Mobility Friends Together

With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1997, many places in the United States became much more accessible. While the system is not perfect, it generally helps to ensure that businesses and public areas consider the mobility challenged in their design. Many areas in the United States are very accessible, so it is easy to forget that other areas of the world are not fortunate. Recently one student, Tish Scolnik, from MIT has set out to help people who are in areas where being accessible isn’t an everyday reality.

Scolnik is majoring in mechanical engineering and after taking a class that dealt with wheelchair design, learned about in some areas of Africa, obtaining and building a wheelchair was actually very difficult. She set out to use her skills to help others and headed to Tanzania in 2007.

The terrain in Tanzania can be very rough, so if you are in a wheelchair, it can make for hard going. Scolnik helped to design a folding wheelchair that used 3 wheels instead of the traditional 4. This allows for more stability and also allows it to be easily transported. She has also helped to design a chair that hopefully will allow its user to generate some additional income. The chair, called the Small Business Wheelchair, has removable drawers, an umbrella, and a collapsible tray, which is aimed at providing a platform for selling “Top-Up” cards. These cards are basically calling cards that those in Tanzania use with their cellphones.

Inspired by the people she met, Scolnik has continued to help those in Tanzania obtain wheelchairs and provide those who are mobility challenged with support. So far, she has raised over $9,000 towards this goal and, while back in college now, she is still very active in providing aid for mobility challenged people in developing countries.

Find out more about Tish Scolnik and her work by visiting the MIT Website.

When Chuck Killingsworth called Gary Miller of Mount Carmel Regional Medical Center, he was just looking for some used wheelchairs that he could use in one of his classes, so he never expected the generosity that Mr. Miller would extend to him.

Killingsworth, the professor of therapeutic recreation at Pittsburg State University, had been trying to find wheelchairs for one of his classes, so he picked up the phone and started calling some of the local hospitals. His last call was to Gary Miller, who decided to donate six brand new lightweight wheelchairs to Killingsworth. Miller was able to get a slight discount on the chairs, which are valued at around $700 a piece.

One of the major goals that Killingsworth wants to teach his students is how to properly transfer a person into and out of a wheelchair. They also have been brainstorming other ways to use the chairs. One of their plans is to have a wheelchair awareness day, where students spend the entire day in a wheelchair. He hopes that this will help the student have a better appreciation for what it is like for the people they will be working with.

The wheelchairs will also be used in the event of an injury and by the schools nursing department.

This is not the first time that Mount Carmel Regional Medical Center has helped out those at the school. Not too long ago they also donated a few defibrillators to the school.

Getting around is something that some people take for granted, but if you are mobility challenged, then many everyday tasks can be much more difficult. To help ensure that everyone, no matter what their physical condition, is able to get around, the American’s with Disabilities Act was enacted in 1990. The ADA is designed to ensure that public businesses make their buildings easily accessible to everyone, but it doesn’t always do enough.

Under the ADA, new construction of public businesses is required to meet certain standards. Older buildings that were built before 1990, are required to take actions to remove barriers where the barriers can be easily accomplished without too much difficulty, but many find this last clause to be insufficient.

Since there sometimes is a great cost associated with upgrading and retrofitting an establishment to be accessible, the Internal Revenue Service has a program aimed at helping to defer these costs. Small businesses can apply for and potentially receive tax breaks to help offset about fifty percent of the cost of renovations. For example a business that expands its doors can receive up to a $5,000 tax break.

This action of the IRS does help out and many businesses do take advantage of the tax credits, but there are still plenty of places that a person who is mobility challenged can find it difficult to go.

One man, Kenny Cieplik, has created his own blog to rate how accessible places are. Included in his reviews are ways that the places can help to improve their ratings.

The National Veterans Wheelchair Games concluded last week. More than 500 athletes participated in the event this year, which was held in Omaha Nebraska. This marks the end of the 28^th event.

These great athletes joined together to compete and while there was a strong sense of competition, there was also a strong sense of brotherhood amongst the many athletes. Among the many different events that were held this year were wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, wheelchair softball, quad rugby, power soccer, and many other fun events.

Many of the people competing had never competed at a wheelchair sporting event before and the games go a long way towards helping their physical health as well as their mental health.

One veteran, who was wounded while fighting in Afghanistan, found that he was able to enjoy many of the same things he enjoyed before he was wounded. The veteran, Tyler Wilson, was amazed at how close everyone who competes is. Those who have been to the games before are quick to help the new comers and create an excellent environment.

Tyler, who competed in bowling, air guns, archery, trapshooting, and nine-ball events, left the competition with one gold medal, a silver metal, and two bronze medals. He is very excited about next years games and sees this as a very positive type of rehabilitation.

There were no losers at this years Games and all of the athletes that competed should be commended for their bravery both on the field and off.

The 28^th National Veterans Wheelchair Games are set to begin this weekend in Omaha, Nebraska. This is the largest annual wheelchair sporting event in the world and more than 500 athletes have entered.

It is taking place at the University of Nebraska in Omaha and helps to improve the quality of life for disabled veterans. It can greatly improve the confidence and health of those who enter and often around a quarter of the attendees have never participated in any type of wheelchair sport competition before.

Lasted 4 days from July 25^th to July 29^th, this event is presented by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

Sports are an excellent type of therapy for those who are mobility challenged and can be used to help with many types of disability. There are over 15 different sporting events taking place at the Wheelchair Games. This includes swimming, table tennis, weightlifting, basketball, bowling, and even a motorized wheelchair rally.

To find out more visit the Department of Veterans Affairs website.