Wheelchair Ramps: Amramp Provides Access in any Situation

Amramp Creates a Safe and Accessible Entrance for Sunnyhill Alpacas

As promised in our Fort Macleod Courthouse blog post, we've got the full story about one of Amramp's more unusual projects: installing a ramp at Sunnyhill Alpaca Ranch in Rollyview, Alberta. 

Rollyview is a small hamlet located in central Alberta, Canada, that has a population numbering only 58. However, they aren't short on Alpacas. “It was beautiful,” said Lorne Wensel of Amramp Edmonton, “Rollyview is all rolling hills and farmland and it was a big ranch: One of the largest Alpaca ranches in Canada.” 

Leanne Sept and her sisters, Renee and Marlene, also opened Twisted Sisters & Co. Fibre Mill and Store (TSM) in 2004, where they specialize in processing alpaca fibre. When the fibre is brought to the mill it is washed, dried, picked, de-haired, carded into rovings, and then spun into yarn and plied. They also can blend it with other fibres such as nylon, silk, and merino.

The Twisted Sisters store offers a variety of alpaca yarn as well as finished products such as socks, gloves, sweaters, scarves, duvets, teddy bears, and dog beds, which can now be purchased online. “It's no small operation. They ship all over the world,” said Wensel. Sunnyhill Alpacas boasts a herd numbering over 100 alpacas, in fact, and the “Sunnyhill” kids have won multiple showing awards since the owners, Leanne and Kevin Sept, began raising Alpacas in the late 1990s.

It is also a tourist destination. Every week knitting groups come in on buses to buy alpaca yarn. However, with the icy Alberta winters, a lot of these visitors were struggling to make it up the steps. “We installed a ramp 24-feet-long with a 4-foot-by-4-foot platform at the top to make it accessible and safer,” Wensel explained. Amramp's steel-mesh surface allows snow and rain to pass through, making Amramp ramps more suitable for wintery and rainy climates than a wooden or other solid-surface ramp.

The installation was fairly quick, taking only a morning. “I hated to leave, I was enjoying being there so much,” Wensel laughed, “The alpacas were watching me. They didn't seem bothered by me working away.” The Amramp team, in 45 locations all across North America, is happy to have the alpacas' stamp of approval!

Amramp is North America's leading provider of installed wheelchair ramps and accessibility products

Call Amramp today to schedule a free on-site estimate

Please contact Amramp’s National Customer Service Center 888-715-7598 

The 70^th Annual Workers’ Compensation Educational Conference (WCEC) and the 27^th Annual Safety and Health Conference is being held August 23-26, where thousands of attendees will be descending upon the Orlando World Resort Marriott in Orlando, Florida, to study and explore changes in the national workers’ compensation and safety industries. 

Some highlights from the conference will include:

• A talk with industry keynote speaker Deborah L. Michel, president of Helmsman Management Services, and, retired NFL player and former Olympian, Keynote Speaker Herschel Walker.
• Two live surgeries performed by the Orlando Orthopaedic Center
• The Annual National Workers’ Compensation Judiciary College and the 2015 National Workers’ Compensation Regulators College
• A performance by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts at the Monday Night Reception

There are a few panels that you also shouldn't miss including:

• Return-to-Work: This panel will focus on giving attendees the skills and strategies to assist employees returning to the workplace after an injury
• Workplace Safety & Health: This series of classes will be going over all the different facets of maintaining a safe and healthy workplace, from pre-employment testing to accident investigation.
• Medical Issues: This Mini-Med School, which is popular with adjusters, attorneys and nurse case managers, will be teaching attendees how to identify prescription and illegal drugs that are being abused by workers which cause increased risk of workplace injuries and the legalities surrounding that.
• Disney's SyncLink™ Technology: Since you can't help but immediately think Disney when you think of Orlando, as a special treat, attendees will be given a peek behind the curtain of Disney's revolutionary SyncLink™ Technology, a wireless, synchronized data management system that can give real-time compliance and food safety data.

Explore the complete program detailing the hundreds of speakers, presentations, and exhibitors on the WCI website. Attendees can also earn continuing education (CE) credits.  A complete list of all courses of approved for credit will be available at the Continuing Education desk in the registration area. 

Amramp is honored to be invited to exhibit at WCEC 2015. Not only will we be demonstrating our latest products and advances in accessibility, but, in honor of Joan Jett and Blackhearts, the exhibit hall is also going to be decorated in an ’80s/neon/rock ’n’ roll theme. With over 8,000 attendees and 450 exhibitors, it promises to be a great time. We hope to see you in Orlando!

Wheelchair ramps installed in days not weeks

Call Amramp today to schedule a free on-site estimate

Please contact Amramp’s National Customer Service Center 888-715-7598 

Amramp of Edmonton recently completed an exciting and challenging ramp installation on a historic courthouse and town hall in the remote small town of Fort MacLeod; built in 1904, it is the oldest court house in the province of Alberta. Lorne Wensel of Amramp Edmonton spearheaded the project and shares some interesting highlights with the Amramp blog.

The Fort MacLeod Courthouse predates Alberta’s entry into Canada as a province, and originally serving as a trading post for the Northwest Territorial administration on the praries. Because it is one of the few surviving buildings from that time period, the building is on the list of historic sites, not just in Alberta but all of Canada. As a result, the ramp installation required a lot more permits and inspection processes than usual.

The courthouse administration found the Amramp Edmonton location online and chose Amramp because our ramps are modular and do not require any excavation or digging to install in most cases. Had digging been required, an archaeological team would have to be brought in to oversee the dig (in case it unearthed any artifacts), which would have almost doubled the expense of the job. The other decision-making factor was that the ramp may or may not be a permanent addition to the building, but Amramp’s ramps are easy to uninstall if necessary—so Amramp was the clear solution in this case!

“It took six months of going back and forth with Historic Sites to get the job approved,” says Lorne, who also had to drive five hours each way to get to Fort MacLeod from Edmonton. Once the installation was approved and he made the trip, a new challenge arose: making sure that the ramp would fit with a step set in a very narrow entryway

underneath an arch. Fortunately, Amramp Edmonton was able to engineer an effective fix in the end which satisfied all involved parties.

Lorne notes that the climate was “pretty toasty” compared to Edmonton, but the courthouse looks out on the Rocky Mountains and thus made for a lovely view at work. As he worked, townspeople would come up to ask him about the job and share about what the building meant to them personally and as a town.

“I never realized how much traveling I’d be doing when I took on this job,” says, Lorne, who finds himself regularly taking trips to various parts of the province. “Tomorrow, I’m actually heading out to do an installation at an alpaca ranch.”

We can’t wait to see photos from that project!

 Your home should be welcoming you, not worrying you.

Call Amramp today to schedule a free on-site estimate

Please contact Amramp’s National Customer Service Center 888-715-7598

When elevator breaks, Amramp of Tampa installs modular wheelchair ramp, restoring access to Winter the dolphin at Clearwater Aquarium.

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium in Florida is famously the home to Winter the dolphin, star and inspiration of the hit movies Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2. After losing her tail in an accident, Winter became the first dolphin to be fitted with a prosthetic tail. Winter’s story of courage and perseverance has made her a beacon of hope and inspiration for anyone who has overcome physical adversity.

Late one afternoon in June, Tim Smith, the facility manager at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium had an emergency situation: The existing elevator that brings aquarium guests up the second floor to see Winter had broken down. While this wasn’t an issue for able-bodied patrons, visitors in wheelchairs who were eager to see Winter were being manually carried up the stairs to the second floor. And more and more were lining up to make this dangerous trek.

With no sense of how long it would take to get the elevator repaired, Smith needed a quick solution. Late that afternoon, Debbie Vanlandingham, the manager at the Amramp franchise based in Tampa, Florida, received an urgent call from Smith.

Amramp, North America’s leading provider of modular wheelchair ramps, jumped on the case. Amramp’s installation experts arrived at the aquarium to perform a comprehensive evaluation, which included extensive measurements and photographs. They remained at the aquarium until ideal design was achieved.

Recalling her initial contact with the Aquarium, Vanlandingham said, “I’m such a sentimental fool that I couldn’t thank Tim enough for allowing Amramp to do this for Winter’s fans. I kept getting flashes in my head that actual people were being carried up in their wheelchairs. With the new ramp in place, everyone has safe access to enjoy all areas of the aquarium.”

Amramp installer Paul Ellison was on site early the next morning. With only the staff and star attractions like Winter and her marine peers present, Ellison got to work. Part of the installation process brought him face-to-face with the dolphins’ habitat. Winter and friends were on hand to oversee the installation process and provide Ellison with lots of vocal encouragement. “I felt like they were thanking me,” said Ellison.

“The beauty of it was that we were able to complete the entire installation in less than 24 hours,” said Vanlandingham, “By the time the Aquarium reopened on Wednesday the ramp was already in place and operational.”

Amramp ramps are designed to be installed quickly without requiring any modifications to the existing structure or surroundings and leave no sign or destruction behind when the ramp is removed. Amramp’s patent-pending steel modular wheelchair ramps are available for purchase or rental, short-term for as little as 24 hours for events like graduations, vacation rentals.

The ramp installed at Clearwater Marine Aquarium is a temporary modular rental ramp. This completed ramp runs 36 feet long with a 4-foot-by-4-foot turning platform designed to transport guests in wheelchairs safely to the second floor of the Aquarium to see Winter.

Since the environment for humans in an aquarium can be on the damp side, Amramp ramps are ideal: The open mesh ramp surface provides needed traction and allows moisture to pass through easily. The ramp also features a raised gripping pattern, as well as a special Amramp-grip coating to the ramp surface, making the ramp at the Aquarium the most slip resistant ramp available.

Vanlandingham can’t image any other career. “All I do is help people design ramps,” she said. “Ultimately when someone is able to go on a ramp…it should be like floating on air for them. When you’re in a wheelchair, you should be able to bypass any obstacle that may cross your path. It’s so simple for me to put something down, so you don’t have any obstacles, that’s my reward.”

For more information, click here: Clearwater Marine Aquarium   

Ramps Installed Within 24 hours – for rent or purchase

Call Amramp today to schedule a free on-site estimate

Please contact Amramp’s National Customer Service Center 888-715-7598

We congratulate the people behind the Americans with Disabilities Act who work tirelessly to remove barriers and empower people.

At Amramp, “ADA Compliant” are not just words or regulations to us. It’s the way we work and the way we think.

Our franchise owners and sales team members are factory trained accessibility experts. More importantly, we understand how difficult it can be to push someone in a wheelchair up a ramp that is too steep and how scary it is for an elderly spouse to control their loved one’s wheelchair going down a steep ramp.

We take the time to sit down and talk to the people who will be using the ramp during our home evaluation to make sure the ramp we design fits their needs and the physical limitations of the person in the wheelchair as well as the person who will be assisting that person.

We want to make sure the ramp is long enough to bring someone from the door to a level landing. We don’t want to end the ramp in middle of the lawn, so people then have to navigate over bumpy grass or dirt.

Our steel ramps are fireproof and provide a safe exit in case of fire. An aluminum ramp will melt from the heat and a wood ramp will provide fuel for the fire. Fireproof steel ramps provide an extra safety feature for your loved ones in an emergency.

Our job is to make life easier for people who use wheelchairs, walkers or just struggle with stairs. Amramp makes life accessible where you work, live and play.

Amramp also installs Grab bars, Railings, Vertical Platform Lifts, Stairlifts, Automatic Door Openers, Overhead Patient Lifts, Portable, Roll-in Portable Wheelchair showers and other assistive devices.

Visit Amramp.com for more information on how Amramp can make your home safer and more accessible.

Each year, millions of adults aged 65 and older fall. Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can increase the risk of early death. Fortunately, falls are a public health problem that is largely preventable.

One of the key ways to help older adults prevent falls is reduce tripping hazards throughout the house.

Dave Taylor, Amramp Eastern Tennessee, identified 4 trip points at a veteran’s home in Thompsons Station, Tennessee. Dave was able to install some threshold ramps inside and outside the home to allow the veteran to more easily and safely go from room to room and out onto their patio.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends these tips on how to prevent falls among older adults:

• Exercise regularly. It is important that the exercises focus on increasing leg strength and improving balance, and that they get more challenging over time. Tai Chi programs are especially good.
• Ask their doctor or pharmacist to review their medicines—both prescription and over-the counter—to identify medicines that may cause side effects or interactions such as dizziness or drowsiness.
• Have their eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year and update their eyeglasses to maximize their vision. Consider getting a pair with single vision distance lenses for some activities such as walking outside.
• Make their homes safer by reducing tripping hazards, adding grab bars inside and outside the tub or shower and next to the toilet, adding railings on both sides of stairways, and improving the lighting in their homes.

For more information on keeping our senior population safe, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – Home & Recreational Safety website - http://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Falls/adultfalls.html

About Amramp

Amramp installs wheelchair ramps, grab bars, railings, stairlifts and other accessibility products throughout the US and parts of Canada at homes, businesses, schools and institutions. Amramp is the leading company in the United States specializing in modular steel wheelchair ramps, offering sturdy, customizable wheelchair ramps for disability access that enable the aging and disabled population to remain safely in their homes with independence and mobility. Ramps can be installed temporarily for short or long term needs without damaging the building structure as they are not a permanent modification to the building. Amramp products are available for sale or rental with no minimum time frame and no ramp size restrictions – they can even be rented for just one day for a special event or a visitor who struggles with stairs!. 

Amramp steel ramps are fireproof and provide a more stable, non-flammable exit in case of fire. Wood and aluminum are not fireproof.

Amramp also installs Grab bars, Railings, Vertical Platform Lifts, Stairlifts, Automatic Door Openers, Overhead Patient Lifts, Portable, roll-in wheelchair showers and other assistive devices.

Visit Amramp.com for more information on how Amramp can make your home safer and more accessible.

The unique design of Amramp’s modular wheelchair ramps makes a perfect solution for all types of accessibility needs. Here’s a great example of an Amramp application as a temporary walkway and wheelchair ramp to provide access during a major sidewalk renovation project in Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA.

The Amramp wheelchair ramps allow shoppers and tourists to still have full access to the stores and attractions during the renovations.

Storeowners, municipalities and contractors across the country rent the Amramp ADA compliant wheelchair ramps as a temporary bridge to keep retail establishments open and wheelchair accessible during sidewalk infrastructure improvements.

Amramp installs accessibility ramps throughout the US and parts of Canada at businesses, residences, schools and institutions. Amramp is the leading company in the United States specializing in modular steel wheelchair ramps, offering sturdy, customizable ramps for disability access that enable the aging and disabled population to remain in their homes with independence and mobility or have access to public buildings and facilities.

The Amramp wheelchair ramps can be installed temporarily for short or long term needs without damaging the structure as they are not a permanent modification to the home or building. Amramp products comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are available for sale or rental with no minimum time frame and no ramp size restrictions.

Amramp also installs stair lifts and vertical platform lifts as well as other accessibility products.

Learn more about Amramp and the products we offer at www.amramp.com.

Case Management Society of America celebrates growth in healthcare with networking and educational opportunities.

The Case Management Society of America’s (CMSA) 25th Annual Conference and Expo was held on June 22-26 in Orlando, Florida. The conference celebrated case management growth and advancement in the healthcare field. Through networking and educational opportunities, the five-day event aimed to leave each attendee with new and refreshed skills for effective patient care. 

The CMSA Conference and Expo wass the largest of its kind for professionals in the case management field. It featured exhibitions from preeminent firms in the healthcare industry like Amramp and a full schedule complete with time for networking. The five-day conference showcased three unqiue keynote speakers with different stories:

• Robert X. Forgarty, founder of the Dear World Project
• Jonathan Gotschall, advocate for the human addiction to storytelling
• Suleika Jaouad, writer who explores the broken healthcare system and ways to mend it

Continuing Education (CE) hours were earned at the conference with a focus on:

• Disease States
• Healthcare Reform 
• Contemporary Issues in Acute Care Case Management 
• Transitional Care Considerations 

These credits are eligible in organizations such as Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC), Certification of Disability Management Specialist (CDMS), and Certified Rehabilitation Registered Nurse (CRRN).

Health care case managers at the CSMA Conference and Expo explored:

• The Center for Treatment of Paralysis and Reconstructive Nerve Surgery: Treatment of Nerve Pain and Peripheral Nerve Paralysis After Traumatic Injury
• Reducing Medication-Related Problems: Innovations in Case Management Adherence and Treatment
• The Future of Chronic Pain Management: A Superior Treatment Option for Chronic Back and Leg Pain
• Case Management in the VA Healthcare System
• A Patient-Centered Case Management Program: Taking Case Management to the Streets and Beyond 

Amramp looked forward to exhibiting at the CSMA Annual Conference and Expo, demonstrating our latest installed accessibility products and advances in accessibility for eldercare and life transitions at all mobility levels. We hope to see you in Orlando!

Wheelchair ramps and home accessibility products installed in days not weeks

Call Amramp today to schedule a free on-site estimate

Please contact Amramp’s National Customer Service Center 888-715-7598 

Renting vs. buying wheelchair ramps: Amramp’s handy checklist makes it easy

The decision whether to buy or rent a wheelchair ramp can be confusing, but Amramp offers options to suit every situation. An overall rule of thumb to follow is: If the ramp will only be used for six months or less, then it is more economical to rent than to buy. More than six months? Buying is the way to go. 

If you’re still not sure which timeframe your scenario fits into, below is a checklist of common uses for ramps and whether it makes more sense to rent or buy a wheelchair ramp, depending on your situation.

Renting a ramp is preferable when:

• The individual is injured and only requires short-term rehabilitation. Sometimes injuries are temporarily debilitating, and medical professionals expect that full mobility will return.
• The space you’re in is transitional or a rental property. Landlords may not be willing to foot the bill to install a permanent ramp, so a rental ramp can be the answer.
• Construction is impeding use of your normal ADA-compliant access. Often renovations require rerouting, yet buildings must remain accessible. Amramp can accommodate your needs, as it did for Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall during elevator upgrades.
• It’s clearly an end-of-life or hospice situation, and you know that your loved one or the patient will not be with you for many more months or years.
• You have houseguests visiting with mobility challenges and are looking to accommodate them during their stay, or if
• You are planning a special event such as a wedding, awards ceremony, graduation, family reunion, election, or any other type of major gathering.

Amramp rents and can have your wheelchair ramp installed for as little as a day, and it is fully ADA-compliant. 

Buying a ramp is preferable when

• You or the individual in question owns the home/property and wants to make it permanently accessible for many years to come, or
• You know that it will be in use more than six months of the year.

The best part of the Amramp system is that it gives you flexibility to decide what works best. Our franchise teams will respond within 24 hours of a request to set up a time to do a site visit, and installation is quick and efficient—usually within 24-48 hours after receiving your approval, since building permits are not required. 

Amramp’s rent-to-buy offer

Although this checklist covers most common situations requiring a wheelchair ramp, it can still be tough to plan for every possible variable. The good news is there is no minimum rental period for an Amramp ramp: If you are not sure how long you’ll need it, then we recommend renting it until you are able to make a more definite decision. If you do decide to purchase, 75% of the rental fee will be converted toward your purchase price.

Rental costs vary depending on the length of the ramp and rental time, but there is nothing to lose by calling Amramp to arrange a free evaluation and estimate—even if you only need the ramp for one day!

Wheelchair ramps for renting and buying with installation by a local expert

Call Amramp today to schedule a free on-site estimate

Please contact Amramp’s National Customer Service Center 888-715-7598

Meet fellow injured US military service members at Soldier Ride cycling events nationwide

The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is an organization dedicated to assisting military service members injured on or following September 11, 2001, through unique programs and services. Through the five core tenants of "Fun, Integrity, Loyalty, Innovation, and Service" (FILIS), the Wounded Warrior Project seeks to empower and give back to veterans who have physical or mental injuries, illnesses, or wounds.

One popular program that the WWP hosts each year is the Soldier Ride, a cycling event during which participants travel to various cities around the country and invite veterans and wounded service members "to use cycling and the bonds of service to overcome physical, mental, or emotional wounds." The Soldier Ride is invigorating, inspiring, and a great way to meet new friends, get some exercise, and enjoy a day of energetic outdoor fun.

President Barack Obama got involved in the fun at April’s recent DC Soldier Ride by greeting cyclists, cheering them to the finish line, and generating laughs with his signature jovial sense of humor, joking about yoga “warrior” poses.

 During the past year, the Soldier Ride took place in the following cities/areas around the globe:

• Miami & Key West, Florida
• Jacksonville, Florida 
• San Diego, California
• Washington, DC
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Colorado Springs, Colorado
• Houston, Texas
• Chicago, Illinois
• Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• New York, New York
• Seattle, Washington
• North Fork, New York
• North Carolina
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Tampa, Florida
• San Antonio, Texas, and
• Landstuhl, Germany.

 The Soldier Ride welcomes and accommodates veterans of all mobility levels. Wounded Warrior provides adaptive equipment free of charge to participants, including state-of-the-art adaptive hand cycles, trikes, and bicycles. The program takes place over four days. Day one  includes orientation/bike-fitting and meet-and-greet events. On day two, participants go on a short program ride to test out their new equipment, while day three is the intense, exhilarating long-program ride covering 25-mile or 50-mile courses. Locals and supporters will come out to cheer the warriors as they pass. The final day is for wrapping up the event and saying goodbyes to new friends.

 If you are an injured veteran who wishes to join WWP and participate in program such as the Soldier Ride, click here to register online.

Your home should be welcoming you, not worrying you

Call Amramp today to schedule a free on-site estimate

Please contact Amramp’s National Customer Service Center 888-715-7598