The Diane LaMotte ALS Foundation will provide (if available) a powered wheelchair, transfer lift system or provide respite care funds at no cost to any qualified Central Florida ALS family. The foundation will deliver, set-up, instruct and maintain this equipment at no cost to you. It is our mission to help the ALS family, who is suffering from this terrible disease, some improvement in the quality of life for all involved especially the caregivers. Having Lou Gehrig's disease doesn't mean you need to stay home and be confined. With this equipment living a "normal" life is made easier.
The "Transfer Lift System" is the best lift a caregiver and patient can have. It is a safe, effortless way for the caregiver to do a wheelchair transfer or scooter transfer to a bed, commode or bathtub. With the aid of the “Portable Lift Helper” and a caregiver, the patient can continue to access any room and any facility in their home. The open design of the sling can be used without physical lifting to get the sling under the body. The leg straps do the actual lifting and the back straps provide stability.
The Foundation has several “high end” powered wheel chairs that give the ALS patient greater mobility than the average wheel chair. These powered wheel chairs have a reclining back, leg lifting ability, seat raising and overall “tilting” of the chair. Since most ALS patients can’t move themselves while seated, this wheel chair provides more comfort because the patient or care giver can use the machine to adjust their position. The caregiver has greater flexibility in helping provide comfort and the ALS patient can still maintain a level of independence because of the capabilities of this chair.
Being the primary caregiver to an ALS patient is both physically and mentally difficult, emotionally draining and many times financially disastrous. Funds may or may not be available for an ALS Family to help employ a part- time or full-time caregiver, however the need for full time care increases as the disease progresses and very often this disease can deplete a family's resources and savings quite quickly. It is the goal of the Foundation to provide some financial support for ALS families that qualify with funds made available through donations to the Foundation.