Removing barriers to staying home

HOME AGAIN: Bill and Linda Bohmbach demonstrate a stair lift in the showroom at their Portsmouth company, Home Healthsmith. In two years the company, which provides adaptive mobility equipment, has grown from a home-based business to a 5,000-square-foot facility with five employees. / PBN FILE PHOTO/KATE WHITNEY LUCEY
HOME AGAIN: Bill and Linda Bohmbach demonstrate a stair lift in the showroom at their Portsmouth company, Home Healthsmith. In two years the company, which provides adaptive mobility equipment, has grown from a home-based business to a 5,000-square-foot facility with five employees. / PBN FILE PHOTO/KATE WHITNEY LUCEY

A few steps up to a porch, an uneven threshold in a doorway or even a standard bathroom can be obstacles to living at home for the elderly, adults recovering from surgery or children with disabilities. There are other major physical challenges, such as the need to be lifted out of bed or to go up a full flight of stairs.
Home Healthsmith LLC owners Bill and Linda Bohmbach know from personal experience the daily challenges – and solutions – for family members who have special needs. That gave them the compassion and foundation to launch the company in 2012 and quickly build a reputation for excellence in providing mobility equipment and quality service.
The company has grown from a home-based business to their August expansion to a 5,000-square-foot facility with an interactive demonstration showroom in Portsmouth during a span of just two years. That growth earned Home Healthsmith the Newport County Chamber of Commerce 2014 Entrepreneur of the Year Award, presented in May at Ochre Court.
“They really care about their clients and about providing each of them with the opportunity to live safely in their own homes,” said Jody Sullivan, executive director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce.
“I think we’ve grown so quickly because there’s no other company in the area that does everything,” said Linda Bohmbach. “There are ramp companies and stair-lift companies, but we offer a lot more.
“One of the main reasons for our expansion is so we could have a demonstration showroom, so we could show families or caregivers several chair lifts, as well as home elevators, grab bars, wheelchair lifts and other equipment, so they know how it works, instead of seeing it in a brochure,” she said.
The motivation to offer the adaptive equipment came from seeing firsthand its value.
“I had a family member diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Bill’s first wife died of MS. She was wheelchair-bound, so he lived with that and knows the needs of people with disabilities and has a passion to make life better for them,” said Linda Bohmbach, whose work prior to Home Healthsmith was on national accounts for drug and food retailers, wholesalers and distributors, where she managed relationships with companies including CVS Health, Walgreens and Wal-Mart. Linda and Bill Bohmbach knew each other from many years of participating in a three-day, 50-mile MS Walk. They eventually married and became co-owners of Home Healthsmith.
Bill Bohmbach founded Accurate Elevator and Lift, based in Middleboro, Mass., in 1994 and the company was sold to Otis Elevator in 2010.
He had also started a business called American Stairlift Company, but because customers continually requested other equipment, that company’s services were merged into Home Healthsmith.
Bill Bohmbach, a certified aging-in-place specialist, is company president and Linda Bohmbach is vice president of sales and marketing. The company’s five full-time employees also include an office manager and two technicians.
The service begins with a free home assessment to determine mobility needs and which are most critical and to find innovative ways to alleviate the stress of living with a disability.
“We take the time to sit with people and work with them,” said Linda Bohmbach. “They may need a ramp or a stair lift, but may not be able to afford it all at once.”
They advise customers to check with their insurance company to see if any of the cost is covered by long-term-care insurance.
Many needs cannot wait. A family member may be discharged from a rehabilitation center or nursing home or a relative with special needs may be arriving for a visit. That’s why the company has a goal of returning calls within two hours.
With the expansion to the new space and the demonstration showroom still being built out, there’s more growth on the horizon.
“We want to be able to show how six or seven chair lifts work and we’re building a demonstration bathroom area, so we can show different types of lifts and an accessible shower and grab bars,” said Bohmbach.
“We’re planning to bring in a lot of groups, like the visiting nurse association, architects, occupational therapists and physical therapists,” she said. “We want them to know what’s available to help people stay at home with mobility, safety and dignity.” •

COMPANY PROFILE
Home Healthsmith
OWNERS: Bill and Linda Bohmbach
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Mobility and accessibility equipment and services
LOCATION: 207 High Point Ave., Portsmouth
EMPLOYEES: 5
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 2012
ANNUAL SALES: WND

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