Exhibit 99.1


                                                             Investor Inquiries:
                                                             Gregory C. Thompson
                                                             (440) 329-6111

NEWS RELEASE


INVACARE CORPORATION COMPLETES PRIVATE PLACEMENT OF SENIOR UNSECURED NOTES


ELYRIA, Ohio - (May 1, 2006) - Invacare  Corporation (NYSE: IVC) today announced
that it has entered into a new fixed rate Senior  Notes  offering for a ten-year
term. The Company  completed the placement of $150 million  aggregate  principal
amount of its 6.15% senior  unsecured  notes due April 27, 2016. Net proceeds of
the  offering  were used to reduce debt  outstanding  under the  Company's  $500
million revolving credit facility.

Gregory C. Thompson,  senior vice president and chief financial officer, stated,
"Invacare  is  pleased to  complete  this  long-term  financing  arrangement  on
favorable  terms.  This new  long-term  financing  increases  fixed rate debt to
approximately  40% of the total debt  outstanding.  The strong interest from the
purchasers in entering into this agreement  reflects  Invacare's sound financial
condition and market leadership in the industry."

Invacare  Corporation  (NYSE:IVC),  headquartered in Elyria, Ohio, is the global
leader in the manufacture and distribution of innovative home and long-term care
medical  products that promote recovery and active  lifestyles.  The Company has
6,100  associates and markets its products in 80 countries around the world. For
more information about the Company and its products, visit Invacare's website at
www.invacare.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
"Safe Harbor"  provisions  of the Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform Act of
1995. Terms such as "will," "should," "plan,"  "intend,"  "expect,"  "continue,"
"forecast", "believe," "anticipate" and "seek," as well as similar comments, are
forward-looking  in nature.  Actual results and events may differ  significantly
from those expressed or anticipated as a result of risks and uncertainties which
include, but are not limited to, the following:  pricing pressures,  the success
of the Company's ongoing efforts to reduce costs, increasing raw material costs,
the  consolidations  of  health  care  customers  and  competitors,   government
budgetary  and  reimbursement  issues  at  both  the  federal  and  state  level
(including those that affect the sales of and margins on product, along with the
viability of  customers),  the ongoing  implementation  of the  Company's  North
American  enterprise  resource planning system,  the ability to develop and sell
new products with higher  functionality  and lower costs, the effect of offering
customers  competitive  financing terms,  the ability to successfully  identify,
acquire and integrate  strategic  acquisition  candidates,  the  difficulties in
managing and operating businesses in many different foreign  jurisdictions , the
orderly completion of facility consolidations, the vagaries of any litigation or
regulatory  investigations  that the Company may be or become involved in at any
time, the  difficulties in acquiring and maintaining a proprietary  intellectual
property ownership  position,  the overall economic,  market and industry growth
conditions,  foreign  currency and interest  rate risks,  Invacare's  ability to
improve  financing  terms  and  reduce  working  capital,  as well as the  risks
described  from time to time in Invacare's  reports as filed with the Securities
and Exchange  Commission.  We undertake no  obligation to review or update these
forward-looking statements or other information contained herein.