Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Block.
Hi Mary, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was a middle-school Spanish teacher and needed a new adventure! I had taken care of my dad in his last year of life and experienced the challenge of “the sandwich generation.” I was raising my own children, working full-time, and facilitating my dad’s care. When I re-wrote my story, I knew that I wanted to work with seniors and the children that support them. As a result, my husband Scott and I purchased a Mobility Plus franchise in February of 2022 and opened Mobility Plus Alpharetta in August 2022. We sell, rent, and repair medical equipment… from rollators and walkers to hospital beds. Additionally, we sell and install stair lifts, vertical platform lifts, and modular wheelchair ramp systems.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I am pretty sure that anyone who describes opening a small business as “smooth” is not being truthful! It has been a wonderful challenge. Scott and I have had to learn so many new things. We are authorized dealers for about 26 different suppliers, although we really focus on a core group of five. One of the biggest challenges has been developing expert-level knowledge of our primary products and understanding the physical as well as emotional implications for these product users. Experiencing diminished physical mobility is difficult later in life but comes with a very specific set of emotional obstacles for someone younger who might be newly diagnosed with a chronic, degenerative disease.
As you know, we’re big fans of Mobility Plus Alpharetta. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Scott and I sell, rent, and repair medical equipment. We do a lot of different things, but selling hospital beds is one of our favorites! There are a lot of knowledge gaps with beds. People often have no experience with a hospital bed (otherwise known as a hi-low fully electric bed) prior to being discharged from the hospital with a loved one that needs one. They think that insurance will “cover it all,” when in fact, there are significant deficits in what insurance will cover. We always recommend that you take a day and call your Medicare plan or commercial insurance provider and find out exactly what is covered should you need a hospital bed yourself or other medical equipment for a loved one.
Medicare usually provides a semi-electric bed that must be cranked by an individual to raise and lower the deck (the part on which the mattress rests.) People should carefully consider: Who will be cranking the bed? Does this individual have the stamina to do so on a regular basis? Additionally, if the bed user needs more advanced functions like Trendelenberg or Reverse Trendelenberg (tilt features that can put ankles above heart for improved circulation and will also aid in bed mobility and re-positioning), those features are not typically available in insurance-provided beds. Lastly, beds in the private-pay space can go up to 30″ high or down to the floor. The max lifting height is extremely important in reducing caregiver strain.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I feel like our ability to relate to and empathize with our customers is vital to our success. Scott and I have been where our customers are. We understand, with profound clarity, what our customers are dealing with on a daily basis.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mobilityplus.com/alpharettaGA
- Instagram: @mobilityplusalpharetta
Image Credits
Mo Lima Photography
