REHACARE 2022: Innovations and the latest news from the PRODUCTS & NEWS @REHACARE Expert Forum

Humans have always been resourceful when it came to creating solutions to compensate for physical disabilities. In ancient Egypt, prosthetic devices for the big toe provided support, while Etruscans used gold to create dental crowns. It’s anyone’s guess how well or badly their respective users could walk or eat with these tools. We know that they could not visit the REHACARE trade fair back in those days, even though we can look back on more than 40 years of showcasing products in Düsseldorf’s exhibition halls.

Today’s trade fair visitors appreciate the interaction with exhibitors and the chance to learn about innovations and therapy options pertaining to specific product categories. The different forums – including the expert forum PRODUCTS & NEWS @ REHACARE – likewise provide information on a variety of topics. Interested parties can learn more about respective products as exhibitors in the forum explain their items and services in detail and showcase their latest innovations. At this year’s trade fair, “mobility” was one of the featured topics that was well attended.

Daniel Feick from Thomashilfen showcased rehab strollers and adaptive car seats that facilitate safe transport for children and teenagers. Functionality, comfort, and safety are his top priorities, but design is equally important: "For parents, the feeling of safety and the freedom to experience joy are key. Ultimately, your emotions decide which assistive device is the right one for you."

Frank Sodermanns from F. Sodermanns Automobile GmbH (in german only) knows the purchase of a camper van or recreational vehicle can lead to positive emotions for people with disabilities. He points out that a camper conversion is more complex than a car conversion, but it’s worth it. Back in August, we talked to one of Sodermanns’ employees, Ralf Sontag, about "wheelchair camping". The Freemotion Camper is designed for up to three people, one of whom is in a wheelchair. The simple yet functional van promises a lot of fun and offers clever ways of support. Click here to find out more in our article.

Of course, F. Sodermanns Automobile GmbH also adapts conventional vehicle models to make everyday life easier for people with disabilities. The company sits down with users to discuss custom accommodations and options.

When it comes to mobility, we typically think of cars, buses, or trains. However, the term also includes daily living aids such as rollator walkers or wheelchairs. After all, maintaining mobility means maintaining independence to experience life in a self-determined manner. This includes shopping, traveling to work or to the doctor, and recreational activities. It’s the only way to facilitate life and community participation. One important note: People must actually use the mobility aids. Unfortunately, many leave their rollator at home where it collects dust because they are too embarrassed to use it and to be seen as "weird" out in public. "Society must change its mindset on disability to where using a mobility device is not perceived as an awkward and embarrassing prospect," says Cara Cröntgen from ergoflix Group GmbH. Her colleague Dennis Stadler adds: "It's a shame that there are social barriers, stigma, and negative stereotypes linked to wheelchairs. It’s something we are trying to change by sending a message to society. The ergoflix brand is committed to breaking taboos."

The foldable power wheelchairs (homepage in german only) that were showcased in the forum are designed to help maintain independence. Users can fold them to fit in a car. This facilitates and ensures social participation. Dennis Stadler believes this is important as loneliness is a growing social problem: "Obviously, a foldable power wheelchair is not a solution for loneliness as this issue involves many other aspects [...] but it can be a tool that is the first step in countering loneliness."

Harald Sieweke from the Meyra Group takes a similar view. In the forum, he introduced the company’s NANO S active wheelchair, which is ideally suited for people suffering from multiple sclerosis as the wheelchair can be adjusted to meet the user’s special needs. For patients with MS, this is especially important after a flare-up. Since the wheelchair only weighs ten kilograms (22 pounds), users can cover a longer distance with ease. That’s thanks to a design that features an open frame concept and drive wheels that are mounted closer to the frame, which also means less effort using the device. Sieweke also believes the design is key to achieving success: "It's wonderful when you get to combine great style and function, which was our goal." Needless to say, the wheelchair is also easy to fold and can be loaded into a car.

People whose legs are still strong enough but who need help walking and standing often use a walking rollator. There are different models that serve different functions. At the REHACARE 2022 forum, Markus Leonard from mobilfreu.de (homepage in german only) GmbH showcased the ergoPrimo, a posterior walker for adults. What makes it so unique: The rollator is open at the front and has a seat that’s located behind the user’s legs. This makes it easier for users to sit down and stand up, while the aid is not in the way of people who are talking with each other. The manufacturer explains the product in this YouTube video.

People who lack strength in both legs and arms have access to various solutions. One of them is the Jaco assistive robotic arm created by Kinova. It can be mounted to the wheelchair and helps users grip items again independently. This provides autonomy and improves your quality of life, says Thomas Lücke. Check the company website for a detailed description of how to use Jaco.

Therapy or assistance dogs are typically among the most popular "assistive technologies" – and not just during the REHACARE trade fair. The well-trained four-legged canine companions help people with disabilities carry out tasks the latter cannot do on their own. This includes activities such as opening doors, retrieving objects, or choosing the right path when it comes to guide dogs for the blind. However, both the puppy and its human must receive extensive training before they are matched. Dr. Ariane Volpert of VITA Assistenzhunde e.V. (English: assistance dogs) explained the process in the expert forum. The initial meeting is already a key criterion: "Our approach has the dog choose the person who matches us and not the other way around." This is referred to as the key lock or lock and key principle. Teamwork and collaboration only work if the two fit together. The dogs are trained based on the Kreidler method, created by the founder of the organization. Click here  (homepage in german only) for more information about the training duration and applied methods.

In addition to the practical help they provide, assistance dogs also prove to be valued family members who enrich family life. For many people with disabilities, the dogs are often a conversation starter. Dialogs that may not have happened otherwise as there are still surprisingly high levels of reluctance in society that hinder people from interacting with wheelchair users.

Raúl Krauthausen (homepage in german only), a disability rights activist, also criticizes this behavior during his presentation in the PRODUCTS & NEWS @REHACARE forum. He underscores the importance of encounters between people with and without disabilities to facilitate genuine inclusion. He stresses that "products must not be the answer to inclusion". It’s better if people meet and interact with each other. Unfortunately, this is still something that happens a lot, because "kindergartens, schools, and sports facilities are the only places where we can still meet people who are not like us". Krauthausen champions a more relaxed approach to dealing with disabilities and believes in encounters versus raising awareness.

The expert forum at REHACARE 2022 has shown there have been many great assistive technology innovations since the ancient Egyptians. We can expect even more exciting progress in the future. Stay tuned for REHACARE 2023!

If you would like to get an overview of all the lectures of the PRODUCTS & NEWS @REHACARE 2022 forum, click here for the program.