Wednesday, February 27, 2019

We Are All In This Together



I'm not really sure how to approach this entry, in fact I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the whole idea of what is happening here at this complex and senior centers everywhere. Remember a number of years ago after I first moved into this joint, Plymouth view apartments, a senior housing project offered through Utah Non-Profit Agency. Utah Non-Profit space is a private nonprofit agency which I'm on the board of directors and have been for decades. I was really lucky to have this place and to have the wheelchair accessible you open when I needed it. But I groused after I'd been here a couple weeks about the fact that I cannot get into the weight room to use any of the equipment because the equipment was for people who are able-bodied. I had this initial complaint when I still lived in Murray and was trying to really start using them are senior center but again they have a lot of great equipment but none that I could use in a wheelchair. I stopped going to the Murray Center and then I had to move over here to Taylorsville.

Yesterday I was having coffee with my good friend Lori B and I was carrying on again about the unfairness of the situation. I don't know if Lori said something or something I said pushed the image and the focus a little bit more. I keep thinking/believing that the senior housing projects are for folks who are just beyond the age of 62 and that's it. Sure, I know the yet to be able take care yourself but if one cannot and has the means are systems in place for healthcare for help and assistance for getting up, toileting and bathing and why not. I realized that not only management but other residents here/my neighboll have to livers see that people with mobility impairments are the exception to the rule for living here when in fact it's just the opposite if you think about it. Everyone, as they age, will become infirmed and disabled. They will have to have supports the one sort or another. And this could be a whole bunch of people aging into infirmity in the next couple years whose only option is going to be long-term care and it should not have to be that that is the only choice. I mean really, I don't know why this accessible apartment was open when I needed it but certainly thankful that the apartment was open. I've been thinking about what I'm going to do when I have to move to some other living situation for however long it's going to take to fix the bathroom/shower in my unit now. I was really concerned about five to go to another apartment here at Plymouth View how would I do that? I think I could do it if I just had a shower bench I could put in the tub and slide over like I used to. I don't know if I will have this option. Again, the point being I think there are only two accessible (wheelchair) units in this facility. Every one of them should be accessible to wheelchair or otherwise.

I'm fortunate because I have a hand bike that I use or an arm bike which allows me to work out daily. I also have a rickshaw out on the patio that I can use and better weather and if our smart I would move The rickshaw in to either my room or talk the management to take out one of the standing machines in the exercise room and have the rickshaw available to not only me but anyone else who wanted to set and work out both for arm strength as well as respiratory. I don't think that's going happen? Support the idea that the option should be available. Since I'm on the board of directors this will be my campaign for the next year so. But at least here at Utah nonprofit we can make a better option for people with disabilities significant to the point that they cannot use standard exercise equipment. After all were all in this aging thing together we should have the right to go through this aging thing together…

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