How You Can Help Create Accessible Housing in Ontario
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead Do you live in Ontario? Then we need your help! A few months ago, I became involved in the Older Women’s Network’s “Living in Place” campaign. It’s calling for the…
Loopy Case Review and Chronic Christmas Giveaway #3
I love my Loopy Case. It has solves a many of the problems I have in using smart phones, problems related to my rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and disability. Because of lifelong RA, I can’t hold a smart phone — it’s just too wide for my grip. Not to mention that I don’t actually have much…
Chronic Christmas Advent Giveaway #2: Integrale Adaptive Cutlery
Does your disability or chronic illness make it difficult for you to use using regular cutlery when you eat? Then do I ever have a great giveaway for you! Isabel Heubl created Integrale because adaptive cutlery “wasn’t only ugly, but didn’t fulfil all the functional aspects needed either.” She worked with a large group of…
Being an entrepreneur with a disability: Benefits and Barriers
I started my own business because I couldn’t find a job anywhere else. I write and publish books and work as a freelance writer, specializing in health, disability and advocacy topics. I did this mostly because it’s my dream job. But I got here because no one would hire me. This despite being a pretty…
Living in Place: Fighting to Increase Accessible Housing
We have an accessible housing crisis. This will get worse as the population ages — not in some far-off future, but rather immediately so when the silver tsunami hits in a few years. Despite this, developers exclude accessibility in their design, continuing to build barriers to people with disabilities. This exclusion is in violation of…
The Master of My Fate: Invictus Games Wheelchair Rugby
It matters not how strait the gate,How charged with punishments the scroll,I am the master of my fate,I am the captain of my soul. – From Invictus by William Ernest Henley There is something uniquely moving about watching your country play for gold in a sports event. I was privileged to do so a couple…
Access/No Access: Ramps or Steps… Or Both?
This is the first in my new series of posts taking a look at bad solutions for accessibility, and hopefully the odd good one, as well. There are a couple of places in my extended neighbourhood that have created access using both a ramp and steps. One is at a local grocery store The other…
A Different Way to Look at a Wheelchair
“You sound really chipper,” The Boy said. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard you like this.” He was right. I hadn’t felt that good about life and myself for a long time. And all it took was a long walk. Well, to be fair it was a bit more complicated than that. A brief…
Facebook Live: The ADA and Applying for Disability
Did you miss it? In last week’s Facebook Live for RAHealthCentral, I talked about how the ADA can help you work longer when you have a chronic illness, and how to apply for disability. I had a bad cold. Meaning I am woman, hear me squeak!
Homeless Judgement
“Do you have any change for the homeless?” He asked this over and over again, of almost everyone who passed. To a person, they kept walking, only a few acknowledging him, saying sorry, they didn’t have any change. So did I. And we were all lying. Sure, most of us pay for purchases, even small…
Thoughts from a Bonnie Raitt Concert
Bonnie Raitt and I were in the same room on Friday. Along with 3000 other people, but I wasn’t paying much attention to them. As she was singing, a variety of thoughts occurred to me. When live music is actually live I’m a sucker for singer-songwriters. People who have something to say and know music…
Body Image and Chronic Illness: How to Be Bodacious
Chronic illness can seriously mess with your body image, leaving you feeling disconnected and far from attractive. In my new post for Mango Health I look at ways to get back to feeling bodacious: “Where did the vibrant old you go? The person who felt at home in her own skin, who laughed and danced…