The Rehab Equipment Expo (REE) at the Olympic Oval in Richmond, British Columbia, is among our favourite events in the industry calendar. There is a unique flavour to the event in that there are both manufacturers and dealers in attendance, providing a tantalizing stew of the latest approaches and innovations in rehab equipment. There are always new perspectives to consider, new connections to forge and old relationships to cement, and the workshops and strategy sessions alone are worth the trek from our home base in the East and West Kootenays.
REE is one of our only opportunities to see some of British Columbia’s top rebab professionals face to face; individuals we tend to communicate with over phone and email but see so rarely in person due to our relatively isolated location. In the spirit of strengthening our collective sense of community, we also like to bring a couple of our newer team members along to REE to experience our collective passion for rehab equipment and innovations first-hand.
While we at Kootenay Columbia Home Medical Equipment (KCHME) did not have our own booth and backdrop, we thankfully shared an Expo “home base” with our partners and friends at Ability Members Group, adding another layer of camaraderie to the event – likely the largest rehab expo in BC that is currently running.
One of the things we look forward to the most is getting to experience all the new equipment releases that manufacturers have recently developed. Due to being situated in the Kootenays, we don’t get exposed to the sheer variety of rehab equipment that exists in the marketplace as much as we would like. We see the manufacturer press releases and info sheets, but REE is our opportunity to touch, try and imagine how these new products could benefit our customers.
One of the biggest showstoppers was a device that could have been straight out of the set of a sci-fi movie: a robotic human-shaped exoskeleton that someone who can’t stand or walk can “wear” to help them stand and walk again by recreating the body’s weight load. For KCHME customers, the cost of a device such as this would be so astronomical as to be impractical, but we could see equipment like this possibly finding its way to rehab hospitals in the not-too-distant future.
What inspired us on a more practical level was the equipment we could envision meeting the needs of our local community; aids that could help mobility-challenged individuals get outside and explore the Kootenays’ rugged natural landscapes.
In this light, the Pride Outback 4×4 caught our eye. This ATV-inspired powerchair features four balloon-sized knobby tires to help navigate gravel paths, bush tracks and nature trails with ease, complemented with an advanced automotive-grade SRS suspension to provide a smooth and comfortable ride across all those uneven surfaces. The Outback also features a joystick control for steering, plus four-pole sealed motors and all-wheel drive, combining the pinpoint manoeuvrability of a three-wheel scooter with the unbeatable traction and stability of a traditional four-wheel chair.
Another innovation we’ve heard about and finally saw live for the first time was the disc break manual wheelchair by Motion Composites. The chair’s breaking system is ideal for exploring the Kootenays’ mountainous terrain, especially when the wheelchair user is getting assistance from a family member or friend who may have concerns taking some weight when descending steeper hills. The breaking performance of this Motion Composites chair is more reactive, easier to apply, less likely to be affected by dirt or water, and less sensitive to lock-up or wheel skid. Another thing we love about Motion Composites is that they’re a Canadian company with headquarters in Québec.
A newer company in the Ability Members buying group that we were exposed to at REE was Rehasense, a global healthcare company specializing in product innovation with an emphasis on safety, compliance, design and functionality. We were especially inspired by the company’s platform walker featuring arm trays with a raised lip around the edge; an ideal walking aid for someone unable to function with their arms but can push with their elbows. There aren’t many platform walkers around right now with arm trays and it is encouraging to see Rehasense developing something ingeniously new while addressing a market need.
Overall, REE 2025 proved to be another invaluable experience as we strive to provide exemplary service and solutions for our clients. As an innovations provider within the Kootenays, it is incredibly important to us that our team enjoys these hands-on experiences so we can provide real-world solutions while staying ahead of the curve.
At KCHME, we specialize in providing custom solutions for all our clients’ home mobility needs. If you or a loved one has a unique issue you would like to discuss, contact us today to arrange a one-on-one consultation.