Independence
for Rent When You Need it Most
By
Pete Lewis
For many stroke survivors and their families, an electric
scooter or wheelchair is much more than a comfortable and
convenient way to get from one place to another. An electric
scooter can be an essential link with the rest of the world,
a tool for independence.
Lee
Meagher witnessed first-hand what an electric scooter can
mean to a stroke survivor. Her father, Clarence William Vincent,
had a stroke in 1986 that affected his ability to speak, read
and walk. At the age of 58, he was forced to retire and adapt
to his physical limitations.
"My
mother said, "We have to buy dad a scooter. He deserves
a life of his own,"" Meagher said. "The scooter
gave him the ability to get out of the house and be independent.
In 1986, my father started a new life. It wasn’t the
life that he would have chosen, but he made the best of it."
Many
mornings Meagher’s father would leave the house and
spend most of the day riding around town on his scooter visiting
friends and family. It wasn’t unusual for him to travel
10 miles or more on his scooter to have lunch with his son
or for a game of cards with friends. Clarence passed away
in 2004, but in the 18 years following his stroke, he wore
out five scooters.
"The
scooter gave him a reason to get out of bed every morning,"
Meagher said. "I believe that it helped him live longer
and better. It also changed my mother’s life, because
it allowed her to have a life without worrying about dad."
In 1993, Meagher’s family went on vacation to Hawaii,
but left the scooter at home. At the time, scooters were powered
by acid batteries which needed to be packed in a special container
and area for airplane travel. When they couldn’t rent
a scooter during a family vacation in Hawaii planted the seed
in Meagher’s mind for a future business.
"You
could rent a crib or even a cooler for the beach, but you
could not rent a scooter," Meagher said. "My brother
and I talked about creating a company that would be a kind
of Hertz-Rent-a-Car for mobility. The idea was to make it
as easy to rent a wheelchair or scooter as it is to rent a
car."
In 1997, Meagher and her brother decided to test their idea
and launched a Web site. They immediately were contacted by
individuals and organizations interested in the service.
Today, Scootaround operates about 125 locations that serve
over 500 cities throughout North America. The company rents
about 1,000 scooters and wheelchairs every month. Meagher
said there are very few places in North America that Scootaround
does not serve.
One difference between Scootaround and most car rental companies
is you’ll never wait in line to check out a scooter
- their 24/7 call center allows you to book in advance and
have the scooter waiting at your car rental agency or delivered
directly to your hotel, cruise ship or convention center.
Once you have finished with your mobility rental, Scootaround
will pick up the vehicle for you.
"Your
scooter is waiting for you when you arrive," Meagher
said. "We understand how important this equipment is
to our customers. It’s not like losing your luggage."
Scootaround rents four types of mobility devices: electric
scooters, transportable electric scooters designed to come
apart and fit in the trunk of most mid-sized automobiles,
electric wheelchairs, and manual wheelchairs.
Scootaround customers fall into two general categories. People
who own scooters, but prefer not to haul them on to airplanes
and cruise ships, and people who don’t own a scooter
but who may have some mobility issues and need a scooter to
fully enjoy their trips.
Scootaround
also offers guided scooter tours in Washington D.C., New Orleans
and Chicago IL. The Washington tour takes about three hours
and covers six miles. You see all the monuments on the National
Mall without ever getting off the scooter.
Scootaround’s Web site (www.scootaround.com) provides
information about its services as well as travel information
relevant to people with limited mobility. The company also
publishes an monthly electronic newsletter filled with articles
and travel tips that is sent to 10,000 subscribers.
The ability to travel and enjoy vacations is just as important
for families as it is for people with limited mobility. Meagher
said there are very few places that can’t accommodate
a scooter or wheelchair. While traveling may require some
advanced planning, there is no reason why people with limited
mobility shouldn’t feel comfortable traveling anywhere
in North America.
To
honor her father, Meagher recently launched the Clarence William
Vincent Foundation, which donates scooters to worthwhile recipients
who otherwise could not afford one. There is a strict application
and selection process for the donations and Scootaround works
with groups like the National Stroke Association to identify
survivors in need.
"I
know what a scooter meant to my dad and to my family,"
Meagher said. "A scooter provides more than independence
and mobility. It can provide a sense of dignity."
This
article appears in StrokeSmart magazine, the publication of
National Stroke Association.
|
