Physical Environment

            I went on the field trip to the East Lake Commons which is a cohousing community in the Atlanta area. I had never heard of a cohousing community before, so the whole experience was new to me. Our tour guide led us through the entire community and you could see her love for the community and the meaning that the community brought to her and her personal life. She was one of the ones who started the community and her zeal about where she was.          

            From the first moment arriving at the housing community, you could see the amount of control the place had by keeping a gated community and allowing the neighbors to be on a level of sociality with each other that brought about a sense of being safe with each other. The neighbors all care about each other and do things for each other like a real community. The community was set up in such a way that was very accessible throughout the neighborhood and it was good about letting the kids have a play area and being in the center of the area. A lot of the kids were homeschooled so they all got to grow up with other kids their age and gain new friends that way. The activity among the community was positive where people get together and learn more about each other and help through things.  As well as there being ample opportunities for people to be around each other and the community being close-knit, there are those families who like to keep their privacy. The houses are built like townhomes and that is what makes everyone seem close, but not everyone shares that type of openness with others but yet they like to feel safe in a community.

            The community understood the need for adapting to other’s needs in the neighborhood and built homes that could be friendly to those who are in wheelchairs or in need for other services. The doors were widened for the use of wheelchairs. Our tour guide was one of those who were in a wheelchair and she could feel the crowding spaces that were not meant for people with her needs. The homes sometimes had stairs leading to their doorways and really narrow doors as their front doors and it frustrated her that she could not go visit these friends. However, with some of the homes, she could easily fit through the doors and have the space to visit her neighbors and other people around.

            This field trip was extremely important for me to go on because of the fact that I am unaware of the limitations that people have to go through on a daily basis. I do not have to worry about doors being widened or there being stairs or even living in a place where I need the absolute max of security because it’s hard for me to get from here to there.  I really appreciated the willingness that our tour guide had to open us up to her world and her home to see the struggles that she has to face and to also see the love that she has for the community she is in and loves. 

A Date to the City

Ryan Blumenauer

Physical Environment Assignment

            My outing was to the Centennial Olympic Park area of Atlanta’s downtown district.  Our day started with visiting Centennial Olympic Park and walking around the park, relaxing and taking in some of the views it provides of downtown Atlanta. When then decided to grab some dinner at a nearby restaurant at McCormick and Schmick’s seafood restaurant located right inside the CNN center. After enjoying some dinner we rode the Skyview ferris wheel located right next to the park. To complete our day and date we ended up attending a concert at the Tabernacle.

            The accessibility of Centennial Olympic Park is great. With very few stairs throughout the park it’s very easy to access all parts of the park without having to go out of your way. With the park being quite large you don’t have to worry about crowding and it was nice that you could enjoy some privacy and have a conversation without others eavesdropping on your every word. The park was a great start to a relaxing day/ evening ahead.

            After spending a few hours of strolling around the park and relaxing on one of the many park benches located throughout the park, we moved onto dinner. Across the street from the park was McCormick and Schmicks seafood restaurant. They are located just inside the entrance to the CNN center. While they did have easy access being on the street level of the CNN center the restaurant is quite small and very crowded. The restaurant didn’t seem to be very adaptable to accommodate people with disability with easy table access. This was a disappointment especially being so cramped mobility would have been an issue. If you were looking for a quiet place to enjoy a meal and converse with your date this was not the place to go. From a sociality stand point though, the cramped and crowded experience was easy to converse with other parties, especially near the bar.

            After eating dinner and still having time before we were to attend our concert we decided to enjoy the Skyview Atlanta ferris wheel. At this point it was around 8 pm and the ferris wheel was all lit up making it apply to your sensory stimulation making it very enticing to come ride. There were accommodations for anyone that was wheel chair bound but it wasn’t legibly stated making you inquire of how to access it. Especially when within 15 feet of the entrance there is a flight of stairs with no ramp. After inquiring we were told that you have to come from the back of the ferris wheel and there was a ramp to the platform and to the ferris wheel itself. Once inside the car it was accommodating to everyone and was a great experience to go 20 stories up and see the Atlanta Skyline lit up at night.

            After enjoying the ferris wheel, we moved onto our concert at the Tabernacle. The meaning of the Tabernacle being an old church converted into a concert venue is the main attraction to attend a concert here. The Tabernacle doesn’t require, but recommends that you call prior to attending so that they can make arrangements to accommodate anyone with a disability. While it is great that they can accommodate it is also a pain that you have to call ahead of time and takes away the ability to be spontaneous. The venue does have a general admission floor area as well as seat’s that didn’t seem to be easily accessible for anyone wheel chair bound being I couldn’t locate a elevator of any kind. This location proved to be the most difficult to attend and a lack of adaptability to accommodate a wheel chair bound patrons needs.

            To conclude the evening we ended up staying downtown at the Glenn hotel located 3 blocks from the Tabernacle. The hotel was wheel chair accessible but doesn’t clearly show you where you need to go only having one way to access the lobby or main elevators and receptionist desk. While all the rooms were easy to get in and out of with wide doors and spacious rooms the showers were stand up showers making it difficult for someone to get cleaned up.  Besides the shower being an issue it was a great hotel to enjoy a private evening in a great location.

            The experience was eye opening. You would think that everywhere would have accommodations to those who are wheel chair bound or do have a disability. You become surprised in how they may be accommodating but they are not always easily found or accessed. Especially in terms of the Tabernacle having to call in advanced to have arrangements made for you. I enjoyed this assignment and being able to spend a day looking at things that I would normally never consider. 

East Lake Commons by Avanette M.

            On October 1, 2013 we visited East Lake Commons for a guided tour led by one of the residents of the community, Ms. Eleanor Smith.  She has been in a wheelchair since she was a child and was very familiar with the challenges that came with being mobility impaired. We learned that East Lake Commons is a cohousing community.  This means that the residents were active in the planning and are active in the daily operation of the community.  In planning the community, Ms. Eleanor wanted to make sure that each residence was “visitable” by people with mobility challenges.  Ms. Eleanor and others made sure that each home would have at least one stepless entry and one bathroom on the main floor with a door wide enough for a wheelchair to fit through.  Designing the community this way has made it more welcoming to people of various age groups and challenges.  The following paragraphs will evaluate East Lake Commons based on some of the key concepts for understanding physical environment-behavior relationships (Hutchison, 2011).

            Accessibility is the first concept that comes to mind after a tour of East Lake Commons.  The sidewalks throughout the community are wide enough for wheelchairs to navigate with ease.  With each home having a stepless entry and wide doors, it is easier to welcome visitors who are in a wheelchair.  Ms. Eleanor lives in one of the three flat homes in the community and the home had more than enough space for her to move around without bumping into anything.

            Activity is the next concept.  Because the community is accessible, all residents are able to be actively involved in their community.  East Lake Commons promotes activity by giving residents the ability to move around freely in the neighborhood and participate in events.  They also promote activity by having community events.  The residents are also responsible for taking care of the common grounds of the community.

            East Lake Commons also promotes adaptability.  Ms. Eleanor strongly believes that all homes should be built to accommodate all types of abilities, instead of going back and fixing a home to accommodate mobility challenged persons.  In this community, if someone who is not mobility challenged happens to go through a surgery or is recovering from an injury, they will have no problem getting around in their home and accessing the accommodations they had before

East Lake Commons promotes comfort.  As mentioned before, Ms. Eleanor’s home was spacious and presented no challenges to her daily living activities.  She is able to have visitors and be a visitor at her neighbors’ homes. 

At East Lake Commons residents are able to have control of their environment.  They do not have to feel restricted, limited, or confined as they would under the social model of disability.  The residents who helped plan the community had a good sense of control because they were able to influence major decisions about the structure of the community.

East Lake Commons has significant meaning to its residents.  It holds meaning to them because of the concept it was based upon.  Many residents have invested in the purchase of a home in the community and are raising children there.  The community has even more meaning because they actually get to know their neighbors by name and interact with each other continually.

Although East Lake Commons is a community that promotes interaction, residents can still have privacy when they choose to.  The residents’ homes are their individual spaces and they can have guests if they choose to do so.  Privacy is highly respected, but you definitely will not be a hermit while living here.

The last but foremost concept that East Lake Commons promotes is sociality.  There is a common house where residents may gather for special events or to have meals together.  There is also a community garden that the residents work in and benefit from.  In addition to that there are open spaces throughout the community that promote socializing.  The sidewalks wind through the community in front of residents’ front doors, so it is hard to walk through without seeing at least some of your neighbors.

Overall, East Lake Commons is a beautiful and family friendly community.  We were informed by Ms. Eleanor that the residents range in age from infant to late eighties.  This is a result of the cohousing concept.  This community is welcoming and user friendly to every age group and ability.  The best thing about being a close-knit community is that a family, from the youngest to the eldest, will have help from their neighbors when they need it.  This is how East Lake Commons has become a thriving diverse community.

East Lake Commons- Lauren W

For this assignment, I chose to participate in the field trip to East Lake Commons. I have never been in a co-housing community before, and I really did not know what to expect. The first thing I noticed about East Lake Commons was the control residents had over their space. The community was gated, and while it was off a main road, it was quiet and felt very secluded.

            One thing East Lake Commons prides itself on, is its accessibility. Most of the homes there are accessible to people with physical disabilities. Our tour guide took us around the community and showed us how many of the homes there were accessible to everyone.  When building the community, developers planned for accessible housing. Many of the homes did not have stairs leading up to the entrance, and the doorways and hallways were accessible to those in wheelchairs. Seeing how an entire community could be accessible because small changes were made the development stage, made me question why more homes are not accessible to everyone. I hope more developers follow East Lake Common’s lead and build more accessible housing.

            The houses in East Lake Commons are built very close together, which promotes a tight-knit community. At first, I thought the houses being so close together led to a crowding problem, but the more I was out in the community, the more I enjoyed it. However, this aspect does limit the privacy that the residents have. A person who likes their own space and a little isolation would not do well in a co-housing setting.

            While I was there, the activity level was very high. It was a nice day and many of the residents were out walking around. There were also a lot of children who were outside playing and enjoying the weather. While we were taking the tour, everyone in the community seemed to know each other very well. I think the sociality they have at East Lake Commons is very rare in the world we live in today. There is definitely a comfort level shared within their community that is really refreshing. The people living there work well together, and you can tell each one of them can depend and rely on their neighbors.

            One of my favorite things about East Lake Commons was the sensory stimulation. Many of the houses had different designs and were painted different colors. Each household gave a unique personality to the community. Some had gardens outside while others had sculptures and paintings. There were flags from different countries and different religions that were hung out on the porches. I was not there long, but I could tell that East Lake Commons is a community of open-minded and accepting people. Many of the decorations would probably be looked down on by the Homeowners Association or other neighbors in most of the neighborhoods we have in our area. I liked that the people living there had more creative freedom when it came to their houses. It really showed the uniqueness of the residents and how everyone could bring something different to the community. Even though there was a wide range of ages, beliefs, and views in East Lake Commons, everyone seemed to really value one another and it seemed like a great place to live.

A Day at East Lake

David Jackson

       I was given the wonderful opportunity to accompany my Human Socialization class to East Lake to see tour a co-housing community. As we entered the home of our tour guide, the difference in the design of her home from many others was immediately apparent. The walkway through the front door was built with a slight incline and no stairs. The layout of the home was a single story ranch design with accessibility to all areas. Our guide approached us in her motorized wheel chair and welcomed us to the community.
     As we waited for our tour to begin, our host continued to prepare her lunch in the kitchen which was designed for full mobility for wheel chairs. I was amazed to see that she could move her chair 360 degrees as she moved throughout the kitchen. My kitchen at home would most certainly not allow for wheel chair access, and I was immediately impressed by how simply and thoughtfully this home was designed.
    Our tour commenced after a brief period as we walked outside our tour guides home into the drive in front of the home. The houses that surrounded were connected to the same drive that connected the first home to all the others. Regular traffic was not permitted on the main drive as this community was a co-housing community, and was designed to encourage its residents to socialize with each other. The residents of the East Lake community would park in a lot at the end of their drive, and walk or roll to their houses. Many of the individuals who lived in the co-housing community walked up and down the drive, and were most enthusiastic to greet our class as they passed by.
    Our tour continued as we traveled through the community, observing the design of these obviously different homes. Our guide showed us the ingenious and simple entrance ways to the homes which allowed for at least one entrance to each home accessibility to those who would otherwise be unable to enter them. The main concern I had as we viewed the houses was the factor of water entering the homes. Our guide quickly addressed these concerns as she enlightened us as to how easy it was for architects to put the accessible entrance way on the high side of the house, and design trenches to divert water form the houses. The Social Disability Model which would often dictate that it is difficult or impossible to create accessible homes, seemed to be completely foolish as we saw first hand that it is a simple task to achieve.
   As we continued along the drive on our tour, we passed by an area for a community garden. The plot of land devoted to the inhabitants green thumb further showed what an involved and social community this truly was. This inclusion of all residents in the community, despite their level of mobility, was a testament to why this community was built.
   Our final stop on the tour was to one of the homes of our tour guides neighbor. The home, just like all the others, was accessible. As we entered the home I noticed that it was two stories. This home would most certainly be for an individual who was not disabled because of the second story, but it was none the less accessible throughout the first floor. The bathroom became a the focus of the groups attention as our guide showed us the wide birth of the door frame. Such a simple act of widening a door frame in its initial placement is of no cost, but is around 1,200 hundred dollars to widen after the fact.
   Our tour concluded as we left the final house and returned to the drive in front of our tour guides home. The guide talked to us about the concepts surrounding the design of the East Lake co-housing community. She explained that the systems on which most housing is built does not allow for inclusion of all residents. This idea of exclusion can be equated to things like sexism, ageism, racism and so on. Such simple measures as allowing one accessible entrance to a home, or widening the frame of a bathroom door are not drastic. After seeing this community, it is apparent to me that future housing should be designed to be more inclusive, and allow for all people to have and accessible way to socialize.
   

Co-housing community reflection by Sarah J

Visiting the East Lake Commons community was a very interesting learning experience. We have talked about zero step entry ways and wide sidewalks and doorways in class, but it was completely different experiencing it in person. East Lake Commons community is a co-housing community located near Atlanta. This community is not specifically geared toward those with physical disabilities; the builders of this community saw the potential to build a community that was accessible to all people and work towards this goal. Most of the houses in this community are two story, townhome-like homes, but the builders thought ahead and built two or three one story homes for those in wheelchairs.

                We first toured one of the zero step, one story homes. I was amazed by the accessibility of all the rooms in this house. The owner of the home, who used a wheelchair for movement, could easily access any place in her home. She could enter and leave her home with ease. During our short time before the actual tour started, I noticed there were a large number of community members going in and out of their neighbors’ homes; this community seemed to be a tight knit group of people with a high level of sociality. Not only was there a large amount of adults roaming around, there were school aged children playing everywhere I looked. We later learned that most of the children in this community are home-schooled. As the tour progressed, we saw number of places for the community to gather such as a community center and a community garden. The more I learned about the East Lake Commons, the more I realized that this community has a high activity and sociality level.

                Not everything I saw during this tour was positive. Towards the end of our time there, I began to feel overcrowded and cramped. Most of the houses were touching and were lacking any type of privacy. Some of the homes shared front porches and walk ways. In our society, control and privacy are key factors for our physical environment. I can only imagine how there would be control and power struggles over who actually owns the front porch. Personally, I do not think that I would prosper in this community. From my point of view, it is lacking adaptability, comfort, privacy, and is too crowded.

                Another observation that struck me was odd was the larger amount of religious art. From my short time visiting the East Lake Commons, I observed that most of the residents were Caucasian. Normally, the Caucasian population is mainly Christian, but in this community there were a large number of what appeared to be Buddhist art forms. I remember counting at least three front porches that had banners with images of Buddha on them.  To the residents, I am sure that this community has high meaning to them. Most members seemed to enjoy gardening and outdoor activities; most also seemed to have the same religion. This community must hold a large amount of cultural meaning to all the residents.

                I have always loved exploring new cultures, so I am very glad that we took the field trip to the East Lake Commons; it was unlike any other community I had ever seen.  I loved the accessibility for those who have physical disabilities, but did not favor the crowded and lack of privacy. Overall, I think that it was a great experience.  

Lindsay E.

East Lake Commons Field Trip

Before visiting East Lake Commons I was unsure what to expect. I originally thought that we were making a trip to a Retirement home. However, I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived to this community. Visiting this community definitely opened up my eyes to what a community that is much more flexible to people’s needs can look like. It was awesome to see so many kids playing in the streets together during the middle of the day. I could really tell that everyone in the community supported one another deeply.

My favorite thing about this community was that it was so accessible. I thought it was awesome that most of the community could be easily accessed by wheel chair. Many things that I may not have thought about before, such as doorway size, were accessible and thought out in this community. The pathways were wide for safety reasons and paved so that when chairs could easily access the complex.

As I mentioned there was a lot of activity in the middle of the day within this community. Normally you expect to only see people early in the morning, or in the evening. But within this community there was not a single time in which I did not see anyone from the community. The kids were encouraged to play together on the pathways within the community. Our tour guide mentioned that some of the homes taught the community kids within their homes each day. They have an incredible support system within this community.

While on our tour we went inside of two homes. Both offered a nice level of comfort to all of the members in our group because they had the ability to enjoy things that most people often take for granted. The homes were easily accessible from the front of the house, the hallways and rooms were wide enough for a wheelchair to maneuver through, and the bathrooms were large enough to be wheelchair accessible. By the builders making these small adjustments they were able to not be limited as to where they could go within the community. These modifications provided large levels of comfort to our entire group.

One thing that I did not love about this community was that there was a small level of control. The houses were built very close to one another and had very little personal yard space. While I did not like this element of the community, they allowed for the families to have more control by offering personal plots in the large, organic garden in which each family could have and maintain their own plot of land. Personally, I want to have my own yard to plant flowers, and mow, and to allow my kids to play there. However, I love how the community saw the need for control over personal space and offered personal garden plots to each family if they so desired one.

I personally felt that the area where the houses are built was a little bit crowded. Although I felt that the housing area was a little bit crowded, that was the idea of the community. They were striving to create a closely knit community that could work together and support one another almost like a large family unit. I am more of an introvert and therefore like having alone time. It seemed that within this community there would always be people around, or even stopping by. I think this is a great idea because the level of safety within your community is increased and you create a large family unit.

I think that this community creates an environment that has a high level of sociality. Because everything within this community is so close together it naturally facilitates social interaction. The closeness of the homes allows you to know your neighbors very well and virtually always have someone around incase you need assistance. One thing that I found remarkable was that when our tour guide was very sick she left her door open. This allowed the members in her community to support her and help bring her to healing. She said that community members would bring in meals, or just simply check in on her. She said that she never once felt unsafe or worried about what may happen, or who may come into her home. This was what I thought was completely remarkable about this community.

After reflecting on my experience within this community I can offer a positive perspective to privacy. Although the homes may be close together and all of the neighbors are very friendly and involved in one another’s lives, the community is very private. It is nestled into a set of woods within Decatur, behind a gated entrance. The location of this community allows you to forget that you live within the busy city because you are surrounded by trees on each side of the property and a large, organic garden at the rear of the property.

As we wandered through the community there seemed to be several different meanings that were held. There were several different cultures represented among the residents, such as Buddhism and Hinduism. There was also a sense that this community stood for one another. It was clear that there was a high sense of support and love for one another. The location was very beautiful, I loved how we were within the city of Decatur, yet you forgot where you were once you stepped inside the community.

            

Dinner with Paw

Garrett C.

For this assignment I chose to spend a day with my grandpa. My grandpa is 88 years old. He can still walk, but not without a walker. If he does not use his walker he will fall. In fact he has fallen many times. My family takes him to dinner every week. But this week it was just Paw and me. We started out by going to eat at Longhorn Steakhouse. My grandpa loves steak but does need help cutting it, as he has a shoulder problem and cannot raise his right hand very far.

 Crowding/Adaptability: When we got there it was really  busy. There was a wait. I was so relieved to find a place for Paw to sit. But we were squeezed in very tightly at the front. Luckily there was plenty of room for him and his walker as we went to our table. They have ramps so getting to the table was very easy. Unfortunately after dinner, as we were leaving there was a group of  eight people sitting at a table by ours. There was not enough room for Paw to get through with his walker with how the restaurant had put the tables together. But the people were very kind and stood up to allowed us to walk by them. I was so grateful for their kindness. I had worried ever since I saw them set up the table.

Accessibility: I was very pleased with how easy it was to get into Longhorn. They had a ramp for Paw to walk up. The entire restaurant had ramps instead of stairs with lots of room for a person with a walker. I also saw two people leaving that were in wheel chairs. The hosts at the front were great to hold the door for Paw which allowed me to help and make sure he did not lose his balance. Plus, the food was awesome!! I was very happy with our meal at Longhorn.

Comfort: Longhorn was a very comfortable environment. People were kind and helpful with Paw. He really enjoys going there. He is at ease. Some restaurants we have been too are smaller, and it is not as comfortable for Paw. It was amazing how much I take for granted being able to move around without a walker no matter how small a space.  For our activity we just went to Paw's apartment at his assisted living. I was hoping to go to my house and watch a football game but there are steps at all entrances. So I decided it was easier to go back to Paw's.

Control:  Paw's room is set up for him to be able to move around with his walker. It is his space. He has it decorated with his pictures and things from his home before he lived in assisted living.  Adaptability: We have recently taken out a few pieces of furniture to allow more room for Paw to move around. He used to not be able to use a walker in his room. But now he really needs to always use his walker, to keep him from falling. So we have made that easier for him in his room.  Sociality: His assisted living has many senior citizens living there. This gives Paw many people to talk with everyday. He has lots of friends there.

Activities: They have activities like Bingo, painting, and exercises. So if he wanted to do something else besides watch TV, we had the option. This was another reason I went back to his assisted living. But we sat and talk and watch football where he is the most comfortable. He gets very tired and does not like to be out and about for too long. So just sitting and talking is what he enjoys more than if we went somewhere. Privacy: Being in his room, he feels more relaxed talking. He doesn't like to talk where people can hear him. So being home, he is more comfortable to talk more than out in public. It was a great way to spend one on one time with my grandpa. He is a great man and has been so good to me. I enjoy being able to help him and take him out to eat. After all, he has done so much for my family and me.

(I forgot to get someone to take a picture of us that night. This one was taken a few months ago)



A day at the park

Britanny L

Physical Environment

I had the pleasure of going on a date with Sarah my friends’ sister. She is 14 years old. Sarah is paralyzed from the waist down due to a car accident. I did not realize how hard it would be getting a disable person in and out of the car. Sarah cannot walk so; she has to utilize a wheelchair. Overall we enjoyed our date at Wild Horse Creek Park in Powder Springs GA on October 14, 2013. We had a picnic under the gazebo just to have girl talk. Sarah’s Accessibility was not easy since she is wheel chair bound. Even though she had a rough time moving around the park she kept a positive attitude. I could tell Sarah’s comfort level was not that high because of the landscape of the park. It looked like it was uncomfortable and that she might could of have falling off. While we were going around the park people were very sociable and helpful.  Sarah was very open and eager to talk to anyone that walked passed her. We had privacy under the gazebo while we were eating.. As we went around the park there was no privacy because the park was n a public setting. The park was very nature oriented. The only control she had was when we were eating. But other than us eating there was no control of our environment because it was an open area. People can walk as they please. The park did not involve crowding. If one area gets to pack there are plenty of other area one can go to, so they can still enjoy themselves. There was not any activity at the park but with Sarah being disabled there would have to be clarification if she would be able to or not. An activity does not hinder her ability to enjoy herself. Lastly, adaptability is very assessable at the park. They have wheelchair entrances, restrooms, and parking availability. The park does not need to change it is handicapped accessible.

When something tragic happens to one’s life there is nothing left for them to do but continue to have a positive outlook and learn to accept what has happen to them. I enjoyed this experience. It was an eye opener on how people with disabilities have to plan out accordingly where they are going so they are comfortable and feel independent. Whereas people that are not disable can do whatever they want to. It helps put things in perspective and make you realize how much we take for granted every day. I also realized how blessed I am to be self efficient. Many handicapped individuals need some type of help. When I look at handicapped people I sometimes get sad of their limitations and inconveniences until I see the smiles on their faces as if they’re standing right next to me. They still have joy and they still are human. I now know that people who are handicapped want just as much respect as if they were not disabled and they do not want self pity for their situation.

My date with Ashley, my blind friend

Aba Amoo                                          My date with Ashley

I had met Ashley a few years ago when I started Kennesaw State. We became roommates for about a year before I moved off campus. I recently had the chance to spend the whole day with her. We decided first to go to our favorite frozen yogurt place, Yogo Ono. Being that my friend is partially blind, the sun made it hard for us to sit by the window. We got our frozen yogurt and sat down for a while to catch up on old times. We became more social when we started talking to some other KSU students sitting next to us. After we finished our yogurt, the next place we went to was Town Center Mall.

The time we went was in the afternoon so there were a lot of families. The mall was beginning to get crowded as time went on so we had to stay close together to avoid being shoved and pushed by other people. We first made our way to Bath and Body Works to check out their new fragrance collection. Every time we go to the mall we pretty much make it a tradition to go there. They had a lot of fragrances to choose from so I had to read most of the names to her. It was interesting to see how she was able to identify some of the scents without having me read them to her. I could tell she was using her sensory stimulation skills since all of her other senses are heightened. From there we went to Brookstone to try out their massage chairs. I think Brookstone has to be my favorite store of all time, with different types of massage chairs to choose from and foot rubs it made us feel like we were in heaven.

After we left the mall, Ashley invited me to hang out at her place for the rest of the afternoon. After all the walking around we did, we thought it was time to have some privacy for ourselves without so many people around. The way her house was designed made accessibility easier for her. All of her furniture was placed to the wall and tables were pushed away from the couch and were rounded at the edges. There was no clutter on the floor and the place was clean so that helped her adaptability, which was helpful to her since she tends to forget to turn the light on at night sometimes. Her furniture is very soft easing her comfort for when she has to do a lot of work. She has a special machine that she uses to read her books and her computer is zoomed in to help her do her homework.  When it came to which activity she wanted to do, she had a lot of games at her place but the one that we always loved was Uno. Her cards were made especially for the blind and had each card marked with raised bumps so she could use her senses to feel the cards. While we were playing, her roommate and some of her other friends came over to hang out and socialize with us. I stayed for a little while longer and then I had to leave.

One thing I like about Ashley is that she doesn't let her disability stop her from doing what she wants or getting places. There may be some days where she may need me for a ride when the bus doesn't reach as far as she needs, but other than that she is a very independent person and she has no problem telling people that.  I've heard the countless stereotypes about the blind and how they can’t do anything for themselves and can be a burden to some people but I know for a fact that Ashley and her other blind friends are living proof that being disabled doesn't stop you from being who you want to be. 

             

GALA BIRTHDAY DINNER

                                                                                                                       Sharon W.

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

 GALA BIRTHDAY DINNER

 

            I have a date everyday with my husband.  The last three years of our thirty year marriage he has been disabled.  October 20, 2013, we celebrated my birthday at LongHorn Steakhouse.  Meaning:  We celebrated my birthday at this restaurant because it is my husband’s favorite place to eat.  It holds sentimental value for the both of us, because it was one of the restaurants that we ate at during our honeymoon.

            The restaurant had good Accessibility.  Parking spaces for people with disabilities were close to the front door.  The ramp for wheelchair accessibility was wide.  The building had double doors for easy accessibility to accommodate a wheelchair or emergency equipment.  My husband has a wheelchair for his use.  I try to encourage him to walk as much as possible.  He does walk with a cane for stability. 

            Sociality:  The atmosphere in the restaurant was very romantic.  The staff was friendly and very helpful in seating us and assisting with the menu choices.  My husband met two other couples that he immediately grew attached too.  Crowding was not a problem here.  The aisles were wide and could accommodate a wheelchair at the end of the table.  We sat in a booth for Privacy.  This allowed us to talk without interfering with other people in the restaurant.  Due to the stroke that my husband suffered, his voice has changed to be heavy when he speaks.  I could Control his behavioral movements and gestures without being seen.  As a result of the stroke, his left side of his body is weaker and he does not have full control of his movements at all times.  I could help him with his eating utensils and with drinking.  While enjoying our meal, I interviewed him for my assignment.  Please see the following video below.

                                                                                                    

                                                                
             After our lovely dinner together, we returned home.  We enjoyed the rest of the evening by watching a movie.  I try to have peace and comfort in my home as much as possible. 
Comfort:  Makes a person with disabilities feel happy, because their environment facilitates their needs.  Knowing that they are safe, respected, and loved means so much to them.  Keeping a sense of humor is also important.  I communicate with my husband through talking, laughter, crying, and delete anger from the equation.  He has suffered two strokes and a heart attack.  His body has gone through great trauma.  To feel comfort is a very important task for him. 

CONCLUSION        

            Adaptability:  Twenty-seven years of our lives together, we both were normal individuals.  Never did we ever think of one of us becoming disabled.  We have worked and raised a family.  We have talked and planned for retirement.  We never planned for disability.  This has been a major adjustment to our lives.  We are still learning to cope and adapt to our disability and environments.  I use the term “We” because as a married couple, the disability is not only for one person.   It is for both individuals.  I have learned to slow down and have patience with my partner.  I still remember him as the “All American Football Player”.  I do treasure the time that we still have together.  I think that we both have adapted well to our new lifestyle.  Caring for someone with physical needs is rewarding. 

            I think this assignment was good to engage in.  It made you stop and reflect on people that have disability needs.  It made someone with a disability feel good.