REHACARE INTERNATIONAL 2021 has been cancelled
Magazine: Year-round information portal on the topic of "Self-determined living"
Parasports in the time of Coronavirus – restart and reset on hold
To overcome the challenges resulting from the pandemic, sports clubs and associations had to get creative. Reinhard Schneider, Chairman of the Disabled and Rehabilitation Sports Association of North Rhine-Westphalia e. V., knows about the future challenges disability sports face due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on sports associations.
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Height-adjustable, versatile and adaptive – wheelchairs for kids
A wheelchair should fit your needs and support your life wherever it may take you. In theory, you can find the perfect model from many available options. But for one group of people, the choices are more limited – children. Meanwhile, they are the ones in dire need of assistive technology that helps them play with their friends and fosters their independence.
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Labor force participation of people with disabilities in the time of Coronavirus – opportunities and stumbling blocks
Not many of us are lucky enough to find our dream job and stay in it until the day we retire. Sometimes this might be due to health and medical reasons, which could necessitate occupational rehabilitation. If people have a severe disability, Germany’s Federal Integration Offices, or Inclusion Offices along with the pension insurance providers are the responsible authorities.
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Rollators: lightweight mobility aids with style
They used to have an image problem. But now, rollators or walkers, are anything but boring or stuffy. For many, they are treasured state-of-the-art companions for everyday life and a way to express their personality.
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The right assistive technology promotes active sports participation
Whether it’s activities in the water, snow or at home – exercise is a great way to boost your health and feel better. A wide range of assistive technology also makes this an option for people with physical disabilities or mild dementia. Some of these tools allow users to enjoy sports in spectacular, beautiful backdrops – in both winter and summer.
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Lionel Messi and OrCam: Enhancing self-determination in the lives of people with visual impairments
Off the soccer field, professional footballer Lionel Messi is known for his commercials for Pepsi, Lay's or Dolce & Gabbana. Now he has also become the brand ambassador for OrCam MyEye and shines a bright light on this unique assistive technology. Why did the two decide to form this rather unusual partnership?
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Crisis-proof: moso navigates confidently through the coronavirus pandemic
Years of business expertise, in-house production, and new personnel competency – the Motion Solutions GmbH is well-positioned to withstand the challenges brought by the coronavirus pandemic and continues to offer its customers the best service. CEO Gierse discusses the role products like the COSEAT and EasyStand play in this setting and reveals the expectations the moso team has for the future.
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Accessible hiking in the mountains: The X8 off-road power wheelchair takes users to the top
From the valley to the hut in a wheelchair – and no shuttle bus or mountain railway required. Wheelchair manufacturer Sunrise Medical teamed up with various partners as part of a joint initiative to turn this idea into a reality.
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Joëlette Kid makes outdoor experiences more accessible
Going on new adventures with the whole family is fun for everybody. At least, if the necessary assistive devices meet the needs of their users. So does Joëlette Kid – the new all-terrain chair by Ferriol-Matrat. In an interview with REHACARE.com, Alison-Lore Bourget told us about the special features and how especially the children react to their new possibilities.
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Mobility: Small hand control systems with a big effect
Simple, ergonomic, reliable – the multifunctional handles, ACCEL BIKE and ACCEL QUAD, enable improved participation in a mobile and self-determined life. What the two solutions have in common and yet differ, Pierre Gouraud, International Sales of Sojadis Equipement, reveals in an interview with REHACARE.com.
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EXTRA: Made to measure sports wheelchair for a better performance
Solid and adapted – this is how auxiliary means for competitive sports such as wheelchair basketball should be. That's why EXTRA wheelchairs from Turkey offers made to measure sports wheelchairs to professional sports people. REHACARE.com talked to Demirhan Serefhan, Managing Director of EXTRA, about the importance of customization and valuable feedback directly from the basketball court.
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Photo gallery: A safe island for siblings
Since May 2020, the sibling support of the Angelika Reichelt Kinder- und Jugendhospizes Joshuas Engelreich (English: Angelika Reichelt Children and Youth Hospice) has been taking place in the newly created so called Geschwisterinsel (English: Sibling Island). You can gain a small insight in our photo gallery.
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Janine Kolbig – That's how she rolls
Living a self-determined life is a matter of the heart for Janine Kolbig. She is the founder of the Centre for Self-Determined Living Northern Germany, which advises people with disabilities and represents their interests. What self-determination means to her, who the origin of this movement is for her and how she otherwise rolls, she tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Jesi Stracham – That's how she rolls
Jesi Stracham is a wheelchair user and has no problem with it: Over the years, she has learned to accept herself as she is and to detach herself from societal expectations – she no longer wants to have any labels put on her. How she has achieved this mindset, why every day is a good day for her and how she otherwise rolls, she tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Tobi Kroll – That's how he rolls
How can we arrive in an inclusive world? Tobi Kroll has a few suggestions, because he is always thinking about barriers – both structural and social. But he also has some ideas about how society can accommodate people with disabilities. Who he would like to discuss our society with and how he otherwise rolls, he tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Ronja Holze – That's how she rolls
Sport has a special significance in Ronja Holzes life: First it helped her to accept her new life situation, then she fought her way up to the world championship and into the national squad in just a few years. Which sports she is talking about here, which auxiliary mean is particularly important for her life as an athlete and how she otherwise rolls, she tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Rita Ebel – That's how she rolls
Rita Ebel has become known as the "Lego granny": Since accessibility is still a scarce commodity, she designs ramps made of interlocking plastic bricks. Boxes of the colourful bricks are stored in her house and are transformed into ramps with creative patterns. Why she herself is dependent on accessibility, why she never loses her smile and how she otherwise rolls, she tells us on REHACARE.com.
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Better swallowing and understanding: Sophisticated aids from the field of speech therapy
Some aids may play a minor role in life, but they make everyday life much easier. These include products from iuvas medical: on the one hand, the transparent mask miama, which makes communication in the pandemic clearer. On the other hand, the sippa drinking aid, in which the contents are kept constantly at the top by a membrane so that people with dysphagia can swallow more easily.
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WheelSim VR: learning safe electric wheelchair operation thanks to virtual reality
LIFEtool is as non-profit organization that counsels and equips people with the tools, they need to be successful. The Austrian company now successfully adapted its 2D-based simulator WheelSim to virtual reality. VR training enables power wheelchair users to practice difficult tasks in a safe environment.
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Head support system HeadUp Collar: Communication at eye level
Head support systems for ALS patients are often not sophisticated and resemble neck braces. The University of Sheffield developed the HeadUp Collar, which can be individually adapted to the needs of the patient. REHACARE.com asked Anita Ogale, Product Manager at ProWalk, what makes the new head support system so special.
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Sporty and flexible biking – with the new TRETS from HASE BIKES
On your bike, get set, go – the new TRETS from HASE BIKES makes this possible for children with neuromuscular disease. And the best thing about it? Since it has a medical aid registration number, German health insurance companies pay for or contribute to the purchase of the trike. REHACARE.com asked Dario Valenti to find out what makes TRETS unique and why working for HASE BIKES is so special.
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Self-determined interaction in multisensory rooms
Ottobock research partnership for walking after paraplegia
Bionic limbs and orthoses already help people with disabilities lead a more mobile life. Now scientists are building on successes during rehabilitation in the field of robotics: In the same year as the 2021 Paralympic Games in Japan, Ottobock is establishing a lasting affiliation with the Robot Rehabilitation Center in Kobe.
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More older people suffer a traumatic brain injury due to falls
From a minor fall on a bicycle to a serious road traffic accident: The causes of a traumatic brain injury are manifold. About 90 percent of the approximately 270,000 cases per year are classified as mild, ten percent as moderate or severe. Current findings show that traumatic brain injury is increasing in the age group of over-65s.
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Reasons for low rate of employment among people with disabilities
A team of researchers identified nine meaningful reasons that prevent people with disabilities from seeking employment. Their findings provide a much-needed understanding of this population's motives for remaining unemployed, which can inform programs and policies that promote labor force participation of people with disabilities.
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Sustainable decubitus therapy mattress by Funke Medical
Funke Medical AG launched its first climate- and environmentally-friendly decubitus therapy mattress for the homecare sector on July 2, 2021. With this medical device, which is available on prescription, Funke Medical AG is expanding its existing series GREENLINE.
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Spinal Cord Injury: More than half of wheelchair users needs repairs in past 6 months
Among wheelchair users with spinal cord injury 42 percent reported adverse consequences related to needing wheelchair repair. The research team determined that this ongoing problem requires action such as higher standards of wheelchair performance, access to faster repair service, and enhanced user training on wheelchair maintenance and repair.
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An app to help assess the severity of symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome / myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) is a disabling disease, in which people have great difficulties in carrying out their daily activities. Despite its high prevalence, there are still no effective tools for its diagnosis, monitoring and treatment.
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REHACARE INTERNATIONAL 2021 has been cancelled – the next date will be 14 to 17 September 2022
Messe Düsseldorf, in close cooperation with its exhibitors and partners, has decided not to hold the world-leading trade fair for rehabilitation and care this year. REHACARE, which was originally planned for 6 to 9 October 2021, will now take place next year at the Düsseldorf Trade Fair Centre according to the usual schedule, from 14 to 17 September.
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Hearing impairment: A contact lens for the ear
To help improve the quality of life of people with hearing impairment, Mannheim start-up Vibrosonic have developed a new, innovative hearing aid with an integrated loudspeaker that sits directly on the eardrum. This hearing contact lens® is not an implant, and the sound quality it delivers outperforms other hearing systems currently on the market.
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AI improves speech understanding of hearing aid users
In noisy environments, it is difficult for hearing aid or hearing implant users to understand their conversational partner because current audio processors still have difficulty focusing on specific sound sources. In a feasibility study, researchers from the Hearing Research Laboratory at the University of Bern are now suggesting that artificial intelligence could solve this problem.
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Wish fulfilled: New 4Front wheelchair from Quantum
Consumers, ATPs and clinicians asked for some improvements to the 4Front® and Quantum Rehab listened. So they launched the 4Front 2 with the new Smart Traction Control (STC), which, along with Smooth Ride Suspension (SRS), provides stability for smooth obstacle transitions and unmatched driving performance.
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Independently mobile with PARAVAN
Hans Joachim is mobile again. In his Peugeot Traveller, he used to operate the accelerator and brake with Space Drive using the accelerator-brake slider. But due to the vibrations, he also gave slight impulses to the input device when he didn't actually want to operate it. A case for the mobility tinkerers at PARAVAN.
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Multiple sclerosis starts long before the diagnosis
Years before they are diagnosed, persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) make significantly more visits to doctors and hospitals than others. A research team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has now published results of a study suggesting that, in many cases, the complaints may relate to unrecognized early clinical MS events.
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Post stroke: link between walking speed and dual tasking
Research has found that training stroke survivors to walk at a faster speed during recovery can help improve the brain function that enables people to walk and perform another task simultaneously, known as dual-task walking.
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A Tesla Model 3 without steering wheel and pedals
A Swabian entrepreneur brings his vision of the autonomous driving vehicle to the road using a Tesla Model 3 as an example. Equipped with the triple-redundant drive-by-wire technology Space Drive, the car without steering wheel and pedals impressively demonstrates the potential of this technology - with full road approval. Anyone who opens the doors gets a glimpse of the automotive future.
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BraunAbility and Q’STRAINT announce transformative mobility venture
Complementary companies come together to accelerate innovation in wheelchair-accessible transportation technology for the disability community.
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The future belongs to e-mobility
The future belongs to e-mobility. New to the fleet of converted vehicles at PARAVAN GmbH are therefore the Ford Tourneo Custom and the Peugeot Traveller, two vehicles that are available on the market as electric cars and plug-in hybrids respectively.
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Make-A-Wish: teen receives Quantum power wheelchair
Quantum Rehab recently donated a Stretto Power Chair to 17 year old Austyn Martin as part of his wish from the Make-A-Wish Missouri & Kansas chapter. The new wheelchair not only features iLevel technology but also a special detail from Aston Martin.
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Exoskeleton-assisted walking may improve bowel function
A Research team shows that physical intervention plans that include walking, not just standing, may enhance bowel function in people with spinal cord injury.
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Ottobock: High-tech prosthesis for enhanced safety
About six years after its initial launch, the new version of the Kenevo microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee joint is now being released to the market. The Kenevo is the first high-tech knee joint tailored especially to the largest user group: Users with a low mobility level who mainly move about at home, and newly amputated people who are learning how to use their prosthesis.
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Stroke: Prism adaptation treatment improves rehabilitation outcomes
Performing daily sessions of prism adaptation therapy during rehabilitation results in higher functional and cognitive independence scores for stroke survivors.
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