Who can request equipment?
Health care professionals who work with the person living with ALS. This includes the neurologist, family doctor, occupational therapist, respiratory therapist, and physiotherapist.
How do I request equipment?
Equipment can be requested through our online system at www.youarenotalone.alsnbns.ca. Healthcare professionals will be provided a login by contacting Client Services Manager, Terri Cooper at tcooper@alsnbns.ca.
I don’t know what equipment you offer. How do I find out?
Please see the following pages for a list of general equipment available. We are able to answer general questions about what we provide by calling or emailing. However, we are unable to answer questions about a specific piece of equipment until we receive the official equipment request.
I have questions about the status of my equipment request. Who do I contact?
Equipment requests are fulfilled on a first come, first serve basis. When equipment is requested through the online system, our Client Services Team automatically sees the request come into the system. Terri Cooper will reach out to both the healthcare professional and the family when we are ready to fulfill the equipment request. You will be notified immediately for waitlisted breathing equipment.
How long does it take to get equipment delivered?
The typical wait time from when we receive the equipment request to the time it’s delivered to a client’s home or to a vendor is two to six weeks. When breathing equipment is requested, it is a much shorter wait time. Typically, we are able to courier out a piece of breathing equipment within one business day of receiving the request. In order to receive a power chair from the ALS Society’s Equipment Loan Inventory, the home must be accessible.
Can I get the equipment faster if I pick it up?
Sometimes. When the equipment has been sanitized and our equipment technician has made any necessary adjustments, it may be able to be picked up at the office in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. There may still be a waiting period to pick up the equipment until we have it available and ready to be loaned out. However, not all equipment can be picked up. Equipment such as hospital beds must be delivered and set-up by our equipment technician.
Who pays for equipment repair and maintenance?
For all regular wear and tear on equipment, the ALS Society of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia covers the cost. Damages due to neglect or misuse of the equipment is at the cost of the client. If equipment is returned and is damaged due to neglect or misuse, the ALS Society may not be able to fulfill future equipment requests. All services for repair and maintenance on the equipment must go through the Client Services Team at the ALS Society. The ALS Society of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia is not responsible for any bills for equipment repair/maintenance if it does not get arranged by the ALS Society with a service provider.
Who pays for breathing machine supplies?
The ALS Society of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia supplies the breathing unit to the family at no cost. For health and safety reasons, breathing machines do not come with any of the supplies. The cost of the supplies such as dehumidification chambers, hoses, and masks are at the client’s expense. Terri Cooper will inform the client of these costs and where they are able to purchase them.
What happens when the ALS Society does not have the requested equipment in inventory?
For equipment that the ALS Society does carry, but may not have a unit available, there are several options. There is a waitlist for the requested equipment, on a first come, first serve basis. Once we receive that equipment back into inventory, we will work on getting it delivered to the client. On a case-by-case basis and when funding allows it, the ALS Society makes a co-payment on a piece of equipment for clients with insurance with the understanding that the equipment goes to the ALS Society once it’s no longer needed. For example, if a power chair is requested and the ALS Society does not have a power chair in inventory that matches the needs of the client, Terri Cooper will discuss the possibility of doing an insurance co-pay.
Where does the ALS Society get the equipment to loan out to people living with ALS?
The Equipment Loan Program is funded by the provincial governments and donors. When the ALS Society of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia’s budget allows, we are able to purchase new equipment. We also get equipment from in-kind donations of gently used equipment. We take donations of equipment that is suitable for people living with ALS, is in good working order and no older than five years. For in-kind donations of equipment, we are able to provide a tax receipt for the market value of the donated equipment. The ALS Society of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia does not purchase used equipment.