Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Checklist for Caregivers of Disabled Individuals

As a caregiver for the disabled, you will often discover that assessing the safety and quality of programs or residences for disabled individuals is, at times, challenging, but one of the fastest ways asses this is checking to see if they have following durable medical equipment (DME) on hand.

Wheelchairs

Most participants arrive at their day programs, group homes, or other events with their own wheelchairs, but having a few additional wheelchairs available is always a good idea in case of emergency. There is always a chance that a wheelchair malfunction or an emergency creates the need for an urgent escape from the building.

Patient Lifts

Portable patient lifts should be on hand in order to allow participants who have severe mobility issues to be moved anywhere on the premises as necessary. These can be lifts specifically designated as pool lifts for access into and out of a swimming pool or just to move the individual from place to place within the building. 

Patient lifts are critical pieces of durable medical equipment (DME) in order to prevent strain on the caregivers for the disabled individual, as well as significantly reduce the risk of injury to the individual or the caregiver.

For more severely disabled individuals, these patient lifts might be installed as permanent track lifts that allow the individual to move (or be moved) from important areas of the building such as bedrooms, recreation areas, bathrooms, etc.

Ramps

Most buildings that have any public access are required to have ramps available for disabled individuals, but what about for vehicles that are used to transport these individuals around. Portable ramps are a must for those situations where a ramp might not be available or when access in and out of a vehicle might be necessary.

Grab Bars

Grab bars provide stability to disabled individuals in a variety of settings. These should be installed in any location where additional stability is necessary, such as near toilets, dining areas, or activity rooms. Portable grab bars such as HealthCraft’s Superpole™ or Superbar™ are also helpful in areas where mounted grab bars are not practical.

Railings

Rails installed in hallways, near ramps, and in places where disabled individuals might need help getting up and down from seated positions such as couches, chairs, beds, toilets, and baths are also very helpful.

Bath & Shower Seating

For locations where disabled individuals might live or spend long periods of time, it is a good idea to have shower and bath seating available for them. Another option is a roll-in shower, which is ideal for wheelchair users. Both types of equipment provide some degree of independence while still keeping them safe.

Looking for Durable Medical Equipment (DME) for Your Home or Day Program?

Give us here at Lift and Care Systems a call. We have been serving disabled individuals and their caregivers in the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island for over 20 years now. We have the name-brand durable medical equipment that you need such as Surehands Lift Systems, Bruno Stair Lifts, and Best Bath accessibility products (just to name a few). Contact us today for a free consultation at (508) 465-5254 or fill out our online contact form to speak to one of our durable medical equipment specialists today.