Shared peer advice from polio survivors about what works for them.

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News about people who have made significant contributions to the disability community.

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Gardening

Brian Tiburzi

WAY TO GROW: THE ACCESSIBLE GARDEN Designing a garden, planting, tending and then enjoying the results leads to a sense of peace, serenity and fulfillment. An accomplishment all our own, restoring our self-esteem, with results we can share with others. Is there anyone who doesn’t find pleasure working with the earth? And yet gardening is often the first activity people …

Reading

Brian Tiburzi

TALKING BOOKS LIBRARY I think that reading a good book while reclining is one of the great pleasures in life. But having to hold the book can detract from the experience, especially if the book is hardcover. So how about listening to the book instead? There are two ways to enjoy audio books inexpensively. You can drive to the library, …

Out to Sea – Accessible Cruising

Brian Tiburzi

I love to travel. No, I live to travel, and when I was mobile I did a lot of it, from camping here in the US to sightseeing in Europe. I can divide my travel history into three phases. Phase 1 – “Almost” able-bodied. I could walk distances, climb, pull my own luggage, hop on and off trains. No need …

Travel Resources

Brian Tiburzi

New Horizons: Information for the Air Traveler with a Disability Accessible Air Travel: A Guide for People with Disabilities Global Access Travel Aides International Access-Able Travel Source Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped (SATH) American Society of Travel Agents Scoot-Around North America Disability Travel and Recreation Resources Emerging Horizons: Accessible Travel News Fodor’s Great American Vacations for …

Preventing Falls

Brian Tiburzi

SAFETY FIRST Living with a chronic condition requires a lot of adaptations. The one thing you don’t want to cope with is the effects of an injury that could have been prevented. Falls are the second leading cause of death from accidents for people of all ages and more than 200,000 people suffer a fracture of the hip each year …

House Remodeling

Brian Tiburzi

HOUSE SMART (REMODELING) DOORS, FLOORS, RAMPS AND REVAMPS If you are fortunate enough to be building or remodeling your home, you can include all the modifications you need to accommodate your physical condition. Most of us need to live with what we already have, but we can make alterations which do not require large expenditures. Adapting your environment can be simpler than …

Ramps

Brian Tiburzi

Most people are very surprised at how much space is required install an ADA (Americans with Disabilities) compliant ramp. A very strong helper can push a wheelchair up a ramp that is steeper than 1/12 (1 inch of height for every foot of length) which is the MINIMUM SLOPE allowed for a residence. Many power chairs are powerful enough to climb a …

Grab Bars

Brian Tiburzi

Grab bars are useful in many locations. For example, if a stairway has a chairlift, it is a good idea to place grab bars at both the top and bottom. Or, even if there is only a step up of a few inches at a doorway, a grab bar will help the disabled achieve the extra stability needed to enter …

Safety in the Bathroom

Brian Tiburzi

Sit down for showering. Difficulty with transfers, poor balance, and fear of falling affects people’s ability to bathe safely. For those who need to access a bathtub to bathe or shower, a bathtub transfer bench which rests partly inside and partly outside the tub enables one to sit down outside the tub and gradually slide over to the inside. Some …

Closets

Brian Tiburzi

Most closets are organized too high for someone in a wheelchair or for someone who is vision impaired. The best way to achieve “low oriented” closet space is to unload the closet and take out all the original shelving and hanging rods. Next the disabled person should get in front of the empty closet and describe where the clothes and …