The Salem Ladies Auxiliary and the Salem Foundation are excited to share their newest fundraising project…  the purchase of a Van Raam Velo Plus bike (click here for more information)  to give every Salem Home resident the opportunity to experience a bike ride.

Our current duet bicycles are wonderful, well used, and loved.  We don’t want to replace them, we want to add the Van Raam Velo Plus bike (click here for more information) to encourage and grow this already popular Biking Program so every residents has the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors and interact with their community at large with a bike ride.

Our current duet bikes have limitations, restrictions and safety requirements, which means that some residents are not able to experience a bike ride.  The limitations with our current duet bikes are:

• The resident must be able to transfer themselves into the bike chair with minimal assistance
  • • • Some cannot due to the size and depth and height of the bike chair
      • Some cannot due to the type of wheelchair they require for safety/comfort
      • Some cannot due to physical frailty and abilities
  • If they’re unable to transfer themselves, they will need 2 RCAs to transfer them into the bike chair with a medi-lift
    • This pulls RCAs away from being accessible to other residents who may need them at that time.
• The resident must be a certain size to fit in the duet bike chair.
  • The current duet bikes seat belts are limited on how long and how short they can be made.
• These bikes are traditional bikes and do not have e-assist so the biker (staff, volunteer or family) must physically peddle the whole ride.

With the Van Raam Velo Plus bike residents can stay in comfort of their own wheelchair!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrzn8Durkts&t=77s

With the addition of this e-bike to the Salem Home biking program, it eliminates the need to transfer, either independently or with a medi-lift, because the front platform is made to securely hold a resident in their own wheelchair, which means:

• Every resident who currently lives at Salem Home can choose to go on a bike ride including those residents:
  • who use standard wheelchairs
  • who use extra wide wheelchairs
  • who use tilt-recline chairs
  • who use power chairs
  • who are unable to physically transfer safely into our current duet bikes
• There is less anxiety, stress and stimulation while preparing for the bike ride
• The reinforced frame has a weight limit of 450lbs on the platform so every Salem Home residents will be able to ride on the platform if they chose to,
• The winch feature hooks onto the back of the resident’s wheelchair and pulls the wheelchair onto the platform, which means all the biker (staff, volunteer or family) needs to do is make sure the wheelchair is going onto the platform straight.
  • • eliminating the physical pushing or pulling of wheelchair onto the platform, which could cause injury.
• Because residents can remain in their own chair when they are on the platform:
  • It eliminates the need for RCAs to transfer, which frees up RCA staff time to assist other residents
  • Provides residents with the opportunity to engage in more outings in the community.
    • The residents might want to go on/off the platform:
      • to watch a play at the concert hall,
      • to see a great grandchild play basketball
      • to go shopping at MCC or anywhere else in our community.
• The dealership is located in Winnipeg, and will provide support for any issue that may arise
• The e-bike makes driving the bike easier and less strenuous which means:
  • The bike ride is easier on the biker (staff member, volunteer or family) driving resulting in less likely for injury and fatigue
  • Longer bike rides to explore surrounding communities using the many walking and biking trails in our area

Donate here to help Give Every Salem Home Resident the Opportunity to Experience a Bike Ride