intended for the next user. Get out your tissues and never underestimate the power of a wheelchair (or a reuse program!) 

To the recipient of this chair:

I am truly sorry about the circumstances in which you find the need for this chair. I can only hope it brings you as much enjoyment, comfort, and peace of mind as it did for my husband.

It has been a difficult decision for me to part with this chair. However, I know in my heart that the time has come for me to pay it forward.

This chair gave my husband the ability to do some of the simplest things in life that most may take for granted. In his final days, my husband was able to go outside and enjoy fresh air and even walk our dog which was so amazing to see (I recorded it). The first time he got in the chair and went out the door, he left track marks on our front lawn. I think he thought he was riding a Harley or driving a Maserati. Either way, the rubber hit the road and he was in his “glory days.” Of course, I think he was showing off a little bit, too, trying to impress me. Imagine that, 23 years of marriage and he was still trying to impress me.

We both underestimated the power of this chair because it had nothing do do with the motor, albeit powerful. You see, the power of the chair was about the “glory days” he felt while using it in ways that would not have been possible without this chair. Even if it was for just a short time.

I hope you find those moments as well! I will leave one last thought, below, which I whole-heartedly believe:

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.” Author unknown

Best wishes to you as you embark on this journey with this chair!

It’s been almost four weeks since we last delivered DME due to the novel coronavirus outbreak. I’m writing to report that as of yesterday we are again making deliveries from our Worcester location. We are not yet accepting many donations, but we are making progress toward providing more services. Here’s how this is rolling out:

REquipment is an “essential service” – Yay!

Recently the state determined REquipment provides an “essential service” and can, therefore, remain open (our Worcester and Canton sites are in state-operated facilities). Since then, we have been scrambling to acquire Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for staff who clean/refurbish and deliver donated medical equipment.  Currently, we do not have what we need to open our Amherst and Pittsfield sites, and since our Canton site is short-staffed, we are focusing our return to operations in Worcester.

New priorities

As of April 8th, we are implementing new priorities. Deliveries of refurbished equipment will be prioritized over the pick-up of donations. We have a waiting list for over 80 devices that amassed while we were unable to access our inventory!

For delivery, we are serving individuals with the most urgent needs first. Priority one are people requesting wheelchairs or sling lifts for urgent health/safety issues or to effect discharge from a hospital or rehab setting. Next are requests for tub seats, shower chairs, rollators, etc. We are currently not delivering equipment for use in a classroom setting–as schools are closed–or any equipment for recreational purposes.

New protocols

Rest assured, “clean” deliveries and “dirty” donations will not be carried in the van at the same time. Our vans will also be thoroughly cleaned when all deliveries for the day have been made.

Deliveries of equipment will only be accomplished on a “no contact” basis with receivers. Drivers will wear masks and gloves and cleaned equipment covered with a plastic bag. While establishing a delivery date and time, we will ask if there is a location such as a porch, deck or garage where the equipment may be left. People requesting DME must be home to retrieve it after our driver informs them it has been delivered.  Receipt forms will be handled electronically.

When will donations be accepted?

Call us if you have a wheelchair, scooter, lift, or bathroom equipment to donate but don’t need it collected urgently. We will accept donations after we have completed delivery for everyone currently on our waiting list. We also must first acquire appropriate masks for equipment cleaners/refurbishers.

Our priority for picking up donated items will be to collect power and manual wheelchairs, scooters, and sling lifts first. Other donations will be accepted on an “as needed” basis only.  All donations will be quarantined in an off-site storage container for 5-7 days. After that period, staff using appropriate PPE will begin assessing, refurbishing, and sanitizing equipment and then listing it on the inventory as available.

Know we are grateful

It was good news when the state of Massachusetts recognized the essential role we are playing to keep our neighbors safe and well and out of medical facilities needed for this crisis. We have been anguished to not be in a position to fill urgent needs: the woman whose husband has end-stage ALS and requires a sling lift to keep him safe and with her at home; the man stuck in the hospital waiting for his new power wheelchair in order to be discharged. Now we can address these needs and soon we hope to have the capacity to respond to urgent calls for donation pick-ups, as well. To those who need us in this way, please understand that while we cannot yet accept all donations, we are grateful for your gently-used DME, and we understand very well how collecting the equipment of a deceased loved-one and providing it an appropriate home can also be an urgent need. Thank you and know that we are holding you in the light (as the Quakers say).

Please continue to request our equipment through the online inventory at www.dmereuse.org.

Have access to masks? Please contact me at klangley@dmereuse.org.

In the nursing home, no one thought he could talk. He did it so rarely. A proud African-American father of two school-aged children, “Andre” was in his late 30s when he experienced a series of strokes that resulted in partial paralysis to his left side. He spent two years in a substandard nursing home, leaving bed rarely, silent with resignation.

Three months ago, MRC’s Acquired Brain Injury program moved Andre to residential living. Funds available through a “Moving Forward Plan” MassHealth Waiver made the transition possible and he was soon evaluated for the equipment he would need to live in a group home. The nursing home had sent him with a standard folding manual wheelchair that did not fit his large frame and without the features necessary to keep him securely seated. His new equipment, however, would take months to receive from the vendor. What would he do in the meantime? Stay in bed? Nothing new there. For a month, Andre missed doctor appointments and submitted to sponge baths.

Then the mother of another resident, herself a REquipment program user, suggested the group home find Andre reuse equipment while he waited for his new DME. Anna, the group home program director, had not heard of our program and was swiftly on our website. She saw equipment that looked appropriate and called to speak with our staff. The devices, a manual full-tilt wheelchair, and a large shower chair, had been posted to our inventory just four days prior. “It feels meant to be,” she told us. Anna collected them from our Worcester center in a matter of days.

Andre was suddenly mobile.

“He has long conversations with us now,” Anna reported in a recent follow up for this story. “He’s had the equipment for two months and it’s been life-altering.”

Yes, he’s still waiting on his new devices.

“Simple things make a huge difference for someone who was basically in bed for years,” she emphasizes. “He can take a shower ‘like an adult,’ is how he puts it. He can make doctor appointments and he recently went into the community for a haircut. That experience was so important to him.”

Anna says Andre uses the chair for, often, five hours at a time. We could not be more delighted. This equipment is much more than mobility, we know that. It’s dignity.