Chanda Hinton

We hope you are enjoying reading the blogs of our guests as much as we are. We are so fortunate to have so many unique and interesting people whose paths we have crossed since the birth of Capabilities. We met Chanda Hinton at our Grand Opening of Capabilities in September 2005. She was the reigning Ms. Wheelchair Colorado at the time. Her warm presence was a wonderful addition to our celebration. And, Flint, her service dog was a great hit, too! A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of attending a fundraising event for The Chanda Plan Foundation. Chanda gathered around her some of the smartest and funniest people in the Denver metro area, including Josh Blue (pictured at right with Chanda and Flint), now a nationally recognized comic. (He won the national comic of the year contest in 2006!) The entertainment was high quality, and so were the caliber of donations for the silent auction. We were touched by the stories of those who are already being helped by The Chanda Plan. When a gun accident at age 9 paralyzed her from the chest down, she could have given up, but that's not in her nature. We are delighted that Chanda agreed to write a blog for us this week.

I founded The Chanda Plan Foundation in February 2005 as my interest in alternative health care grew. In 2003, my spinal cord injury had compromised my health to the degree that my weight had dropped to 59 lbs. I had chronic pain and my immune system had depleted to a dangerous level causing 911 emergency care and numerous doctor visits.

My sister, Crystal, and I decided to take the actions we had been discussing regarding alternative healing treatments. As a yoga instructor, Crystal was connected to many alternative healers. In the following months, I participated in acupuncture, massage therapy, diet, electric stimulation and physical therapy. The results were incredible! I gained 20 lbs. and become almost pain free. More than that, my endurance, strength and movement have increased dramatically.

People with severe injuries and disabilities often have to turn to Medicaid as a primary insurance in order to pay for healthcare and homecare expenses created by a disability. Medicaid will not fund alternative treatments.

I decided to dedicate myself toward having these treatments accessible for others. I created the Chanda Plan Foundation to allow individuals with disabilities to receive alternative treatments through financial assistance, to experience life in good health. It is an exciting journey I am on with others. Watching others find relief from pain and ancillary illness is as incredible an experience as feeling good myself. When you are in good health, fulfilling the things you are passionate about seems limitless.

The Chanda Plan Foundation’s mission is to help people with disabilities enjoy improved quality of life, health and function through the use of complementary alternative treatments. To learn more about the Chanda Plan, please visit: www.TheChandaPlanFoundation.org. Thank you again, Chanda!

Our Home is "Working" For Us

This week we are delighted to welcome another guest blogger - George Goth. George has held a popular series of informational sessions at Capabilities about reverse mortgages. These financial tools can make very good sense for a large number of people. George helps explain whether they might be a good option for your or your parents. He is also holding a free session on this Thursday at Capabilities. Details on our Events page.

Many people think Reverse Mortgages are just for senior homeowners who have lived in their homes for a long time, own the home free and clear, and need cash. Many homeowners are now utilizing Reverse Mortgages in new and creative ways to finance a wide variety of family needs, ranging from in-home care, to vacations, to remodeling their current home, to purchase of a second home, or even down sizing to a smaller home.

The following is a compelling true story of how one couple used a Reverse Mortgage to pay off their debts, complete some much needed remodeling projects and still receive a monthly income. All of this was accomplished without the requirement to make monthly mortgage payments.

Harvey and Jane Jensen (not their real names) have lived in the Denver area since shortly after they were married in 1965. They still live in the same three bedroom ranch-style home they purchased in 1970. They love their home and have no desire to move.

Harvey’s income situation changed drastically in 1998 and they were forced to take out a home equity loan, just to make ends meet. And that worked well until just recently. Harvey started thinking about retirement, but they were concerned about their ability to continue making the monthly home equity loan payment.

Their oldest son suggested they check out a Reverse Mortgage. He told them he knew they would qualify since they were both over 62 and had equity in their home.

I met with the Jensen’s and provided them with a complimentary, no-obligation, analysis of the Reverse Mortgage program and the funds available to them. They were pleased to learn the funds received from a Reverse Mortgage have no impact on Social Security and Medicare benefits and they did not have to meet any income, employment, or credit score requirements to qualify.

Following my meeting with the Jensen’s, Harvey and Jane attended a free, one hour counseling session with a HUD approved housing counselor. This is a requirement for obtaining a Reverse Mortgage. They left this session feeling even more comfortable with their decision apply for a Reverse Mortgage on their property.

Based on the $193,000 value of their home, the age of the youngest borrower (69), and the current interest rate, the Jensen’s had $102,000 of tax-free funds available. After paying off the existing home equity loan of $38,000, Harvey and Jane still had $64,000 to use however they desired.

The Jensen’s decided to receive a $300.00 monthly payment (guaranteed as long as one of them lives in their home) and leave the remaining balance in a line of credit to use as needed. They plan to use some of the money to remodel their kitchen and upgrade the landscaping.

Harvey said, “The Reverse Mortgage is really great. We paid off our old loan, have a guaranteed monthly income, and now we can finally make the improvements we’ve wanted to make for some time.” Jane added, “All of this is possible without even having to make monthly mortgage payments. We are now making our home work for us. What could be better than that?”

George is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist with Universal Lending. He can be reached at (303) 420-9601, (800) 758-4063 ext. 304, or www.ggoth.ulcreverse.com. Consider coming along to George's session on this Thursday at Capabilities. Details are on our Events page.

Made in Colorado

We love finding products we can feature at Capabilities that Coloradans have created. We have already told you about Hotflash! The Game, invented by local Kari Epstein, and Pain Wizard, by Johnstown resident, Mikel Kleess. We also featured our private labeled mobile art, designed by artist Amy Vicioso. And a Colorado Springs-based company founded by Jan Erickson is one of our most recent featured product lines. Janska offers unique and stylish, comfortable and cozy clothing that also easy to get into.

This week we highlight Dawn Wooderson, musician and entrepreneur. Dawn, formerly a college professor at Penn State, Southern Methodist, and Baylor in Texas, always worked with populations of all ages and abilities. It is a well-known fact that our voices drop as we age. Our ability to reach the high notes diminishes significantly and we all start to squeak. From her work with older folks during the past 20 years, she saw clearly that many loved and remembered fondly old spiritual hymns. The only problem is that they are all written in the key of impossibly high for most “mature” voices. Dawn had an idea. What if she transcribed a number of these songs and re-recorded them so that this population could enjoy signing along once more? And so was born Songs of Faith, a series of three companion large-print hymnbooks with a sing-along CD. You can choose the print size and the amount of large-font musical notation that suits you. Sing along with CD and you’ll feel like you’re a member of a wonderful choir with a superb accompanist. Need to strum a little? The chords for guitar, autoharp, or electronic keyboard are clearly written. Just want to sing? The small lyrics book has extra-large print text of the songs on the CD. Her work is incredible and we have heard many a happy person delight in the ability to sing like a bird again to these old favorites.

Dawn also appears here and there to play and lead groups in song. She appears at Capabilities in June. Dawn's pictured above at a recent event at Capabilities. We'll post details on our Events page as details are finalized.

Lotion

Have you ever spent time roaming around Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia? It’s great to pop in any old word and see what comes up. And you can edit the description if you like. I was thinking about lotion today as I smoothed some on my hands after doing the dishes.
Here’s the way Wiki defined it:

A lotion is a low- to medium-viscosity medicated or non-medicated topical preparation intended for application to unbroken skin. Most lotions are oil-in-water emulsions but water-in-oil lotions are also formulated. Lotions are usually applied to external skin with bare hands, a clean cloth, cotton wool or gauze.

It almost sounds poetic, doesn’t it? The description went on a bit describing versions of lotions, such as creams, and types of lotions, including those with medications included. I took out my bottle of lotion and looked at the ingredients. The first one listed is aloe extract, then purified water and glycerine. It’s what follows that interested me:
• pomegranate
• horsetail
• green tea
• rosemary
And a host of other natural and intriguing ingredients. What on earth inspires someone to make a lotion?

We work with a very interesting company which has created lotions and scents that caught our fancy when we put together our dream for Capabilities. When we were on the hunt for these comfort products, we sought out not only the lotions that were made with care and a fair amount of nature mixed in, but that had an interesting story as well. Caren & Cie, created by Caren Singer, offers us a wonderful spectrum of choices. Caren herself is behind the product’s creation. She looked for a formula that she liked, that made her feel healthy and beautiful. Her company donates a portion of all sales to fight breast cancer through an endowment she has set up at Georgetown University. We liked that story a lot. And we like the lotion a lot, too. Caren offers interesting fragrances – cucumber, stardust, French vanilla, among others, and a fragrance free option. It’s like silk, we think. We have some samples if you want to come try it out.

It was the Caren signature brand that I was putting on my hands earlier that made me think about lotions, and Wikipedia, and comfort, and why someone might actually take the time to create a lotion. Thank goodness!

What are your thoughts about lotions and creams and all things soothing. Post a comment (below) and let us know what you like.

Why Do We Have a Conference Room in the Store?

Last week we told you more about our Events and how exciting it is that the calendar keeps filling up with very interesting things. We did not really talk a lot about why we have a conference room in the first place. We get asked this question a lot. And here’s what we tell people who ask.

We always intended to be more than a store. We’ve both already had big careers at big companies and we loved all that. But when we decided to put our heads together and create Capabilities, we imagined being a “go to” place for resources, information and products. Building a big conference space in the store has given us the opportunity to partner with all kinds of interesting people to provide seminars, most of which are free, as well as a venue for meetings and gatherings of all kinds.

You can see from the Events page just how many groups meet there and just how many classes we have. We have plenty of room and time to do more, so be sure to let us know if your group or gathering needs a spot. If you have a good idea for a class, email us with your idea. We’ll always listen and let you know if it fits.

Sometimes It’s The Little Things…

We are so lucky to see many people at some of their most genuine moments. While there are plenty of curious shoppers in our store, there are also many who might be at their wit’s end to find something to help themselves or a loved one. Each of us can identify with those times of worry and pain caused by an illness or injury. We feel so honored and trusted by our customers. And we are grateful.

What amazes me nearly every day is how so often it’s the little things that make such a difference. There are three on my mind today that are so simple in their design, yet yield such positive changes when applied to the right situation.

The first is an aid for putting on and taking off shoes and boots. This tool is remarkable. There is a handle long enough to use while standing, and while sitting with the leg extended. That makes it already more versatile than most types of sock aids that are meant to be used while sitting only. The Shoe Boot Valet has an easy to use squeeze mechanism that clamps onto the heel of a shoe making it a snap to pull the shoe on or off. The best part is that there is a band that can also be used to hug the heel of a boot, pulling it off the foot effortlessly. We’ve seen many a happy cowboy as a result! It’s such a simple thing, and yet it makes all the difference to some who just want to kick those shoes off at the end of a long day, but sometimes can’t make the kick.

The Ergo Writer is another one that makes me wish I had invented it. I watched a young woman, paralyzed from birth from the waist down, but suffering more recently from growing paralysis in her hands, find such joy when she realized using this aid would help her write again. The key is the extended plastic grip that wraps around the pen and holds the thumb in place. This determined young woman tried every type of grip she could find, always on the search for something that would work. Imagine my delight when she found it with us!

One of my favorite things is a tool that slips into the universal diamond-shaped hole that exists on the inside frames of cars, vans and most trucks. I’m sure that spot was not created for the Handy-Bar, but those clever folks who noticed it surely created something amazing. You stick this tool in that hole and create a lever to hold onto while getting into or out of a vehicle. It pops out easily and you can fling it on the floor of the back seat until you need it again. I found it a while back as my mother had increasing difficulty lifting herself out of the car. She could hold onto the open door, but had nothing on the other side to grab onto. This thing made all the difference for her. There’s even a bonus with this one. You can also slice the seatbelt and smash the window should you find yourself suddenly in a lake or somewhere else where you need a quick exit.

Post a comment (click on Comments below) to let us know what kinds of things make all the difference for you or someone you care about. We are always on the look out for those little things.

What Can I Do With That Old (or New) Thing?

Since we’ve been in the business of helping find solutions for all kinds of life’s challenges, we’ve become aware of another thing that can drive a person crazy. Used wheelchairs, walkers and scooters! This equipment is wonderful when being used to help someone maneuver through a temporary or permanent illness or injury. But we’ve all been faced with what to do with the stuff when it’s no longer needed. I’m sure you know someone who has a walker sitting in the garage, sure that one day someone in the family or a friend will need it. Or that scooter that Dad loved so much when his MS worsened. He thought for a while he’d never get out and about again. Like most vehicles, even power chairs and scooters lose value the minute they are driven away from the store, but that doesn’t mean there is not still a market or use for them out there. But where to turn?

We have been thinking about this since we opened the store, as we receive many calls about selling or giving away used medical equipment. Or in some cases, someone’s looking to buy something used because the need is so temporary. So, we decided to experiment by putting a bulletin board feature on our new website. To find it, take a tour around www.capabilities.com, and click on Exchange. You will see a place to post whatever it is you are looking to sell, buy or giveaway. In fact, a group of parents of kids with special needs are organizing a Toy Swap at Capabilities in the summer. They have already posted their event on the Exchange.

Please keep your expectations under control, though. While that power wheelchair Medicare covered for Mom might have had a sticker price of $5000, once she received it, the actual value diminished significantly. And Medicare won’t take it back. You probably know already that if you donate your used vehicle to a charitable or not-for-profit organization, you can most often take a tax deduction. Be sure to speak to your tax advisor on such matters.

You can browse the Exchange easily, but you will have to register and login in order to post items or respond to postings. This is to prevent malicious people from posting spam and other undesirable items.

Check out our Exchange feature and see if it fits your needs. It’s just one more way that we looking to provide resources to the community and each other. Let us know your thoughts by sending us an email or posting a comment (click on Comment link below).