By: Jocelene Ramnanan

By Amy Saffell   
I’m always up for a new adventure, and throughout my life, I’ve tried out all kinds of sports and recreational activities. It wasn’t until six years ago that I skied for the first time, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I grew up in Atlanta and knew that Shepherd Center organized ski trips for people with disabilities. It took me a while to be settled enough in my career to take a big trip since there’s not much skiing in the southeast, but I eventually took the plunge. I recently got back from my sixth time skiing, and each time I go, I can’t wait to get back. 
   

By Patty Kunze, RN, BSN and Roberta Palmer, RN
 

Frank & Patty Kunze 2013

In 2009 I became paralyzed from an auto accident. I thought that was one of the most difficult phases of my life. Learning how to function from a wheelchair, how to go from a totally independent woman at age 48 to now living life from the sitting position, forever. But wow, was I ever mistaken. In July, I lost my caregiver, my spouse of 29 years, my other half of my being, to cancer and I became paralyzed all over again. I was paralyzed due to grief while sitting in a wheelchair. We all experience sadness, but what happens when the source of the grief is your spouse, who happens to be your caregiver. The Rollin’ RNs decided to tackle this huge topic.

First off, let’s review the emotional stages of grief that we can all go through which are shock or disbelief, denial, bargaining, guilt, anger, depression, and acceptance/hope. I also feel there is one more stage that occurs before acceptance/hope and that is a state of being extremely overwhelmed. I will explain my feeling of being overwhelmed later but these stages are in no order and may occur anytime during the emotional rollercoaster.

Disbelief occurred in 2007. I begin my story in 2007 when my husband was diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the worst of all skin cancers. We had been married 19 years at this time but I couldn’t believe my husband was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. He had a small mole on his back that began to itch. As a nurse, I looked at it, gave my assessment (one that NEVER included cancer) and suggested we have it examined by a physician. The physician looked at the mole and said, “No big deal. We will remove it when it’s convenient to you.” It was removed shortly afterwards and then we were called to his office and given the news. Malignant Melanoma. Immediately after the surgery and recovery, we moved forward again, a tiny blip in our road of life. No biggie. Then in 2009, our auto accident occurred that left me a paraplegic, paralyzed completely from mid-chest down. Another stage came into being, guilt. Our SUV was being driven by my husband and even though the accident was not his fault, he felt guilt by not protecting me when the truck T-boned us by running a stop sign.

Rosemarie, Ryan Eder & The Access Strength

By Rosemarie Rossetti

Exercise is a top priority for me and my husband, Mark Leder. We have been regular members of the YMCA in Gahanna, Ohio since it opened in 2004. In the cold months, I am there about twice a week and less frequently in the warm months. I was involved with their adaptive fitness program in 2005 and had fitness instructors that helped me to learn how to use the equipment, in the gym, more effectively. In 2006, I enrolled in the warm water Pilate’s class and hired a swimming instructor in 2015 who taught me how to swim laps, using five different strokes! Also that year, Mark and I hired a personal trainer to show us how to use additional exercise equipment, creating a program for each of us to follow.


As much as I enjoyed all of these activities, they came with challenges and frustration of trying to access and use much of the standard exercise equipment designed for non-wheelchair users. The difficulty that I have had working on exercise equipment, especially early on, was transferring from my wheelchair to each of the pieces of equipment. I would notice black and blue marks on my legs on occasion, at places where my leg would hit a seat during the transfer. There were only a few pieces of equipment that I could use from my wheelchair. I also found it cumbersome to put pins in the weights to adjust the equipment and sometimes even the lowest weight setting, was too difficult for me to lift.

I’m excited to announce that there is a new piece of universal design exercise equipment now on the market that is without the obstacles that I (and many others) have encountered in the past! It was designed for people of all abilities, including people like myself, who use a wheelchair for mobility. I have known the inventor, founder, and CEO of IncludeHealth, Ryan Eder, for many years and am amazed at the technology that he has created.

Ryan started as a design student at the University of Cincinnati when he happened to notice a man in a wheelchair, working out at the gym. After observing him, Ryan noticed that the gentleman spent more time transferring and adapting to the equipment than actually working out. This moment became the focus of his senior thesis which led to designing the inclusive workout system, The Access Strength. Ryan describes his 10-year journey here.


This strength training equipment is not for the home gym but rather for rehabilitation centers, hospitals, orthopedic, and care centers. The Access Strength inclusive functional trainer allows a person to do hundreds of upper and lower body exercises from a seated or standing position.

 I was fortunate to have worked with Ryan, from the early days when he was designing this equipment. I find it easy to use from my wheelchair and especially like the feature to increase and decrease the weight that I lift by simply turning a knob. The adjustments are in five-pound increments. This equipment fuses inclusivity, fitness, technology, data, and healthcare integration into a digital health platform focusing on physical medicine,
rehabilitation, and wellness.


IncludeHealth is an internationally awarded digital health company leveraging technology, data, and design to transform health and wellness. Offered through a monthly subscription, The Include Platform pairs HIPAA compliant cloud software with accessible fitness equipment to produce better outcomes with lower barriers and costs through features such as outcomes-based data collection, automated documentation, cloud collaboration, and inclusive design.

With $6M in development to disrupt the industry, The Include Platform has garnered over 20 issued patents and 18 international design + health awards including winning Best in Show in the International Design Excellence Awards twice! Other one-time winners include Apple, Nike, Microsoft, and Tesla.

So you are probably wondering how you have the opportunity to use this innovative equipment. If you are interested in learning more about The Access Strength or how to have it installed at a facility, please contact Ryan Eder at 

We all know that fitness has to be a priority especially for those with mobility challenges. By being proactive, we can change our fitness environment to accommodate our needs so we can focus our efforts on being the best we can be, in the New Year and many years to follow!

To learn more about the author, Rosemarie Rossetti, visit https://www.rosemariespeaks.com/.

There’s a lot to be desired when it comes to accessible housing. According to The Atlantic, only 40% of homes are accessible, meaning it can be a tiring experience for wheelchair users to find somewhere appropriate. The good news is that this trend is set to reverse and make heating the home an easier prospect than ever before.
 

There are around two million new wheelchair users every year in the United States and that means that many homes are having to be redesigned to ease access and comfort. Of the rooms that make up a home, one that is particularly important to renovate is the kitchen, because consuming a sound diet is key for improving outcomes for many conditions and home cooking is therefore necessary less expensive and fun!  Some changes will cost more than others, so if you are looking to make changes, decide what budget you have and start off with those that will make the biggest difference, in terms of your comfort and safety.

Accessible Furniture Height

If you are starting out with an empty kitchen space, bespoke carpentry is ideal. Tabletops, sinks, dishwashers and cupboards can be built lower to ease the cooking and cleaning process. Low tabletops are key for safety, since you will be able to clearly see and control items you are chopping or heating. Low lying cupboards, meanwhile, will reduce the chance of pots and pans or other items falling out and causing possible injury. 

Whether you are building new or modifying an existing kitchen, it is important to do your homework. Often products that are specifically made for disabilities are extremely expensive so research existing products that may work for you.

Following ADA/ANSI Guidelines

The ADA and ANSI give important technical guidelines on how to make kitchens and other areas more accessible to wheelchair users. There are many resources available such as The Universal Design Toolkit to assist you with your design. A clear floor space of at least 30” by 48” should be provided at each kitchen appliance. Wheelchair turning spaces, meanwhile, should have a diameter of at least 60”. Include knee and toe clearances in your calculations. You can get really creative when starting a kitchen design from scratch. For instance, if you have a limited space, you can opt for design features such as sliding central islands, in which half the table can be pushed under the main tabletop to create more space for wheelchair users.Try to find a contractor with accessibility experience who can help with design ideas too.


Choosing the Right Appliances

Your furniture can adapt to the equipment you choose so these should be taken into account and discussed, at the planning stage. Refrigerators and other appliances should have one-hand operation to comply with ADA requirements. Dishwashers should ideally have electronic capacitive touch controls located on the front of the machine so that reaching over isn’t required. Cooktops and any other operable part of equipment should have a front location and mirrors can be added above, to make it easier to see what you are cooking. Washers and dryers should be front-loading and have wide doors and eye level controls.

Important Note:The plumbing of sinks should be placed far back so you can wheel underneath. It's imperative that exposed pipes are insulated to protect your legs.Temperature controls can be added so the maximum temperature can be set low enough to prevent burns.
 
Creative Thinking

Think of ways that will make the cooking process more amenable. One creative use of

Cabinets with Pull-out shelves

space, involves a pull-out system for electric stove tops; combine this with a low height and it will be very easy to keep an eye on the meals you are preparing. Kitchen drawers that completely pull out and allow you to hang pots vertically instead of horizontally, are another fantastic way to avoid the need for reaching over to obtain or store items. Cabinets for keeping cans, plates, and glasses will most likely be up on the wall above your work table. Ease access to these items with a lever that you can easily pull down to lower the shelves containing these goods.

There are also a multitude of gadgets such as mini food processors that can make everyday tasks much easier and safer.

Inspiration can be found everywhere for easier kitchen accessibility. When space isn’t an issue, design is a breeze. You can build an open kitchen with low-lying furniture and specialized equipment. If a big renovation isn’t in your plans, small changes can still make a difference. When you are in the design stage, let safety and comfort come first; whipping up the perfect meal should be easier and more pleasurable than ever.

Please note: This article was written for those with spinal cord injuries but applies to all those in need of protein for muscle growth and wound healing. 

By Lucy Lawrence

mobileWOMEN's Cheryl Price using the Vitaglide

By Lucy Lawrence
 Ahhh…nothing like beautiful summer days. Gathering with friends and family for picnics, barbeques and road trips to favorite vacation spots, become the priority and next thing we know, our schedule is jam-packed until September. Unfortunately, sometimes our fitness regimen gets put aside when actually, it’s an ideal time to get moving and enjoy the outdoors.

Exercising has amazing benefits: It relieves stress, releases mood-boosting endorphins and increases self-esteem. If you have limited mobility however, you may think that it is too difficult for you to exercise. Fortunately, this is not the case; regardless of age and physical condition, there are many ways to make exercise a part of your life and enjoy its many, many benefits.
Before you start, no matter how you feel, remember to get medical clearance from your primary doctor. Also, it is helpful to get a baseline of your general health so you can measure your progress later on. Talking to your doctor about any concerns or doubts, will help you feel more secure and confident. If you are unsure where to begin or what exercises would be appropriate, consider reaching out to an exercise professional, as they can guide you to avoid injuries and have more effective workouts.

Fusion cast with Rashmi Becker (3rd from left) Photo: Stephen Wright Photography

Fusion, the UK's first inclusive Latin and ballroom dance showcase with disabled and non-disabled artists, has been making headlines and leaving audiences demanding more. Presented by pioneering UK dance company Step Change Studios (covered in one of our previous articles), Fusion premiered at the internationally renowned home for dance in London, Sadler’s Wells, in May 2018. Fusion Producer and founder of Step Change Studios, Rashmi Becker talks  about Fusion and invites reflections from two of the dancers from the show. Redefining the Genre by Rashmi Becker

My vision for Fusion was to bring together talented professional artists from different dance backgrounds to push the boundaries of ballroom with beautiful, powerful, performances that redefine the genre. Fusion featured leading choreographers from London’s West End, and popular television shows including Dancing with the Stars, and showcased 20 disabled and non-disabled artists through duets, solos and group numbers. As UK talent, I wanted to provide a platform for the world’s best and was delighted to include the first UK performance by wheelchair dancer, Pawel Karpinski and his standing partner Nadine Kinczel, from Poland, who hold European and World competitive ballroom dance titles.

By Bethany Hoppe

Christine Mason Miller said, “At any given moment you have the power to say: This is not how the story will end.” A recurring theme for the last two years has been high-profile suicides in conjunction with a dramatic spike in the national average of suicide and suicide attempts. Given the gravity and level of surprise at last week’s two celebrity losses, the media has finally begun to focus its lens beyond the alarming statistics that we’ve known about since 2016, and steer towards a conversation about the root cause of the issue. According to the CDC, the suicide rate has risen 30% since 1999. Half of those are linked to mental illness, and 15% to depression.

The disability community has not gone untouched by suicide as a population, or by one of its own high-profile members with the loss of Verne Troyer. But unlike public reactions to suicide by high-profile newsworthy personalities, public reaction to suicide by people with disabilities, celebrity or not, commonly border on understanding and condoning, rather than grief and prevention. According to a Disaboom study, 52% of American survey respondents would choose death over disability. There is an overlying sense that the choice to end one’s life was simply based on the fact that they were disabled to begin with, and it is accepted as reasonable. This reinforces that living with a disability is not quality of life; people quickly decide they could never deal with having a disability themselves, and the hardships to survive in what seems to be an un-accepting and inaccessible world is too much for anyone based on the evidence. So silently, lost lives become justified simply because a world that is perfectly capable of accommodating everyone, is yet to fully integrate the largest minority in the world.

By Lucy Lawrence

In a previous article, we covered some preparations and what to expect when going to the hospital for surgery. Staying in the hospital can be an uncomfortable affair, but more importantly, it can be dangerous. Going to the hospital for any length of time, exposes you to a variety of diseases that your immune system may not be up to handling. Medical mistakes are also commonplace, making up the third leading cause of death in the United States. There’s only so much you can do to prepare, prior to your hospital stay, to protect yourself from infection and medical malpractice but you can minimize the risks by being proactive. There are a couple of pointers that you should keep in mind, during your visit, to ensure that your recovery goes smoothly.


Pay Attention to Medications

Often, you’ll be placed on several different drugs when staying in the hospital. It’s not uncommon for pills to look alike or have similar names, leading doctors and pharmacists do make mistakes in prescriptions. Staffers may also make mistakes in dosages, reading micrograms (mcg) as milligrams (mg) or vice-versa. Before taking any medication, it’s a good idea to ask your nurse what it does, why it’s necessary, and what dosage you need. You should also ask about any side effects that you may experience.

By Patty Kunze, RN, BSN and Roberta Palmer, RN
 
Now that spring is finally here and summer vacations soon will be upon us, the nurses at "The Rollin’ RNs" were talking about the response of our spinal cord injured bodies, in environments outside of our own safe havens. It’s a funny thing, we all expect our bodies will “mind their P’s and Q’s”, when actually they go into an odd state following time spent outside our usual environments, especially when traveling. It’s always helpful to discuss these offbeat occurrences with other mobileWOMEN and we discover we that are not alone. But a long car ride, a night of chilliness, and numerous conversations with able-bodied standers can cause a trifecta of disturbance, in our otherwise normal state. So, we decided to pen an article not only to the SCI population, but also to all mobileWOMEN who are unaware of this occurrence.

The first topic of the trifecta, is the extended car ride. Eight to nine hours in a car on a drive, is about the extent of our tolerance. Anything longer and we get squirmy. So, we try to keep our travels to 8-9 hours but sometimes they may stretch to 10 hours and that is exhausting on any body. Couple that with sitting in a foreign seat (other than usual wheelchair) for that time period and it all makes for an aggravated body, especially the back and neck.

By Nora Hood

Image via Pexels

Domestic Abuse: The Facts and Figures

By Louise Sertsis


It's been my experience in the past, especially when traveling that I felt as though I was thrust into a pre-kindergarten era - a time where everything is done for me, instead of letting me explore, navigate and learn. Sometimes, I felt my voice was no longer heard. I seemed invisible to everyone except my husband, who is bombarded with impending questions from the airport staff. Initially, when I was coping with my disability. I was offended as frustration built, and I bit my lip, and screamed inside. I realize that most people just want to be helpful and time is tight due to the airline schedule but sometimes society has a lack of knowledge regarding inclusion of all abilities.

Frustration was a familiar response to situations that occurred, once Multiple Sclerosis started really affecting me. I used to be filled with pent up anger and shame, which completely changed who I was as a person. After many years of solitude, I was gradually able to channel these feelings into a positive. When I started using and seeing my circumstance in a new light, things started to change for me. While I still value my alone time, it's much more gratifying leaving my comfort zone, meeting new people and being the best version of me that I can be. It was challenging at first, but I'm doing things now that I never thought possible.

By Wendy Crawford

It really didn't seem that far, maybe 40 feet at the most. Recently, we were at a shopping mall but to access a restaurant that we were interested in, we had to go outside. I was in my power chair and could zoom quickly so I skipped putting my hat and mittens back on. “I should be fine”, I told myself. “I've done this many times and it's really not that far.” Within seconds of opening the door, I was regretting my decision! The cutting wind hit my face, taking away my breath. I felt the cold biting into my skull and rushing into the opening of my jacket, penetrating the weave of my sweater.

By Lucy Lawrence