Free Medical Equipment for Seniors

Last Updated on April 25, 2024 by Rachel

To live as safely and pleasantly as possible, seniors rely on home medical instruments and other assistive technologies. Finding the appropriate equipment at a reasonable price, however, can occasionally be challenging.

Free medical equipment for the elderly is made available through government and nonprofit programs, including shower chairs, walkers, manual and electric wheelchairs, mobility scooters, canes, and hospital beds. This article explains these programs and provides guidance on how seniors can gain access to them.

Ways to get Home Medical Equipment for Seniors

Before discussing the aforementioned programs, the following are some of the ways that seniors can obtain the medical equipment that they require;

Find a local lending program

Elderly people can borrow medical and assistance items for no cost through programs run by charity groups. Usually, they rely upon donations from those who no longer use the products, which are then cleaned, repaired, and lent to persons in need. For more information on these programs, contact your local agency on aging, religious organizations, or your neighborhood senior resource center. You might discover wheelchairs, bedside toilets, walkers, canes, and even hospital beds among the supplies.

Through a Doctor’s Order

Seniors who require medical equipment and have medical insurance, such as Medicare or Medicaid, will need a doctor’s order. They ought to be examined and prescribed the necessary equipment. This medical insurance covers items such as walkers, canes, wheelchairs, hospital beds, oxygen concentrators, and blood sugar monitors. If Medicare or Medicaid do not fully cover these costs, you would be required to make co-payments for a set period.

Buy it yourself

In some circumstances, you might need to urgently obtain specific medical supplies. In such cases, you might have to go shopping and pay for them out of your wallet. Medical supplies of good quality can be purchased at a fair price. You can research medical equipment providers online, as well as online retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and CVS and charity resale outlets like Goodwill and Salvation Army. Furthermore, consider looking for these items at your home healthcare agency.

Programs offering Free Medical Equipment for Seniors

Project CURE

This organization is the world’s largest distributor of free medical equipment for seniors. It provides lifesaving free medical items for the elderly to hospitals and clinics worldwide, with over 135 countries relying on them for relief medical donations. They receive donations of medical equipment and supplies from people who no longer have use for them. They are also supported by grants from the United States government, and contributions from philanthropic foundations, corporate partners and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

To request Project CURE assistance, you need to;

• Complete the application process
• Confirm funding
• Complete the needs assessment study
• Approve the packing list
• Await shipping
• Provide feedback to Project CURE

Find out more about Project CURE at https://projectcure.org/.

Easterseals Iowa

This non-profit organization offers health and human services. It assists elderly citizens in Iowa who have special needs and impairments, as well as their families. With their Equipment Loan Programs, they receive contributions of medical equipment, which they subsequently loan to people in need for free or a little cost.

Eligibility

• Must be an Iowan citizen who is not residing in a licensed care facility
• Must have a doctor’s prescription for the necessary equipment

Equipment is available based on their inventory and can be used for however long is necessary. Some of the items available include hospital beds, shower benches, walkers, and wheelchairs. Apply for equipment through this program at https://www.easterseals.com/ia/our-programs/assistive-technology-center/equipment-loan.html.

MedShare International

This is a global nonprofit organization that works to improve people’s health and quality of life by donating surplus-free medical equipment and supplies for the elderly to underserved regions throughout the world. It serves 117 nations globally.

Manufacturers and hospitals in the US can donate used equipment or extra medical supplies to MedShare free and safety net clinics. For hospitals and clinics abroad, there are two ways through which can get the donated supplies;

• Helping teams on medical missions
• Direct shipments to over 75 impoverished countries

Learn more about MedShare at https://www.medshare.org/.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association

This is the only national nonprofit group fighting ALS. ALS is a deadly motor neuron disease that causes the spinal cord and brain’s nerve cells to gradually degenerate. The Association actively pursues novel treatments and cures through international research, aids individuals with ALS through a countrywide network of chapters, coordinates comprehensive care through its clinical care centers, and fosters government relationships.

It offers free access to medical equipment through the Equipment Loan Closet, which you are free to use for however long you like. Since their stock is continuously changing, you may check the availability of a product at https://www.als.org/dc-md-va/local-care-services/medical-equipment-loan-closet.

Great Lakes Loan Closets

The Great Lakes Loan Closets is a directory of organizations operating online that lends out medical equipment to seniors who live in Michigan, Wisconsin, Northern Indiana, and Northern Illinois for little to no cost. Seniors recuperating from sickness are provided with home medical equipment through these medical equipment loaning services.

Equipment is typically donated by community members who no longer require it by the organizations. The equipment is then cleaned, inspected for damage, and loaned to elderly people in need by the volunteer organization. Find out more about this program at https://loanclosets.org/.

REMEDY – Med-Eq

Recovered Medical Equipment for the Developing World (REMEDY) is a nonprofit group committed to creating strategies for the recovery and reuse of discarded medical equipment for the benefit of international aid, cost-effectiveness and waste reduction.

Med-Eq connects donors with charities who use goods abroad in addition to giving free items to vetted charities. Catheter supplies and bandages might be donated by mail, but hospital beds and excess merchandise might need to be picked up by a container truck. Charities and non-profits with a not-for-profit status may accept these donations. Learn more about this program at https://www.remedyinc.org/.

Advocates for World Health

At Advocates for World Health, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, businesses, individuals, and groups can donate free medical supplies for seniors. Developing ties with donors is important to them because they value them. AWH sells goods globally and makes money to support its objectives. It accepts medical equipment donations of all kinds. Find out more about Advocates for World Health at https://awhealth.org/.