Through the Easterseals Iowa alliance, ARK Advocates, adaptive medical equipment can be borrowed for free

Dubuque, Iowa – Dubuque County will have more access to adaptive medical equipment because to a partnership between two non-profit groups in Iowa.

Wheelchairs, walkers, shower chairs, and other adaptive equipment are available for free through Easterseals Iowa’s Durable Medical Equipment Loan Program. A comparable program was offered in Dubuque by ARK Advocates, but the COVID-19 outbreak and a decline in volunteer and financial support led to the organization’s founders thinking about dissolving the non-profit.

The work will continue through a collaboration between ARK Advocates and Easterseals Iowa.

“We all agree that lending money for durable medical equipment in the Dubuque area is essential to the community’s overall health,” stated Tracy Keninger, Director of the Assistive Technology Center and Rural Solutions at Easterseals Iowa. “We appreciate the hard work put in by this committed group of Iowans to ensure that this important service continues to operate.”

When necessary, the two organizations can trade equipment.

“If someone in our area requests a piece of equipment and we don’t have it, we can check to see if Easterseals has it, and vice versa,” said Aulanda Krause, Lead Volunteer for ARK Advocates.
Krause pointed out that anyone can use the devices.