Barrier Free Architecturals
December 24, 2010

What Are RDSPs and Are You Using Them?

Image Source: Department of Finance Canada.

An RDSP is a ‘registered disability savings plan’. The Canadian Revenue Agency describes the purpose of this as a “trust arrangement between a holder and an issuer (a trust company in Canada)’. This kind of account exists to provide financial security for anyone with a “prolonged and severe physical or mental impairment”. Obviously, you have to be registered disable to be eligible to receive access to this account.

Lots of different parties can pay into this account, including the beneficiary, parents, family or any other authorized contributor. One of those authorized contributors is the Canadian Disability Savings Grant, which makes payments to eligible RDSPs.

There are various tax benefits to this account – although contributions are not tax deductible, any earnings on the money in the account are tax exempt while they’re in the plan. These tax benefits will help anyone with the account save greater amounts of money over the years, therefore enabling them to secure their financial wellbeing far into the future.

However, a recent survey from the BMO Financial Group revealed that only five per cent of Canadians with disabilities hold RDSP accounts. Even more alarmingly, only half of the Canadians who would be eligible for the account know about RDSPs. This is a surprisingly low level of awareness and points to an obvious opportunity for improving the life of people with disabilities in Canada.

BMO was the first bank to offer the RDSP account and is the current market leader. Since the account’s inception two years ago, the bank has pledged to educate and raise awareness so that more and more eligible Canadians learn about the product and take advantage of it if they wish to.

This survey also goes some way to suggesting the lack of awareness in other areas of life with disability in Canada. For example, we’ve covered extensively on this blog the poor levels of implementation of some disability legislation and the low levels of voluntary universal design, for example, ramps in public spaces and wheelchair accessible kitchens into office buildings.

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December 17, 2010

The Other Welfare

The Boston Globe website has a special feature called ‘The Other Welfare’. The series of articles focus on something known as The Supplemental Security Income, or SSI. This is a $10 billion fund that was created for children with disabilities by offering federal benefit cheques to their parents.

The feature investigates the history of the SSI and what kind of usage it has today. The report draws two main conclusions:

-  although the fund was created specifically to help families with children with severe disabilities, (for example, providing home fittings such as handicap bathrooms for families with disabled children), the majority of children receiving the fund today come from needy backgrounds and suffer from behavioural, learning and mental conditions.

- although it’s not necessarily ‘easy’ to qualify for this benefits fund, there is little follow up in order to check and ensure that the child and his or her family still needs SSI.

The Boston Globe goes on to say that the combination of these two conclusions has led to a worrying state of affairs. The first of these comes about because one of the ways for a child to receive the fund is if they are on medication for their disability – this has, effectively, “created, for many needy parents, a financial motive to seek prescriptions for powerful drugs for their children” (source).

Further down the line, the fund also presents problems for the child and his or her family. The Supplemental Security Income can provide parents with up to $700 per month in payments. As the Globe puts it, this “leads some families to count on a child’s remaining classified as disabled, even as his or her condition may be improving.” Added to this is the fact that older children, teenagers, who may want to start working or training, are incentivised to put off this step in order to continue receiving the benefits for themselves and their families.

There’s lots more information on the Globe’s website, along with a chance for you to add your thoughts to the debate.

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December 8, 2010

Bath and Shower Mobility Issues Concerning Older Adults

A study entitled “Bath Falls Common Among Older Adults” by the University of Michigan Health System was published a few years back, but is definitely still a matter of concern for older people.

The report states that shower and bathtub safety is of utmost importance since one-third of people age 60 and over have difficulty accessing their bathtub or shower, even with basic bathtub safety equipment installed.

Susan L. Murphy, ScD, OTR, an occupational therapist and U-M research assistant professor who had worked on the study had stated that there are many “independently bathing older adults who have trouble or are unsafe getting into and out of the tub or shower stall. For older adults, losing the ability to bathe is associated with having falls, fracturing bones, and even being admitted to a nursing home. It is important that we take steps to help to prevent bathing disability before it occurs.”

So recommendations of the study include:

1.      Do not use a sliding glass shower door for stability and balance since these glass doors are not design to support a person’s weight. Shower doors can be replaced by shower curtains.

2.      Use proper shower and bathtub equipment. These include handicap shower accessories and grab bars. Under no circumstances should unsafe shower equipment, such as plastic lawn chairs or other equipment not intended for this purpose. Built-in showers such ADA showers and barrier free showers with features are perfect examples of this.

3.      Educating older adults about shower and bathtub safety. The study showed that older adults did not recognize the difference between grab bars or towel bars or have unsafe methods for getting in and out of the shower or tub, such as using a step-stool.

The full study can be found at the Journal of American Geriatrics Society.

Since often older adults have trouble climbing in and out, navigating or hitting the side of their bathtubs or showers, it makes sense to make life easier with specialized shower systems.

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December 3, 2010

Novels and Poems Featuring People with Disabilities

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly book cover. Image Source: Vintage Books, division of Random House.

There are lots of novels and autobiographies that either feature people with disabilities as central characters, or deal with some of the issues surrounding accessibility. Here are a few recommendations to get you started:

  • The Diving-Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby – a remarkable book written by a man who suddenly succumbed to ‘locked in syndrome’ and was only able to ‘dictate’ his story by blinking his left eye. This book has also been made into a popular film.
  • Tasting the Wind by Allan Mayer – this book is set during the 1980’s, when people with mental disabilities were treated very differently than today. It has a gripping plot that involves the movement of long-term ‘patients’ into the community.
  • Under The Eye of the Clock by Christopher Nolan – this is a largely autobiographical book that deals with the author’s story of breaking out of the confines of his body. He also wrote an acclaimed collection of poetry entitled A Dam-burst of Dreams.
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon – this book has been a best seller since its publication in 2004. This book tells the story of a boy with autism who becomes obsessed with discovering who killed his neighbour’s dog.
  • Blind Justice by Bruce Alexander – a rip-roaring detective novel set in the 18th Century. An innocent young boy has been set up for a theft and then a murder. A blind judge, Sir John Fielding, takes an interest in the boy and, as a team, they seek to solve the mysteries.
  • Hope Mountain by Jon Land – a break from the norm for thriller writer Jon Land. In this novel, a champion skier Jamie Brooks becomes depressed after a major accident cost him his jet set lifestyle. However, at the brink of giving up, he returns to Hope Mountain where the ski school for the disabled changes his entire outlook on life.

This is really just the tip of the iceberg – you’ll find a lot more wonderful literature once you start looking. I suggest checking out some lists on Amazon and asking at your local library.

If you’re interested in making your home more accessible, why not start with the best reading spot in the house and buy an accessible bath!

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