The Citizen, 2018-05-03, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 3, 2018.
"Are you VisitAble?"
By Julie Sawchuk
VisitAble
The front entrance to Lorie and Kevin Falconer's home in Blyth is a perfect example of a
VisitAble home. Unfortunately, the Falconers are the exception and not the rule when it comes
to area homes and being accessible for all. (Photo submitted)
VisitAble. Say it this way: visit-
able. It's not a new term, but
increasingly it is becoming more
well understood. Think of
visitability as the bridge that spans
the gap between a completely
accessible home and one that is not
accessible. In a series of recent
events in my life, the idea of
visitability has come to the
forefront.
My sister's home is NOT
VisitAble. With six steps up, even a
makeshift plywood ramp creates a
stressful journey to her front door
(for me and for the people pushing
me up). If we are brave enough to
try, once I am through the door,
there is no bathroom that I can get
into without going up (the stairs) to
the second floor, which is not an
option. This shortens our visit.
There are three basic tenets that
makes a home VisitAble. One,
there must be one zero -step
entrance at either the front, side or
rear of the home. The next
requirement is a clear passageway
through the first -level living space.
The third part is that the main floor
bathroom or powder room needs to
be large enough for someone who
uses a mobility device.
Having just returned from the
Rick Hansen Foundation
Accessibility Certification course,
this was a topic at the top of
my mind when we drove through a
new local retirement community
(near Goderich) Saturday
afternoon. Not one of the homes
built (all new construction) could
be called VisitAble — and this is a
retirement community! Statistics
Two decades of art
Blyth Festival Artistic Director Gil Garratt won the Individual
Artist Award at the Huron Arts and Heritage Network's
annual Cultural Awards Friday night in Blyth. His two
decades of work at the Festival put him head and
shoulders above the competition. (Shawn Lough/in photo)
show that seniors want to do less
stairs and that they want to stay in
their own homes for as long as
possible.
VisitAble homes are not obvious
unless you are looking for them.
They don't stand out, in fact, they
have a modern aesthetic appeal.
Zero -step entry means no slippery
stairs to shovel in winter — and less
risk of injury. It means that strollers
(i.e. grandkids), movers and
mobility devices (walker,
wheelchair, scooter) can come and
go with ease. Building no -step at
the onset of a build requires no
renovation when a level entrance is
needed for a family member; even
for a temporary disability like a hip
replacement.
It blows my mind that none of
the homes in this retirement
community were zero -step! We, as
a society, are so short-sighted in
our planning that we are going to
have to spend more money in the
future to renovate so we can "age in
place". That or we'll have to pay
the costs of moving to a retirement
home because we didn't plan
ahead. VisitAbility makes so much
sense in this type of community
especially — where you want to be
able to visit with your neighbours
and live in an inclusive community.
But won't it cost more? This is
where planning ahead makes a big
difference and this goes for all
accessibility initiatives. According
to the Canadian Centre for
Disability Studies, depending on
factors such as topography and
floor plan, creating a VisitAble
home from the outset can cost less
than $1,000. With stairs being the
leading cause of fatal falls for
seniors living in their own
home —isn't that a small price to
pay?
What about if you want to create
a visitable home and are not
planning on building new? All you
need is a ramp, right? There are
good ramps and bad ramps. Bad
ramps are those that not only don't
meet the building code, they also
don't allow for independence. A
ramp that is too steep means a
person using a manual wheelchair
(or pushing one) may not be able to
get to the top on their own. A good
ramp does better than code (five
per cent slope). It incorporates the
ramp into the design of the building
using the porch. It can also be
blended into a garden wall or you
can use the slope of the driveway to
lead up to the back of the house.
I know (better than most) that we
don't think about accessibility until
we need it. By then it's too late and
costly renovations are required.
Blyth is on the verge of a whole
block of new housing - so think
now, what should you do to your
home to help someone with a
temporary or permanent disability?
Are you VisitAble?
DECLARATIONS DE CANDIDATURE
LE CONSEIL SCOLAIRE CATHOLIQUE PROVINDENCE
(FRENCH LANGUAGE SEPARATE SCHOOL BOARD)
Un (1) a elire-representant les regions combinees a I'interieur des Comtes de Lambton, Huron et Bruce.
LE CONSEIL SCOLAIRE VIAMONDE (FRENCH LANGUAGE PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD)
Un (1) a elire-representant les regions combinees de toutes les municipalites des Comtes de Waterloo,
Wellington, Middlesex, Perth Les formulaires appropries au bureau du Greffier.
Chaque nomination Doit etre dument signee par le candidat et classee par la candidat ou un agent entre
la periode de I'annee debutant le mardi 1 mai 2018 et finissant le vendredi 27 juillet 2018(Journee des
nominations) entre 9th et 14th. Un honoraire prescript au montant de cent dollars ($100.00) doit
accompagner is formulaire. Les reglements provinclaux requiert que I'honoraire soft en argent comptant,
cheque certifie ou un mandate, carte -client ou carte de credit. Carte de credit pas accepte a Sarnia. Les
cheques personnels ne peuvent etre acceptes. Le formulaire du candidat dolt etre approuve par le Greffier
afin que la personne nominee devienne un candidat certifie pour le poste qu'II a ete nomme.
Veuillez noter que les nominations pour le Conseil Scolaire de Lanque frangaise doivent etre clasgees
comme suit:
LE CONSEIL SCOLAIRE CATHOLIQUE PROVINDENCE
(FRENCH LANGUAGE SEPARATE SCHOOL BOARD)
Les nominations peuvent etre clasgees entre 9h et 14h, le jour des nomination le vendredi 27 juillet 2018
ou avant le jour des nominations pendant les heures normales de bureau. Les nominations peuvent etre
clasees au bureau du Greffier de Sarnia au C.P. 3018, 255 Rue North Christina, Sarnia, Ontario. N7T
7N2. ou a votre demande, au bureau municipal de votre municipalite si la distance entre votre residence et
le bureau municipal de Sarnia est au dela de cent (100) kilometres.
LE CONSEIL SCOLAIRE VIAMONDE (FRENCH LANGUAGE PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD)
Les nominations peuvent etre classees entre 9h et 14h, le jour des nomination le vendredi 27 juillet 2018
ou avant le jour des nominations pendant les heures normales de bureau. Les nominations peuvent etre
classees au bureau du Greffier de London au C.P. 5035, 300 Dufferin Avenue, London, Ontario, N6A 4L9.
ou a votre demande, au bureau municipal de votre municipalite si la distance entre votre residence et le
bureau municipal de Sarnia est au dela de cent (100) kilometres.
Au cas ou it y aurait un nombre insuffisant be candidats certifies pour remplir les postes disponibles, les
nominations pour les postes fibres seront reouvertes seulement le mercredi 1 aout 2018 entre 9h et 14h,
heures de bureau, et toutes nominations additionelles, si requis, peuvent etre classees au bureau du
Greffier designe.
L'electorat est dument notifie au cas oia it y aurait un nombre excedent de candidats certifies pour les postes
disponibles les bureau de vote seront ouverts aux dates precisees, dans le but de permettre les notes
advances.
Si vous avez I'intentionde poser votre candidature aux elections municipals pour quelque poste que ce soit,
vous devez premierement completer et classer un formulaire approprie indiquant votre candidature au
bureau du Greffier assinge avant de depenser aucun frais monitaire ou d'entreprendre des prelevements de
fonds monitaire a votre campagne electoral.
Mark Becker, greffier
Carol Watson, greffier(e) Nancy Michie, greffier(e)
Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Howick Morris-Turnberry
Richard Al, greffier
North Huron
Brad Knight, greffier Brenda Maclsaac, greffier(e)
Huron East Central Huron
Janice Hallahan, greffier(e) Chandra Alexander, greffier(e)
Goderich Bluewater
Rebekah Msuya-Collison,
greffier(e)
South Huron