A Ramp for Fred

Fred Maly has diabetes and difficulty getting around. Climbing the stairs to the entrance of his home became difficult. His wife Lorraine was there to help him, but as his health declined, difficult became nearly impossible. Lorraine could no longer get Fred safely in and out of the house on her own. They needed a ramp.

With all of their medical bills, money was tight, so in February of 2016 Lorraine and Fred’s daughter began searching for help. She learned of Ramp Up Marathon County, a program of Midstate Independent Living Consultants, Inc. (MILC). Ramp Up raises funds for materials and donates skilled volunteer time to design and build wheelchair ramps and specialized stairs for low income Marathon County residents who are not already being served by long term care programs. Referrals come through MILC and the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin (ADRC-CW)

The Maly family contacted the ADRC-CW and connected with Kathy, a resource specialist. Kathy met with Fred and Lorraine. They talked about their situation and needs. Kathy told them about Ramp Up Marathon County and together they filled out the application. Kathy put the Maly’s in touch with Nancy Keller from MILC and Nancy got Lorraine and Fred set up with a temporary ramp until a permanent situation could be found.

“Nancy and Kathy were just great to work with,” said Lorraine. “They were so very nice.”

The Maly’s met the Ramp Up eligibility requirements, the Ramp Up leadership team determined that the ramp specs were within a scope the group could work with, and the application was approved.

After site surveys Ramp Up volunteers Dick Lehmann and Ben Preisig designed the ramp and received approval from the local building inspector. Materials were ordered, a construction schedule was set and volunteers (Dan Bowen, Dick Keding, Tom Kelly, Ray Nowaczyk, John Ohnstad, Bill Pogge and David A. Seiser) committed their time to the build. By mid-June, the Maly’s had a sturdy wheelchair ramp ready for use.

Neither Medicare nor most Medicaid programs cover the cost of building a ramp which can amount to several thousand dollars. Yet sometimes the lack of a ramp puts enormous strain on caregivers, limits an individual’s ability to get to appointments, often forcing them to live homebound or move from their homes to a care facility, costing significantly more over time than the one time cost of a ramp.

Given the size of the ramp and the cost of materials, it would likely have cost the Maly family updwards of $4,000 if they’d paid a contractor to build it. Because they qualified for Ramp Up, it didn’t cost them a penny.

“I don’t know what we would have done without Ramp Up,” Lorraine said. “You have Medicare and supplement insurance, but there are still a lot of bills.  We’re just thankful.”

Now Fred is able to go to his medical appointments and more. He likes to go with Lorraine on errands. He may wait in the car, but just getting out of the house and going for a ride lifts his spirit. And Lorraine feels better too, not leaving him alone at home all the time.

“We are just so grateful,” says Lorraine. “I would like to say a big thank you to those who donated funds, time and skills. Everybody was kind and very good.”

For more information about Ramp Up Marathon County, call the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin 1-888-486-8545 or Midstate Independent Living Consultants, Inc. 800-382-8484 ext 211, or go to www.rampupmc.org.