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Case Management, Cost Projection, Guardianship Support, Life Care Plan, Medical Consultation

Aiding & Innovating For Injured Or Disabled Heroes

 August 10, 2016

By  Deborah L Weiner Katz, OTR/L, CCM, CLCP

It is a care manager’s job to coordinate all aspects of care for someone who is injured or disabled. A care manager is a medical expert who must consider the role of every figure in the life of a person facing serious illness, injury or disability: the patient, the family member, the provider, the insurance carrier and even the attorney. Coordinating these factors on top of struggling with disability can be overwhelming, to say the least. That is why we take inspiration from our clients and waste little time on pity or misfortune.  Instead, we keep an eye out for allies, organizations devoted to honoring the indomitable spirit with technology that will assist in the quest to overcome adversity. A perfect example in this instance would be BMW. A car manufacturer more frequently associated with wealth and comfort, BMW has been known to allocate its considerable resources to such innovations as cutting edge wheelchairs for Paralympians.

Athletes know their bodies. In order to design gear that a competitor will trust, a company like BMW must prove that it strives to do the same. BMW has already created a bobsled for the U.S. Olympic team and one can easily imagine the expertise in aerodynamics that required. What could BMW have up its sleeve in regards to competitive wheelchair racing? To begin with, it does not look like a wheelchair. In fact, someone who is not disabled might be afraid to even sit in the machine and rightfully so. This piece of equipment was designed not only for someone who has overcome adversity but for a man or woman who has made adversity work for them. There are no armrests. There are no brakes. Only the essential parts exist, so that the athlete is truly the dominant force, with the chair practically invisible. Much like a successful care manager or any advocate for the injured or disabled, the person is the central focus and not the condition. So what is a wheelchair with no brakes or armrests actually made of?

PARALYMPIAN DESIGN

Are you imagining metal or aluminum when you picture this wheelchair? Think again. This thing has to move. It is made of carbon fiber. Its very shape is fashioned in such a way that one does not find oneself with the urge to sit. One look at it and you may wonder why it is still called a chair in the first place. There are only three features involved in its conception:

  • Aerodynamics
  • Stiffness of the chassis
  • How it fits the athlete’s body

This creation may be far from the luxurious and status-boosting automobiles that BMW is known for but that does not mean it is not state of the art. Computer simulations are utilized to find the most aerodynamic shape possible. It ends up catching the eye much the same way a brand new Beamer does when it rolls up.

PARALYMPIAN CUSTOMIZATION

This object is not being mass produced. Each one is being molded to a specific athlete’s body. Once again, these inspiring individuals boast a personal history that already sets a precedent. After all, this sport predates BMW’s involvement by a great many years. Early chairs were homemade, along with other aspects such as the gloves that competitors wear. When it came time to customize, BMW simply had to follow their cue.

Not surprisingly, the origins of wheelchair racing can be traced back to “The Greatest Generation”. After some veterans returned from WWII, they simply were not content to roll or be pushed about. They pushed it to the limit like the heroes they are. So why do care managers do what they do? Why are we at Advanced RM sharing our excitement about this new technology? Part of what we do will always involve learning. We must remain attuned to the continued efforts of our contemporaries and other companies striving to aid the very same people we do. If you wish to learn more about our medical experts and services, e-mail or phone us today.

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