As Keri Castañeda, COO of AbilityFirst for 12 years, shares, “We were created to address a lack of resources for children affected by polio, particularly in Southern California. Over time, as vaccines came into play and polio cases diminished, we redefined our focus to include children and adults with intellectual disabilities.”

Today, AbilityFirst has grown into a vital network that serves over 1,400 individuals annually across Los Angeles County and beyond. CEO Sergio Rizzo-Fontanesi, who joined the organization just six months ago, is already deeply impressed by its impact. “One of the things that struck me most was the commitment and tenure of our staff,” he says. “Some have been here for over 30 years, and that speaks volumes about the dedication to the people we serve and the quality of services we provide.”

AbilityFirst’s programs support individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities from childhood into adulthood. Its services include after-school programs for children and teenagers, independent living skills, job coaching, and a fully accessible sleepaway camp nestled in the San Bernardino Mountains.

“We’re not just providing a service; we’re giving individuals the opportunity to achieve the life they want,” Castañeda says. “We work on everything from social skills and communication to independent living and building friendships. We even help people in their journey through college.”

For those in college, the organization provides tailored support, especially for individuals with autism, ensuring they have the tools and guidance needed to succeed.

AbilityFirst’s adult day programs are similarly person-centered, promoting meaningful community involvement, including guiding participants in setting personal goals and accomplishing them within a community setting. Whether it’s learning a new skill, finding a job, or simply enjoying time with friends, every program at AbilityFirst is designed to foster belonging and independence.

A defining element of AbilityFirst, according to Rizzo-Fontanesi, is the strong sense of team spirit among the staff. “When I first started, I noticed that our team didn’t just care about participant success; they genuinely want each other to succeed. There’s an unspoken understanding here that we’re all in it together.”

Castañeda echoes this sentiment, noting that AbilityFirst employees wear their empathy and dedication on their sleeves. “Our culture is about inclusivity, and it extends to everyone who walks through our doors, whether it’s a participant, a staff member, or a volunteer,” she says.

Throughout its history, AbilityFirst has adapted to meet the changing needs of its community. The organization evolved as polio became less prevalent and today, its scope includes a wide range of services for children, teenagers, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance, Castañeda led an initiative to shift services to virtual formats, a move that continues to benefit families and participants who prefer online engagement.

“Our ability to reinvent ourselves is what keeps us relevant,” says Castañeda. “We continually assess our community’s needs and adapt to address them in meaningful ways.” Looking forward, AbilityFirst is preparing to launch a strategic plan in 2025, focusing on unmet needs and areas with high demand, such as East Los Angeles, where the Latino population is significant. The organization is exploring new services such as mental health support, occupational therapy, and physical therapy, all aimed at providing holistic, whole-person care.

AbilityFirst has fostered a culture of giving back within its programs, emphasizing volunteerism as a path to greater community integration. Participants volunteer with various nonprofits throughout Los Angeles, which provides them with a sense of community and purpose. This volunteer work not only provides participants with valuable skills for future employment but also challenges societal perceptions about people with disabilities.

As Rizzo-Fontanesi elaborates, “When individuals with disabilities volunteer, they show the community their capabilities, and they’re changing people’s minds about what they can do.” This approach serves a dual purpose: it empowers participants while fostering a sense of belonging and reducing stigma within the broader community.

With an anticipated growth rate of 16 percent next year, AbilityFirst is on a trajectory of expansion, not just in numbers but in the breadth of services offered. Much of its work happens directly within the community, as the team focuses on supporting participants in real-world settings, from job placements to volunteering.

“We’re looking at areas of high need and working to ensure our programs evolve to meet these needs,” says Rizzo-Fontanesi. “For example, our services might expand to include physical and occupational therapy, mental health services, and other essential support systems that address our participants’ full spectrum of needs.”

For AbilityFirst, disability is a part of the human experience. As Rizzo-Fontanesi explains, “We meet participants wherever they are on their journey, whether they need assistance with basic tasks or are navigating college and careers.” The organization’s programs cover everything from daily life skills to intimate topics like forming relationships.

“The goal is to create a truly inclusive environment where participants feel seen and supported,” says Castañeda. This approach is person-centered at its core, focusing on strengths and empowering individuals to define their own success.

At its heart, AbilityFirst isn’t just an organization; it’s a family. From the pioneering days of Camp Paivika, one of the first fully accessible camps for children with disabilities, founded in 1946, to the myriad of programs offered today, the organization has maintained its commitment to serving individuals with care, respect, and inclusivity. The organization has successfully grown and adapted through various phases of history, addressing challenges from polio to COVID-19. Throughout it all, its staff, board, and volunteers have remained committed, ensuring that they continue to serve the community with compassion and care.

AbilityFirst’s journey is one of resilience, adaptability, and unwavering dedication to its mission. It’s a place where every individual, regardless of ability, is given the tools and support to lead a fulfilling life. For AbilityFirst, it’s about recognizing each individual for who they are, empowering them to live the life they desire, and fostering a community that supports them throughout their journey.

The post From Polio Support to Life-Enriching Programs<p class="company">AbilityFirst</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

HME Home Health offers a wide range of medical equipment designed to improve the mobility and accessibility of its clients. The company serves various sectors, from healthcare units, hospitals, and long-term care facilities to schools and government institutions, and even individual consumers. One of HME’s key strengths, says Robert Boscacci, Co-Founder and CEO, lies in its ability to serve a diverse clientele, and this broad application of equipment allows HME to provide essential mobility and accessibility, helping customers lead more fulfilling lives.

HME’s product offering revolves around mobility and accessibility equipment for people of all ages and needs. Whether it’s a wheelchair for a child or a ceiling lift for an aging adult in long-term care, such equipment plays a vital role in helping people live fully and independently. As Boscacci explains, the company’s goal is simple but profound: “Our company’s mandate is to get people living their best life, making them mobile, making them able to live fully.”

From supporting healthcare providers with timely equipment delivery to helping individuals live independently at home, HME touches many different areas of society, providing a vital link between healthcare systems and the equipment necessary to keep people mobile and safe in their daily lives.

HME Home Health has experienced significant growth in recent years. Beginning with a single office, the company has expanded rapidly to establish eight locations across British Columbia, with a ninth office planned to open in Abbotsford by July 2025. This expansion has particularly accelerated over the past two years, during which time five new offices have been launched. Currently, HME Home Health employs 127 full-time staff members across its eight locations, and the upcoming Abbotsford office is expected to enhance its presence in the Fraser Valley, one of the fastest-growing regions in BC. In particular, HME will utilize its new Abbotsford locations to further grow its Pediatric division, which currently has 70 percent of the market share in BC.

Boscacci takes great pride in his team, citing their diversity and hard work as a driving force behind the company’s success. “Our team is fantastic,” he says, adding that 60 percent of HME’s workforce are visible minorities and 54 percent are women. Notably, 65 percent of the company’s senior leadership team consists of women, a figure that Boscacci highlights with pride. “We have a really good corporate culture of being motivated and hardworking,” he says. The team at HME collectively speak 29 languages, which is instrumental in helping serve clients in their local languages. This language diversity, coupled with the company’s welcoming culture for newcomers to Canada, has created a unique work environment that fosters inclusion and strengthens client relationships.

The company’s diversity not only helps it connect with clients but also strengthens its internal culture. This commitment to inclusion is not just a talking point but a core part of HME’s identity, making the company stronger and more capable of meeting the needs of its varied clientele. HME was an entrant in the 2024 Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures program and utilizes the eNPS system to solicit employee feedback, receiving over +40 on the last three surveys.

One of the ways HME Home Health has set itself apart from competitors is by leveraging technology to provide better service to its clients. About six months ago, HME launched its e-commerce store, which was a first for the industry. This platform allows customers to browse, customize, and order medical equipment online, including complex items like wheelchairs. “HME does business a little bit differently,” Boscacci says. “We focus on utilizing the latest in technology to serve our clients better. For example, our e-commerce store allows consumers to purchase and customize products like hospital beds and wheelchairs online, and then our certified team delivers and sets them up in their homes.” HME’s e-commerce sales now account for 10 percent of sales revenue.

This innovative approach has been a game-changer for HME, especially for healthcare professionals and hospital purchasers who value the convenience and efficiency of being able to order products online. While companies like Amazon can offer basic home health equipment, HME takes it a step further by offering complex medical products that require specialized delivery and setup. This unique capability has helped the company solidify its position as a market leader in British Columbia.

HME works closely with healthcare authorities, including provincial adult and pediatric funders and provincial recycling pools to ensure that pediatric patients receive the care and equipment they need. Beyond pediatric care, HME also provides equipment for long-term care facilities and individuals who wish to age at home. Additionally, the company supports post-operative patients who need rehabilitation products after life-changing events such as workplace accidents or car accidents. This ability to cater to such a broad range of needs has positioned HME as a trusted provider in the healthcare sector.

HME Home Health has been recognized for its rapid growth, ranking in The Globe and Mail’s Top 500 fastest-growing companies in Canada for the past three years. “We’ve grown 22 percent on average per year over the last five years,” Boscacci shares, attributing this success to both the company’s continued investments and the dedication of its employees. “I really think that our team is to thank for the growth, as well as the continued investments we’ve made.”

The company’s upcoming Abbotsford office will play a critical role in servicing the Fraser Valley, which has BC’s fastest-growing population and is also home to the province’s largest healthcare authority, Fraser Health. As HME continues to expand its reach across the province, these strategic acquisitions and new locations will help the company maintain its position as a leading provider of mobility and accessibility equipment. And as the company grows, so do the opportunities for its employees. HME has a strong track record of promoting from within, which has helped create a positive and motivating work environment. Most of the managers and senior managers have been promoted from within.

HME faces the same challenges as many other healthcare providers operating within a healthcare system under increasing strain. Boscacci believes that one of the most critical shifts in the industry is the need for providers to offer faster, more efficient service. This is why HME focuses on technology and quick delivery, guaranteeing 48-hour delivery for in-stock items like hospital beds and wheelchairs. This level of service helps alleviate some of the pressure on healthcare authorities by ensuring that patients get the equipment they need promptly. HME’s Signature Series products account for 20 percent of HME’s sales and are stocked, ready for delivery within 24 hours in all HME locations.

Another significant shift in the industry is the growing need to train—and motivate—new staff as the workforce evolves. As the demographic landscape shifts, healthcare providers must ensure their staff are well-trained and ready to meet the growing demand for services.

As HME Home Health looks to the future, the company’s plans for growth remain ambitious. In addition to opening new locations and expanding its service areas, HME is also focused on continuing to provide top-notch service to its clients. Boscacci also sees further opportunities for technological innovation, particularly in the realm of e-commerce. As the company continues to push the envelope in terms of service and delivery, it remains poised to lead the industry in innovation and client care.

HME Home Health is a company that has positioned itself for success by focusing on people—both its clients and its employees. Through strategic growth, technological innovation, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, HME continues to set the standard for mobility and accessibility solutions across British Columbia. As Robert Boscacci emphasizes, the company’s mission is simple: to help people live their best lives by making them mobile and ensuring they have the tools they need to thrive.

The post Empowering Lives Through Mobility and Innovation<p class="company">HME Home Health</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

For centuries, cutting down and moving heavy logs through the Swiss Alps was a dangerous, labor-intensive endeavour. But in 1928, founder Karl Garaventa Sr., who worked as a logger, and several engineers developed ropeways that allowed workers to transport logs over difficult mountain terrain faster and more efficiently and safely.

Sons Karl Garaventa Jr. and Willy, like their father before them, were intrigued by technology and finding solutions, and took over the family business in 1956. In the ’60s, the company undertook its first international project in Egypt in 1964—a crane carried by cable over the Nile, and expanded into aerial tramways. Expanding into the U.S. and Canada, by the late ’70s, the company was hard at work creating innovative solutions such as Stair Lifts, which brought accessibility to places it hadn’t been before. Growing robustly, Garaventa Lift was acquired by Savaria in 2018, becoming a publicly listed company.

In 2008, Garaventa Lift expanded its emphasis on accessibility to become a global leader in home elevators. Maintaining the spirit of the company’s early log-moving products, Garaventa Lift has made its name synonymous with state-of-the-art, custom-made lift solutions, making the world and so many of its homes safer and more accessible.

“The Vietnam War generated a market for us because the Americans decided one should not discriminate against people with disabilities,” explains Vince Sciamanna, President of Garaventa Lift North America, Savaria Corp. “With the introduction of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a market was created for these small one-person cable cars, which became our wheelchair lifts of 50 years ago.”

With many soldiers returning home from the war with permanent physical or mental impairments, there was a need to provide them with equal opportunities, which saw the ADA signed into law in 1990.

Meeting accessibility needs
Providing four services essential to the North American way of life––residential accessibility, independent living, residential lifestyles, and public accessibility––Garaventa Lift researches, designs, manufactures, tests, installs, and maintains technologically advanced individual custom lift solutions.

“A passion for increasing the mobility and independence of people everywhere inspires us,” states the company, and its lifts are found in well over 100,000 private homes and public facilities everywhere, from office buildings to train stations, universities to places of worship.

At Garaventa Lift, all products are custom-made to order. “They may be made from pre-assembled components, but every lift is different,” says Sciamanna. “Most stairs are different; you have straight stairs, turning stairs, you have stairs with an intermediate landing, you install on the left side or the right side––there are too many variables for us to build these lifts straight from standard components and ship them out the next day.”

Yet even with custom-made lifts, Garaventa Lift has one of the shortest lead times in the world. Often, it is mere weeks from the day that a mechanic measures a home to the installation of a completed stair lift.

Every installation unique
Depending on customer requirements and specifications, home elevator designs also differ. Homeowners may require two, three, or four-level elevators. Then there are left or right door configurations, and different heights and sizes. Some architects prefer a classic, contemporary look, while others incorporate glass elements to showcase the elevator. “That’s why home elevator cabins are all made to order, so we’re ready to build any home elevator in a short time,” says Sciamanna.

Sometimes, architects or builders are the drivers of the process. For renovations, parents may inquire because a child is in a wheelchair, or children may inquire about parents who want to age in place in their home instead of moving to a long-care facility. “The normal thing is that the home you live in is the safest place you can be––for yourself, your family, parents, and friends––so people are investing more in their homes, thinking about the modifications they need to make their home a suitable place to retire to, and so living longer in the home,” says Sciamanna.

He notes that a home elevator is just one element of a home design that is safe and accessible. Other elements including avoiding unnecessary steps, such as in sunken living rooms or the typical single step leading from a garage into a mudroom. The push for older persons to remain in their homes as long as possible increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, and architects are refining designs to boost home safety and access.

Sensitivity to clients
As well as the talents of its own factory-trained installation mechanics, Garaventa Lift has trained mechanics in all major cities worldwide, including appointed, certified, and trained elevator contracting companies.

This is one way in which Garaventa Lift stands apart from other companies. Elevator mechanics working in a public setting, such as a school or hotel, are typically not the ones who service private homes, mainly because they may not be aware of necessary protocols like donning shoe covers before entering a home. “Lifts require maintenance, and this is where interaction takes place between customer and mechanic,” Sciamanna explains.

“It’s the sensitivity point that comes into play when we are maintaining the lifts, which is critical,” he shares. “A lift that’s down in a public setting or hotel is a nuisance; a lift or elevator that’s down in your home can mean you can’t get in or out of your living room or bedroom. So, the requirements placed on our mechanics are quite elevated, because of the needs these lifts must meet.”

Sciamanna says the issue of sensitivity is highly dependent on leadership style. “I’ve been with the company for over 25 years and am passionate about creating an accessible world and giving back in the right way,” he says. “At the same time, we are a for-profit organization, a publicly traded company where quarterly results matter.”

Thus, with outstanding, carefully chosen dealer representatives and employees, Garaventa Lift operates seamlessly on both the professional and personal level to ensure customer satisfaction. “Originally a Swiss company, our core values include doing what we promise and doing so in a safe way, on time, with respect for the individual. Living our values is critical, and our responsibility is not only to our customers and employees but also to our business partners. We have lots of current customers––over 100,000––and they will attest to this.”

Modern solutions
To keep pace with demand, Garaventa Lift utilizes digital technologies. During the sales process––where team members work with architects, builders, and homeowners––2D and 3D drawings and models are created, explained, and reviewed online. From the installation standpoint, clients can connect to a call centre for mechanics to troubleshoot the process. Today’s lifts store information, which makes service and maintenance more efficient, and diagnostics are performed through a digital connection that can be provided through subject matter experts and the elevator itself.

“In terms of digitization, we have initiatives to adopt digital solutions to improve in two areas,” says Director, Sales & Marketing, Constantine Nip. “One is the product itself, and two is internally, to make ourselves more efficient.”

To promote Garaventa Lift, the company is active at trade shows, including membership in and participation at the International Builders’ Show, the world’s biggest annual light construction show. Also active online through its website and social media channels, the company is often featured in magazines where it showcases its products and remarkable history. “In terms of marketing, we not only have the mission of promoting Garaventa Lift but also the mission of promoting making the world a better place for accessibility,” says Nip.

Earlier this year, the company became the proud recipient of the Elevator World Ellies Award in the Best Supplier-Accessibility category, a clear indicator of the company’s dedication to clients and the industry.

A great believer in giving back, Garaventa Lift takes part in a program with Easter Seals, providing a lift for one person in need in Alberta. Additionally, the company is part of The Bourassa Savaria Foundation, which was created a decade ago to help people dealing with mobility challenges.

Ready for the future
With more of us living longer and wanting to remain in our homes as long as possible, Garaventa Lift is gearing up for the years to come. “By working with different suppliers and our sales team, we try to give a good estimate of our production needs on a 12-month rolling forecast,” says Sciamanna. “We estimate the market will double in the next five years, but it depends on the geographic location. In Arizona, for example, home elevators are not used a lot. That’s why we invested together with our partner to set up a showroom in Scottsdale, to showcase home elevators to people,” he explains.

“We expect that market will be extremely good for us in the next five years; it will probably double year over year. In a city like Vancouver or West Vancouver, every new home has a home elevator. So, we went there from a market where no lifts were being installed in homes––because there wasn’t an installation company, or the price range of home elevators versus home price was a bit too high. So, for various reasons, you will see a different growth rate in different cities.”

At the factory, Garaventa Lift is prepared for the future, and able to adapt accordingly.

“We run a lean manufacturing operation that can double its size––not overnight, but we don’t predict doubling to happen overnight. 10 to 15 percent growth year over year is what we are forecasting, depending on our activities in different cities, and they are all different.”

The post Garaventa Lift Makes Life More Accessible<p class="company">Garaventa Lift</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

A division of non-profit group Ability Beyond, which is based in Bethel, Connecticut, Disability Solutions aims to broaden the pool of potential job applicants for companies and make it easier for people with physical, mental, emotional, or learning disabilities to find work.

The organization aims to “bridge the gap between corporations, job seekers, and those who serve job seekers with disabilities,” says Executive Director of Disability Solutions, Julie Sowash. “There are built-in barriers to employment for them.” The group’s goal is to “remove those barriers and get great talent to great employers as quickly as possible, at a cost-effective price, in a way companies are comfortable with,” she adds.

A fully remote organization with no brick-and-mortar offices, Disability Solutions casts a very wide net. “We work all over the world; we go where the work is. We’ve had clients in India; we’ve had clients in Brazil; we have clients in Asia, in Europe,” she notes.

Hiring people with disabilities “has historically been viewed as a charity endeavor. Part of our mission is to change that around and showcase the talent value,” notes Director of Client Implementation, Keith Meadows. “We’ve [worked with] scientists and C-Suite managers—a person with disabilities can do any job.”

“We’re not a charity; we’re here to do business,” agrees Director of Strategic Partnerships, Michael O’Sullivan.

Since it was launched, Disability Solutions has helped more than 8,000 people with disabilities find work. Of these individuals, 22 percent were veterans, 47 percent were women, and 48 percent were people of color. While this is an excellent start, there are over 15 million people of working age with a disability in the United States, the firm reports. The nature of these disabilities can range enormously, a fact that the group readily acknowledges.

“One important commitment we made to each other as a team when we started Disability Solutions is that we would never pit one part of our community against another. We believe that it’s important for us to be representative of the whole, not just [for the benefit] of our community, but for companies to be successful,” explains Sowash.

Disability Solutions offers an online career center that connects job seekers with inclusive employers who collaborate with the organization. Job seekers can personalize their search criteria and receive alerts for job openings that match their preferences. When they apply for positions, their applications are sent directly to the employer, as Meadows explains. There is no fee for job seekers using the site; they can create a free account and receive job alerts based on their location and chosen keywords. Additionally, the organization provides various free resources to job seekers, including educational materials, job search tools, advice, and opportunities for live mock job interview practice sessions.

Partner companies are encouraged to use the Disability Solutions website as a vehicle for expanding their personnel. The site enables companies to “canvas the disability community,” says Meadows, who explains that the group tells employers, “This is your opportunity to attract talent to your organization.”

Disability Solutions also works closely with an array of community-based organizations, including the Wounded Warrior Project and vocational rehabilitation groups. These organizations are urged to “check their networks and recruit for us or recruit for a company. They’re able to check out jobs [on our career center site] to see if an individual they’re working with is a great fit,” says Meadows. Disability Solutions regularly communicates with its community partners, sharing tips for job seekers with disabilities on subjects such as answering tough interview questions and putting together a solid résumé, and services for community organizations are free.

The firm maintains a robust social media presence, particularly on LinkedIn—the idea being to reach out to job seekers with disabilities who might not belong to a community organization.

Stigma is perhaps the biggest challenge facing job hunters with disabilities, says Meadows, who points out that if a job seeker “has a noticeable disability and is going into an interview, there are a lot of hiring managers that are stuck in their ways. [They think] ‘how can a person missing three fingers do this position that requires typing constantly?’ It doesn’t cross their mind that a person with one hand could potentially type faster than a person with two.”

Job seekers with disabilities also face systemic challenges. The job application process frequently includes personality/work aptitude quizzes or assessments, and such tests can present an enormous obstacle to a visually impaired job seeker who relies on a screen reader (computer programs that translate text into speech) when applying for positions online. The screen reader might dramatically slow down their progress or impede it altogether if the employer’s website is not compatible with such technology.

Psychological assessments, meanwhile, can prove onerous for people on the autism spectrum. Neurodivergent people often present a flat affect, resulting in low scores on human resources computer programs designed to evaluate a job applicant’s vocal tone and facial gestures.

Challenges do not necessarily end once a person with a disability lands a job, either. Workplaces might not be wheelchair-accessible, and some employers have been known to exploit workers with disabilities, paying them poorly and disregarding workplace health and safety regulations. To this end, Disability Solutions refuses to work with any employer that offers “segregated employment or sub-minimum wages,” says Sowash.

Fortunately, the notion that workers with disabilities add value to a workplace is making headway. “There’s still a lot of stigma out there to this day, but I’m having more enlightened conversations [with employers] than I did 10 years ago,” notes Meadows. Government regulations have helped; in the United States, companies that work for the federal government directly or as sub-contractors must abide by U.S. Department of Labor rules designed to assist workers and job seekers with disabilities.

Employers are also coming to realize the benefits that workers with disabilities bring to the table. Workers with disabilities that the group has assisted boast a 14 percent higher retention rate than their able-bodied counterparts, says the firm. Industry-wise, this breaks down to a 77 percent retention rate in the warehouse sector; 87 percent in technical roles; and 95 percent in call center or sales positions.

Open-minded employers are turning to Disability Solutions for other reasons as well. “We handle companies’ websites to make sure they’re accessible,” says Meadows, noting that the firm will also “analyze a company’s job description and make sure it’s race-, gender-, and disability-neutral—that it’s optimized with positive language.”

The firm also offers online training courses that companies can take, covering topics such as ‘Ableism 101,’ ‘10 Tips for Hiring Talent with Disabilities,’ and ‘How to Increase Disability Self-Identification.’ Training can be done live via Zoom, Teams, or on an employer’s video conferencing site. Courses can also be accessed via a platform called Thinkific. “We train leaders on best practices, disability and inclusion, and how to better manage people with a variety of disabilities,” says Sowash. In total, Disability Solutions has trained over 10,000 employees.

Disability Solutions came about in 2012. Its parent organization, non-profit group Ability Beyond, has provided services for the disability community for over seven decades, and Disability Solutions was launched as a separate division focused on employment supports. At first, the team primarily worked with one main client, PepsiCo. The soft drink giant wanted to hire more people with disabilities, “but there weren’t that many conduits back in the day,” Meadows explains.

Disability Solutions began establishing some of those conduits, and the group grew, taking on more responsibilities, partner employers, and staff. Today, it works with more than 80 companies and has nine full-time workers plus some part-time consultants, making up a “small and mighty team,” as Meadows calls it.

Anyone who joins the team must agree with the company’s motto about changing minds and lives. Workplace diversity is also prized; the group has team members with a variety of physical or mental challenges.

Going forward, Disability Solutions is eager to expand its reach. “I would just like to see us working with as many of the big brands out there as possible. [Working with] all the Fortune 500 companies would be amazing, because we’re going to see the biggest proportion of change for the disability community when we start incorporating people with disabilities at all levels of those organizations,” says Director of Marketing, Ashley Sims.

More than anything, however, Disability Solutions’ staff members simply appreciate having the opportunity to assist members of a community that is all too often overlooked in the workplace. “It’s not every day that somebody has a job where you can make a tangible impact on multiple levels for people across the country,” says Meadows. “We’re able to genuinely help people with disabilities.”

The post Talent Without Limits – A New Era of Workplace Inclusion<p class="company">Disability Solutions</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

“Innovation is our biggest thing,” Don Everard says. “We continue to evolve with our [solutions]. We’re constantly looking for ways to make our products easier and faster to install, with features and benefits that meet or exceed the customer’s expectations. I think to be made in America, you have to be innovative. You can’t become stagnant and allow your products to become stagnant. I think our claim to fame is just constantly moving the line forward.”

The EZ-ACCESS story began by filling a gap in the market with a straightforward but overlooked idea. “We started with an inflatable shampoo basin and an inflatable bathtub called the EZ-SHAMPOO® and EZ-BATHE®,” Everard explains. These innovative products simplified home care and proved an immediate—and lasting—hit. “We still sell those products today,” he says.

The company introduced portable folding wheelchair ramps three years later, then quickly experienced growth in yet another new product category primarily due to the establishment of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) as well as a collaborative partnership between EZ-ACCESS and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs over 20 years ago. The development of aluminum modular wheelchair ramps made way for the company to secure these opportunities.

The family continued to explore new solutions in order to keep meeting its customers’ needs. “We were the innovators of the ramp market,” Everard says. “We were constantly developing new products to meet the growing needs of the changing access world.” This led to significant product expansion throughout the decades. “We had to evolve,” he tells us.

Building on a wealth of experience, EZ-ACCESS transitioned into the commercial and industrial space about 10 years ago. “That has been very successful for us,” Everard says. This commercial market includes ramps for school portables, construction trailers, mobile homes, and more. “And then on the industrial side, we’re in plants providing safer access to equipment by way of work platforms and stairs.”

About a year and a half ago, the team began looking for new areas to expand into once again. This time, the company ventured beyond the traditional accessibility spaces, to provide solutions for a wider range of customers. “There are three new channels that we’re focused on,” says Everard. “One is the recreation market, supplying ramps for motorcycles, ATVs, and other power vehicles, so that users can load them easily into the back of a truck. The second is the lawn and garden market. EZ-ACCESS provides ramps for loading equipment such as lawnmowers or wheelbarrows into sheds or trucks. The third new area is the pet market, providing access stairs for horseback riders and ramps for dogs who are unable to climb stairs or jump into vehicles.”

Today, EZ-ACCESS makes its products available via its website, online retailers such as The Home Depot, and a loyal network of more than 1,000 durable medical equipment dealers to provide a wide range of proven, American-made access solutions for the residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational markets. These products have earned the company name recognition throughout the industry. “Our brand names are really strong,” Everard says. “We’ve done a great job on the marketing side of developing the EZ-ACCESS brand, so customers are looking for that product because we’re really the only ramp line out there that has a brand name.”

Being a well-known, dependable brand, as well as streamlining production, has helped the team continue to manufacture in America despite the higher costs associated with domestic operations. “We have established a good infrastructure of marketing, salespeople, and our manufacturing process. We’re lean as we can be in manufacturing, and we are constantly looking for ways to remain lean. We’ve had great success in building our products both in Washington and now in Kentucky, and in maintaining a good workforce that prioritizes quality, service, and innovation. I think to be in the U.S., you’ve got to have all those three things.”

A commitment to customer service is another key contributor to success. “We provide great customer service,” Everard says. “My sister has always been very involved with customer care, and she’s always been a true believer in providing great service. I think if you were to ask our dealers and the people who sell our products, that is probably one of the reasons that they buy from us—because of the quality of our service.”

The Everards believe in giving back to their community, supporting people in need through a family foundation that supplies wheelchair ramps and other accessibility solutions. “Typically, we do this as kind of a collaboration with our team here at EZ-ACCESS, where our team will actually go out and do the install,” Everard explains. “So, we use it for training, we also use it for community connection, and then we actually pay to have the ramps put in. It’s been a neat way to get our own internal team excited about what we do and to get them connected with the consumer and with the products. This makes them, I think, better at their job when they understand the application and they understand who we’re serving on a one-to-one basis. We’ve used the foundation to reinforce that.”

And the team continues to find new opportunities to serve the community. “[We are] always looking for ways that we can connect not just our B2B customers, but our employees to the end user and just give them that experience,” Everard says.

Moving forward, EZ-ACCESS is well placed to remain at the leading edge of new trends while staying loyal to its many customers. “It could be access at a school, access for an ATV, access for a raised landing, for a garden, or into a trailer. Our goal is to provide access beyond barriers. We’re always looking at the barriers that are in people’s lives… How do we serve the needs of people to give them accessibility?”

The goal is to provide accessibility solutions in all areas of life so that customers can “remain active and keep their life moving.”

As the team continues to serve customers, it seems likely a family member will remain a part of the business long into the future. “We’ve been very fortunate,” Don Everard says. “We’ve got a really, really good group of people that are carrying on the legacy.” This includes non-family members who “want to stay with us for a long time. We also have our kids that are involved in the business. They’re wanting to push the company forward. And then hopefully, someday, the grandkids will come in and want to be part of the organization,” he shares.

“We’ve been very fortunate that we’ve been able to stay viable for 40 years as a family-owned business. And now we’ve got family members, and even non-family members, that continue to drive the business forward.”

The post A Family Business that Cares<p class="company">EZ-ACCESS</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.

The center helps with everything from assisting children with kindergarten transitions to helping adults relearn how to drive or return to work. Focused on igniting possibilities and building brighter futures, Ability KC is a leader in specialized rehabilitation and therapies, driving change that profoundly improves the quality of life for those it serves through a combination of traditional therapies with real-life experiences in home, school and work environments.

Stories of hope
“The transformative journeys of the individuals we serve, along with those of their families and caregivers, are truly remarkable,” says CEO Amy Castillo. “Their stories inspire hope, exemplifying what determination coupled with this unique model of care can do.”

Castillo highlights the center’s dedication to embracing innovations that address challenges and key changes necessary in U.S. healthcare, driven by scientific advances in research and technologies, consumer demands, and evolving service utilization. “Since 1947, our mission has been about looking at things differently from a strategic framework and the models of how care is delivered,” Castillo says. “We’re in the post-acute care space, meaning we don’t do inpatient care. If you think about the changes that have occurred since the pandemic and the necessity for more effective post-acute care, that’s where we’ve grown immensely.”

Holistic care
Unlike a traditional siloed approach in healthcare, Ability KC places an individual at the center of excellence model, considering all aspects of their goals integrating back into their homes and communities. “We’re focused on the whole person,” says Castillo. “When that person arrives, we think about all the facets of what that person needs support with. Often the people we support have the most complex conditions, and, in the United States, greatest healthcare spend.”

These individuals are not coming to Ability KC with just one health condition, she says. They often experience multiple conditions that span from physical, mental, behavioral to developmental.

A critical challenge in U.S. healthcare today is the transition from pediatric to adult care, often leaving patients searching for new healthcare resources. “Our model is focused on helping people through key transitions in life, ensuring they have the right resources to improve their quality of life,” Castillo explains. “We provide a value-based approach that addresses care gaps and enhances quality of life.”

Each year, as the demand for the center’s services grows, the team encounters individuals with increasingly complex injuries, illnesses, and disabilities, and thus, more complex medical needs. Ability KC has also experienced an increase in need from rural counties as far as western Kansas and central Missouri to southern Iowa and northern Oklahoma. “Our intensive and complex rehabilitation is designed to maximize care within one center yet extend services via technologies to homes and communities. Without this integrated care model, many of these individuals and their families would face the burden of traveling to multiple locations, often in different cities, for treatments, resulting in added expenses, inefficiencies, and fragmented care,” says Castillo.

“The reason that it’s so important to think about investing in and scaling post-acute care is because of the trend toward shorter hospital stays,” she explains. “Patients are being discharged earlier, which is not ideal, but it’s the reality, which can complicate their recovery,” she says. “Once they’ve been discharged, they come to Ability KC, where the center’s day-service model provides intensive, integrated rehabilitation for up to four to six hours each day, combining physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech rehabilitation, neuropsychology, specialty services, and medical management.” Ability KC ensures patients have the support they need, minimizing avoidable rehospitalizations or emergency room visits, and supporting the continuity of care with their physicians and teams.

International recognition
Accredited by CARF (the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities), Ability KC is recognized nationally and internationally for its specialization in spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, stroke, and amputations.

How is Ability KC able to deliver this? “We support all the major healthcare systems not only in Kansas City but across Missouri and Kansas,” Castillo says. Whether treating a patient recovering from cancer, stroke, or a different condition, Ability KC adapts its model to meet each individual’s needs, focusing on improving quality of life.

Fostering educational support
“Education is a critical aspect of what we do,” says Castillo. The center works with children and families to navigate educational and healthcare challenges, from kindergarten transitions to high school reentry. “We work with a multitude of school districts to help children re-enter their education after an illness or injury, whether it’s a child aged five or 16. We focus on how they can integrate back to their school or into a workplace environment.”

“We also have a therapeutic preschool based on our founder, Mary Shaw Branton’s, vision,” says Janet Padley, Chief Impact Officer. “By combining therapy and education in one location, we can provide both physical and academic support.” This model extends beyond preschool to serve pediatric and adolescent patients in need of outpatient therapy.

“We focus on creating an integrated environment where special education teachers, physical therapists, and other specialists work together in one space to maximize the child’s development,” Castillo says. “We aim to eliminate the fragmentation of care, bringing everything under one roof.”

Non-profit with a purpose
While Ability KC is a non-profit, it operates with a focus on fiscal sustainability and continual reinvestment into the model of excellence and innovation. “Our financial model allows the center to focus on addressing gaps in care while adapting, navigating, and innovating,” Castillo says. “We’re committed to improving livability for our patients and ‘thrivability’ for our organization,” she adds. “Our mission is to build brighter futures for children and adults with disabilities, addressing complex healthcare needs to ensure people have a better quality of life.”

Both Castillo and Padley share a personal commitment to Ability KC’s mission. “We’re constantly focused on finding solutions for our patients,” says Castillo. “That’s what keeps us motivated.”

Padley agrees, noting that Ability KC’s innovative approach to patient care sets it apart in the healthcare field. “This is an organization that’s really thinking outside the box and doing what’s right,” she says. “As a nonprofit, we’re able to do what’s right for our patients, even when it’s not always reimbursed. What matters is the outcome for the individual. On a personal level, a human level, we all love working here. We’re all so passionate about it because we get to see people of all ages and see their outcomes and life changes.”

Universal Design and lifelong support
At Ability KC, Universal Design is central to its approach—creating environments that are inclusive, accessible, and usable for everyone. The center ensures patients are equipped with the technology and innovations they need to communicate and live more independently.

“People may be born with disabilities, or they may experience traumatic events, like strokes or amputations, that change their entire lives. People are often in a quandary when they’re discharged from the hospital,” says Shannon Lepper, Chief Operations Officer. “For most, leaving the hospital after a serious illness or injury is just the beginning of a long journey.”

“We help and serve as their navigator,” says Lepper. “People know they can come back to us through different stages of their life, not just immediately after an injury or illness. We’re going to be here for them throughout their journey.”

Commitment to excellence
The center’s commitment to excellence is reflected in its culture, which is staff-driven. “[We ask ourselves,] ‘How do we continue to grow as an organization and create?’ That’s a big piece of why our employee retention rate is close to 90 percent. We have about 300 employees, and the average tenure here is very long, which speaks to the strong culture we’ve built,” says Lepper.

With continuous professional development opportunities, and an open-door policy for employee feedback, Ability KC values its staff as its greatest asset. “When we invest in our employees, it benefits the entire community,” Castillo says.

As healthcare continues to evolve, Ability KC’s goal and practice grows ever more important. “The biggest element we’re focused on in our healthcare system is the way costs are covered,” says Castillo. “At times these services may not be covered for individuals—for example, adults with Medicaid. For us, this mission remains crucial. We’re focused on ensuring that rehabilitation therapies are covered for people so they can access them. We want to make sure that no one is left behind.”

The post Igniting Possibilities, Transforming Lives<p class="company">Ability KC</p> appeared first on Business In Focus Magazine.