According to the Arlo Guthrie song of the late 1960s, you could get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant. These days you can get virtually anything you want for your wheelchair from a plethora of creative manufacturers.

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Whether you have a tender tush or a yen to hook a monster bass, you can find what you're looking for from firms that have anticipated the needs and desires of wheelchair users. (Phone numbers for the following companies are listed at the end of the article.)

Take the problem of the discomfort, pain and even pressure sores that can come from sitting in a wheelchair for hours at a time. Action Products Inc. has developed a special material called AKTON Viscoelastic Polymer that equally distributes a wheelchair user's weight over the entire seat area. This prevents skin breakdown in areas where there are bony prominences. Action makes wheelchair pads and overlays in four thicknesses, depending on the particular need of the wheelchair user.

For nearly half a century, Ken McRight has been selling his BBD wheelchair pads that consist of a rubberized cushion inflated with air. Thousands of customers swear by McRight's pneumatic products, which range in size from 14-by-15-inch pads to full-size mattresses for beds.

Pegasus Airwave Inc. has developed the Altern8 Therapeutic Seating System, a battery-powered wheelchair pad it says provides the first therapeutic solution for healing existing pressure sores and preventing new ones. The pad has several air cells that are pressurized and depressurized in a pattern aimed at providing therapeutic relief for the wheelchair user and increasing blood flow.

Among a wide range of wheelchair products from Briggs Corporation is a gel-foam wheelchair pad. The company also offers a gel-foam wedge, a wedge cushion, a wheelchair cup holder, laptop cushions, removable lap trays, an oxygen tank holder, a urinary drainage bag holder, lateral stabilizer armrest bolster units, an alarm cushion, and gloves and other hand gear.

Maddak Inc. produces a line of independent living aids called Ableware. Among wheelchair accessories offered is a clamp-on fishing pole holder that can be positioned within easy reach of the wheelchair user. The Ableware line includes a spring-clip umbrella holder; an adjustable universal support arm that accepts cameras, camcorders and other such items; a clamp-on cup holder; and a waterproof carryall for the back of a wheelchair to carry books, groceries and other items and keep them dry.

A three-in-one receptor mounting from Diestco Mfg. Co. fits any wheelchair or scooter. The Buddy System includes a cupholder, a clipboard-tray and a utility pouch, which may be used interchangeably. Diestco also offers wheelchair canopies to keep the sun and rain off. Trays, super-large bags, saddlebags for armrests, front bags and heavy-duty trays are in the company's inventory.

Sonmarc Products' initial offering is Wheel Ease, a combination rim cover and grip that, in effect, eliminates the need to use gloves to prevent hand tenderness and injury. The innovative unit puts the glove on the wheelchair and not on the user. Sonmarc says the unit offers improved hand traction and maximized gripping power.

R.E.A.L. Design has come up with a three-in-one mobile table unit for both youngsters and adults. The Convert-Able Table is mounted on a wheeled base that can easily be rolled out of the way. It has push-button height adjustment so it can be used with wheelchairs, standing frames, etc., and comes with three interchangeable tops that snap on and off.

The Desk Top provides a large, flat work area for reading, writing, using a computer keyboard or working on projects or puzzles. The Art Easel Top has a scratch-resistant surface that cleans easily, making it perfect for painting, drawing or other art projects. The table can be tilted at an angle for easier painting and drawing, and the top comes with a continuous roll of 24-inch art paper attached and has paper guides to keep the paper in place. The Sensory Stim Bowl is made of clear acrylic and is large enough for most any sensory stimulation activity. It'll even accommodate such interesting activities as letting the wheelchair user watch fish swim or letting a youngster play with soap bubbles.

Axess is the maker of Front Runner, a large, front-mounted basket unit for wheelchairs that comes with fold-out supports that the bag rests on. The basket is 21 inches wide, 10 inches front to back and 16 inches deep. Axess also makes reflective spoke guards, reflective warning triangles, rain ponchos and wheelchair drink holders.

Rolli-Moden Designs, a division of Manfred Sauer USA Inc., has come up with the Rolli Box, a wedge-shaped bag mounted under the wheelchair's seat, behind the user's legs. It has a main bag and a zippered pouch. The firm's Sports Backpack includes a net pocket for a water bottle, and two front and three side pockets. Rolli-Moden also offers trays, gloves, cuffs to protect shirt sleeves, a duffel-type bag and special clothing for wheelchair users.

1. USA Umbrella Holder by Maddak Inc., (201) 694-0500
   
   
2. The Convert-Able Table by R.E.A.L. Design, (800) 696-7041
   
   
3. Rolli Box by Rolli-Moden Designs, (800) 707-2395
   
   
4. Wheel Ease by Sonmarc Products, (516) 799-0557
   
   
5. The Weather Breaker Canopy by Diestco Mfg. Co., (800) 795-2392
   
   
6. Altern8® Therapeutic Seating System by Pegasus Airwave Inc., (800) 443-4325
   
   
7. Bye-Bye Decubiti dual-compartmental air cushion by Ken McRight Supplies Inc., (918) 492-9657

• Action Products Inc., (800) 228-7763
• Axess, (805) 922-1426
• Briggs Corporation, (800) 247-2343