Access Anything

Raising Awareness for CP | Every Kid Health Week

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Mon, 22 Apr 2019 15:14:00 +0000

Every Kid Health Week (April 22 – 26) is not just a week of awareness for children’s’ health, but an international movement of kids with special needs and their parents. The annual week is inspired by a vision of physical education and social opportunities for both children and adults

What is Cerebral Palsy?

Around the world, 17 million people have cerebral palsy. The most common childhood physical disability, CP affects movement and its effects can vary widely from person to person. Some people may have weakness in one hand while others may struggle with an overall lack of controlled, voluntary movement. And while 50 percent of children with CP also have intellectual disabilities, many people with CP have no cognitive impairment and work as doctors, lawyers and other professionals.

Causes of Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage, usually before, during or immediately after birth, while a child's brain is still growing and developing.

One of the best-known causes of CP is birth trauma or injuries during birth. There are a number of factors that can lead to brain injuries before birth or during labor and delivery, including medical malpractice and doctor errors as well as accidents or domestic abuse.

Types of Cerebral Palsy

Different people have different types of CP, and each one has different symptoms and characteristics. These common types of CP include:

Spastic cerebral palsy: The most common type of the disorder, it involves abnormal movements, stiff muscles and difficulties moving the body.

Dyskinetic cerebral palsy: Also known as athletoid or dystonic CP, it is the second most common type of CP. It involves slow, writhing movements or repetitive twisting motions as well as an awkward posture.

Ataxic cerebral palsy: The least common form of CP, it involves tremors, shaking and poor balance.

Mixed cerebral palsy: This involves a combination of symptoms that reflect a combination of more than one type of CP.

Challenges for People with Cerebral Palsy

When people have cerebral palsy, their ability to control their muscles is limited. Some muscles may contract too forcefully and others too little. People's limbs may be forced into awkward positions, sometimes causing pain. Others may have involuntary muscle contractions that make their limbs shake or tremble. Some people may have difficulty carrying out everyday actions that require motor skills and muscle coordination, including walking, tying shoes or writing.

In almost all cases, CP itself is not life-threatening and people with CP live long, adult lives thanks to modern medical treatments. However, while therapies can help to mitigate the effects of the condition on the body, no cure has yet been developed.

Treatments for Cerebral Palsy

There are several types of treatments that can help people with CP to live fuller, more comfortable lives. Medications can be used to control seizures or spastic movements as well as to reduce pain. Some children with CP may have surgery to improve their orthopedic functions and repair dislocated joints. In addition, physical, occupational and other forms of therapy can help provide physical, social and mental benefits to children and adults with CP.

Again, millions of people with CP live in communities around the world. Their lives can only be improved by greater inclusion, awareness and advocacy. During Every Kid Healthy Week, people can share information to spread knowledge, support and celebration for kids with CP everywhere.

The web is full of great information about developmental disability, including cerebral palsy (CP). Some great information for CP and surrounding topics is available at cerebralpalsyguidance.com. Check out their blog and connect with their authors at https://www.cerebralpalsyguidance.com/our-blog/. Also, check out what’s going on for Every Kid Health Week at http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/events/event/601

Fun Activities to Stay Fit

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 19:34:00 +0000

Guest writer Joe Flemming

The “cans” and “cannots” are a distinct reality for people with disabilities - where mobility issues or physical impairment inhibit even simple tasks and day to day functioning. Wheelchairs have no limitation on fun, however, and this list of activities that help you stay physically and mentally fit are just the ticket:

Chair Yoga: The restorative and healing benefits of yoga can still be attained when seated. Chair yoga involves the deep breathing, gentle movements and meditation of yoga, but with practicing the poses sitting down. Proven to help alleviate back pain, lower blood pressure, and reduce stress levels, chair yoga is a fun and challenging way to sync up your parasympathetic nervous system, calm your brain, and stay fit.

Biking: Handcycling transforms bicycling into an adaptive activity where someone with a strong upper body who might have a disability can pedal with their hands. In the same vein, tandem bicycles, where you are connected to another person who is cycling, and body powered trikes, where swaying from side to side moves your vehicle, are fun options as well. Find adaptive bicycles online for purchasing or contact your local recreation center to see if they have any available.

Coloring: You heard that right, coloring. Keeping the mind fit, despite disability, is key to staying sharp and preventing cognitive decline and memory loss. Coloring is one of those enjoyable activities that requires fine motor skills, focus, and creativity - all great exercise for the brain. Find free printable coloring sheets online or coloring books for purchase in a convenience or grocery store near you.

Bowling: If a wheelchair is the only thing limiting your movement, bowling is a great adaptable activity worth trying! Incorporating a little heart-pumping competition, concentration, and upper body exercise from lifting and rolling bowling balls, bowling can add up to hours of fun that helps you stay in shape. Contact a local bowling alley to see what adaptive resources they have for people with disabilities.

Chair Cardio & Aerobics: Working your non-limited muscles and limbs can actually be done quite successfully from your wheelchair. Find inspiration and instruction for a sweat-breaking chair cardio workout on Youtube, or hit up your local gym to see what aerobic machines, free weights, and instruments (like resistance pulleys) they have available for people with disabilities.

Practical Accessories for Staying Active

Need a little assistance staying active and getting around? These practical solutions can help:

Reach grabber tool: This nifty, often inexpensive assistive device acts simply as extension of your arm with a rubber or suction-cup claw on the end, great for picking up small items like your keys and phone as you head out the door to the gym. How do you find the best reacher grabber for you? Look online or at your local pharmacy for lightweight, collapsible, and durable ones that will be easy to take with you on the go.
Virtual assistant: Want to play some meditative music while you practice yoga? Or add a reminder for tomorrow’s bowling competition to your calendar? A virtual assistant, like Siri for iPhone, or the freestanding Amazon Echo with Alexa, can respond to simple voice commands and help you with tons of tasks.
Hydration backpack: If you plan on exercising more and staying active, hydration will be key to keeping you going and preventing you from overdoing it. Hydration backpacks are lightweight, durable ‘bladders’ filled with water that sit in a pack and have a hose with bite valve coming out of it. Without having to worry about toting around or refilling a water bottle, a hydration backpack could be your answer to staying hydrated while you exercise.

When looking to step (or roll) out of your comfort zone and approach fun, new activities that help you stay fit, remember what Vincent Van Gogh wrote, “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.”

How to Run A Business While Traveling For Six Months Every Year

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Sun, 29 Jan 2017 22:33:00 +0000

We have been encouraging people with disabilities to travel for almost 15 years now, and many of our readers work from the road. We recently had this submission which was appropriate for us to share, from Startbloggingonline.com about how to run a business while traveling - something we still, after that long, are perfecting.

There are challenges that every business traveler has to deal with - how to stay ahead of the inbox, keep track of tasks, maintain a healthy relationship with family, keep things running smoothly back at headquarters, bookkeeping and receipt tracking, and not to mention all the details of the travel experience. We often find we go into "yay we're traveling mode" and forget that business needs to go on as usual.

If you're new to traveling with a disability, pan through our archive for posts about how to do this easily - to manage your needs, to find access, to leverage your resources, to travel cheaper, etc.

But if you're a pro at traveling, and you want to start a blog about it, check out this infographic on running a business while traveling to show that it is possible to travel while running a business and hit the road Jack!

You can do more than being productive with your business by documenting how you do your business through a blog. Through this, you can share your success story with others and serve as an inspiration. Learn to blog from scratch with some guidance from our friends at Startbloggingonline.com.

TRAVELING WITH A DISABILITY: SEE THE WORLD, PROVE WHAT’S POSSIBLE

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 22:15:00 +0000

PRISCILLA LIGUORI

While worrying about accessibility can be daunting, there are many ways to make traveling possible
and enjoyable for people with disabilities. Craig Kennedy co-founded an online travel resource for
people with disabilities called Access Anything after he realized a lot of inaccurate information
circulates within the disability community.

“Giving people freedom and independence to do what they need and want to do is key,” said Kennedy,
who lives in Colorado and travels the world while using a wheelchair.

The GADA Belt proves itself on climbing wall at No Barriers USA

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Wed, 27 Jul 2016 03:35:00 +0000

This year we traveled down to Copper, CO for the annual No Barriers Summit and while visiting with our friends Mark and Wes at No Limits Tahoe's climbing wall, we joked around that perhaps we should strap the wheelchair in with the famous GADA Belt to test its staying power while Craig climbed the giant wall. Proving itself for the first true time in 10 years of this product (we've had many life-saving kind of testimonials, but none directly from Craig himself!). Here are the images to prove it!

Learn more about the GADA belt at http://www.accessanything.net/gada-belt.html

5 Steps Any Business Can Implement to Create a More Inclusive Workplace for Employees with Disabilities

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Sat, 14 May 2016 19:29:00 +0000

Leading Disability Organization releases step-by-step guide to making businesses more inclusive amid nomination period for Ruderman Best in Business Award

Boston, MA — Did you know that over 70% of people with disabilities in the U.S. are unemployed? For a community that represents 20% of the entire American population, people with disabilities are far underrepresented in the workplace and is a reflection of one of the biggest problems we face in today’s society.

The Ruderman Family Foundation, a national leader in disability inclusion, is currently accepting nominations for its annual Ruderman Best in Business Award, recognizing businesses that have demonstrated a history of employing people with disabilities, training and supporting them and developing innovative approaches to maximizing employee’s abilities.

But inclusion is something everyone can contribute to, and the Foundation has provided 5 simple steps that any business can implement to increase inclusion:

1. Use Technology: People with disabilities may need reasonable accommodations to do their jobs. Technology offers reasonably priced accommodations for a number of disabilities, such as speech-to-text software for a visually impaired employee or captioning screens for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.

2. Partner with a Job-Training Agency: Find the non-profit agencies in your community that are providing job coaching training for people with disabilities and partner with them to bring the supports that employees may need right to the job.

3. Include Disability Awareness Through your Company: Inclusion happens when everyone in your company understands the value of hiring a diverse workforce. Include regular trainings focusing on disability awareness and inclusion.

4. Accessible Environment: Make sure that your office or facility includes restrooms, hallways and storage space that are accessible for people of all heights and mobility.

5. Online Accessibility: Inclusion extends to your online presence. You can make your web site more accessible with simple steps like using alt tags that that translate visual images and captioning on videos.

Last year marked the inaugural year of the award, which is in partnership with the Jewish Week Media Group, highlighting businesses selected through a national nomination and review process by judges from the business and disability communities, including Richard E. Marriott, Chairman of Host Hotels & Resorts and the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities and John Hockenberry, NPR journalist and four-time Emmy award winner. This year, 18 businesses from the United States and Canada will be awarded.

For more information about the Ruderman Best in Business Awards and to nominate a business, please visit http://www.thejewishweek.com/ruderman-best-in-business-2016. Nominations will be accepted through May 25, 2016.

About the Ruderman Family Foundation

The Ruderman Family Foundation is an internationally recognized organization, which advocates for the full inclusion of people with disabilities in our society. The Foundation supports effective programs, innovative partnerships and a dynamic approach to philanthropy in advocating for and advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities throughout America.

The Ruderman Family Foundation believes that inclusion and understanding of all people is essential to a fair and flourishing community and imposes these values within its leadership and funding. For more information, please visit www.rudermanfoundation.org

5 of the Easiest Ways that Holiday Accommodation Providers Can Cater to Wheelchair Users

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Mon, 14 Sep 2015 02:30:00 +0000

Guest post by Andrew Atkinson

Providers of accommodation for holidays and adventure breaks don’t always think of wheelchair users. There are laws, rules and regulations in place, yet many accommodation providers think that it’s difficult to meet those requirements. Actually, there are some very simple things that can be done to make a big improvement. Here are five of the easiest, quickest and most affordable adaptations:

Solid Floors

Adaptations indoors might include replacing carpet with hard flooring. Outside, smooth paths are infinitely better than gravel paths (or no paths at all!). It doesn’t take much to add tiles/laminate to rooms and to create paths that are suitable for wheelchairs, yet these changes to a building will make a dramatic difference to the experience of a wheelchair user.

Elevators

Ensure that someone has access to all levels of accommodation by installing at least one elevator. These can be standard elevators, or ones specifically for wheelchair users that are usually simple moving platforms with full manual control. Dedicated elevators for wheelchair users can be moved up and down manually, and have doors that can be pulled open and manually closed, so that users don’t find themselves racing against automatic doors.

Automatic Doors

On the subject of automatic doors, these quick and easy adaptations in other parts of a property can really help a wheelchair user. It can be hard, sometimes impossible, to push open a door whilst also wheeling through it. An automatic door, perhaps with push button access, will open hands-free.

Accessible Bedrooms and Bathrooms

Providing accessible sleeping accommodation will open accommodation providers to a wider range of potential visitors. People look specifically for wheelchair friendly accommodation – the more accessible the better. Extra wide doors are a starting point, but additions such as grab rails, hoists, motorised beds and wetroom showers are even better.

Staff Support

The physical features of the accommodation are important, but they’re not the only important things. A wheelchair user benefits just as much, perhaps even more, from friendly and helpful on-site staff who can provide extra support when it’s needed. Staff should listen to the specific needs and requirements of their guests, as those needs will vary from person to person. Even if a specific adaptation isn’t in place, guests and staff members can work together to come up with an alternative or temporary solution.

Making adaptations might seem stressful, difficult and expensive, but accommodation providers can really benefit from broadening their potential pool of guests. Good customer service will lead to positive word of mouth marketing, which is the best form of marketing available. If providers can offer accommodation for wheelchair users, then word is likely to spread throughout the community and will lead to increased bookings.

Of course, as wonderful as the financial benefits and increased room bookings are, the best bit is simply the fact that an accommodation provider can know that they’re providing equal opportunities and excellent facilities for all of their guests.

Mobility Smart is an online provider of products for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility. Products available to buy online include adaptations, pain relief, supports, cushions and daily living aids.

Partner with Access Anything to gain exposure

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Wed, 26 Aug 2015 01:25:00 +0000

Access Anything Partner Opportunities 2015

Thank you for your interest in placing your information on the Access Anything Resource site. We have spent a decade building this resource in the hope that it provides an inspiration to people with disabilities around the world. Please view our About Us and Bio pages to learn more about the company’s history.

Because of our extensive work in the industry, our following is impressive and growing. As of August 2015, our website boasts 450-500 page views per month, our Twitterfollowing is 155,000, our You Tube channel has 155 subscribers with over 105,000 total views, our blog has over 48,000 views, and our Facebook following is 1370 friends. For these reasons we feel our network is worthy of these 2015 updates. That said because our industry is still growing and we value our network and connections greatly, we have chosen to keep our fees low to encourage businesses to still participate in the Access Anything resource.

Resource Page Listings: http://www.accessanything.net/resources.html

Intention
It is the intention of this resource page to be easy to read and navigate for all abilities. Therefore we only place Company Name with web link and short description if needed. No other information will be placed so please make sure your link and website are sufficient to help people.

Cost and Reciprocation
Because the company is no longer in daily operation and the website is a free online resource to those in need, as of 2015 we have started a nominal fee for placement on the site. The fee is to cover the upkeep and annual costs of maintaining and hosting AccessAnything.net.

Non profits: $5 one time – or free if you provide a link to AccessAnything.net from your site
For profits: $10 one time – or $5 if you provide a link to AccessAnything.net from your site
Changes/updates: $5 per change

Fees can be paid through Google, Paypal, or Square by using andyjkennedy@gmail.com as recipient.
If you do not have one of these accounts and need to use a credit card, the % fee will be applied.

Access Anything Blog

Our blog auto posts to our Facebook and Twitter pages, gathering thousands of unique clicks per month, 80-90% of which are first time viewers.

In protection of our brand and standards, guest writers are welcome to write for Access Anything blog as long as these standards are upheld:

· 300-500 word min/max with 1-3 photos and/or YouTube embed code

· Include a short one-two sentence bio with a link to your website if you have one

· Positive, uplifting, and informative topic and message

· Minimal editing required – do your own editing please (typos, grammar, etc)

· Educational information only - do not use this space to promote your own website or product.

Access Anything Advertising Opportunities
Advertisers will be invoiced directly, payments can be made by credit card, check, or through any of the payment methods above as well as Quickbooks/Intuit services.

Access Anything Website – www.accessanything.net

The Access Anything site is hosted by Weebly in a template format which is not customizable, and we are not web designers. Therefore specific CSS or HTML design must be done on your end and either the code or the image must be provided to us, with a tracking code embedded if desired. We will simply be placing that code and image into our template with your link. We do NOT provide tracking on this ad, that is your responsibility. You are paying low costs for placement on a high traffic site only.

Locations and cost – 3, 6 or 12 month commitments, billed monthly or at once per agreement.
Top banner, below scrolling images, 600x200 pixels, one only - $1000/month
Right column top, below search bar, 200x200 pixels, one only - $500/month
Central column bottom, below blog links, 200x200 pixels, limit two - $200/month
Right column bottom, below Facebook box, 200x200 pixels, limit two - $200/month
Right column half, next to Facebook box, 100x200 pixels, limit one - $100/month

Access Anything Blog Site - http://accessanything.blogspot.com/

Similar to the Access Anything main site, Blogger is a template and CSS, HTML, images, and tracking codes must be provided to us for placement. We not provide analytics of your advertisement.

Locations and cost– 3, 6 or 12 month commitments, billed monthly or at once per agreement.
Right column top, 200x200 pixels, one only - $500/month
Right column mid, below search bar,, 200x200 pixels, limit two - $300/month
Right column lower, below blog archive, 200x200 pixels, no limit - $100/month

If you care to suggest an additional partnership, we are open to suggestions. Email us at ask@accessanything.net. Please allow 2-3 days for reply.

Thank you for your interest in partnering with Access Anything!

Craig and Andy Kennedy
ask@accessanything.net
www.accessanything.net
Based in Steamboat Springs, Colorado

DISABILITY TRAVEL GENERATES $17.3 BILLION IN ANNUAL SPENDING

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 14:21:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Eric Lipp

Open Doors Organization

773 388-8839

ericlipp@opendoorsnfp.org

DISABILITY TRAVEL GENERATES $17.3 BILLION IN ANNUAL SPENDING

New Nationwide Research from Open Doors Organization as ADA Turns 25

Chicago, IL, July 31, 2015 - The Open Doors Organization (ODO) today released the findings of its 2015 Market Study. The nationwide survey, conducted by Mandala Research, LLC, is a follow-up to ODO’s groundbreaking studies of 2002 and 2005 on the spending trends and market scope of U.S.adult travelers with disabilities.

“This new data,” says ODO Director Eric Lipp, “shows that the disability travel market has a greater impact than ever on the industry and the broader economy. In the past two years alone, more than 26 million adults with disabilities traveled for pleasure and/or business, taking 73 million trips.” The study also shines a light on factors still holding back the market. Twenty-five years after the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, many barriers to access still remain in air travel, hotels and restaurants, although these have decreased significantly since the previous study in 2005.

The 2015 ODO study quantifies how much adults with disabilities spend on just their own travel—$17.3 billion annually, up from $13.6 billion in 2002. Since these individuals typically travel with one or more other adults, the economic impact is actually double, or $34.6 billion.

Like the 2005 ODO study, the new research shows businesses in the travel industry the extent and types of barriers the majority of travelers with disabilities still experience. Among adults with disabilities who have traveled by air, 72% said they encountered major obstacles with airlines and 65% with airports, down from 84% and 82% in 2005, respectively. At hotels and restaurants, the percent reporting obstacles—physical barriers, problems with customer service or communication barriers—has significantly decreased as well.

The 53-page report provides detailed findings not just on general travel patterns, frequency of travel and spending, but also gives specifics on cruise travel; ground transportation including ride share services; use of the Internet, mobile devices and assistive equipment; and the most popular destinations nationally and internationally.

Reflecting back on ODO’s earlier research and where the disability travel market is today, Eric Lipp notes, “When we carried out our first nationwide study in 2002, the goal was to wake up the travel industry to the importance of this mostly underserved market segment and give them hard numbers on which to base investment decisions. Now 13 years later, our economic impact is no longer a secret, especially in air travel. At large airports like Miami and Minneapolis St. Paul, airlines now must provide more than 1 million wheelchair assists per year. And as the Baby Boomers continue to age, you can be sure our market will keep growing for years to come.”

The survey was conducted online in January and February 2015 among a national sample of 1,291 adults with disabilities aged 18 or over. Disability was defined as having blindness, deafness or a condition that substantially limits one or more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting, or carrying. Individuals who also have cognitive disabilities were included as respondents as well. To insure comparability with the 2002 and 2005 studies, Mandala Research used Harris Interactive (now Harris, A Nielsen Company), who had conducted the earlier research, to carry out the online poll.

Copies of the 2015 Market Study are available for sale through the Open Doors Organization website (opendoorsnfp.org) or by calling 773 388-8839 or e-mailing info@opendoorsnfp.org.

The Open Doors Organization is a non-profit organization founded for the purpose of teaching businesses how to succeed in the disability market and make their goods and services accessible to people with disabilities. Mandala Research, LLC, who partnered with ODO on this study, offers a diverse range of travel market research products and services—along with expert analysis—to Fortune 500 companies, non-profit organizations, and government agencies.

- end -

Resting Easy in the US

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Mon, 04 May 2015 21:37:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Candy Harrington, candy@EmergingHorizons.com

New Lodging Guidebook Features Unique Properties for Wheelchair-Users and Slow Walkers

RIPON, CA – May 1, 2015 – If you’re tired of staying at cookie-cutter chain hotels, then pick up a copy of Resting Easy in the US; Unique Lodging Options for Wheelers and Slow Walkers, and get ready to think outside of the box. Penned by veteran journalist and accessible travel expert Candy B. Harrington, this accessible lodging guidebook is the result of nearly two decades of in-depth research, meticulous site inspections and copious reader feedback.

This handy resource includes accurate access descriptions and detailed photographs of over 90 properties across the US. From B&Bs, guest ranches and lakeside cottages, to boutique hotels, rustic cabins and deluxe yurts, variety is the key word in content. And although access varies from property to property, each one possesses a unique attribute – be it the location, the owner, the room, or maybe even the entire lodging concept.

Each Chapter includes:

A detailed description of the access features of the property, including often overlooked access details such as bed height and toilet grab bar placement.
Numerous photographs of each property, including detailed bathroom shots.
Measurements of showers, pathways and doorways that are outside of the ADA accessibility guidelines.
Candy’s take about what makes the property unique, plus a detailed evaluation of who it will and won’t work for access-wise.
Accessible sites, attractions and trails located near the property.

“There are so many different choices in accessible properties today, and I’m thrilled to be able to share some of my favorites with my readers,” says Harrington. A must-have resource for all travelers, Resting Easy in the US is a good guidebook for seniors, parents with stroller-aged children, Baby Boomers, folks who just like to take things a littler slower and anybody who uses a cane, walker, wheelchair or scooter.

Known as the guru of accessible travel, Candy Harrington has covered this niche topic exclusively for the past 20 years. She’s the founding editor of Emerging Horizons and the author of several accessible travel titles, including the classic, Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide for Wheelers and Slow Walkers. She also blogs regularly about accessible travel issues at www.BarrierFreeTravels.com.

Resting Easy in the US; Unique Lodging Options for Wheelers and Slow Walkers ($15.95, 395 pages, 6 X 9 paperback, ISBN 978-0692430576; $15.95) is available atwww.RestingEZ.com.

Project - Wheelchair Sports in Bali

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 22:11:00 +0000

From our good friend Steve - any help is appreciated! Please spread the word!

Project - Wheelchair Sports in Bali

We are pleased to announce our participation in a collaborative project with (BSF) Bali Sports Foundation. A major obstacle for athletes in many countries is the acquisition of wheelchair sports equipment. Since our inception, addressing this issue has been a core objective. A portion of the funds required to provide basketball wheelchairs will be raised through online solicitation. We ask for your help, please click on the GlobalGiving link below and scroll to the donate tab to support this worthy project. If we can raise $5,000.00 by March 27, BSF will earn a permanent spot on the GlobalGiving site.

Every donation will have a significant impact, thank you for your consideration. "Sport Changes Lives"

http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/basketball-wheelchairs-for-bali/?

Happy Holidays from us to you!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 19:04:00 +0000

Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season and abundant, healthy, and happy 2015!

Here's what we've been up to this year... for you from us, our green holiday video card

Spectacular Arizona! Cities and Canyon experiences from April 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Fri, 09 May 2014 21:45:00 +0000

April bring mountain towners into what's called "mud season," after all the ski areas close and the visitors leave, and the locals pick up their toys and head south for adventures. This year we headed to Arizona; we had been to Phoenix, but only briefly, in 2001, and Craig hadn't been to the Grand Canyon ever, so this was going to be a fun adventure indeed - as it always is!

We first spent a week in Phoenix exploring this truly fun and beautiful city, the biggest stops on our list worth mention were the Desert Botanic Gardens and Taliesin West. Both were basically accessible.

The Gardens were a mostly flat course of rolling around on very fine pebble paths -thanks to Craig's knobby tires and strong arms, it wasn't an issue, although it might be a little tenuous in spots for someone in an older chair with less strength. We were very impressed with the Gardens, augmented by the Chihuly glass sculptures exhibit and the excellent dinner we had at their in house restaurant. We attended the evening session in which we toured the grounds in daylight, dined at the restaurant, and the quickly toured parts of the grounds again at dusk to see the lit-up glass structures, which were magnificent. We're delighted to announce that Chihuly's exhibit will be visiting the Denver Botanic Gardens next (June through November) so we'll hopefully get another glance and we highly recommend you do as well.

Taliesin West, the winter home of Frank Lloyd Wright and students- still to this day, was very well adapted. Despite being told on the phone that the ramps were only 28" wide, they were indeed 32" and although steep in spots, not an issue for us. He got into every building on the tour, and it was well worth the visit even though we were skeptical. It was inspiring, impressive, and affordable.

In addition, we also looked into golf in Phoenix. While this proved to be a little bit of a challenge, we managed to find a working SoloRider for our purposes, but also reached out to the City Manager about making sure their adaptive cart fleet was up to speed, and we can happily report they have made this a priority so the next time we visit, golfing will hopefully not be a challenge. Supposedly all 6-7 of their municipal courses have a SoloRider or two, so any of them are options. We used the one at Maryvale and found the staff to be extremely helpful and accomodating. The course was well shaded and fun. You can learn more about Phoenix Golf here.

After Phoenix we headed north to Sedona, but on the recommendation of my cousins, we visited the tiny cliff town of Jerome on the way. This wasn't the most accessible tourist spot, but it was worth a stop - or even a drive by if you have the time. Extremely quaint, complete with a 100-year-old post office (original PO box dials in the front box room?), Jerome is nicknamed the "most wicked place in the west," we're not sure if it's for the people or the location. Hanging literally off the black hills themselves, the switchback road has 180 degree corners and the shops, restaurants, homes, all seem to be on a tilt. There is a step up to some of the shops, but not all of them. The vibe of the place is groovy, like all the old Sedona hippies left the growing metropolis to find solitude here.

Sedona was just up our alley - crystal shops, vortices, gluten free restaurants, red rocks, gorgeous drives and vistas, and a wide range of affordable lodging. What we road tested for you:

We stayed at the Sedona Real Inn, the accessible room there was awesome, the staff was extremely amenable (complete with concierge), the breakfasts were filling (average), and the price was great. See the first photo below of the accessible shower - among the best we've seen.
We had our two dinners at Picazzo's Organic Italian Kitchen where everything on the menu - including Andy's ravioli- was gluten free, and Thai Palace Uptown. Both were delicious.
Drive up to the Airport and catch a sunset or a sunrise - the closest vortex on the map, you can really feel the energy swirling up here. There's a parking lot, complete with two handicap spots, and a short trail or just a pull out to sit at, your choice. Bring a dollar or two, there's a donation bucket for local parks there.
We also drove the short drives out of the main town to see the other vortex spots, with great views of red rocks along they way.
If you're a slow walker, you can also do the Amitabha Stupa and Peace Park - a 1/4mi. and 100-200ft inclining dirt trail climbs to this amazing prayer park, but it's not accessible to wheelchairs. That said, there was a sign there that said call for access, so if we'd made advance arrangements, we think you can get the key to drive right up to it. It's really a powerful spot, so it'd be worth it.

Other than this we ran out of time to explore Sedona further so we'll just have to go back!

Moving on to the Grand Canyon! On our way, we visited Bearizona, an animal park/preserve that has some great views of animals if your family is into that. I could flood this already-lengthy blog post with adorable pictures of baby bears playing and owls flying so close to our heads they'll knock you over, but you get the picture. Check it out, it's a sweet spot.

Once in the canyon - We were truly awestruck by this amazing 7th Wonder. It was a place that no picture or description can fully describe, you simply have to see it for yourself. We'd managed to get a copy of Candy Harrington's brand new Grand Canyon guidebook before we went, and got a few great tips out of it for our needs - number one is ask for the accessible driving pass at the entrance gate, with it comes a code that lets you drive to the end of Hermit's Rest where only shuttle busses go. This was a special treat for us because it meant having our cooler with us for a picnic in the middle of a long day.

If you think every view will be the same, you're wrong. Stop at every one as we did, and be impressed in a new way every time. But don't be stupid and go too close to the edge. They pull 250 people out of the canyon every year, and most years a dozen people leap or fall accidentally over the edge. Those 1000-foot cliffs aren't forgiving.

We love camping and stayed at one of the accessible spots in the Mather Campground and it was perfectly convenient and predicable for us - near the restroom, flat tent area, protective metal fire ring. But a few of the lodges look right into the canyon and we think the next time we visit we'll step up and book a room just for the views. A warm shower would be nice too - camping in April in the Canyon can be cold, our nights dipped into the low 30s. The last time Andy camped there in 1998 they got snowed on.

We also squeezed in a visit to the Grand Canyon IMAX and for those of us who aren't doing the hiking, a flight trip, or the mules, make this movie a stop during your stay. It was enlightening, historical, and almost gut wrenching with the typical IMAX flying.

We must say, reading Candy's book before, during and even after our visit made us reminisce about writing guidebooks - sometimes we miss those days! It's a great little guide of the area, so definitely check it out. We didn't take much out of it other than the few tips about shuttling because we made our own meals and camped, but there is a lot of information in there that is extremely detailed - right down to the photographs of the lodge's accessible bathrooms! Always the biggest stress when traveling for us - does the shower really have a bench?

If you don't have the Grand Canyon on your bucket list, you should amend the list!

Know of someone with a disability that's trying to find work?

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Thu, 01 May 2014 23:58:00 +0000

If so, our friend Brooke Lightner here in Steamboat Springs may be just the girl to help you.

Work isn't easy to find, but inspiring work for people with disabilities is out there, you just may need some assistance in finding it. Brooke works for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), Colorado’s leading placement organization for people with disabilities. The DVR Business Outreach Specialist team has more than 60 years experience in providing a bridge between companies and talented job seekers, committed to helping employers find candidates who are skilled, loyal, and committed to their success, as well as helping individuals with disabilities prepare for going to work, obtaining and maintaining employment.

DVR is your advocate. DVR educates businesses about the benefits of using DVR as a recruitment resource, the business outreach team prepares and delivers valuable disability awareness training to assist employers in learning about hiring and employing persons with disabilities, proper disability etiquette, and how these can positively impact the business bottom line. Other services to employers include: information and guidance about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and job accommodations, consultative services such as job retention for a current employee with a disability or who has recently acquired a disability, job analysis and adaptive technology, and information about possible DVR financial incentives and tax credits a business may receive for hiring a person with a disability.

Contact Brooke Lightner, the Business Outreach Specialist in your area for more information about our business services. 970-367-3220 or brooke.lightner@state.co.us

FDA’s 21 CFR Part 11 Add-on Inspections

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 21:12:00 +0000

taken from

Thursday, February 27, 2014 | 09:00 AM PST | 12:00 PM EST | Duration : 120 Minutes | Register Now

In December 2010 the FDA began a project to better understand the industry’s adherence (or lack thereof) to 21 CFR Part 11. This involves the add on’ surveillance inspections of the sponsors’ computer systems during the course of the FDA’s regular inspections.

This presentation will cover the scope, status and results of the surveillance inspections and what they may mean for the future of 21 CFR Part 11. At the beginning of the initiative FDA made it very clear that Part 11 is in effect and is enforced according to the original Part 11 and the Guidance from 2003.

In the meantime FDA officials reported about key findings. For example, George Smith who heads up FDA's Part 11 working group gave an update with examples of violations. This webinar will enable you to determine whether your company is subject to the most common violations so you can take action to have a better inspection outcome.

Areas Covered in the Session :

What is FDA's most current thinking related to computers and electronic records?
What are the inspection trends?
What are most frequent recent citations for Part11?
What are the most frequent deviations for computer system validation?
Under which circumstances can inspectors exercise enforcement discretion?
How important is risk based Part11 compliance?
What is the best strategy for future proven Part 11 compliance?

Who Will Benefit:

Quality Managers
Quality Engineers
Small business owners
GxP
Regulatory Affairs professionals
Consultants
Quality VPs
IT VPs
Regulatory VP
CEOs

Sign up for this Webinar

About Compliance Trainings:

Compliance Trainings focuses on providing regulatory and quality based trainings to industry professionals across the globe. Compliance Trainings strive to educate and enhance the knowledge and broaden the horizons of regulatory professionals as well as professionals from the HR, Healthcare and many other industries.

Compliance Trainings intends to establish both, a strategic and significant hold in the training industry by providing the highest level of quality trainings and consulting. To achieve our goal, Compliance Trainings uses the latest technology to make trainings both affordable as well as relevant to the industries professionals who work in an ever changing and highly regulated environment.

European Vacation 3: Paris and beyond!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Wed, 09 Oct 2013 19:24:00 +0000

(continued from Europe 1: Amsterdam and Europe 2: Belgium)

... After some struggles with train bookings and accessibility prep (see Belgium), we were on our way to gay Paris!

The fast train is... FAST. In one hour we were jetted into the center of Paris via the TGH - who bumped us up to first class, and provided taxi service for us. The taxi driver was awesome, explaining monuments along the way to the Hotel Derby near the Eiffel Tower.

As with hotels in the previous three cities, we booked months in advance, and knowing there would be some barriers, such as the one step up to the front door and the narrow bathroom door, we booked the hotel for its compromises and its location, and in this case, its price. Our walk in rates for all hotels were nearly double what we'd paid for online, so do your research and book in advance!

We were only in Paris two nights, and that was a bit of a whirlwind - we'd hoped to trade in our vacation ownership for the entire stay in Paris, and unfortunately there wasn't much with access in the city, so we locked in the Marriott resort out near Disney (45 mi. east) when the trade came in, and added on two nights in Paris at the Derby.

While there we racked up 26 miles in two days on foot touring the Eiffel Tower, the Arc du Triomphe, the Louvre, the Notre Dame, the Palace Invalides, and a boat tour... 13 miles each day, in the pouring rain. Well equipped with rain gear we made do, and while neither the entire Arc nor the top of the Eiffel weren't accessible, getting up close and personal to both were worth it, as was the line at Notre Dame, the aimless backtracking at the Louvre (elevators are not ideally placed), and the boat tour. Our one recommendation on the boat tour: KNOW the two accessible stops - Eiffel and Orsay - because there are a plethora of stairs at the other six. Miraculously we lucked out on that one. Highlight of the day: Getting up close and personal to the Mona Lisa - wheelchairs roll right up to it!

In addition to the sites, we took in the food again here; quaint little restaurants that wowed: Royal Grenelle, Majaraja, and the best pan au chocolates, baguettes, and cappuccinos of our lives.

After Paris, we rented a car and toured the nearby countryside - and racked up some of our favorite memories of the trip while stationed at the gorgeous Marriott Ile de France Resort.

From here we headed down toward Loire and toured accessible Chateaus: Chambord, Chaumont and Amboise and checked out the towns of Vouvray, Tours and Blois, dining on the way home in Orleans. Four words: Thank God for Garmin. Easily the best $75 we spent all month.

One day we visited the nearby big cat reserve (awesome if you love big cats - very accessible park and up close and personal shots!) and made dinner at a countryside fresh veggie and meats stand. YUM, BRIE and homebrew!

We also toured the Champagne Region and had a full accessible tour of Mercier in Reims and a partially accessible tour in at Mumm in Reims - and lots of champange to accompany.

Last excursion - we drove out to Versaille and toured that - the trams were helpful here (they always helped Craig transfer on board) but overall this was perhaps wrong to do last, we were tired, short on time, and overall disinterested in the huge estate and gardens after the chateaus we'd seen in Loire. But it was free. Personal preference.

Very last, the Charles de Galle airport was... challenging. For an international airport, the accessibility is unimpressive. We waited for an hour to get an escort from the check in desk to bring us to the gate, due to some issue with elevators and ascending moving sidewalks that seemed do-able though they wouldn't let Craig near them. They did park us at the Red Carpet club for a half hour for the hassle, and escorted us through security smoothly, which was nice.

Overall, despite the language barrier at time, we were pleasantly surprised at France's access - not as universal as Amsterdam, but not as bad as we'd anticipated. And the entire three weeks? Truly a life enriching experience we'll treasure for the rest of our lives!

And last, France in Photographs:

European Vacation 2: Belgium

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 20:58:00 +0000

... continued from European Vacation 1: Amsterdam...

After a wonderful few gorgeous 80* sunny days in Amsterdam, we packed up and headed south to Belgium, through beautiful countryside past windmills and zipping along for a few hours on the European highway in a poshy awesome private taxi. It worked out to be only slightly more than the train, and much easier for Craig and dad (keep reading for more about the train and potential access issues there!).

We arrived in Bruges on a Sunday, in the middle of market, and the street we needed to get to was blocked off with a bouncy house and food booths - quite hysterical, the circling and GPSing and persistence of our driver! - but finally we arrived at the adorably quaint, historic Hotel Navarra! As with the Hotel Krasnapolsky in Amsterdam, we booked Hotel Navarra many months in advance for its single accessible room and perfect location in the city. We were adjacent to the beautiful, also historic, Market Square. The room wasn't US-ADA coded like Krasnapolsky was, but it was manageable, and worth the small barriers to have the location and the historic beauty of this hotel. (Main barrier was the separate small stall for the toilet, but the shower had a hand-held and the sink was roll-under. And the pool, unfortunately, was down a flight of 500-year old stairs, but as I found, wasn't really worth it anyway, brrr!)

Historic, we found, in Europe, is nothing compared to what we can fathom for "historic." It grabs your soul, this type of history, truly. But for Craig, it grabs his wheels! And by that I refer to the cobblestone... everywhere and ever present, the cobbles in Europe are a challenge, but not an insurmountable one! We are lucky for his knobby mountain wheels, stomach-muscles-balance, and ability to look a challenge in the face and laugh! So very overlook-able when it comes to this gorgeous truly medieval city!

In Bruges, we had two days and packed it in, despite the rain! The food just keeps getting better~ Pieter Pourbus and t/Zwaantje, waffles, chocolate and the ChocoStory museum, fat fat fries, and what would Belgium be without the BEER! Craig tried at least 20 beers in the 5 days we were in this great country, and every one of them were tasterific!

We did not make it up the umpteen stairs to the Bell Tower, and honestly, it wasn't missed - walking around the city was enough, and the view from the ground was just as spectacular! You could see this amazing tower from just about anywhere we walked to! The romantic canals, the Burg Square lunch, the Church of our Lady~ all wonderful, LOVED Bruges!

On to Brussels - and our lessons with the European train! We took two trains: From Bruges to Brussels, and then from Brussels to Paris. And both times, they wanted a day or two warning that we were coming (in Bruges they got no warning and wanted one day's, in Brussels they got one day and wanted two). Both times we had a bit of a language barrier as well but made it work (note to self, really commit to brushing up on the French!). And but both times we managed to sweet talk our way on - waiting an extra 30-45 minutes longer, all for a ramp that was walking distance from the train - but the issue is making sure the train has the right build and logistics for the ramp. A plus: for the fast train to Paris, we were bumped up to first class because, oh darn, that's the only accessible car. Double-plus: it was 1/3 the price!

And Brussels: wow, the food! Restaurant Alexandre was unquestionably the best meal of my life. Mussels at Taverne Passage weren't too shabby either! Food is better when enjoyed together, so it was also a blessing to be dining with family in this far away place! Each cup of coffee, each chocolate waffle, every fat french fry - what a tasty treat, made even better with more to ooh-and-ahh!

In Brussels we were just off Grande Place at the Hotel Ibis. A quaint little mod hotel with a small but accessible room. It had a tub that Craig just sat in to shower, but overall a big big bathroom to move around in, almost as big as the hotel room itself!

It was hard to pull ourselves too far away from Grande Place, and we did walk pretty far to museums and gardens, and were challenged by the hills - a new challenge is a good one, we got some exercise, but a little too much for dad. Tiring way to end their vacation, they were excited to head home and rest!

And then Mr. Craig and I moved on to France! More to come~

In the meantime, highlights in photographs from Belgium!

European Vacation 1 - Amsterdam

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Tue, 08 Oct 2013 01:02:00 +0000

We were blessed to be able to spend nearly a month abroad in the European Union and want to share some highlights!! IF ONLY we could do this every year!

First and foremost, and as usual, we put a considerable amount of time into our preparation prior to departure, and recommend everyone traveling with a wheelchair do the same. Most of the summer was spent reading, researching, and reaching out to hotels and activity providers via email to make sure our vacation was as accessible as possible! Finding hotels wasn't easy, and required persistence, and it helps to know exactly where you want to be and when. For the first 12 days of this 19 day excursion, we had my parents with us, so I had a buddy in planning - always a plus, thanks Mom! And to boot, Craig had a partner in access needs - my father is a "slow walker" due to MS. So as a foursome, we made a great travel team! Can't wait to do it again!

Our itinerary was set last year, in late 2012, when United Airlines freed up its mileage plus block for September 3 to Amsterdam. From there we knew we were going to visit Belgium - where exactly and for how long was yet to be decided - and that we would end our vacation on September 19th and fly home from Paris. SO all we had to do was fill in the blanks!

First stop: AMSTERDAM! Exciting....
In Amsterdam, it behooves one to stay near Dam Square, so that daily excursions could embark in any direction, on wheels or on tram, and not have far to go - or return. So that's what we did. We found the Hotel Krasnapolsky to have one accessible room (which many hotels seem to have adapted - one and only one, so early booking is a must!). Despite some issues with air conditioning (who thought that would be an issue in September!), the room was awesome: roll-in shower, lots of room, comfortable bed, tiny but working elevator to the 2nd floor. In many other regards as well, this hotel was truly awesome. From the Winter Garden breakfast dining are complete with ramped entry to the free wi-fi and centralized location, Krasnapolsky is a great choice. On the high end of price, but well worth the bucks.

Our highlights in Amsterdam were many - too many to explain in at length, so we'll be brief:

Dine with the pleasant locals at a pub in Dam Square, an Indian Restaurant off Spui (shpoh) Street, or a red light district coffee shop and you'll find that the people are easily the nicest on the continent. Chat them up, they'll open up their world to you. Dining highlights: Cafe Ouest, Kantji and Tijger, Cafe van Kerkwijk, and De Bolhoed.
Sit at any intersection in a busy part of the city and watch the bikes go by. It's truly wondrous!
Ask for disability discounts at museums, most of them have them. We loved the Hortus Botanic Gardens and Rijksmuseum, and skipped Anne Frank (most inaccessible). The Royal Palace was passable (rooms started looking the same after a while, but the architecture is amazing).
Take a canal tour with City Canal Cruises - great lift down into the boat from the dock!
Worry not about the taxis! All are eager to please, and if needed, ask for a van.
Worry even less about the trams! What a great way to get around, wheelchair seating is in the second half of the tram, make sure you find one with a wheelchair symbol (every, or every other one, every 10-20 minutes).

All in all, this was Craig's favorite stop on our Euro-whirl-wind-tour. His reasons: the people- always his favorite is a friendly city!, the bikes - truly an entertaining passtime, and the Krasnapolsky! Nice work travel team!

Stay tuned for Belgium and France!

Our highlights in photographs, as expected!

Steamboat's mountain boutique hotel is an accessible-friendly one

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 03:34:00 +0000

Last weekend we had the utmost pleasure to stay at the Inn at Steamboat, and back in the early spring we paid the property a visit to make sure the unit would be accessible for us.

A recently renovated boutique hotel tucked in the residential neighborhoods of the Steamboat mountain area, the Inn at Steamboat has new owners and a new face. Numerous upgrades proved beneficial to wheelchair users; spacious rooms with wider doors, this split-level 34-room lodge is much improved since Andy first toured it as a travel agent in 2002.

When we toured in the spring we asked owner Todd to make very few changes for those needing wheelchair access - remove the bathroom door (replace with temporary curtain if needed), get a shower chair with a back, and put in 1"per1' rise ramps to the front two doors, and that's about it! We were pleased to see that they took the initiative to make every effort to provide the best experience for Craig upon our arrival on Saturday.

Ramp images

Bathroom images

The rest of the property is very accessible - despite the split level. The driveway encompasses the building, so while check-in is at the upper level, one would simply park there and roll-in to check in, then drive back down to the ground floor to stay in one of the two "deluxe rooms with valley view" that are accessible and nearest to the entry, ice, pool and the breakfast hall. Another added bonus for people with disabilities who need to keep medications cool, each room offers a small fridge.

In addition to the accessible efforts, the new owners have also won some awards of excellence and made green improvements (which as always, pleases us both!) including the 2013 Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor and the 2013 Green Leaders award from the same for using eco-friendly products and offsetting their carbon footprint with solar panels on the very steep south facing entry roof.

In addition, the rooms are gorgeous, the beds are plush, and the breakfast is hearty. What more can you ask? When booking you next trip to Steamboat, fellow wheelies, think about this quaint little gem off the beaten path!

New dispatch system to speed arrival of wheelchair-accessible cabs in Chicago

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 18:50:00 +0000

Super proud of our friends at Open Doors Org for pushing this through! Woohoo!

From Chicago Sun Times, June 19, 2013
Hundreds of times every month, passengers with disabilities call for taxicabs in Chicago only to have them either arrive hours late or not show up at all.

The nightmare could be over, thanks to a new dispatch system advanced by a City Council committee Wednesday that takes full advantage of the GPS system in every cab.
The contract authorizes Open Doors Organization, a non-profit disability advocacy group, to charge participating medallion owners $215-a-month—down from $275 currently–to subscribe to, what City Hall calls a 21st-century dispatch system.

Currently, the dispatch system is operated by Flash Cab using a central telephone number. Until pick-up, there is no communication between drive and passenger. If there’s a problem, passengers have to keep calling central dispatch and wait for dispatch to contact the driver. The city gets no share of revenues.

The new “SnagTechnology” system was developed in partnership with Driven Solutions LLC, a Humboldt Park technology start-up.

It will not only give the city a five percent cut of revenues. It will allow passengers to communicate directly with cabdrivers to speed arrival times and download an app that will allow them to visualize where all of the wheelchair-accessible cabs are and tap on the closest one.

Open Doors is also planning to distribute I-Pads or other tablets at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Rehabilitation Institute and other major hospitals to make it easier for discharged patients to hail a wheelchair-accessible cab, even if they don’t own a smart phone.

A “rewards program,” including free gas cards, for cabbies who provide the best service will “incentivize” participation, officials said.

“There are hundreds of rides every month that are not picked up. We plan on making that zero. We want every ride picked up. We hope we’ll be able to find out why every ride does not get picked up and then, create a solution so that every ride does get picked up,” said Eric Lipp, executive director of Open Doors.

“Our mission has always been to get people out of the house so we can show our force as consumers, which will then increase accessibility through demand…Representing people with disabilities, we’re able to not only do the dispatch, but train the drivers as well on accessibility things [such as] transfers, etiquette–all of those kinds of things that will be able to increase their business.”

Ald. Emma Mitts (37th), chairman of the City Council’s License Committee, called the dispatch upgrade long overdue.

“Some of the problems with [public] transportation is how long people have to wait for it. We need to cut down on all of that waiting,” Mitts said.

“This is something that needs to have happened. We need to not leave out our disabled and never forget. You never know when we’ll be there. And it gives them a sense of hope, of dignity and pride in being able to go” where they need to go.

Karen Tamley, commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, said riders with disabilities are waiting “much longer than the general population” for cabs, when they arrive at all.

“This is gonna really help improve that system…There’s gonna be better tracking. There’s gonna be better monitoring of where cabs are. There’s gonna be more training,” Tamley said.

“Overall, there’s gonna be a lot more ability for the data to be collected, so we know where the issues are, where the problems are, where the breakdowns could be for people not being able to get cabs in a timely manner.”
Last year, the City Council approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to reform the taxicab industry in a way that nearly doubled the number of wheelchair-accessible cabs—from 90-to-175.

It authorized wheelchair-accessible cabs to remain on the street for five years—with an option for a sixth-year—compared to a maximum street life of four years for non-accessible cabs.

High-tech dispatch is the next logical step, officials said.

Let the Camping Begin!

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

In 2009 we put out this camping focused issue of The Traveler that holds its ground well four years later, and we thought we'd post it again for those of you who love to camp, are new to camping, or are dying to get out in the woods despite your disability.

Check it out for Top Fives of Equipment, Campsites, Parks, and Trails... and plenty more!

As we head out into the woods ourselves these next few weeks (9 days in Maine, 5 days in upstate New York!), we will make sure to post our findings in that area - we're excited to see Acadia National Park for the first time!

Palazzo/Venetian Hotel Vegas installs new Sure Hands Lift

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:08:00 +0000

One of our friends at Surehands Lifts and Care Systems forwarded this video to us of the newest lift that went into the Canyon Ranch Spa at the Palazzo/Venetian Resort this past December. If you're heading that way, check it out!

And hotels, as you're starting to comply with the new ADA Title III rules, check out Surehands, they're among the best, by far.

United takes a big step forward for Customer Service

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Sun, 05 May 2013 03:00:00 +0000

This past week we had the honor to attend United Airlines annual Operations and Cargo Leadership Conference in Chicago, where over 600 airport Station Managers gathered for three days of varying sessions encompassing the topic of service. Service Managers came from all around the world and country, from Oahu to Amsterdam, and everywhere in between. Their adopting mission this year is to improve the customer experience around the world.

The company has settled into the recent merge well, staff from both United and Continental Airlines reporting that the collaborating efforts were going way better than expected. Still overcoming some curves and glitches, as to be expected, but as a whole the company genuinely wants to come out on top and the great strides its top tier has been making don't go unnoticed.

Our presence at this conference was with the Accessible Travel Advisory Board (ATAB). The 15 members have had great input since our board's inception in 2008 (then with Continental), and we love being a part of this "family." Assisting with accessibility in all aspects of the company from check-in to in-flight, from "below-the-wing" (baggage, maintenance, and beyond) to website and mobile apps, our board has learned more about the airline industry than we ever dreamed we could.

Taking a big step forward from our smaller meetings, United asked our group to join this conference and speak as a panel to the attendees - yes all 600 of them! On stage, under bright lights, each of us were to answer their one burning question: "How can United best serve you?" We each had 3 minutes to describe the best travel day possible, and when it was all said and done, the feedback we received was that our 40 minute segment was the best of the conference.
We were impressed immediately by the obvious dedication to their improvement; on the notepad and notebook that was in all packets for the conference was written the following mission, as one of four service missions: "Serving customers with disabilities - understand accessibility. Our mission is to treat every customer with empathy, dignity, and respect. The diverse range of disabilities drives diverse needs. As a leader, you will increase the awareness of these needs in your co-workers, vendors, and airport community." We trust that with 600 worldwide station managers receiving this mission, the results will trickle out quickly.

In our debriefing session that followed, we heard from several departments as usual, all of which continue to make great strides in accessibility improvements across the board.

For starters, their internal ATAB meets monthly, and has made changes to many internal formats, resources, manuals, and trainings.

The changes have already started to take hold. All of our board members had received the on board briefing for example, of which we historically get 0-10% of the time.

Among one of the more exciting developments was that United's top tech team followed and filmed the online experience from start to finish of our board members who is blind in order to best improve the web and mobile app accessibility of the entire experience - which is among the hardest customer experiences to perfect. Pat reported that most had never seen a blind person operate an iPhone, and that they'd be doing additional filming in Chicago and overseas as well.

With the board's approval, Pat recommended that United adopt a full Web Accessibility Policy such that Alaska Airlines, IBM, and even the State of Texas have already adopted. Putting their mobile strategy first shows that this company is looking forward to the future.

Many other changes are trickling down as we type, from Real Time Technology for better vendor (wheelchair pushers) and airline communication, to a new required form for emotional support animals - bringing United up to speed with other airlines who have been confirming these animals' validity by calling the doctor's who "prescribe" them, thus cutting down on the viral abuse of this privilege.

One last thing that the board has been hitting the airlines hard on since our inception is to have SSR (Special Service Request) codes improved with more detail so the gate agents know exactly what disability to expect - and thus plan for - when a request comes through.

Hopefully with all these changes, and future changes to come, you will all come to find that United is a better airline to fly - if not the best - for people with disabilities and special needs.

We are still waiting on videos and photos from this conferences, but as soon as we get them, we'll post them here.

Happy traveling -

Captioning hits Congress

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:40:00 +0000

A new bill in congress would require movie and video content in theaters and airplanes to be captioned and described...

The Captioning and Image Narration to Enhance Movie Accessibility (CINEMA) Act would amend Title III of the ADA to require movie theater complexes of two or more theaters to make captioning and video description available for all films at all showings. Video description is a process that allows an individual who is blind or visually impaired to have access to the key visual elements of the programming by contemporaneous audio narrated descriptions of the actions, settings, facial expressions, costumes, and scene changes during the natural pauses in the audio portion of the programming, usually through headphones.

www.help.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release?id=347af2ed-b204-45a8-b565-0b8a218f5889&groups=Chair

Have you noticed any changes in United Airlines? We did...

noreply@blogger.com (Andy Kennedy) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:00:00 +0000

We hadn't traveled on United since mid 2012, and were surprised to find several new changes since the UA-CO merger when we traveled to Florida this last week. The combined companies' united front seems to be shifting their image nicely, well, for the most part. But change is inevitable, and for the most part, usually good. Here are some of the changes we noticed...

First, although we didn't have it on any of our flights, the inflight magazine states that Wifi is being added to 300 planes this year, with goals to have it on 500 planes by 2014 - for more on that, see united.com/wifi. This is no small feat, since many airports don't even have it, including the hub we transferred through: IAH/Houston Int'l, as well as the two smaller regional airports of HDN/Hayden-Steamboat and RSW/Ft Myers Beach. Personally, we're not quite sure why Wifi isn't a standard free service yet for all companies' customers like it is at many hotels (including the one we stayed at in FMB). Heck, if Starbucks can do it across the country so should you. Hats off to United for working towards that.

Next, United's mobile app has greatly improved. In addition to online check in, mobile boarding passes and general information regarding your reservation, the app has been linked up with the favorite Points Inside app to show interior maps of airports, searchable by name. It also shows live up-to-date information on flight delays, arrivals, and even time updates on where your plane is coming from. This proves handy for the seasoned traveler, keeping them more informed than the gate agents even (a notable downside actually). Our flight from IAH to RSW was delayed due to the incoming equipment (plane), and the gate agent couldn't tell us why. With a few clicks, we knew that the equipment was coming in from San Diego and had left 20 minutes late. We deduced that due to the tailwind we'd caught on the way to IAH, the SAN flight would do the same, and sure enough, we left IAH on time.

Also updated is the inflight magazine map which now includes a paw print to mark the location of SARAs (Service Animal Relief Areas), now it just needs to be added to the mobile app - those using SARAs are usually blind, and can't read the inflight magazines, nor (we're assuming) do the gate agents. Hopefully voice-activated mapping for the blind is coming soon.

Early boarding announcements and protocol keeps changing for the better as well - and United has adopted the "We will now be boarding people with special needs and disabilities" along with the honored men and women in uniform.

We'll be in Chicago in May for our annual disability advisory board meeting, and we'll update you more on that then!

For now, way to go United.