March 2006

Born to Ride

By Rich Smith

Scooters and other assisted mobility devices enable users to pursue an active and independent lifestyle.

Back in the 1960s, Baby Boomers were known as the Young Generation. Now, fast approaching old age, those in the vanguard of that gigantic demographic group still think they are part of the under-30 crowd, as evidenced by their commitment to leading zestfully active lives—engaging in everything from contact sports to world travel.

Sooner or later, though, the realities of time’s passage will catch up with them. Graying Boomers will find themselves hobbled by bodies that no longer function as well as they once did. To get around, many will need the help of a mobility device—a powered wheelchair, for instance. But if market and demographic experts are correct, Boomers can be expected to prove downright obstinately resistant to the idea of using a wheelchair.

The reasons Boomers are apt to give for eschewing a wheelchair will be numerous. The most frequently cited? Probably that wheelchairs cramp one’s style, that the devices seem too big, too bulky, too cumbersome, too inhibiting. And, above all, too disabling looking.

A wheelchair alternative Boomers likely will accept is the scooter.

“Scooters are more appealing than power wheelchairs in that they look like something you’d use if you were more active,” says Mark Schmeler, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, a faculty member and former clinical program director in the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Technology at the University of Pittsburgh.

In other words, scooters make a statement to the world. Not that Boomers have hang-ups about disability, it’s just that they don’t want to be seen as forced to get around in wheelchairs. That is the way their parents and grandparents did it; so, naturally, rebellious Boomers will have none of that un-hip, pre-Aquarian stuff, thank you very kindly.

Beyond the image aspects, scooters also could hold greater appeal than wheelchairs because of the price differential between the two types of powered mobility devices. Whereas an electric-operated wheelchair can cost $5,000 or more, a scooter—smaller, lighter, and quick on the go—typically retails for around $2,000.

THEY’VE GOT A TICKET TO RIDE

Scooters provide users the opportunity to remain active despite health and physical limitations.

Manufacturers and sellers of scooters are convinced Boomer-fueled appetites will cause the devices to sell like hotcakes. But dreams of Boomer times remain still somewhat around the corner—that particular generation begins with those born in 1946, and they will not reach age 65 until 2011.

Nevertheless, Boomers who have had less success holding at bay the problems of advancing age are already showing up in significant numbers at scooter dealerships, their tickets to ride in hand. For physical therapists and occupational therapists, the news could not be better. They make up an important segment of the medical professionals prescribing power mobility devices, but the now and future demand for scooters presents therapists with “a tremendous opportunity to expand their practices,” Schmeler believes. “Scooters open the doors wide. Many physicians—particularly primary care doctors—feel they are not in the best position to be able to specify scooters and positioning systems and the like, so they are increasingly turning to OTs and PTs for help. In turn, that’s driving the suppliers of scooters to place a lot more value on their relationships with those therapists.

Schmeler thinks requests for PT and OT consults on scooters could really rev up if manufacturers, in their own commercials and print ads, would include a note along the lines of “for a mobility device that best suits your needs and lifestyle, consult your physician and/or OT/PT first.”

Scooters are in available a variety of styles and colors to suit individual needs.

Still, as groovy and cool as scooters might seem to aging Boomers, these conveyances will not be right for all members of that generation. Would-be users must demonstrate sufficient physical capability to get on and off the scooter without tripping or stumbling and to safely operate the tiller and other controls, Schmeler cautions. A scooter owner should be free of any swiftly advancing neurologically degenerative disease—otherwise, he will soon be unable to drive it at all; the money spent will have been wasted, money that could have instead gone toward a power wheelchair (more appropriate in such a circumstance), Schmeler adds.

MAKE THEM PART OF THE PROCESS

A word to the wise: when working with Boomer clients, it is strongly recommended that they be consulted every step of the way during the scooter selection process.

“The parents of the Boomers tend to go along with whatever their health care providers say, but the Boomers themselves like to be part of the decision-making process,” Schmeler offers, hinting that the preference perhaps stems from the “question authority” mind-set they developed in their formative years. “Also, Boomers are better informed to begin with. They use the Internet a lot more than their parents to research health issues and health-related products. So, when they come in to see you, they are already very knowledgeable about what is available.”

Unfortunately, the information they gather on the Internet and through other avenues (such as the mass media) is not always accurate. Therapists therefore need to be prepared to provide corrective education during their encounters with Boomers, says Schmeler.

“A problem is that Boomers are strongly influenced by scooter advertising they see on TV and read in magazines, much of which—while not deceptive—can give you the wrong impression or unrealistic expectations,” he states. “Some ads lead you to believe that you can own a really great-looking scooter that will also be ideal for you no matter what your situation or actual needs. A few of them make it appear that a scooter is very easy to disassemble and place in the car, as well as get you to the rim of the Grand Canyon.”

Part of any such reality-checking effort should include a test-drive of the scooters under consideration. However, Schmeler warns against test-driving only in the clinic parking lot, where the surface the scooter will traverse is solid, level, and smooth. “Take the scooter to the client’s home and let them test it there, inside and outside where there will be lots of different surfaces—some of them level, some not—and lots of different types of spaces that have to be maneuvered around in. Work with reputable and certified suppliers who are willing to take equipment to the home to assess the natural living environment and report the findings back to you.

“Those environmental factors play a bigger part than most scooter shoppers realize. Is the client going to use the scooter primarily indoors or primarily outdoors? If outdoors, will they be negotiating a variety of difficult surfaces and terrains on a frequent basis? All these factors are critical to know in advance, because different scooters have different performance capabilities, and some are better suited for [certain situations] than others.”

LIVING LA VIDA GONZO

Something else to which therapists need be attuned is the fashion consciousness of Boomers. Their deep-rooted desire to look good can push many Boomers into buying a scooter that embodies more form than function.

Style, safety, performance, and portability should be considered when purchasing a scooter.

“I’m running into this quite a lot with my Boomer patients,” says Schmeler. “The starting point for dealing with it is to provide them with a good assessment of their activities of daily living, combined with a good assessment of how, when, and where that scooter will be used. This can help them understand why that stylish scooter they’ve got their eye on isn’t as good a bet as the less-attractive but really functional model you know is right for them.”

Many Boomers pride themselves on being not just active lifestylers but gonzo lifestylers. That means they are prone to taking walks (or, rides, as it were) on the wild side. Accordingly, the scooter they eventually acquire will have to be rugged enough to survive just about anything.

In addition to durability, a scooter suitable for use by Boomers also must be designed for easy transportability. “Since many Boomers love to travel, they’ll want their scooter to accompany them on trips,” says Schmeler, indicating that the power mobility device of choice for them will be one that is airliner-friendly, no matter how loaded with extras it is.

Speaking of extras, scooter features that manufacturers know appeal to Boomers include oversized electric motors and gearing systems that produce faster speeds, and bigger batteries for extended run times between recharges. Boomers also are fond of accessories such as cup holders, cell phone docks, CD or MP3 players, onboard power receptacles (into which a laptop computer, for instance, could be plugged), leather or suede seats, carrying racks, you name it—basically any convenience found in their Lexuses, Accuras, Volvos, BMWs, and SUVs (with the possible exception of air conditioning).

Accessories along these lines could become standard features on some models of scooters in the near future, as manufacturers strive to give Boomers products they will dig. “Makers didn’t bother much with accessories in the past because they figured there was no point, since insurance wasn’t going to pay for those bells and whistles anyway,” says Schmeler.

Insurance still does not pay for the fluff, but that is not a problem where the typical Boomer is concerned. “If he or she wants something added to the scooter [such as custom appointments] and insurance refuses, the Boomer will simply pay for it out of pocket,” says Schmeler.

At Binson’s Home Healthcare Centers in Centerline, Mich, only about 1% of scooter sales are reimbursed by some form of third-party pay. “Scooters are an insurance-covered item in many instances, but nearly all our scooter customers prefer buying with cash just to be able to avoid the hassles of the insurance process,” says Nick Binson, director of rehabilitation. No complaint about that from Binson, who predicts benefits-cutting insurers are sooner or later bound to target scooters for hefty reimbursement reductions. In fact, he is convinced that, eventually, scooters will not be covered at all under the terms of many policies.

Thus price will be an increasingly important element in choosing a scooter. Manufacturers understand this, so they have in recent years come out with what are known simply as low-cost scooters (which now dominate the travel mobility category—products typified by ultra portability and high maneuverability). Says Binson, “Until now, a lot of people who’ve wanted a scooter have been shut out by price. That’s no longer the case.”

Low-cost scooters are not meant to supplant higher-priced models, though. These are entry-level conveyances lacking the features, power, durability, and endurance of standard or up-market scooters. But just because they are down-market, it does not of necessity follow that they are unsexy. Indeed, manufacturers have gone to considerable lengths to dress them up with stylish body contours, cool colors, and hot decals.

TIME TO GEAR UP

Assuming the Boomer boom in scooters materializes as envisioned, therapists should start gearing up for it now, experts recommend.

“The PT or OT who wants to get in on this opportunity for practice expansion needs to learn as much as possible about scooters and about scooter seating and positioning,” says Schmeler. “This can be done through continuing education courses, networking with suppliers, and networking with universities. Scooters are not a complicated area to work in if you have good training and good suppliers who can help you understand the technology. Otherwise, it can all seem overwhelming.”

He is, of course, right. Understanding the full medical advantages of scooters is critical to any patient’s quality of life—even to those whose former motto of trusting no one over 30 has been updated to “trust no one over 100.”

Rich Smith is a contributing writer for Rehab Management.

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