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International Inclusion Day For People with Disabilities

Yesterday was International Inclusion Day For People with Disabilities. I hope everyone has had a great day. Apart from more disability-related posts on social media today has been the same as many others for me. Awareness of the need for inclusion and its benefits is growing. This is a good thing for breaking down barriers that disabled people experience. Barriers still exist.

Inclusive Dance World Vision Festival

On Tuesday, 1st December 2020, my dance group were part of an inclusive dance festival in Moscow. Britain, along with many other countries celebrated the inclusivity of dance. The festival showed how everyone can be included and have fun. The Inclusive Dance World Vision festival apparently happens every year with amazing dancers travelling to Moscow to compete. Due to Covid-19, videos were submitted this year and the whole event was live-streamed on the day.

Inclusion in dance

I did plan on posting our competition entry but that will be revealed at our Freewheelin’ Christmas show on December 18th. Instead here is our first competition dance from a couple of years ago.

Inclusion for everyone

The disabled community continues to advise and raise awareness so access and acceptance will continue to increase. Everyone should be included no matter what their disability, race or religion. The barriers I face as a disabled person are mostly caused by society. Days like the International Day For People With Disabilities, Purple Tuesday and the Inclusive Dance World Vision festival show that attitudes towards disability are changing. Change is happening, this is proven in the thought that now goes into designing buildings so that they are inclusive.

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Changing Places Awareness Day 2020

Today, 19/07/2020 is Changing Places Awareness Day in the UK and the government has announced that Changing Places toilets will be mandatory in big public buildings in England and that 37 motorway stations will have Changing Places toilets installed.

What are Changing Places toilets?

Changing Places toilets enable people who are hoisted or who cannot use standard disabled toilets to be able to relieve themselves in dignity and comfort with enough space for the equipment they need and also the people needed to assist them. Fitting a disabled person and the people assisting them into a bathroom with the door shut is a squeeze at best and impossible at worst. Changing places have plenty of space.

Changing Places Equipment explained

Changing Places Bathroom
A picture of a changing places bathroom with all the different components/adaptions labelled.

The hoist means that the facilities in this toilet can be used by people who otherwise can’t transfer. The height-adjustable bed provides a safe and clean surface for people who cannot use a toilet to lie down. The fact that it is height adjustable means the person/s assisting are not having to bend into awkward or painful positions to assist with toileting or changing the person they are with. There is even a shower so that an individual can get clean if needed, complete with a privacy screen. The floor is designed to be waterproof and easy to clean. This is a great step forward in inclusivity but it is not wholly inclusive.

I’m really pleased about the decisions made by the government today in regards to this as it means access and freedom to so many disabled people but I cannot use these toilets as there isn’t a static bar on a wall next to the toilet. Different adaptions suit different people and that is why it’s important to be conscious of inclusive design.

Why is the toilet in the middle of the floor?

With the toilet in the middle of the floor, there is plenty of room on either side of the toilet for a carer to be on each side of it. If someone is being hoisted two people can often be needed. This is also the reason there is plenty of space between all the equipment in the room. I’m not sure what the answer is to make Changing Places inclusive for all. My one idea is to make the grab bars on either side of the toilet longer. With assistance, I could then use the grab bar. I’ve yet to see any longer grab bars that fold up though. If they exist please let me know. Also, I would like to your experiences of Changing Places toilets and if you’ve found the shower in them useful?

Thank you to everyone who has voted in my poll so far, if you haven’t please consider voting now! It’s anonymous and will really help me make this blog inclusive.

My COVID-19 experience post is coming this week so keep your eyes or your inbox peeled by following me. Simply scroll down to the bottom of this post or click on the appropriate icon to the right. I’m now on Twitter!

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Disability

In this category. I will write about my experiences, sharing what living with the disability known as Cerebral Palsy is like for me.

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Cerebral Palsy is a neurological condition where parts of the brain don’t develop properly. It can be caused by infection or abnormal brain development. In my case, I was born three months early so the part of my brain that controls movement never developed properly. The reason for my premature birth was never discovered.

How does your disability affect you?

My disability affects my arms and legs which means I have poor dexterity and I cannot stand or walk unaided. My need for equipment to assist me in life is a must as is my need for care support. I have to access services to get this assistance. As a result, my opinions have become well-formed over the years!

I rely on my wheelchair to move around and grab bars to transfer. In order to be able to transfer all of my equipment needs to be at the correct height and in the right place. Because of this, I have a wet room with grab bars surrounding the toilet, a shower chair, a slide sheet to assist me to transfer in and out of my shower chair, a custom made manual wheelchair and a profiling bed.

Without the above products, which I will review, I would be reliant on a hoist, many people with a disability do! While there is nothing wrong with this, hoists are large and therefore take up space. It is also healthier for me to use my muscles and to move my body as much as possible. The reviews category and the disability category will cross over. Therefore posts written under reviews will cover a specific place, event or piece of equipment. This disability section is where I will write about everything else and hope to have discussions with my readers along the way.

  • Me with an umbrella attachment
  • My Dog, Ben, Sunbathing in the garden
    My dog sunbathing in the garden

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