Refurbished wheelchairs find homes in Utah

Lanette Kelly's wheelchair was disintegrating, and everything from eating to leaving the house was becoming a struggle.

Emma Ward had a powered scooter she couldn't use. So she relied on friends for all her transportation.

Then both women discovered CReATE.

Citizens Reutilizing Assistive Technology Equipment (CReATE) refurbishes outgrown or abandoned wheelchairs and powered chairs to meet manufacturers' specifications. For a relatively small service fee, they supply chairs to anyone who asks.

No one looking for a mobility device has been turned away since CReATE opened in 2007, said co-founders Heather Young and Alma Burgess. Between two and four refurbished chairs leave the facility each month.

"Our main goal is to increase people's independence," Young said. "If you don't have mobility, you lose so much in life."

Kelly, 16, was frustrated and running out of options after another wheelchair supplier lost track of her order. Her mother, JoMarie Kelly, found CReATE last September, and Lanette had an inexpensive chair within the month.

Ward's scooter had such a wide turning radius she couldn't get around at home or onto the bus, and the scooter has sat useless on her porch since last June.

Sitting unrestrained on the bus was dangerous -- she fell twice. The second time, a year and a half ago, a sudden stop sent her flying. Ward landed on her head and side, and metal rods supporting her spine were

bent. She still can't travel by herself to physical therapy appointments -- she's too afraid of the bus.

But on Monday, a smiling Ward was fitted to a refurbished electric wheelchair that can turn on its own radius and can be secured on the bus.

With the help of a $250 grant, Ward will pay about $240 for a chair that costs $6,000 to $8,000. Some similar devices cost nearly $20,000.

The sight of potentially functional chairs sitting unused in garages and landfills inspired the nonprofit refurbishment center.

Burgess, Young, and Ken Reid at the Utah Center for Assistive Technology (UCAT), had talked about such a project for years. But CReATE finally got off the ground when Reid called Young about available warehouse space and a fitting room at UCAT, within the Utah Office of Rehabilitation in Salt Lake City.

Reid, UCAT assistive technology specialist, is the matchmaker. He evaluates a client's needs, then searches the warehouse for a chair that will give the occupant and device the best life possible together.

Technician Jose Iglesias takes pride in keeping the supply line moving. He works part-time among the more than 200 chairs in the warehouse. Devices too old to refurbish are stripped of all the useful parts and recycled. Sometimes, Iglesias said, parts from two or three chairs will be combined into one functioning device.

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience, he replaces batteries, seat backs, belts -- whatever is necessary to bring chairs to like-new condition.

"It's a good feeling," Iglesias said, "to be able to help people with disabilities."

Once the initial match is made, Reid becomes like a tailor fitting a new suit, ensuring the refurbished chair will be exactly the right size, and as safe as possible. He also coordinates any needed funding help.

Because the economic downturn has made it hard for people to purchase even refurbished chairs, CReATE offers financial help, even though what is charged barely covers spare parts, the repair technician's time and sanitization.

"Right now we have more chairs ready to go than people calling," Burgess said.

In the warehouse, a plastic-wrapped row of wheelchairs and scooters waits, ready for clients. But Burgess and Young think their drastically reduced prices and funding assistance will only push demand higher.

"The possibilities could be endless," Young said. "We just never know how many individuals need mobility equipment."

Young and Burgess said working with CReATE has been deeply rewarding.

Handing over a finished chair is Young's favorite part.

"It almost brings tears to my eyes when I get to be there," she said.

Ward's chair fit perfectly, Reid said. But she had to stand up and leave it behind, waiting for funding and a new battery.

She unsteadily made the 20-foot walk to a waiting bench, concentrating hard and stopping to get her balance after every step.

"The way she was walking made me nervous," Reid said.

But within two weeks, Reid said, Ward will be reunited with her new chair, and finally, her mobility.

amaddocks@sltrib.com