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The Great Outdoors: National Parks Offer 3 More Free Days this Year

National Parks offer several free entrance days a year, and there are 3 […]

Prices are competitive with air, bus, or car travel, and Amtrak has 500 stations in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces. It also cooperates with VIA Rail Canada for travel into Canada.

Trains are spacious compared to other modes of travel, and wheelchair users are seated next to large windows with great views within easy access of accessible restrooms.

Other luxuries:

• Wireless internet service is offered on many trains
• Formal breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining car
• Snack bar with soda, coffee and beer, sandwiches, burgers and snack food
• Order from a menu and have food delivered to your car
• Accessible coach and sleeper cars. (A private bathroom is available in the sleeper.)

Amtrak is very accommodating to people with disabilities, but request services and information in advance as accessible spaces are limited, and will be held only for people who need them until 14 days before departure, after which they are available to the general public.

If you have specific needs, do not make your reservation online.

Amtrak offers a discount for passengers with disabilities. You must provide written documentation of disability at the ticket counter and when boarding in the form of an identification card that many transit systems provide, a membership card for a disability organization, or a letter from a doctor. (Ask about other discounts first, to judge which one is the best.)

For information on the accessibility of Amtrak trains and stations call a reservation representative at 800/USA-RAIL (800/872-7245) or by visit www.amtrak.com.

Exhibits feature cutting-edge technologies and services for cars, vans, conversions and accessories. It�s a great way to see a variety of conversion vans in one location. You can spend hours on the exhibit floor testing and comparing products and services from different companies.

It also features three days of top-notch products and services, informative workshops and family activities�and admission is free! With onsite discounts, many offerings are discounted exclusively for Abilities Expo attendees.

Wander around and see everything or visit the website beforehand at (www.abilitiesexpo.com/sanjose) to see a list of participating exhibitors and plan your day(s).

Don�t Miss:

• Free workshops abound for those with children with disabilities, travel tips for those with disabilities, navigating Medicare, and more.
• Events and activities allow you to try a host of different adaptive sports, work with assistance dogs, and see the newest features available for manual and power wheelchairs.
• The Assistive Technology Pavilion features the latest AT products for people of all ages with wide ranges of physical, sensory and intellectual disabilities.

• Test your skills at track, boccia, basketball, table tennis, soccer, aerobics, goal ball, beep baseball and more!

• Not just for grown-ups, Abilities Expo is fun for kids with products and services created with children in mind, kid-focused activities, sports, crafts, games and more.

Exhibitors include many leading companies. Check them out at the website. Click on �For Exhibitors,� then �Exhibitor List.�

For more information, visit www.abilitiesexpo.com.

The next Abilities Expo is in Atlanta Feb. 17-19, 2012.

You must have been through evaluation and have met with an accredited mobility dealer to obtain the appropriate mobility products that meet your transportation needs. Needs include a wheelchair van, lift or other mobility equipment.

The application must be completed with the assistance of a mobility dealer accredited with NMEDA (Mobility Equipment Dealers Association) and from the client�s geographical area who would provide service for the product(s).

Once pricing has been established and you can produce most of the purchase amount but still remain short of the total, the Foundation will consider the proposal to finalize the purchase.

Qualifications:

• Applicants must apply with the support of a mobility dealer who is in good standing with NMEDA.

• This dealer must have evaluated you for the mobility product that best meet your needs. In other words, make sure a mobility expert has worked with you to find the best mobility solution for you�not just what you think would work best.

• Grant winners need proof that the remaining funding required to complete the sale is secured.

• Grant awards must result in an immediate equipment sale, and checks will be made to the representing dealer.

The application form is available at www.ralphbraunfoundation.org and must be submitted in its entirety online by Nov. 30, 2011.

Individuals and dealers will be notified by Friday, Dec. 16, 2011 if their grant has been awarded.

All grant recipients must agree to have their story told on the Foundation website as well as the Foundation Facebook page.

For more information, visit: http://ralphbraunfoundation.org/.

Commercially Available

• TEK Robotic Mobilization Device (RMD) � Paraplegics and people with disabilities can move around in a standing position, providing better cardiovascular health, the ability to make eye-to-eye contact and the independence to reach high and low heights.
  • Info: http://tekrmd.com/
  • Video: http://vimeo.com/3734380

• Mountain Trike � This is truly an all-terrain wheelchair allows you to venture out around town or into the countryside, the beach, down muddy tracks, over grass, or along cobbled streets, gravel driveways and even through snow.
  • Info: http://www.mountaintrike.co.uk/
  • Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGPaVTMo3B

• Greathouse Labs Wheelchairs & Mobility Devices � Greathouse Labs can design and build a custom wheelchair to fit your lifestyle. They can even trick your chair to show off your personality.
  • Info: http://www.greathouselabs.com/2011/10/wheelchairs

Concept Vehicles

• WHILL � Clamps onto the wheels of an existing manual wheelchair, turning it into a powered chair, reaching speeds of up to 12 mph.
  • Info: http://whill.jp/
  • http://www.spicytec.com/2011/12/whill-is-next-generation-personal.html
  • Video: http://vimeo.com/30528762
• Permoveh � This multi-directional chair allows the driver to move forward and backward, side-to-side, and diagonally as well using a hand-held control system. Navigate through tighter spaces with ease and reach up to 3.7 mph.
  • Info: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57403813-1/4wd-permoveh-�� wheelchair-turns-on-a-dime/?tag=mncol;cnetRiver
  • Video: http://youtu.be/thKHERie-Ek

• Cursum � Stroller for wheelchair users. The Cursum stroller concept aims to make life a little easier by adapting to use in tandem with a wheelchair. Swivel wheels, complete height adjustment, attention to comfort and visibility, and advanced safety features give parents added security and a little independence to an already challenging life experience.
  • Info: http://www.yankodesign.com/2012/06/29/wheelchair-adaptive-stroller/
  • Video: http://vimeo.com/43120527

For more info on future wheels:

http://www.usatechguide.org/blog/prototype-and-concept-wheelchairs/ and http://www.lovethesepics.com/2012/09/35-wildly-wonderful-wheelchair-design-concepts/

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To lead the most active life you can, you probably want a vehicle. You can buy a new one with adaptive equipment customized to your needs, a used vehicle that is customized for you or you can have equipment added to the family car or van.

The decision to buy new or used really depends on your finances, but the most important thing is that the vehicle be designed to fit your individual requirements.

Buy locally. When you buy from a National Mobility Equipment Dealer in your area, you can see, feel and try out the product, meet the owner and shake their hand. You will also receive an in-person evaluation before your purchase so you can be sure you�re getting the right solution customized to your needs. This doesn�t hold true with an internet-only business.

If you buy over the internet, the person on the other end can�t see you, can�t do an in-person evaluation and can�t fully understand your disability and needs. Plus, you can�t see them. Like a handshake, face-to-face interaction leads to trust and you�re making a large purchase.

If you must buy online, make sure in advance, in writing, that you can refuse delivery of the vehicle and receive a full refund if, upon delivery, you find the vehicle doesn�t fit your needs, fails to meet reasonable expectations or doesn�t match the description provided by the internet seller.