Durable Medical Equipment (DME) is walkers, wheelchairs, crutches, canes, and more, all things people may use for a short term. Repurposing donated items, cleaning, and making them available for those with no means to purchase new is the goal of a DME lending center. Donations exist around the community (St. Clare Health Mission for example.) A lending center would centralize and create a system for lending. See one community's model here:http://www.goodnewswi.com/locally/medical-lending-closet
This is a great idea - so often the people who need these items do not have access or cannot afford them. Connecting with social workers, St. Clare Health Mission, and hospitals could be beneficial to to get a better sense of how to structure this so it works for everyone.
So much DME is used short term. If you or someone you know has had a total knee or hip replacement, you know the list of equipment needed before surgery is long. It is all used after surgery-until recovery is complete. Then those items are no longer needed. What if there was a donation center that could put those now unneeded items into the hands of someone without the means to purchase new DME?
I could see students at the Universities needing this!
I could see students at the Universities needing this too. Any ideas of partnering organizations that could help here? Hmmmm
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