I started thinking about my previous blog, about 9/11 and how fast life can change, and retelling my memories of that day made me reminisce about all the fun I used to have traveling into NYC, and going out, in general. Prior to my accident (June 2005), I was constantly on the go. I loved to travel, and made regular trips into NYC and PA. Half of my family lived in the Pocono mountains of Penssylvania, and one of my best friends and ex-boyfriend lived in other parts of PA. I'd been making the two hour trip, to and fro the Poconos since my mom moved there, when I was nine. Two hours in a car was no big deal for me, and driving the route to my family's house was second nature. Besides that, I just enjoyed traveling. In college I made annual trips down to Orlando, to Disney World, and a couple of road trips up to Maine. Once I graduated college (and started making real money), I started making trips outside the country. In the years just prior to my accident, I went to Italy, Puerto Rico, and Canada. I've always enjoyed going out. I regularly dined out, went shopping, to the movies, to the beach, to parties, dancing, site seeing, and a variety of other things.
I would love to see more of the world, and go out more, but most times, the cons of paralysis, outweigh the pros. I find myself doing less and less, because the memories are too painful, the compromises are too many, and/or the preparation, planning, and health concerns, make the experience more annoying, than enjoyable. Most people don't realize, or consider the amount of effort that goes into to everything I do. Just getting up, into my wheelchair everyday, requires someone else, bathing me, dressing me, grooming me, feeding me, and physically transferring my body. All of that has to be done, just for me to be able to get into a car, let alone determining if places are accessible, or if I'll need additional accommodations. I, in the meantime, am always concerned with the unpredictability of my body (my tollerance for sitting, blood pressure, pressure sores, skin breakdown and incontinence issues). I have concerns in the back of my mind, that the average thirty year old, just doesn't have. It's not as simple as just rolling out of bed, hoping into the shower and throwing some clothes on. I can't just pick up and go on a whim, because I'm completely reliant on others. On top of the logistics, and physical challenges, I'm constantly weighing the emotional pros and cons of everything I do. Most times, the enjoyment factor doesn't cut it for me, and I rather not go through all of physical trouble, to do something that will ultimately upset me, more than entertain me. Unfortunately, most of the enjoyments of my "old life" are more painful than pleasurable, and therefore I avoid them.
I've flown to FL since my accident (twice).Both trips were to Disney World. The first trip was for my best friends wedding, and was a short stay, mainly comprised of activities within the resorts. The second trip was for eight days and we stayed at a resort and went to the theme parks & Downtown Disney. I used to Disney go every summer (as an adult, on my feet) and am extremely familiar with most of the Disney World attractions. Let me tell you, it's like night & day, traveling paralyzed, versus traveling able bodied. Disney has made a lot of accommodations for handicapped people, and much of the transportation and certain attractions are already setup with accessibility in mind. Even so, navigating large crowds, restaurants and shops, have not been very pleasant experiences for me, in my wheelchair. Not to mention the unique experience of flying paralyzed, which brings with it a ton of unpredictabilities, like lay-overs, and delays, which can be extremely taxing, and dangerous, because of the risk for skin breakdown. Let's not forget, all the preparations that need to be made in advance (renting equipment, hiring or bringing a nurse/aide, medical supplies, accessible transportation, needing transfer assistance, etc.).
You'd think you would stand out, sitting in a wheelchair, and people would be mindful, and move out of your way, or help you, but I've noticed that to be the exact opposite of reality. People are so wrapped up in themselves, that they have literally tripped over me, crashed into me, stand obliviously in my way and create obstacles, more times that not. Stores and restaurants often cram the maximum mount of merchandise and/or furniture into their space, which makes it near impossible to navigate, without bumping into displays, forcing people to move, or having to rearange things, just to get by.
Going into NYC used to be my second most favorite outting, outside of trips to PA. I haven't actually been into the city, since my accident. It's something I miss very much. I've been wanting to go for some time now. I'm just so accustomed to going by train, and subway by foot, that I'm a bit intimidated at the thought of figuring out how to get around in a wheelchair. Driving into the city is a headache and more expensive. I do miss going to the museums, walking around Time Square and hanging out in Chinatown. It's not that it's impossible, it's just a hassle having to come up with all of the routes I'd need to take. Not to mention, I'd be relying on someone else for transportation & assistance.
NYC is not nearly as wheelchair friendly as Disney. It is noisy, messy, crowded and fast paced. Its a city, not a theme park, so here aren't designated people, every ten feet, to help you out. While New Yorkers aren't as obnoxious & rude as tv portrays them, they are busy living their day to day lives, not paid employees, ready & willing to make your trip pleasant. Certain places, like Museums, plays, or Madison Square Garden, would probably be the least hassle, and the most accessible. I've thought of attempting to go into the city so many times, I just haven't followed through with it, yet. Plus, I feel as though there are just certain aspects of the city that I won't be able to enjoy anymore. I can't imagine having fun in my chair in Chinatown. It's challenging enough to keep up with hustle & bustle on your feet. The shops are mostly all tiny, cramped & cluttered. Many shops have steps, or a small step, or curb to tangle with and I'd barely be able see a thing above the crowds. It's always congested, and the sidewalks are full of hazards, like merchandise for sale, and garbage.
I used to LOVE going to mall. If you've ever been to New Jersey, it's evident that we Jerseyans love our malls. You can't drive through our state without seeing a huge mall, about every 15 miles. I don't mean strip malls, or outlet malls either. I'm talking about, multi-level, indoor, several big name department stores, food court, sit down restaurants, map necessary, shopping malls. From the moment I got my drivers license, until the day of my accident (1997-2005), I can honestly say, I went to a mall at least once a week. As a teenager, the mall is a fun place to hang out. In college, my boyfriend spoiled me with shopping. As a teacher, I was earning a real salary, and was single, with money to spend. I'm not rich, nor I have ever been in debt (besides medical bills, post accident), but I've always enjoyed to shop. I enjoy window shopping, buying gifts for other people, and used to adore clothes shopping, for myself. Since my accident however, I tend to avoid the malls and do almost all of my shopping exclusively online.
I was never bothered by crowds, until I was in a wheelchair. I'm partially bothered due to self consciousness (I have have always been that way, in terms of comparing myself to others, but had much more confidence in my physical appearance before my accident. My entire self image has declined drastically, since my accident. So much of my body has changed, and is out of my control to maintain, and/or utilize, that it often feels foreign to me.), but more so by the simple fact that it has become difficult and annoying to get around. As I said earlier, most stores are so crowded with stuff I can barely get around, and it bothers me, not being able to pick things up, get close enough to see things, or be able to try clothes on. It's also especially embarrassing if people need to move, or move displays for me to pass through. I feel as though it draws unwanted attention, and further emphasizes me disability.
Eating out was another favorite past-time, that I rarely do anymore. Just the fact that I can't feed myself, is enough to make the experience less enjoyable. It is embarrassing, to have to be fed, like a baby, in front of countless strangers. Not only do I get annoyed, because I can't eat at my own pace, it's equally annoying for whoever is feeding me. Neither person gets to really enjoy their meal. Someone always ends up eating cold food. Plus, there are many foods that aren't designed for a fork & knife, and become very tricky to eat, when someone else is trying to feed you. Foods like, cheese steaks, subs, spaghetti, ice cream cones, candy apples, french fries, popcorn and burgers, are sloppy, awkward and meant to be held, bit, or tossed into your mouth, by the handful. It's not enjoyable, having to cut certain foods that are meant to be bit, and be able to enjoy the mixture of all the layers of flavor. It's awkward eating foods that are dipped, or have heavy sauces, or dressings. Messy foods just draw more attention, and add embarrassment to the situation. Not being able to wipe my mouth, or clean my own face is bothersome. Most restaurants are too crowded to easily maneuver the wheelchairs, and most tables are impossible to get close too, because of height. Having to always sit at the end of a booth, sideways, or protruding out, from the rest of the group, makes me feel more singled out, and self conscious. Having to always direct what I want next, or when I'm thirsty is tedious. I hate having to always drink from a straw, and ask for a sip. For me, paralysis has drained the enjoyment out of the actual "dining" experience. I still enjoy the food, I just hate the "dining." I much rather order to go, and eat in the lower stress environment of my home, in private.
I challenge all of my able bodied readers to experience going out in a wheelchair first hand. Go to the mall and rent one of the chairs, or scooters for a few hours, and see what I mean. Have your significant other push you around, and see things from my perspective. Try to maneuver inside of a department store, and crowded shops, like Claire's, Spencer's or Brookstone. Go out to eat, and let your friends feed you. Even without a wheelchair, you can experience being fed. I don't mean one, or two romantic looking bites either, I mean, a full meal, with a beverage (one person using hands, and the other not). I guarantee, it'll only take one outing to understand what I mean, and realize why certain things are no longer enjoyable, or worth it, to me. It's not just a matter of wanting to be anti-social, or cooped up in my apartment. It's a matter of what is no longer pleasurable, or fulfilling.
Showing posts with label accessibility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label accessibility. Show all posts
Monday, September 27, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
iPad
I'm currently writing from my new iPad. I'm getting used to how to use it & how much pressure is needed to access features. Right now we have it rigged on a book stand & bed table. It's harder for me to press the top two corners than it is for the rest of the surface. I bought a generic capacitive stylus (Pogo brand), since Apple doesn't have one (yet) for the iPad. I ended up going to the Apple store to try out the stylus, before I ordered one. While doing my research on the device, I couldn't find any mention of being able to use a stylus.
Initially, I called Apple to speak with one of their "geniuses" about the probability of me being able to use the iPad with my mouth stick & possibly the iTouch stylus. The woman I spoke with said that most likely the iPhone/iTouch stylus wouldn't work because of the amount of sensors used in the iPad surface. Luckily, my brother in law is a tech wiz & encouraged me to try any old capacitive stylus. As the name suggests, capacitive styluses (do I need to pluralize that word?) some how mimic our fingers by altering the electric current on the touch screen surface. Other touch screens, like on Nintendo DS, respond to pressure, so you can use your fingers or almost any inanimate object. After reading a couple of articles my bro sent me, which even showed people using sausages to control their iPhones (I'm not kidding), I figured it was worth trying.
As some of you know, I've been looking into getting an e-reader for some time now. I'd read tons of reviews on Kindle, Sony Reader & the Nook, and was leaning towards the Kindle, when I first heard about the iPad. The more I read about the iPad, it seemed like the perfect choice. It already has all the positive features of the three e-readers (audio book capability, built in dictionary, limited web access, touch screen & the ability to share information) plus it can do a host of other things, that none of the e-readers can. Granted, the iPad is more expensive, but I think the versatility of applications justifies the added cost.
The iPad is not (yet) a replacement to a laptop, because it doesn't support Flash (program that online games, like Farmville & a lot of websites use), has limited multitasking capabilities and has no webcam. That said, the amount of things it can do is pretty impressive. I'm limited to what I can do o a laptop, because I have to use a mouth stick to hit the keys & control the trackball. The full touch screen of the iPad allows me to do a lot of things laying down, that normally require me to sit. Just being able to type laying in bed is amazing. I so often have ideas or things I'd like to say, but can't because I'm stuck in bed. I hardly ever have enough time in the day to write. I have to prioritize my time sitting up, so that I can be productive. Once I've answered all my e-mails & paid bills, there's little time (or desire) to write for fun.
Hopefully, I'll be posting blogs more frequently, now that I can write in bed. I'll write a more detailed review on my iPad, after I've used it for a few weeks.
-- Post From My iPad
Initially, I called Apple to speak with one of their "geniuses" about the probability of me being able to use the iPad with my mouth stick & possibly the iTouch stylus. The woman I spoke with said that most likely the iPhone/iTouch stylus wouldn't work because of the amount of sensors used in the iPad surface. Luckily, my brother in law is a tech wiz & encouraged me to try any old capacitive stylus. As the name suggests, capacitive styluses (do I need to pluralize that word?) some how mimic our fingers by altering the electric current on the touch screen surface. Other touch screens, like on Nintendo DS, respond to pressure, so you can use your fingers or almost any inanimate object. After reading a couple of articles my bro sent me, which even showed people using sausages to control their iPhones (I'm not kidding), I figured it was worth trying.
As some of you know, I've been looking into getting an e-reader for some time now. I'd read tons of reviews on Kindle, Sony Reader & the Nook, and was leaning towards the Kindle, when I first heard about the iPad. The more I read about the iPad, it seemed like the perfect choice. It already has all the positive features of the three e-readers (audio book capability, built in dictionary, limited web access, touch screen & the ability to share information) plus it can do a host of other things, that none of the e-readers can. Granted, the iPad is more expensive, but I think the versatility of applications justifies the added cost.
The iPad is not (yet) a replacement to a laptop, because it doesn't support Flash (program that online games, like Farmville & a lot of websites use), has limited multitasking capabilities and has no webcam. That said, the amount of things it can do is pretty impressive. I'm limited to what I can do o a laptop, because I have to use a mouth stick to hit the keys & control the trackball. The full touch screen of the iPad allows me to do a lot of things laying down, that normally require me to sit. Just being able to type laying in bed is amazing. I so often have ideas or things I'd like to say, but can't because I'm stuck in bed. I hardly ever have enough time in the day to write. I have to prioritize my time sitting up, so that I can be productive. Once I've answered all my e-mails & paid bills, there's little time (or desire) to write for fun.
Hopefully, I'll be posting blogs more frequently, now that I can write in bed. I'll write a more detailed review on my iPad, after I've used it for a few weeks.
-- Post From My iPad
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Holiday Stress & Last Minute Gift Ideas
I’m feeling a bit stressed out, which is pretty normal for me during the holiday season. The holidays bring about so many mixed emotions. This has been a stressful time of the year for me my whole life. Growing up with two sets of parents (both divorced and remarried) can get overwhelming at times. You can’t be at two places at once, so you end up celebrating the same holiday multiple times. The celebrating, food and spending time with the family is always great; it’s the traveling & running around that is exhausting. Just getting to see the whole family can be challenging (for big or divorced families), not to mention attending holiday parties with friends and coworkers or spending time with your significant other’s family. Although I still do enjoy the winter holidays, some years I’ve felt like I needed to take a vacation to recoup from my winter holiday (be it school, college or working as a teacher).
The gift giving factor is what really makes the winter holidays (Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, etc) more stressful. I’m the type of person that loves to shop and when I was still on my feet I’d stay at the mall for hours and get all my Christmas shopping done in one day. I find shopping in the mall less enjoyable since my accident, because it’s much harder to maneuver a wheelchair through big crowds. You would think a wheelchair would make it easier to be noticed and that people would take extra consideration in letting you get through the congestion of shoppers, but I find that most people walk around in a daze or are too focused on themselves to pay attention. Not to mention, people have a tons of bags, boxes and other obstacles to get tangled in. The stores themselves are not really laid out with wheelchair access in mind either and it can be difficult to impossible to pass through narrow rows of merchandise. There are even some stores I don’t even try to enter (like Claire’s) because they are so tiny to begin with and I usually can’t see half the merchandise over people’s heads.
It can get quite expensive when you have to buy for double the amount of people (two sets of parents, four sets of grandparents, siblings, etc). I don’t mind spending money on my loved ones (if I have it). In fact, I rather enjoy gift giving. It’s the process of finding and choosing the right gift for each person that can be a hassle. Having picky or difficult people to buy for can make staying on a budget challenging if their list of wants is small. I’m pretty fortunate in that most people I know are easy to buy for, because they have hobbies or specific interests. Luckily nowadays almost all stores offer online shopping as an alternative. Most websites even let you create wish lists, which is very helpful! Wish lists provide the buyer a range of things to choose from and the receiver still has some element of surprise when they are opening the gift. Wish lists are great because they remove the stress of figuring out things like sizes and colors. These days I do almost all my shopping online instead of going to the mall and wished all my friends & family would send me wish lists.
I tend to wait last minute to shop for other people, because it kills me to wait to give the gifts. If I shopped for Christmas in October, I’d end up buying double; having already given the first set of gifts away. When I was on my feet I could wait until December 22nd and still get everything accomplished. Online shopping requires more time and planning, because you have to consider the time it will take the items to be delivered to you. Naturally, most sites offer fast shipping alternatives, but be ready to pay an arm and a leg for it. I don’t think it’s worth buying something online if I have to pay half or more than the cost of the item itself in shipping fees. Convenience is nice, but it’s absurd to pay double the price of something I could buy around the corner. This year I’m stuck going to the stores, because I’ve procrastinated too long and have yet to buy a single gift for any of the adults in my life (shopping for kids is fun). I’d much prefer doing everything online, but that’s what I get for continuously putting it off.
If you still haven’t tried online shopping, I recommend you do. The important thing to keep in mind when you shop online is keeping your credit card information secure. Only shop on big name websites that represent well known retailers such as: Best Buy, Target, Amazon and ToysRUs. You might find seemingly great deals on smaller websites, but you are taking a big risk trusting “mom & pop” shops with your info. A smart thing to do is set up a PayPal account. PayPal is a service that acts as an intermediary between your bank and the retailer. They keep your info secure and a lot of retailers let you pay using PayPal (even smaller businesses). Try to minimize the number of websites that don’t accept PayPal; the fewer sites that have your info, the better. Most websites let you create an account, which can save your shipping and billing addresses along with your credit card info. I normally create accounts for the convenience of saving addresses and the ability to track my orders. However, I do not recommend saving your credit card information on multiple sites. Most online stores have multiple payment options and you can tailor your account to only save certain information. You can easily keep track of what you buy by having the order confirmations emailed to you or you can print out a paper copy. Online shopping is also a fast and easy way to compare store prices and read reviews on products.
If you are like me and are still looking for ideas and/or still have shopping left to do, I have a few suggestions that might help you out. As I said before, I know how hard it can be to choose the right gift for the right person. It might seem even more difficult when shopping for the people in your life with disabilities. The first obstacle can be the high price of anything labeled for use with people with disabilities. In my experience, I’ve found the equipment and supplies I use are almost always marked higher if they come from a store that is geared to sell to the disabled and/or medical community. It’s a sad fact. In many cases high prices are caused by the need for customized products and/or because manufacturers aren’t producing modalities and equipment on a large scale. That said, there are some really great gifts out there and many of them don’t require specialty shops. Some gift ideas just require a little ingenuity and creative thinking.
Although I chose these gift ideas with the disabled community in mind (spinal cord injuries and paralysis in particular), they are applicable to everyone. Here are a few of my suggestions for this holiday season:
1. I think we all too often forget that during the holidays our focus is supposed to be on the spirit of giving, spending time with loved ones and in many cases, religious traditions. Somehow those aspects of the holidays often get lost in the hustle and bustle of our commercialized society. That said, I think the very best gift you can give is a donation to a charity in the name or in honor of the person you’re buying for. For someone such as myself (with a chronic disease or permanent disability), I can’t think of a better gift. Giving to charities that support causes that the receiver deems important is like giving a double gift. You’re giving the hope to the person you gift and you give support to the cause itself. Most “causes” have official groups or organizations that raise funds for research for cures, awareness and/support. I suggest giving to well known organizations, such as The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. There are even some websites that allow you to prioritize causes that are important to you and provide links to reputable charities; that way gift givers know exactly what causes/issues matter to you. www.giftback.com , www.justgive.org and www.heifer.org are three great examples of charitable donation gifting sites.
2. One of the hot items this year is e-readers. If you’re not familiar with the term, an e-reader or e-book is an electronical device that lets you store hundreds (even thousands) of books, magazines, journals and newspapers into a very convenient and small amount of space. The e-readers that are for sale all range a bit in size from about six to nine inches in height, five to seven inches wide and under an inch thick. They are incredibly light; usually weighing less than an average hardcover book. The big three right now are: Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes & Noble’s Nook and the Sony Reader. All three e-readers are fairly easy to use and can even be controlled using a mouth stick. All three e-readers allow you to purchase & download books using Wi-Fi, but you need to check coverage areas of each company before you buy. All of the readers use e-ink technology, which mimics the look of paper and doesn’t have glare issues like you’d have reading from a PC. You can even jot down annotations & highlight words in e-books and they all include built in dictionaries. While they all do relatively the same stuff, there are a few key differences you should consider.
• The Kindle has been around the longest and it currently comes in two models. The KindleDX is larger than most e-books at 9 inches, but it is still incredibly light & thin. Kindle DX gives you the option to read horizontally or vertically. Its unique selling point is its text to speech figure that can “read” text aloud. Unfortunately, the TTS (text to speech) feature is not compatible with all books. Some authors complained that it was discouraging consumers from buying audio books. I disagree. There is no comparison to a human reader versus a computer reader. TTS is nice for someone such as myself, because I can listen to books in bed without setting up all the equipment I need to read a traditional book. TTS doesn’t provide the tone or inflection a human reader could, nor does it understand the context of the words it reads. I view TTS as a convenient alternative to reading (especially for someone without hand function).Audio books are available as well if you get tired of listening to everything in a monotone, robotic voice. Kindles are only available through Amazon’s website, so your only way to test one out is to order one. You also need to buy all of your books and periodicals through Amazon. The nice thing is that the Kindle is ready to use straight out of the box. You don’t need a PC to access the web or use to the Kindle. There is a basic web browser included. It also includes 3G global coverage. There are no fees or contracts and Amazon will back up your books on their site. A couple of other selling points include: a built in PDF readers (or converter depending on which model), personal document service, Wikipedia, button controls for both left and right handed people and compatible applications for the iPhone and Blackberry.
• The Sony Reader comes in three models. The Pocket Edition , Touch Edition & Daily Edition, which is a bit larger than the first two. The Daily Edition is the closest in comparison to Kindle DX. It can be read horizontal or vertically and has 3G wireless capabilities. The unique selling point against the Kindle was its touch screen controls. However, the Nook also has touch controls and can compete directly against Sony Reader. There aren’t many unique things about the Sony Reader, but unlike the Kindle, you can see them in person and try them out in various stores. The other nice thing about the Sony Readers is the wide range of sites from which you can purchase books. You can find many books for cheaper prices or even for free. Sony gives you more buying options, whereas its two competitors make you buy books through them.
• The Barnes & Noble Nook was only just released (December, 2009), so there are still a few kinks that might need to be fixed and not many people have one yet. The Nook is available to try in person and the Wi-Fi service is free for all Nook owners, within B&N stores. That said, the Nook has a few unique features that make it stand out. There are two touch screens on the Nook; the upper area is for reading text and uses e-ink technology, while the bottom features a LCD scroll bar with color pictures of book covers (similar to iPods that can display album covers). The second feature exclusive to the Nook is the ability to share books with other Nook users. The LendMe feature is a nice option that many book lovers will enjoy because it allows them to share favorite e-books just the same as they would a paper copy.
My descriptions are good to get you started, but they are just short overviews. I suggest you visit each website and do a bit of comparison shopping yourself (www.amazon.com , www.sonystyle.com & www.barnesandnoble.com/nook ). Try reading reviews from nonbiased websites (www.cnet.com or www.pcmag.com are good) as well, not just the manufacturer’s websites. I’m leaning towards the Kindle for myself. I really like the TTS feature. The touch screen navigation is the only thing the Kindle e-books are lacking and I’m sure whenever Amazon decides to release a newer model it will include a touch screen as well. They are all a bit pricey (around $300), so you’ll want to weigh all the options. I’m an avid reader and although I love my books, they take up a ton of space. I think it’s pretty amazing to able to have a virtual library of books that can travel with you wherever you go! As a bonus, e-books are “green” in that they save paper and space. I think e-books are great gifts for anyone.
3. Getting dressed can be stressful for me, as I need help and have safety issues to consider. I tend to wear easy stuff like sweats and t-shirts if I’m just going to be in my apartment. I’d compare my style now (at home) to how I used to dress if I was going to the gym. I try to make life a little easier for my aides by only wearing my “normal” clothes when I have guests or go out. Much of my clothes from before my accident (pants especially) are no longer appropriate for me and I’ve given bags & bags full to charity. Being paralyzed and confined to a chair, I have to consider ways that clothes might damage my skin or create problems that I can’t feel. Poor circulation can create swelling, so tight or form fitting clothes can create pressure sores and/or constrict my catheter. I stay away from clothes with buttons, rhinestones, zippers or beading on the back, because leaning up against those things can break down skin quickly and create sores.
I can’t raise my arms over my head, which poses a problem for getting on certain shirts and jackets. Although the clothes technically fit me, most are not designed with disabilities in mind (it’s assumed that adults put their own clothes on).That doesn’t mean I have to wear hospital gowns or pajamas all the time. I can still wear trendy clothes as long as I keep those issues in mind and buy a bigger size if I’m unsure. If you are buying clothes for someone in a wheelchair you should keep the issues I’ve mentioned in mind. You might also want to check out specialty shops that sell clothes designed exclusively for people who use wheelchairs. I haven’t come across many that sell trendy or youthful styles (most are designed for the elderly), but you can find basics. www.professionalfit.com is one of the better sites I found.
4. My last gift idea is for the gamers in your life. Just because someone has a disability doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t enjoy the computer or video games. I was big into gaming before my accident and was really bummed out that I wouldn’t be able to play games again; after my accident, since I have no control below my chest. I only have use of my neck, shoulders and biceps. However, I’ve learned and/or invented ways that allow me still play games using a mouth stick. Luckily, there are tons of gaming options out there and hands are not necessarily required! Nintendo has developed some pretty innovative games/gaming systems that don’t rely solely on mashing buttons. Depending on the person’s needs and abilities, Nintendo Wii can be adapted to use with your arms, head or sip and puff. There are even sites that customize controllers to make it easier for people with limited hand function (www.gimpgear.us & www.quadcontrol.com). Nintendo DS is a portable system that has dozens of touch based games. You can figure out the game controls by reading reviews online (www.ign.com). Sometimes the back of the game box or online store description give enough information to determine if it’s touch based. I own over 30 Nintendo DS games that I’ve been able to play (and beat in many cases) by using a mouth stick. Ordinarily, a person with normal hand function would use the stylus stick that comes with the DS, but it’s a bit too thin and way too short to use by mouth. I adapted a mouth stick by adding a knitting needle inside of it, so that it has a pointy tip like a stylus, but is long enough to use. Using a mouth stick also gives me better control since it is thicker than a regular stylus and less flimsy.
As for the computer, there are hundreds of games that only require a mouse to play. I have a trackball mouse, which allows me to move just the ball and not the entire mouse itself (I use Kensington’s Orbit Optical Trackball, which only costs about $30). You can purchase games online or buy the software in stores. Most games in the following genres can be played by mouth stick: match 3 (such as Bejeweled), Mahjong, hidden objects (such the Huntsville Mystery Case Files series), simulation (such as Sims 3) and time management (such as Farmville). There are emulation programs that let you play console games (Xbox, PS3 & Gamecube for example) on your PC and users can customize key settings. Most console emulators are not licensed by the gaming companies, so I’d avoid going that route. Lastly, there are some pretty neat gadgets out there that can be used by people with little to no motor function; such as someone with a high level spinal cord injury like Christopher Reeve. These gadgets use eye movements or speech recognition to control a wide range of functions on the computer (www.nuance.com & www.eyegaze.com are two examples). You can surf the web and write with both types of equipment/software and even create art with the optical devices. This type of technology can be a gift of freedom to those people who are otherwise “locked in.”
I hope my tips are helpful. Even if you’re done with all your holiday shopping this year (you’re lucky!), you can use these ideas for any gift giving occasion. I will be braving the mall and the crowds this year (and possibly snow). Try and choose meaningful & practical gifts that fit in your budget and remember that the presents aren’t the most important part of holidays. Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season!
The gift giving factor is what really makes the winter holidays (Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanza, etc) more stressful. I’m the type of person that loves to shop and when I was still on my feet I’d stay at the mall for hours and get all my Christmas shopping done in one day. I find shopping in the mall less enjoyable since my accident, because it’s much harder to maneuver a wheelchair through big crowds. You would think a wheelchair would make it easier to be noticed and that people would take extra consideration in letting you get through the congestion of shoppers, but I find that most people walk around in a daze or are too focused on themselves to pay attention. Not to mention, people have a tons of bags, boxes and other obstacles to get tangled in. The stores themselves are not really laid out with wheelchair access in mind either and it can be difficult to impossible to pass through narrow rows of merchandise. There are even some stores I don’t even try to enter (like Claire’s) because they are so tiny to begin with and I usually can’t see half the merchandise over people’s heads.
It can get quite expensive when you have to buy for double the amount of people (two sets of parents, four sets of grandparents, siblings, etc). I don’t mind spending money on my loved ones (if I have it). In fact, I rather enjoy gift giving. It’s the process of finding and choosing the right gift for each person that can be a hassle. Having picky or difficult people to buy for can make staying on a budget challenging if their list of wants is small. I’m pretty fortunate in that most people I know are easy to buy for, because they have hobbies or specific interests. Luckily nowadays almost all stores offer online shopping as an alternative. Most websites even let you create wish lists, which is very helpful! Wish lists provide the buyer a range of things to choose from and the receiver still has some element of surprise when they are opening the gift. Wish lists are great because they remove the stress of figuring out things like sizes and colors. These days I do almost all my shopping online instead of going to the mall and wished all my friends & family would send me wish lists.
I tend to wait last minute to shop for other people, because it kills me to wait to give the gifts. If I shopped for Christmas in October, I’d end up buying double; having already given the first set of gifts away. When I was on my feet I could wait until December 22nd and still get everything accomplished. Online shopping requires more time and planning, because you have to consider the time it will take the items to be delivered to you. Naturally, most sites offer fast shipping alternatives, but be ready to pay an arm and a leg for it. I don’t think it’s worth buying something online if I have to pay half or more than the cost of the item itself in shipping fees. Convenience is nice, but it’s absurd to pay double the price of something I could buy around the corner. This year I’m stuck going to the stores, because I’ve procrastinated too long and have yet to buy a single gift for any of the adults in my life (shopping for kids is fun). I’d much prefer doing everything online, but that’s what I get for continuously putting it off.
If you still haven’t tried online shopping, I recommend you do. The important thing to keep in mind when you shop online is keeping your credit card information secure. Only shop on big name websites that represent well known retailers such as: Best Buy, Target, Amazon and ToysRUs. You might find seemingly great deals on smaller websites, but you are taking a big risk trusting “mom & pop” shops with your info. A smart thing to do is set up a PayPal account. PayPal is a service that acts as an intermediary between your bank and the retailer. They keep your info secure and a lot of retailers let you pay using PayPal (even smaller businesses). Try to minimize the number of websites that don’t accept PayPal; the fewer sites that have your info, the better. Most websites let you create an account, which can save your shipping and billing addresses along with your credit card info. I normally create accounts for the convenience of saving addresses and the ability to track my orders. However, I do not recommend saving your credit card information on multiple sites. Most online stores have multiple payment options and you can tailor your account to only save certain information. You can easily keep track of what you buy by having the order confirmations emailed to you or you can print out a paper copy. Online shopping is also a fast and easy way to compare store prices and read reviews on products.
If you are like me and are still looking for ideas and/or still have shopping left to do, I have a few suggestions that might help you out. As I said before, I know how hard it can be to choose the right gift for the right person. It might seem even more difficult when shopping for the people in your life with disabilities. The first obstacle can be the high price of anything labeled for use with people with disabilities. In my experience, I’ve found the equipment and supplies I use are almost always marked higher if they come from a store that is geared to sell to the disabled and/or medical community. It’s a sad fact. In many cases high prices are caused by the need for customized products and/or because manufacturers aren’t producing modalities and equipment on a large scale. That said, there are some really great gifts out there and many of them don’t require specialty shops. Some gift ideas just require a little ingenuity and creative thinking.
Although I chose these gift ideas with the disabled community in mind (spinal cord injuries and paralysis in particular), they are applicable to everyone. Here are a few of my suggestions for this holiday season:
1. I think we all too often forget that during the holidays our focus is supposed to be on the spirit of giving, spending time with loved ones and in many cases, religious traditions. Somehow those aspects of the holidays often get lost in the hustle and bustle of our commercialized society. That said, I think the very best gift you can give is a donation to a charity in the name or in honor of the person you’re buying for. For someone such as myself (with a chronic disease or permanent disability), I can’t think of a better gift. Giving to charities that support causes that the receiver deems important is like giving a double gift. You’re giving the hope to the person you gift and you give support to the cause itself. Most “causes” have official groups or organizations that raise funds for research for cures, awareness and/support. I suggest giving to well known organizations, such as The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. There are even some websites that allow you to prioritize causes that are important to you and provide links to reputable charities; that way gift givers know exactly what causes/issues matter to you. www.giftback.com , www.justgive.org and www.heifer.org are three great examples of charitable donation gifting sites.
2. One of the hot items this year is e-readers. If you’re not familiar with the term, an e-reader or e-book is an electronical device that lets you store hundreds (even thousands) of books, magazines, journals and newspapers into a very convenient and small amount of space. The e-readers that are for sale all range a bit in size from about six to nine inches in height, five to seven inches wide and under an inch thick. They are incredibly light; usually weighing less than an average hardcover book. The big three right now are: Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes & Noble’s Nook and the Sony Reader. All three e-readers are fairly easy to use and can even be controlled using a mouth stick. All three e-readers allow you to purchase & download books using Wi-Fi, but you need to check coverage areas of each company before you buy. All of the readers use e-ink technology, which mimics the look of paper and doesn’t have glare issues like you’d have reading from a PC. You can even jot down annotations & highlight words in e-books and they all include built in dictionaries. While they all do relatively the same stuff, there are a few key differences you should consider.
• The Kindle has been around the longest and it currently comes in two models. The KindleDX is larger than most e-books at 9 inches, but it is still incredibly light & thin. Kindle DX gives you the option to read horizontally or vertically. Its unique selling point is its text to speech figure that can “read” text aloud. Unfortunately, the TTS (text to speech) feature is not compatible with all books. Some authors complained that it was discouraging consumers from buying audio books. I disagree. There is no comparison to a human reader versus a computer reader. TTS is nice for someone such as myself, because I can listen to books in bed without setting up all the equipment I need to read a traditional book. TTS doesn’t provide the tone or inflection a human reader could, nor does it understand the context of the words it reads. I view TTS as a convenient alternative to reading (especially for someone without hand function).Audio books are available as well if you get tired of listening to everything in a monotone, robotic voice. Kindles are only available through Amazon’s website, so your only way to test one out is to order one. You also need to buy all of your books and periodicals through Amazon. The nice thing is that the Kindle is ready to use straight out of the box. You don’t need a PC to access the web or use to the Kindle. There is a basic web browser included. It also includes 3G global coverage. There are no fees or contracts and Amazon will back up your books on their site. A couple of other selling points include: a built in PDF readers (or converter depending on which model), personal document service, Wikipedia, button controls for both left and right handed people and compatible applications for the iPhone and Blackberry.
• The Sony Reader comes in three models. The Pocket Edition , Touch Edition & Daily Edition, which is a bit larger than the first two. The Daily Edition is the closest in comparison to Kindle DX. It can be read horizontal or vertically and has 3G wireless capabilities. The unique selling point against the Kindle was its touch screen controls. However, the Nook also has touch controls and can compete directly against Sony Reader. There aren’t many unique things about the Sony Reader, but unlike the Kindle, you can see them in person and try them out in various stores. The other nice thing about the Sony Readers is the wide range of sites from which you can purchase books. You can find many books for cheaper prices or even for free. Sony gives you more buying options, whereas its two competitors make you buy books through them.
• The Barnes & Noble Nook was only just released (December, 2009), so there are still a few kinks that might need to be fixed and not many people have one yet. The Nook is available to try in person and the Wi-Fi service is free for all Nook owners, within B&N stores. That said, the Nook has a few unique features that make it stand out. There are two touch screens on the Nook; the upper area is for reading text and uses e-ink technology, while the bottom features a LCD scroll bar with color pictures of book covers (similar to iPods that can display album covers). The second feature exclusive to the Nook is the ability to share books with other Nook users. The LendMe feature is a nice option that many book lovers will enjoy because it allows them to share favorite e-books just the same as they would a paper copy.
My descriptions are good to get you started, but they are just short overviews. I suggest you visit each website and do a bit of comparison shopping yourself (www.amazon.com , www.sonystyle.com & www.barnesandnoble.com/nook ). Try reading reviews from nonbiased websites (www.cnet.com or www.pcmag.com are good) as well, not just the manufacturer’s websites. I’m leaning towards the Kindle for myself. I really like the TTS feature. The touch screen navigation is the only thing the Kindle e-books are lacking and I’m sure whenever Amazon decides to release a newer model it will include a touch screen as well. They are all a bit pricey (around $300), so you’ll want to weigh all the options. I’m an avid reader and although I love my books, they take up a ton of space. I think it’s pretty amazing to able to have a virtual library of books that can travel with you wherever you go! As a bonus, e-books are “green” in that they save paper and space. I think e-books are great gifts for anyone.
3. Getting dressed can be stressful for me, as I need help and have safety issues to consider. I tend to wear easy stuff like sweats and t-shirts if I’m just going to be in my apartment. I’d compare my style now (at home) to how I used to dress if I was going to the gym. I try to make life a little easier for my aides by only wearing my “normal” clothes when I have guests or go out. Much of my clothes from before my accident (pants especially) are no longer appropriate for me and I’ve given bags & bags full to charity. Being paralyzed and confined to a chair, I have to consider ways that clothes might damage my skin or create problems that I can’t feel. Poor circulation can create swelling, so tight or form fitting clothes can create pressure sores and/or constrict my catheter. I stay away from clothes with buttons, rhinestones, zippers or beading on the back, because leaning up against those things can break down skin quickly and create sores.
I can’t raise my arms over my head, which poses a problem for getting on certain shirts and jackets. Although the clothes technically fit me, most are not designed with disabilities in mind (it’s assumed that adults put their own clothes on).That doesn’t mean I have to wear hospital gowns or pajamas all the time. I can still wear trendy clothes as long as I keep those issues in mind and buy a bigger size if I’m unsure. If you are buying clothes for someone in a wheelchair you should keep the issues I’ve mentioned in mind. You might also want to check out specialty shops that sell clothes designed exclusively for people who use wheelchairs. I haven’t come across many that sell trendy or youthful styles (most are designed for the elderly), but you can find basics. www.professionalfit.com is one of the better sites I found.
4. My last gift idea is for the gamers in your life. Just because someone has a disability doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t enjoy the computer or video games. I was big into gaming before my accident and was really bummed out that I wouldn’t be able to play games again; after my accident, since I have no control below my chest. I only have use of my neck, shoulders and biceps. However, I’ve learned and/or invented ways that allow me still play games using a mouth stick. Luckily, there are tons of gaming options out there and hands are not necessarily required! Nintendo has developed some pretty innovative games/gaming systems that don’t rely solely on mashing buttons. Depending on the person’s needs and abilities, Nintendo Wii can be adapted to use with your arms, head or sip and puff. There are even sites that customize controllers to make it easier for people with limited hand function (www.gimpgear.us & www.quadcontrol.com). Nintendo DS is a portable system that has dozens of touch based games. You can figure out the game controls by reading reviews online (www.ign.com). Sometimes the back of the game box or online store description give enough information to determine if it’s touch based. I own over 30 Nintendo DS games that I’ve been able to play (and beat in many cases) by using a mouth stick. Ordinarily, a person with normal hand function would use the stylus stick that comes with the DS, but it’s a bit too thin and way too short to use by mouth. I adapted a mouth stick by adding a knitting needle inside of it, so that it has a pointy tip like a stylus, but is long enough to use. Using a mouth stick also gives me better control since it is thicker than a regular stylus and less flimsy.
As for the computer, there are hundreds of games that only require a mouse to play. I have a trackball mouse, which allows me to move just the ball and not the entire mouse itself (I use Kensington’s Orbit Optical Trackball, which only costs about $30). You can purchase games online or buy the software in stores. Most games in the following genres can be played by mouth stick: match 3 (such as Bejeweled), Mahjong, hidden objects (such the Huntsville Mystery Case Files series), simulation (such as Sims 3) and time management (such as Farmville). There are emulation programs that let you play console games (Xbox, PS3 & Gamecube for example) on your PC and users can customize key settings. Most console emulators are not licensed by the gaming companies, so I’d avoid going that route. Lastly, there are some pretty neat gadgets out there that can be used by people with little to no motor function; such as someone with a high level spinal cord injury like Christopher Reeve. These gadgets use eye movements or speech recognition to control a wide range of functions on the computer (www.nuance.com & www.eyegaze.com are two examples). You can surf the web and write with both types of equipment/software and even create art with the optical devices. This type of technology can be a gift of freedom to those people who are otherwise “locked in.”
I hope my tips are helpful. Even if you’re done with all your holiday shopping this year (you’re lucky!), you can use these ideas for any gift giving occasion. I will be braving the mall and the crowds this year (and possibly snow). Try and choose meaningful & practical gifts that fit in your budget and remember that the presents aren’t the most important part of holidays. Wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday season!
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