Powered height adjustable adult changing tables.

Transcript

Marsh Naidoo (00:10):

Welcome to the Raising Kellan podcast. My name is Marsh Naidoo and I blog at raisingkellan.org where we curate resources for parents raising children with developmental delay and disabilities. As always, remember the information provided on this podcast is educational, and if you are seeking information for your specific questions to be sure to consult a train professional. Today's episode is brought to you by We Rock the Spectrum Gym in Franklin, Tennessee, a gym that offers inclusive play for all children. And you can hear more about this amazing facility in episode 54 where we interviewed Steven Kormarnitsky. Today is episode 64 and we chat with Carla Christiansen, marketing director of Max-Ability. So grab that cup of coffee, put your feet up, and get ready for some awesome conversation.

Marsh Naidoo (01:27):

Today I am joined by Carla Christensen from San Lorenzo, California. Carla is the marketing director of Max-Ability, which is a company that specializes in special needs, changing tables, as well as other adjustable bathroom features. Hi Carla, and thank you for joining us.

Carla Christensen (01:53):

Hi Marsh. Thank you so much for having me on your podcast.

Marsh Naidoo (01:58):

Carla, It might have been about a month ago, and the Tennessee Disability Coalition is an advocacy group here in Tennessee, and one of the bills that they educated us on was Senate Bill 0 6 0 2, which is a bill that introduces legislation for any bill buildings that are being renovated or newly constructed to have a power height adjustable adult size changing table install in at least one bathroom. Can you tell me a little bit about the original story of Max and what led you into the market of manufacturing these powered height adjustable changing tables?

Carla Christensen (02:53):

Sure. Max Ability was founded in 1991 by Lee Kaufman. He had actually been a nurse and working in hospitals and seeing how difficult it was for caregivers to be able to provide the appropriate care for people who could not get themselves onto beds, toilets, what have you. And as he learned more, he discovered that there was a real need for especially changing tables, but also other bathroom equipment for those people who can't use a toilet. So current ADA requirements basically address the chair. They make sure that the door wide enough, they make sure there's enough room in the stall, they make sure that there are the rails so that a person can put themselves onto a toilet. But there's an awful lot of people who <laugh>, it's not about the chair, it's about what accommodates them for actually using a toilet. And when you think about trying to get out and about into the world, if you can't take care of some of the most basic needs that you're gonna have when you're away from your home, then you can't get out of your, So I'm thrilled that Tennessee is considering a bill to require this kind of accommodation, not just accessibility, but accommodation for all individuals.

(04:43):

And the changing tables that we feature at Max-Ability are encompass a wide of features. The height adjustability, the power to hide adjustability might be one of the most essential parts because it allows a changing table to lower to a position where maybe the individual can transfer themselves onto a changing table, maybe they have a caregiver who's going to help them, and that caregiver then can adjust it to the height that will work best for them. Somebody healthy back and right. Somebody who's five four has a different need than somebody who's six two <laugh> and then you can raise it to the level to make the diaper changing or whatever are the most accessible for the individual and also for their caregiver. I don't know if what your situation is. I've had so many situations of trying to change my son on a bed that's too low or have on the floor or on the floor of the van that we had.

(06:02):

And it doesn't take much of a bend in your, you have to do it often enough, you're gonna have a sore back or you might even put your back out and be outta commission for some time. So yeah, having the electric power to make that easy and accessible, just essential and the adult size makes sure that anybody is able to do their changing requirements, whether or not changing a baby, you can put a baby on an adult-size changing table. You can't really put an adult or a teenager or even a small child on a baby-size changing table. They outgrow that baby-size changing table pretty quick. So an adjustable powered adult-size changing table is the best way to make sure that everybody has the accommodation they need.

Marsh Naidoo (07:01):

I'm gonna go ahead and kinda ask a question as a small business owner that you might be concerned about is funding of such a project. So talk me through that, Carla.

Carla Christensen (07:16):

Yeah, that is a challenge because a small business owner, these products are expensive. There's no two ways about that. And a small business owner who might have just one restroom stall and they don't really have the size, they certainly don't have the funds to put this level of equipment into their individual restroom trying to make ADA requirement so that every place where there's a restroom, a restaurant, a small shop or what have you, to have them have an adult changing table of this caliber, not a practical reality. We understand that <laugh>. So there are creative ways to do that, I think, is that Tennessee is contemplating something where rest areas across the state might have adult changing tables

Marsh Naidoo (08:28):

From what I understand, rest areas and state parks, which would be really good. I mean, because that would give you then access to the outdoors and having access to, for example, camping facilities and such.

Carla Christensen (08:45):

And if you are a family planning to go out and about and spend the day visiting, We Rock the Spectrum and of course they've got a facility there, but you're gonna spend more time visiting going from there to Nashville, for example, and there's a rest area that you're going to be able to use as you are traveling around. That would be great. And I think that's probably the way to solve this. Maybe having city halls or the rec center or so however your town's configured so that there is some way to accommodate people. Not everybody has to have a changing table in their restroom. As long as the families who need that there, they can find it so that they can be accommodated when they wanna go out and about and be part of their town.

Marsh Naidoo (09:48):

We didn't really get to this, but Carla can you just give me a little bit about your backstory and how you got to ability?

Carla Christensen (09:58):

Sure. So my son Vaughn became profoundly disabled at the age of 13 months when he probably by eating a handful of dirt. He got a parasite that migrated to his brain and caused all kinds of damage there. So the umbrella diagnosis was cerebral palsy. The diagnosis that left him very profoundly disabled. So I was his primary caregiver and medical advocate as well as his mom. Yes, yes. And all of that. And when my marriage broke up when Vaughn was, let's see, how old was he about then about 17 then I needed to find some part-time work that I could do from home that was flexible enough to allow me to care for him, take him to his appointments do all the things that were necessary for him. Coincidentally, Max-Ability was hiring. They didn't know I had this background, I didn't know this is the products that they had, but we had an interview and it was like boom, whoa, okay, <laugh>, wow. There was some serendipity or fate or providence or whatever you wanna call it. So I started working on primarily the marketing mission, which at that time was just make people aware that these products exist.

Marsh Naidoo (11:50):

So I've already been thinking about this areas that I would like to see an adult size powered height adjustable table. And for me, honestly, the two locations that really stick out well, schools for one and the other airports because that just opens up a whole different world being able to travel. And what are some of your thoughts on that Carla?

Carla Christensen (12:27):

Actually, airports, they are starting to get the word and we're getting more and more airport customers. In fact, when I was traveling recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Go airport and they have a gorgeous restroom, completely outfitted with an adult changing a powered adult changing table. So yeah, that's airports for sure. I do feel like rest areas are an excellent, excellent place. So even if I'm like, I'm in San Lorenzo, which is in the San Francisco Bay area, if I know that there is a rest area between here and LA and so it means that I can go to LA with my son because I know I can have that accommodation, then I'm going to be much more likely to take my family out and actually go to LA. What we did in the past was I would stay home with my son and my husband would take our daughters where we had a divide and conquer sort of way of managing family life. But it meant that we only went out half the time and only half the family went <laugh>. And we did. And I do feel like there's an opportunity for various commercial ventures to realize that there is a whole sector of potential customers that would come to their facilities, come to their venues if this accommodation were available.

Marsh Naidoo (14:22):

Thank you so much for lending us your today. We would appreciate a rate review and a share of this podcast episode. Guys, if there are any specific topics that y'all would like to research, please reach out to me@raisingkiengmail.com. And to stay connected, we have a active Facebook page at Raising Kellan

Marsh Naidoo (14:50):

We have an Instagram and YouTube channel as well at Raising Underscore Killing. To find out more about the work being done at Max Ability, be sure to check out the show notes. In addition, I'm also going to put in a link to a video done by Chrissy Beasley Hood on behalf of her daughter Aliana That was part of the grassroots-level advocacy work that ignited change in Tennessee, and that is now at legislative level and that is the Senate Bowl 0 6 0 2. I look forward to talking with Jeff Strand of the Tennessee Disability Collision in these next few weeks to find out more about what's happening to the bull that supports placement of the adult size and changing tables in public restrooms and rest areas. Guys, thank you again for listening and Steven Kormanitsky of We Rock the Spectrum Gym in Franklin, Tennessee. Thank you so much for sponsoring today's episode. It is sincerely appreciated. Ans always, remember, get to the top of your mountain. This is Marsh Sny signing off.