Equipment stores sell what is on their shelves, and a salesperson can make almost any aid sound right. Her therapy team saw her move, reach, and stand. Their written notes are the single most useful thing you can bring to a purchase, and most families never ask for them. This guide explains what to request, what to compare, and what to check before money changes hands.

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Ask for the notes in writing

Call the therapy office that worked with her, whether that was physical therapy, occupational therapy, or both. Ask for a written summary that lists what she can do with her hands, how she moves from bed to chair, how she stands and walks, and what she must not do alone. Ask whether the notes name any aids they recommended and why. Ask who to call if something is unclear. You are asking for her record, so expect a short wait, and ask them when it will be ready.

Read the list with three columns

Divide a sheet of paper into three columns: what she can do alone, what she can do with a helper, and what she must not do without a trained person present. Fill it from the therapy notes, not from memory. This list is the test every aid must pass. An aid that solves a problem in the first column but creates a risk in the third is a poor fit.

Match each aid to a line on the list

Before you buy, write the line from the list that the aid answers. For example: she cannot step over the tub edge alone, so this tub bench answers that line. If you cannot name the line, do not buy the aid. Ask the therapist whether the aid is the one they meant, and get the answer in writing if you can.

Compare the recommendation with the store

Take the notes and the list to the store. Ask the salesperson to show you the aid that matches the recommendation, and to explain any differences in size, height, or weight limit. If the store offers something different, ask why, and ask the therapist whether that version still meets the notes. Do not accept a substitute without that check.

Ask about returns and trial periods

Ask the store whether the aid can be returned if it does not fit her, and whether you can try it at home before the return window closes. Get the return terms in writing with the receipt. Keep the therapy notes with the receipt, so that a later question about the aid has both documents in one place.

Ask who pays before you buy

Some aids are covered by insurance when a clinician writes a recommendation, and some are not. Ask the insurer, in writing, whether this aid is covered and what documents they need. Ask the therapy office whether they can supply the paperwork. Do not sign a purchase form that asks you to accept a bill before the coverage answer is clear.

The purchase check

Before you pay, confirm four things: the aid matches a line on the list, the store will take it back, the coverage question has an answer, and someone in the house knows how to use it. If one of those is missing, wait. For more help sorting the paperwork and the costs, read Start Here: A Reading Order.

Get the Therapy Notes in Writing Before You Buy Any Aid