Search the Navigating Disability Road website:
  Navigating Disability Road
  • Home
  • About the Author
  • Adjusting
  • Caregivers
  • Contact Me
  • Defining Disability
  • Discussion Blog
  • Guest Author
    • In Awe Of My Home and my Community
    • Educate Others About Your Disability
    • Vicki's Holiday
    • Where My Love
    • You Have No Idea
    • Blurred Lines
    • Now I Understand
    • What Is The Meaning Of Being Disabled?
  • Featured Article
  • Financial
  • Links
  • Recreation
  • Spiritual

Making Your Home Accessible

12/29/2016

0 Comments

 
Navigating Disability Road--Accessible home design
Accessible home design and construction have finally come out of the shadows. In part because it is acceptable to have a disability. In part because contractors can capitalize on a very real need in the community. Our senior citizens, trying to remain safely in their homes, are a huge part of the population seeking accessible design and  equipment.

The hazard in the road is that a ramp, grab bars, and door levers seem to be the focus; 'Universal Design'. Certainly, these are frequently necessary, but are not the whole story. Universal design must be used in conjunction with a clear understanding of a person's current physical limitations and probable future limitations. Design and location of stuff like:

  • doorway width
  • doorway thresholds
  • turning area for wheelchair access
  • flooring type
  • height of light switches
  • height of outlets
  • height of tables, chairs, counters
  • kitchen drawers, cabinets, appliances
are all influenced by your current and possible future challenges.

The key to success is truly understanding a person's limitations. Sometimes, that means that you have to look reality in the eye. This is frequently difficult. Honest answers to questions like what can I do? / What can't I do? / What is realistic for me to do? / are challenging. Add to that the unpredictability factor of our changing abilities and you realize that easy home modifications are not so easy.

Speak with Occupational and Physical Therapists, nurses, and especially people with similar challenges. The seemingly small details will make a huge difference. Making your home truly accessible is possible with a good, honest assessment of a person's needs. Money will help, too!
0 Comments

Sir Isaac Newton and Me

12/12/2016

2 Comments

 
Picture
      No matter which task I perform, I am relatively safe until I try to move from my wheelchair to another seat [toilet / bed] or back to the wheelchair. Each move of the hands, feet, arms, wheelchair, etc is carefully planned and must be executed exactly to the plan. It is a finely orchestrated dance of the mind and very uncooperative body fighting my arch rival, gravity.
      Yep, gravity. Always there, never faltering, constantly pulling on me and sometimes, bringing me down. That is a physical and emotional state. When I do hit the floor, I am unable to get myself back up. Yes, too many people laugh at the commercial of the old woman crying, "Help, I've fallen and can't get up!" I understand her plight. There is NOTHING entertaining about it.
      So, as I perform a transfer from wheelchair to toilet last week, my attention waivers for a moment and somehow, the wheelchair slides to the right as I move left. That creates just enough space for gravity to reach up and pull my butt into that space. The panic rushes up through my body and my brain races for a solution. I gather my thoughts and strength, take a deep breath and once more, heave toward the toilet. The wheelchair moves more right and gravity gives my butt another pull. Greater panic rushes through me and I am now at the awful, terrible, frightening, OHHHH NOOOOO moment. Still suspended but past the point of recovery with the knowledge of what will happen next. I make one last feeble, futile attempt to find ANY seating. The gap opens, my arms tremble and gravity pulls me down.
      The move is slow and I plop on the floor. The second wave of panic hits harder than the first. Someone left his phone on the desk in another room; 20 million light years away as gravity holds my butt in it's relentless grasp. This means that I will laying on a cold and very hard ceramic tile floor until my wife gets home. The math was easy. It's 12:30 now and my wife MIGHT be home by 6:00.
     She did arrive at 5:30. I'll take ANY blessing at that point. No, I won't be forgetting my phone again and I will try to be more careful. Sir Isaac Newton, you can warm up my cold butt!

2 Comments
    Engage Brain for Discussion Blog...

    Blog Maintenance:

    See About the Author

    Archives

    May 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    January 2016
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All
    Accessibility
    Adjusting
    Advocacy
    Attitude
    Caregivers
    Chronic Pain
    Civil Rights
    Defining
    Developmental Disability
    Empathy
    Financial
    Medical
    Positive Thinking
    Recreation
    Spiritual

    RSS Feed

Picture
Home
Adjusting
About Me
Caregivers
Contact Me
Guest Author
Defining
Discussion Blog
Featured Article

Financial
Links
Recreation 
Spirituality
E-Mail Steven
Copyright © 2012 Navigating Disability Road