Innovation is best when it is done to solve a problem that the inventor faces everyday.
All it takes is a smart person to see a problem and come up with a solution for an absolutely amazing invention to be created.
One area where innovation can miss a key point is caring for the elderly and children with disabilities. It can be an absolutely struggle to go grocery shopping for those who need to take care of the elderly or children with disabilities at the same time.
Drew Ann Long who long struggled to take her daughter, who has special needs, for basic and quick errands. She knew there had to be a better way and that’s when the spark was created.
Every time Drew went grocery shopping she had to struggle with her shopping cart, watching her 2-year-old son and push her daughter’s wheelchair. Whew! That sounds pretty challenging and she has to do it every time she goes grocery shopping.
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She hoped one day that an inventor or company would create a solution to her problem. Sadly it seemed like this was an area where innovation was desperately needed and none came.
Tired of waiting Drew decided to design something herself. She knew what she wanted and what it needed to do. She wanted it to help people just like her who were struggling, across the country.
She came up with “Caroline’s Cart“, named after Drew’s young daughter. This invention was going to change the lives of every elderly and special needs caretaker. It was incredibly simple, but still powerful. It is incredibly successful and stores across the country are buying them for their customers to use.
Drew had succeeded!
A woman was having a problem. Her 91-year-old mother enjoyed going shopping with her, but wasn’t always able to walk through the aisles. She asked her local Harris Teeter if they had something that would help solve this issue.
Thankfully her Harris Teeter carried Caroline’s Cart, which enabled her and her mother to continue their tradition of shopping together.
After news of this story went viral, people are now asking about these carts. What are they? Where can they be found?
Amazingly Caroline’s Cart was designed for special needs kids, but the cart also works incredibly well for elderly folks who cannot always walk reliably.
Caroline’s Cart is a shopping cart with a large seat built into the base that allows both children and adults who have special needs to sit comfortably.
Created after seeing a need for it, Drew Ann Long knew that her invention would change the lives of millions.
Drew founded Parent Solution Group LLC and began work on the new cart design thanks to help from Technibilt.
After some hard-work from Drew and her team, she was finally able to turn her invention into a reality and Caroline would finally be able to go shopping with her mother again.
Now, the carts are available across the country from a variety of stores like Food Lion, Giant, Kroger, Walmart and many more.
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The cart has been an amazing improvement over standard carts for those who shop with family members that require wheelchairs or scooters.
“It provides parents and caregivers a viable option to transport a child through a store while grocery shopping, without having the impossible task of having to maneuver a wheelchair and a traditional grocery cart at the same time,” according to the Caroline’s Cart website.
Its use isn’t limited to just transporting children, though. The innovative cart is also being used by elderly individuals, allowing them to shop with family or caregivers.
The cart allows them to quickly shop with relatives without requiring a scooter or a wheelchair. This invention has most certainly allowed for more elderly and special needs children to shop with their family again.
Over one million children currently face one or more disabilities in the United States.
These carts offer a very necessary solution to a big problem for parents and caregivers who have to provide round-the-clock care to their patients.
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While many stores have already offered Caroline’s Cart in their stores, Drew dreams that soon all stores will offer them for special needs children and the elderly and their caregivers.point 220 |
Drew knows that her invention has already impacted many lives in a positive way, but she knows that there are still families fighting this impossible task without Caroline’s Cart.point 157 | 1
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Have you seen these amazing carts in your local stores yet? If not, ask your local stores about them to save your neighbors some time stress!
If you want to learn more about the story behind this amazing invention and Drew’s inspiration be sure to check out the video below!