SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

   Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of Earliest Event Reported): October 28, 2002


                              INVACARE CORPORATION
                              --------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


                                      OHIO
                 (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)


            0-12938                                  95-2680965
      -------------------                       -------------------
     (Commission File No.)                (IRS Employer Identification No.)


               One Invacare Way, P.O. Box 4028, Elyria, Ohio 44036
              ----------------------------------------------------
                    (Address of Principal Executive Offices)


                                 (440) 329-6000
                                 --------------
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

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Item 5.  Other Events.

Invacare Corporation news release dated October 24, 2002.



News Release
                                                  Media Inquiries:
                                                  Susan A. Elder
                                                  Director of Marketing
                                                  Communications
                                                  (440) 329-6549

                                                  Investor Inquiries:
                                                  Robert Gudbranson
                                                  Director of Investor Relations
                                                  and Business Development
                                                  (440) 329-6001

Invacare Corporation Names New Chief Financial Officer

     ELYRIA, Ohio--Oct. 24, 2002--Invacare  Corporation (NYSE:IVC) has appointed
Gregory C. Thompson to the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer,  effective November 4, 2002.  Thompson previously served as Senior Vice
President and Chief  Financial  Officer of Sensormatic  Electronics  Corporation
(NYSE:SRM),  a $1.1 billion global  manufacturer of electronic security products
located in Boca Raton, FL.
     Thompson,  47, will be responsible  for all aspects of Invacare's  Finance,
Treasury,   Internal  Audit,  Investor  Relations,   Corporate  Development  and
Information Technology functions.
     "We  are  extremely   pleased  to  have  Greg  Thompson   joining  Invacare
Corporation  as Chief  Financial  Officer after a nationwide  search to fill the
position," said A. Malachi Mixon,  III,  Chairman and Chief  Executive  Officer.
"His extensive  background in global financial  management and public accounting
will be  instrumental  in helping guide  Invacare  Corporation as we work toward
accomplishing our objective of becoming a $2 billion company by 2006."
     Thompson  began his career in finance at Coopers & Lybrand  and later Price
Waterhouse,  progressing through positions of increased responsibility in global
financial management and accounting.  Prior to joining Sensormatic, he served as
Vice  President and Corporate  Controller for Wang  Laboratories.  Thompson is a
Certified Public Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting
from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
     Thompson replaces Thomas R. Miklich who resigned as Invacare's CFO in April
2002 to join OM Group, Inc. (NYSE:OMG.)

     Invacare Corporation (NYSE:IVC) is the global leader in the manufacture and
distribution  of innovative  home medical  products  which promote  recovery and
active  lifestyles  through more than 25,000 providers.  The company,  which had
2001  revenues of $1.05  billion,  goes to market in the  following  channels of
distribution: home care, mass retail and institutional. Invacare participates in
the following  product  segments:  Home Care,  which  includes  rehab  products,
respiratory products,  manual wheelchairs,  home care beds,  therapeutic support
surfaces and personal care products marketed by Invacare's Home Care Group; Soft
Goods and Supplies, which includes ostomy, incontinence, wound care and diabetic
supplies  marketed by Invacare Supply Group; and  Institutional,  which includes
nursing home beds, patient lifts and slings,  nursing home furniture and bathing
systems marketed by Invacare  Continuing Care Group. The company's  headquarters
are in Elyria, Ohio, and the firm has manufacturing plants in the United States,
Australia,  Canada,  Denmark,  Germany,  France, Mexico, New Zealand,  Portugal,
Sweden,  Switzerland  and the United  Kingdom.  For more  information  about the
company, visit Invacare's website at www.invacare.com.


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                                   Signatures

Pursuant to the  requirement  of the  Securities  and Exchange Act of 1934,  the
Registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                              Invacare Corporation

                                              By:  /S/ Gerald B. Blouch
                                                   ---------------------
                                              Gerald B. Blouch
                                              President, Chief Operating Officer
                                              Acting Chief Financial Officer


Date:  October 28, 2002