There’s no place like home

With her mind as sharp as ever, and a home full of family, Grandma Essie celebrated her 90th birthday on a beautiful spring day in 1997. Shortly after, Essie’s physical health started to deteriorate and daily tasks that used to be easy became very difficult. Fortunately, the family she had taken such good care of for so many years was committed to helping her age as comfortably as possible.

Together, they arranged for Essie to be admitted to the finest assisted living center that money could buy. This state of the art center was built in a scenic mountain valley and complete with a personal nurse/assistant for every resident and a never-ending schedule of activities. However, there was one small problem: Grandma Essie had no intention of moving into any type of “nursing home” no matter how many marble floors, flower gardens, or bridge clubs it advertised.

She was determined to maintain her dignity and independence by living out her years in the red brick home her late husband had built 50 years earlier. And that’s exactly what she did, thanks to her innovative granddaughter.

From the Classroom to the Boardroom

Jan Miller, an elementary school teacher by trade and Essie’s granddaughter, wanted to help. By caring for Grandma Essie, Jan saw there was an enormous need for affordable assistive devices that could help the elderly and disabled maintain their independence and freedom. Jan said, “Grandma had difficulty performing simple daily tasks like getting in and out of bed or standing from a couch or car and we could not find any products that would make those tasks easier”.  This understanding, combined with Jan’s commitment to better society, inspired her to create Stander, Inc., inventor and manufacturer of affordable mobility devices for the elderly and disabled.

So Easy Even a Rocket Scientist Could Do It

Stander was attempting to accomplish what no company before them could: provide high-quality, affordable assistive devices that would help people get in and out of a couch, bed, or automobile. Jan knew that the secret to success was in the product design and that accomplishing this task was first dependent upon finding the right inventor / engineer.

Fortunately for Stander, Jan was married to Troy Miller, a real, live, rocket scientist. Troy applied for the position, and after a grueling interview process he got the job. Stander’s first three inventions, the BedCane, CouchCane and CarCaddie, were designed specifically to solve Grandma Essie’s greatest mobility challenges. Grandma’s needs inspired the design many other products and she was able to live the majority of her life comfortably in the privacy of her own home.


Stander Today

Stander’s product line consists of over 30 innovative mobility solutions and we have many more coming soon. We employ the best and brightest engineers and patent attorneys and our team is committed to listening to your needs and inventing products that make your life easier.  Together, with your feedback and our patented inventions, you can Live the Longer Life You Love.