Kirk Wareham

Director of Product Design

Kirk WarehamI’ve been involved in Rifton Equipment since its beginning in 1975, doing a variety of tasks including welding and machining, purchasing, documentation, and design. I have (truly) enjoyed each job along the way.

Currently I oversee the design of all Rifton’s products. This is exciting and inspiring work because of the direct connection with the children and adults with disabilities that we serve, and our ongoing dialog with their wonderful caregivers.

I have had many opportunities to go to schools and institutions to see our current products in use and to find out what new products are needed. Then the real challenge begins: working with our team of designers to create a product that is functional, safe, durable, intuitive to operate, affordable (particularly with our depressed economy), and aesthetically acceptable (look at my new bike, Mom!).

On the side, I write a little, read a lot (the classics), and get out into nature as much as possible.

News Complex Rehab Technology Matters January 10, 2012 by Kirk Wareham
ncartcomplexrehabequipmenttechnology
The National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology (NCART) has recently released a short video: NCART Complex Rehab Technology – Essential for Health. Essential for Life, that I want to bring to your attention. I think it’s important because this video does the best job I’ve seen of explaining why complex rehab is so important to people with profound disabilities. In a time when...
News Making the Case for Complex Rehab Equipment Not Just Durable Medical Equipment November 01, 2011 by Kirk Wareham
complexrehabindustryfeature
A new publication called Complex, written and superbly photographed by Mark Sullivan, a VP at Invacare, has been issued by NRRTS and it’s well worth the read. It tells the story of several remarkable people whose lives have been dramatically improved by complex rehab technology and makes the case eloquently why the complex rehab industry needs to be protected from the cost-cutting frenzy that has...
News Rifton Product Design Development Your Voice Matters May 24, 2011 by Kirk Wareham
A pink Rifton Gait Trainer featuring prompts for every part of the body shows the new product design and development manufacturing process includes therapists requests
Getting Feedback is the First Step in Product Design Rifton Equipment places great value on product design and development. It is our intent to design products that are truly needed, and to design them in a way that makes them functional, safe, durable, intuitive to use, aesthetically pleasing, and affordable. Therapists and caregivers are a goldmine of design information; they are the ones working in...