OCR Text |
Show Awareness 6 Dan motorized a table on wheels, which they call Nancy's applecart, and she scoots around the house on her tummy, taking complete care of her household needs: cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. In the kitchen all the counters and sinks have been lowered to 30 inches. ILlectrical plugs are installed on the edge of the counter tops. The cupboard under the sink has been cut away. Nancy opens the cupboard doors and her applecart fits right up to the sink, as does her wheelchair. Dan put his cutting torch to the stove and brought it down to size. Since the cupboards above the counters are inaccessible, two other free-standing cupboards have been built with a counter separating them, which provides excellent work space. Carpets are a hazard to a wheelchair. All the floors are linoleum. They are kept shiny but not slick with Mop & Glo or Stepsaver. Able-bodied friends stayed in their home while Dan and Nancy took a trip. They scrubbed and waxed all floors to a high gloss-helpfully, they thought. When the Herberts returned, they literally spun their wheels. Even the dog slid clear to the opposite wall. All floors had to be stripped and rewaxed with Mop & Glo, without a word to their friends. Nancy is only twenty-seven inches long and Dan is thirty-nine inches. So their bed is a four-foot store display counter, which leaves plenty of wheelchair room. Their guest bedroom is frequently used and their home is a way-station for other handicappeds who can't get into service station restrooms. As a result of t h i s pilot program, State Housing Authorities have purchased a sixplex at 28th South and 5th East for remodeling. I t will take time, but t h i s awareness program will spread. |