Abilities Expo Comes to Southern California
NEW YORK — Abilities Expo/Southern California, a show for independent and assisted living products and services, is dedicated to helping to improve the lives of people with disabilities. Attendees are able to spend hours on the exhibit floor, testing and comparing state-of ?the-art product and services. Abilities Expo offers a full line up of free consumer and professional workshops, taught by leading individuals in the health care, education and retail fields. The three-day event will take place at the Anaheim Convention Center from Friday, June 16 continuing through Sunday, June 18.
Schedule
Friday, June 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, June 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday, June 18, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. |
Some of the event highlights include:
- Attendees will have a chance to discover and learn about new products and services, from computers to athletic equipment and mobility products to daily living aids, all conveniently displayed to see, test and compare. Exhibiting companies include local and regionally based organizations that work with people with disabilities including Accessible San Diego, California Department of Rehabilitation and California State Independent Living Council (SILC), as well as national companies including Ability Center, Euro-Peds, Flexiciser International Corp., Ford Motor Co., Independence Technology, National Spinal Cord Injury Association, Spokes 'N Motion, Wheeling Images Co. LLC and many more.
- The educational curriculum focuses on relevant topics addressing life today for individuals with disabilities, their family and caregivers. The comprehensive workshop programs will consist of consumer and professional tracks, with certificates of participation available to students, and education and health care professionals. Course topics include Disaster Mitigation for Persons with Disabilities; Essential Job Functioning: The Key to Job Placement for Clients with Disabilities; Intensive Therapy for Children with CP and Neuromuscular Disorders; and others.
- The New Abilities Networking Lounge will provide an area on the show floor where younger people can relax, get a poster signed by extreme wheelchair skater Darwin Holmes; try out the Game Cycle, co-sponsored by Three Rivers; meet and greet with other athletes, watch videos of extreme accessible sports; and see videos of the latest products developed by exhibitors such as Care Giver Support Products LLC. Also in the Networking Lounge, attendees will have the chance to see the first trike built for a paraplegic by Orange County Choppers FANtasy bike contest winner Bryan King along with chopper inspired Lasher Sports chair.
- Each day of the show, Xtreme Medical will sponsor sporting events including rugby, tennis, hockey and basketball. Attendees of all ages, especially children, are invited to participate in all sporting events.
- Special show services will be available for attendees including complimentary wheelchair repair provided by Hands on Concepts. Loaner wheelchairs will be provided by Permobil.
This article originally appeared in the June 2006 issue of HME Business.