National Assistive Technology Act Data System

As an outdoor enthusiast, Bryan Rowe skied, snow-boarded and mountain biked through Utah’s stunning landscapes. As a member of the US armed forces, he went to northern Iraq after the Gulf War to help provide comfort, build roads and manage refugee camps. As a custom woodworker, he has literally left his mark in many Utah landmarks, including the Utah State Capitol, the Salt Lake Library, the First Presbyterian Church of Salt Lake City and the Coffee Garden on 9th and 9th. As an army veteran with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), he needs some customization of his own. The degenerative, neurological disease has affected his movement, and getting in and out of his truck became more difficult. In the fall of 2018, Bryan and his friend Kim Olmore began looking for an adapted van that could transport him and the wheelchair he received from the Veterans’ Administration. (When this interview took place in May 2019, the ALS had affected Bryan’s speech. Kim offered some background and interpreted for him.) They knew he would also need financing that would help pay for the modifications, which would drive the price of the van well above its blue book value. They learned of the Utah Assistive Technology Program’s reduced-interest loans and began working with Lois Summers, UATP’s financing coordinator. UATP is part of the Center for Persons with Disabilities at Utah State University. Summers and UATP partner Zions Bank put together a loan that financed the van Bryan wanted—a Ram Promaster. The conversions were done in a way that would not affect the van’s warranty, Kim said. They bought the van from a dealer in the Midwest. The dealership manager’s father drove it out to them over the Thanksgiving holiday, free of charge. “It’s just a unique breed of people when it com

When Audrey Peck was diagnosed with two uncurable and serious illnesses, her family’s life became something of a research project. The 11-year-old has both juvenile dermatomyositis (JD) and lipodystrophy. The first is an autoimmune disease affecting her muscles and joints. The second attacks the fat under her skin, which in turn causes other problems. Her first diagnosis, the one for JD, came in 2014. Her family keeps a small chest-full of medications to manage the two conditions. Aubrey’s been involved in National Institutes of Health studies. Her parents have undergone genetic testing and submitted the stuff they vacuumed off the floor in their home. Their DNA and floor dust were studied so that researchers could better understand the genetic and environmental factors surrounding Aubrey’s health. Doctors at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City told Aubrey’s mother, Marissa, that they have never seen both conditions in one child before, and they never will again. When her parents told the story around their kitchen table, Audrey shrugged and shook her head. “I’m special.” Her parents shook their heads, too. “You’re special,” they agreed. Then Aubrey looked through the old photos Marissa brought up to show how the diseases had progressed, and cringed. She wasn’t complaining about the diseases. She just didn’t like how she looked in some of the pictures. Marissa and Aubrey’s dad, Tyler, pointed out that even though Audrey has missed a lot of school, she’s pulling excellent grades. They live in a busy home, with a dog that wants attention and siblings who want to know what everyone else is up to. The family has done a lot to adapt to life with chronic illness, but medical bills piled up. When they decided they needed a new wheelchair to fit Aubrey’s gro

Logan man keeps up with work, avoids injury thanks to loaned scooter Dean Luthi had some difficulty standing and walking at work at Lowe's in Logan, where he ran the self-checkout. He talked to his manager and they gave him a parking space close to the store and tried putting a seat in his work station. They put his employee card on a lanyard so that he could easily scan it at the register when he needed to help a customer. Still, the up-and-down action was difficult. Once, Dean fell and had to miss work. "I was out for seven days and I messed up my shoulder," he said. Most days, injury or not, he was worn out by the time he went home. He was also having a hard time using the break room--it was just too far away. His manager, Joey Wolford, knew the problem was real. "Dean's a ray of sunshine. He probably has the best attitude of anybody I've ever met," he said. "If he could work here all the time, he would." Mike Stokes, who volunteers at the Utah Assistive Technology Program in Logan, saw Dean as he was there at Lowe's, picking up some materials the store had donated for a different UATP project. He also saw Wolford in the store. "Mike is my old assistant soccer coach," Wolford said. Stokes and Wolford arranged an introduction with Luthi, and the work began to find a scooter he could use on loan from UATP. They found one, and Luthi began working more safely. "When I got the scooter I didn't have to worry bout falling," he said. He also received a walker on loan from UATP to help him walk the halls of Bridgerland Technical College, where he is studying to be an auto and diesel technician. "My goal is to open my own shop," he said.

A young man in his twenties came to the Utah Assistive Technology Program (UATP) because he had a hidden disability, a muscular disease that made him very weak. He was in need of a mobility device, a wheelchair or scooter. He was shown several options, he wanted a power wheelchair that was fast. After being shown many options, he chose a brushless motor power wheelchair that had been donated and was very fast. After the demonstration and he decided the wheelchair would work for him, the next barrier was being able to pay for batteries for the donated wheelchair. He had no money to be able to purchase batteries. The staff at UATP helped the young man fill out an application for a small grant, if he was approved, he could purchase batteries for the wheelchair. The wheelchair will provide him with independence and self-worth, and his pride wouldn’t be hurt, because the wheelchair was fast, and he liked that. He could now get out into the community and not be stuck at home, because he was too weak to go anywhere. The UATP staff was able to collaborate with a local mental health clinic, when they brought the young man to UATP. His overall mental health will be able to improve because he will be able to get around and do activities that used to tire him out.