This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NMEDA. All opinions are 100% mine.
You wake up, jump out of bed, rush to shower and get ready for work. You then scoot downstairs for a quick cup of coffee, maybe take out the trash from last night's dinner and pick up the morning paper. Without missing a beat, you hopped into you car and you're off to work. All that in less than half an hour or so. Sounds familiar? It's just routine for many of us and many don't even think twice about it. However, for a person with disabilities, this can be a very a very daunting task. That's right, living with disabilities is hard. Not only is it hard for the person, but it can be sometimes tough for their caregiver as well. Something as simple as getting ready in the morning and heading off to work can be a big task. Thankfully, these days, there are a lot of wheelchairs, wheelchair vehicles and other aides to help people with disability regain more freedom and mobility in life. However, there are just so many out there, how do we know which is good and which one is the right fit for you? You see ads for them everywhere, on TV, in the newspapers and on the Internet. How do you know which is good for you? Sometimes buying something that doesn't fit does more harm than good.
Well, I got something to share with you today. Have you heard of NMEDA? Well, NMEDA (National Mobility Equipment Dealers Association) is a non-profit trade association that advocates providing safe, reliable vehicles and modifications to enhance accessibility for all people. Not only that, they are also the only association that promotes safe driving and equipment for disabled people. Yes, they are non-profit and their members are required to adhere to the safety standards of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In short, they do not sell anything. NMEDA dealers (members) are the ones who sell handicap vans and vehicle modifications for disabled people.
Why buy from a NMEDA qualified dealer? Well, one of the biggest advantage you get when you buy from a NMEDA qualified dealer is that they conduct on-site evaluations to custom fit vehicles to your specific needs. You see, no two people with a disability is exactly the same, right? So why should their wheelchair vehicles be exactly the same? That is one of the main reasons why you should be careful of adapted wheelchair vehicles sold over the Internet or through catalogs. Why waste your money on something that might not be right for you? When you buy from a NMEDA dealer, you give a personalized “in-person” evaluation, so you can be sure that you are getting the right driving solution customized to your specific lifestyle and needs. If you need additional training or product refinements, your NMEDA dealer will always be there to help you.
Apart from having just dealers, NMEDA also has Quality Assurance Program (QAP) dealers. The Quality Assurance Program (QAP) is the only nationally recognized accreditation program for the Adaptive Mobility Equipment Industry. It is based on the principle that in order to satisfy customers consistently, companies must have a systematic and documented approach to quality. What this means is, that in order to be a QAP dealer, your company must not only have high quality and safe equipment but you must also meet the satisfaction of your customers.
So, with the help NMEDA dealers, the elderly or disabled can get back onto the road of independence. Life doesn't really have to be this tough. After hearing about NMEDA, I went to nmeda.org to read up more about them. On their homepage, you can hit the dealers locator, type in your zip code and see if there is a qualified dealer near you. I did just that and found that there are quite a few in my area. I know I do not need a wheelchair now, but it's always assuring to know that if me or any of my loves ones ever needs one, NMEDA is always there to help. You should do the same. Just enter your zip code to find your closest qualified dealer. There are at least 8 dealers in less than 40 miles from me, now many are there near you? Tell me, I'm curious to know!
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