DME Loan Closets and Medical Equipment Reuse in New Hampshire

Last updated: 27 May 2026

Bottom Line: New Hampshire does not have one free state warehouse that fills every durable medical equipment need. The best first steps are ATinNH, the state ADRC page for aging and disability referrals, and strong local closets in Derry, New London, Nashua, Salem, Windham, the Upper Valley, and Grafton County.

For walkers, canes, commodes, bath seats, and some wheelchairs, a local loan closet may be faster than insurance. For hospital beds, patient lifts, scooters, power chairs, or bariatric equipment, expect more calling, a waitlist, or a low-cost refurbished option.

Emergency help now

• If a senior is going home from the hospital today: ask the discharge planner for the exact item name and size. Then call the closest closet and say, “Do you have this exact item in stock today?”
• If you do not know where to start: call the Aging and Disability Resource Center line at 1-866-634-9412. Many people still know this system as ServiceLink.
• If it is after hours: call 211 NH by dialing 211 or 1-866-444-4211 for local health and human service referrals.
• If the person cannot transfer safely, cannot breathe well, fell, or is in danger: call the doctor, visiting nurse, or 911. A loan closet is not emergency medical care.

Quick help and best starting points

Use this table to pick the first call. Do not start with five places if one main path fits your need.

Helpful related GFS guides include New Hampshire assistance for broad benefits, the New Hampshire ADRC guide for local aging help, and disability help in New Hampshire for wider disability support.

Contents

• Emergency help now
• Quick help
• What this help is
• Statewide starting points
• Regional loan closets
• Equipment availability
• How loans work
• Start without wasting time
• Backup options
• Information checklist
• Reality checks
• Delayed or overwhelmed

What this help is in New Hampshire

What it is: Durable medical equipment reuse means a donated, cleaned, refurbished, or gently used item can be borrowed or bought at a lower cost. Common examples include walkers, canes, wheelchairs, shower chairs, commodes, bed rails, transfer benches, and patient lifts.

What it is not: A loan closet is not the same as a Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance supplier. A closet may not bill insurance, may not size the item for you, and may not have the exact model your doctor wrote down.

For insurance-covered equipment, Medicare has a separate Medicare DME page that explains covered durable medical equipment, and the Medicare supplier tool can help people using Original Medicare find enrolled suppliers. Seniors who need help paying Medicare costs may also want the GFS guide to Medicare Savings Programs before choosing a paid route.

Best statewide starting points

ATinNH: Assistive Technology New Hampshire is the state assistive technology program at the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability. It offers equipment loans, demonstrations, training, and reuse support across New Hampshire. Use NH AT4ALL to browse listed items and participating programs. Call 603-862-3399 if you need help sorting the next step.

ADRC / ServiceLink: New Hampshire’s Aging and Disability Resource Center system helps people of all ages, income levels, and abilities find information, referrals, options counseling, caregiver support, Medicare counseling, and Medicaid navigation. Call 1-866-634-9412 and ask for the nearest local equipment, transportation, or home-care lead.

NH Medicaid: If the person has Medicaid, ask the doctor, managed care plan, or case manager about the formal equipment route. NH Medicaid is not a loan closet, but it may matter when the item is medically needed and must come through an approved provider.

Phone script for ADRC: “I am helping an older adult in New Hampshire. They need a [specific item] by [date]. We tried [program, if any]. Can you tell me the nearest DME loan closet, any transportation help, and whether we should also ask Medicaid or Medicare?”

Regional loan closets and reuse programs

New Hampshire’s best equipment help is regional. Call before driving. Stock can change the same day.

Phone script for a local closet: “I need a [front-wheel walker / 20-inch wheelchair / transfer bench] for an older adult. Do you have one today? What size is it? Can you hold it? What time can we pick it up?”

What equipment is usually available

Small DME is usually easier to find. Large powered items are much harder. The table below shows the best first path.

If the real issue is a home setup problem, not just a portable item, see GFS pages on New Hampshire housing help and New Hampshire emergency help for wider local paths.

How loans, pickup, and returns work

Each New Hampshire program sets its own rules. ATinNH may help with short-term loans or referrals. Chapin lists a six-week standard loan period with extensions. Salem says there is no charge and no time limit if the item is available, but it only holds equipment for one day. Other closets ask people to bring items back when they are done.

1. Call first. Do not drive over without checking stock.
2. Use the exact item name. “Walker” is less helpful than “front-wheel walker” or “rollator with seat.”
3. Ask if the item can be held. Some programs will not hold items, or will only hold them briefly.
4. Ask about pickup. Many programs do not deliver.
5. Inspect before leaving. Check brakes, tips, wheels, rails, chargers, slings, and missing parts.
6. Return it clean. These programs depend on reuse.

Phone script for pickup: “Before I come over, can you tell me the pickup hours, where to park, whether I need a form, and whether the item will fit in a regular car?”

How to start without wasting time

Use this order when time matters.

• Write down the exact item. Include size, weight limit, and any doctor or therapist note.
• Check ATinNH or call the ADRC line. This is useful when you are not sure which local closet covers your area.
• Call the nearest two closets. Ask about stock today, not general inventory.
• Ask about the next county over. In rural New Hampshire, the closest available item may not be in your town.
• Call REM the same day for large items. This gives you a paid backup if free help is empty.
• Use the insurance route at the same time. A loan closet can bridge the gap while Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance is reviewed.

Family caregivers should also check paid family caregiver programs if equipment is only one part of a bigger care need.

Backup options when free closets are empty

Use a refurbished seller: REM is the clearest reuse-based paid fallback in New Hampshire. It lists a 7-day return policy and a 30-day warranty on its site. Ask about the exact item, return rule, battery condition, delivery, and whether the item has been cleaned and checked.

Use a medical supplier: If a doctor ordered the item, ask the doctor’s office or discharge planner to send the order to a supplier that works with your insurance. This can take longer, but it may be the right path for oxygen, custom wheelchairs, hospital beds, pressure mattresses, or long-term power mobility.

Ask a local charity: If the barrier is transport, pickup cost, a small copay, or a home-access need, a local nonprofit may help. The GFS guide to local charities in New Hampshire can help you find backup support.

Consider care setting changes: If the person cannot transfer safely even with equipment, ask the doctor about home health, rehab, or a higher level of care. For cost questions, the GFS guide to assisted living in New Hampshire may help families compare next steps.

What to gather before you call

• ☐ Senior’s height and weight
• ☐ Exact item name, size, and weight limit needed
• ☐ Whether the item is for short recovery or long-term use
• ☐ Discharge date, surgery date, or urgent need date
• ☐ Home barriers, such as stairs, narrow doors, or a small bathroom
• ☐ Car size for pickup
• ☐ Doctor, physical therapist, or occupational therapist notes
• ☐ Medicare, Medicaid, or insurance card if using an insurance supplier
• ☐ Best phone number for waitlist calls

Phone script for large equipment: “The person weighs [weight] and needs [hospital bed / lift / scooter]. Do you have one with the right weight limit? Is delivery possible? Are all parts included? If not, who should I call next?”

Reality checks and common mistakes

Reality checks

• Inventory changes daily. A closet may have three walkers in the morning and none by afternoon.
• Large items take longer. Beds, lifts, scooters, and power chairs need space, cleaning, transport, and sometimes setup.
• Free does not mean fitted. A clinician should help with sizing when safety is an issue.
• Delivery is not standard. Some volunteers may help, but many programs require pickup.
• Insurance can still matter. A free loan may be temporary while a formal claim is pending.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Driving to a closet without calling first.
• Asking for “a wheelchair” without seat width, footrest needs, and user weight.
• Taking a lift without the right sling or training.
• Forgetting the charger for a scooter or power chair.
• Assuming a reused item is clean enough without checking.
• Donating dirty, rusty, broken, or incomplete equipment.
• Waiting until discharge day to ask for a hospital bed.

What to do if delayed or overwhelmed

If the first closet cannot help, do not stop there. Ask for the next best referral while you still have the person on the phone.

• Ask for a waitlist. Give the best phone number and the exact item.
• Ask for a substitute. A transport chair may work for a short trip when a full wheelchair is not available.
• Ask for the next county. This matters in rural western and northern New Hampshire.
• Ask the discharge planner to help. Hospitals often know which suppliers and closets answer quickly.
• Ask ADRC about transport. The real barrier may be pickup, not the equipment itself.
• Call 211 after hours. It may not solve the item immediately, but it can point to nearby human service programs.

Resumen en español

New Hampshire no tiene un solo almacén estatal que entregue todo el equipo médico gratis. La mejor manera de empezar es llamar a ATinNH, al sistema ADRC/ServiceLink al 1-866-634-9412, o a 211 si necesita ayuda después del horario normal.

Para artículos pequeños como bastones, andadores, sillas de ducha, inodoros portátiles y algunas sillas de ruedas, llame primero al closet local más cercano. Para camas de hospital, grúas, scooters, sillas eléctricas o equipo bariátrico, puede necesitar más tiempo, una lista de espera o una opción restaurada de bajo costo. Antes de recoger cualquier equipo, pregunte por el tamaño, límite de peso, limpieza, piezas incluidas, transporte y reglas de devolución.

Frequently asked questions

Is there one statewide free medical equipment program in New Hampshire?

No. New Hampshire works more like a network. ATinNH is the strongest state-level assistive technology start, while many longer equipment loans come through local closets, senior centers, hospital programs, and regional nonprofits.

What is the best first call for a rural senior?

Call the ADRC / ServiceLink line at 1-866-634-9412. Ask for the nearest DME loan closet, transportation help, and the next county option if your local area has no stock.

Can I get a hospital bed or power wheelchair for free?

Sometimes, but it is much harder than finding a walker or shower chair. Ask ATinNH, Upper Valley Health Closet, the ADRC system, and REM. Also start the insurance route if the item is medically needed.

Do I have to be low-income?

It depends on the program. Some community closets are open broadly, while others serve a local area or people in need. Always ask about town, age, income, and paperwork rules before driving over.

Are reused items cleaned and safe?

Many programs say they clean, screen, or refurbish donated equipment. You should still inspect the item, ask about missing parts, and check fit with a doctor, physical therapist, or occupational therapist when safety matters.

Will someone deliver the equipment?

Often no. Many New Hampshire programs are pickup-first. Ask about volunteer delivery, town senior transportation, county transportation, or a family pickup plan before you reserve a large item.

Can I donate used medical equipment?

Yes, but call first. Programs may refuse dirty, broken, rusty, unsafe, incomplete, or overstocked items. Do not leave equipment outside unless the program says to do so.

Will Medicare or Medicaid pay for a loan-closet item?

Usually no. Loan closets are separate from insurance billing. If the item must be covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or private insurance, ask the doctor or discharge planner for the formal supplier process.

About This Guide

This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources mentioned in the article.

Editorial note: This guide is produced based on our Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources, regularly updated and monitored, but not affiliated with any government agency and not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.

Verification: Last verified 27 May 2026, next review 27 August 2026.

Corrections: Please note that despite our careful verification process, errors may still occur. Email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections and we will respond within 72 hours.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the official program before acting.

Last updated: 27 May 2026
Next review: 27 August 2026