Northwood Homecare Clients Participate in Innovative Mobility Pilot

The Veterans Affairs Canada-supported pilot includes 10 Northwood Homecare clients

A new mobility device aimed at improving independence and reducing the risk of injury from falls is being tested in Sheet Harbour through a partnership involving Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), Northwood Homecare and Axtion Independence Mobility.

Through Northwood's In-Touch program, 10 homecare clients are participating in a six-month pilot of a prototype walker designed for people with mobility challenges, particularly those at risk of falling. The initiative is supported through the Federal Innovative Solutions Canada program, which matched Axtion with Veterans Affairs Canada as a federal partner.

The lightweight, multipurpose device functions similarly to a rollator but includes an elevating seat that can lower to floor level and raise back up, allowing someone who has fallen to return to a seated position independently. It can also be used as a transfer aid and for rehabilitation support. The unit weighs approximately 35 pounds and is designed to support up to 300 pounds.

Sheet Harbour resident Ed Douma, 79, is among the participants testing the device at home. After experiencing mobility challenges and suffering a concussion in a fall last July, Douma said the prototype gives him greater confidence.

“The very fact of its existence gives me confidence and allows me to venture out weather permitting,” he said, noting he feels more at ease moving through the hallways of his building.

Participants will provide monthly feedback throughout the six-month trial to help refine the prototype. At the end of the pilot, they will be able to keep the device. The product is not yet commercially available, and an estimated future cost is approximately $8,000.

Axtion Independence Mobility is the company behind the Raymex Lift, a mobility device that was recently featured on Dragon's Den on CBC, where it secured funding to advance its innovation. You can view this episode on CBC's website here: https://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden/pitches/raymex-lift

Northwood’s involvement in the pilot reflects its ongoing commitment to supporting research and real-world testing that enhances safety, independence and quality of life for older adults.

This story is based on original reporting by Joanne Jordan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Guysborough Journal and can be found on the Hamilton Spectator's website: https://www.thespec.com/news/canada/local-senior-tests-new-mobility-device-in-sheet-harbour-veterans-affairs-canada-supported-pilot-includes/article_bb4366a7-4114-5724-b31f-1eb10b40b3cc.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=copy-link&utm_campaign=user-share