Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Sharon Villines (sharonsharonvillines.com) | |
Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2017 07:15:10 -0700 (PDT) |
On Fri, Oct 20, 2017 at 3:28 PM, Allison Tom <allison.tom [at] telus.net> wrote: > What strategies have groups explored or implemented to extend the > cohousing goal of inclusivity to people with various disabilities? The first step is accessibility. wheelchair access to all or at least most units. Be aware of abilities to negotiate stairs and porch steps. I recently looked at the plans for a new community that had NO accessible units. Steps up to each unit. Doors slightly too narrow. Even the CH wasn’t accessible. When I mentioned this to the organizer, who had worked very hard on this project, he was silent. It had never occurred to him. There are a lot of things to think about when building a whole residential complex and it’s a challenge for those who are not professional developers. It’s easy to overlook an obvious requirement. Even if one’s own unit is accessible, everyone should be able to visit, attend parties, etc. This is important to some people all the time but important to everyone sometimes. People break ankles and legs at all ages. When one’s apartment is being renovated or has had major water damage, one has to be able to stay a few days in another unit or the guestrooms. We have residents with serious physical challenges and other issues raised have not been a problem — namely workshare. There are a million things that need to be done that do not require the ability to leap tall buildings or scale high walls. The most important thing is that _everyone_ in the community take initiative for their own inclusion in the community. This may be obvious for someone who is not so capable physically but also with other life circumstances like having 8 children or a critically ill spouse or a job that requires long hours and travel. Self-sufficiency and initiative is still important. We are also blessed with several residents who are more than available for tasks like taking out your trash or picking up a prescription or changing the battery in your smoke detector. We have people who rarely come to meetings but who are still involved and central to the life of the community. Others who rarely come to meals. Some who do their workshare jobs at midnight or three in the morning. Personally, I can’t imagine a community that wouldn’t make allowances for whatever limitations anyone has for whatever period of time — 3 months or three years. Like everything else in life it depends on personalities more than anything else. Sharon ---- Sharon Villines Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC http://www.takomavillage.org
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Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities Allison Tom, October 20 2017
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Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities Joan Sidney, October 21 2017
- Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities Ann Zabaldo, October 22 2017
- Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities Sharon Villines, October 22 2017
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Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities Joan Sidney, October 21 2017
- Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities Linda Hobbet, October 22 2017
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Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities Catya Belfer, October 25 2017
- Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities Ann Zabaldo, October 25 2017
- Re: Including disabled people in cohousing, especially forming communities Linda Hobbet, October 25 2017
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