Whether you love it or hate it, it’s that time of year again!
The time where we set goals to accomplish by this time next year. While many individuals set lofty objectives and struggle to stay on track throughout the entire year, we encourage you to set your goals as high as you want, but establish a plan of action to help you get there. Below are just a few ideas to get your wheels turning about tangible goals you can set and achieve in 2019.
Speak Up When Spoken to Incorrectly
While it’s encouraging that individuals of all abilities have started to grow a vocabulary of inclusion, we still have a long way to go. That doesn’t mean that individuals with limited mobility do not have the right to speak up when incorrect language is used. However, we understand this fight can feel exhausting if every conversation is a battle. This year, try picking three phrases or words that you educate friends, family, and coworkers on. It doesn’t have to be a fight, it can simply start with the phrase, “I know you did not mean to offend me, but I feel respected by a different phrase or wording, because…”
Keep in mind that the number of phrases you choose as education points can be anything you want. The most important thing is that you set boundaries for yourself so you don’t feel that you’re in defensive mode all year long. Instead, you’re speaking up to individuals who have a consistent role in your life to improve communication in your long-term relationships.
Make Your House More Accessible
This one takes less emotional effort, and more financial planning. If it’s difficult to get in and out of your house, do yourself a huge favor this year and ease the frustration of coming and going in 2019. You’d be surprised how many new adventures you go on this year, just because it’s easier to get out the front or back door.
First, estimate the cost of your current access solution outside of your house. For example, if you have a wood ramp outside your residence, calculate the amount of money you may spend on maintenance throughout its lifetime. Wood rots and warps due to weather conditions, so it needs some attention over the years to ensure safe entry into your home. This website is a great resource for average ramp costs broken down by material. You’ll find that carpenter/handyman work can be anywhere between $60 and $90 per hour, while permits for wood ramp construction can cost between $30 and $120.
If you replace a wood ramp with a corrosion-resistant aluminum ramp, the cost of maintenance is virtually non-existent. While the price of the ramp may be higher up front, it takes far less time and labor to install an aluminum ramp like the PATHWAY® 3G Modular Access System or GATEWAY® 3G Solid Surface Portable Ramp. When doing research as an informed consumer, you’ll find that the biggest con of prefabricated aluminum ramps is the time it takes to ship the parts to your home. At EZ-ACCESS, we do our best to get the access solution to your home as soon as possible. We promise to ship the ramp of choice within 24 – 48 hours of purchase!
Find Your New Favorite Spot
If a disability was acquired, many individuals find themselves pining for activities and places from years past. We encourage you to go out of your comfort zone in 2019 and find your new favorite spot. Maybe it’s in your own neighborhood or maybe near your place of work. Wherever it is, make a commitment to yourself to invite friends for meaningful conversation and quality time together to make new memories rather than look back on old ones.
Another more elaborate option is to travel to a new place you’ve never been before. Take a close friend or go solo. No matter where you go, just make it exciting. Whether you want to see breathtaking natural sights or explore cities rich with history, there are some destinations around the world that are perfect for traveling with a wheelchair. Check out this blog, Spin the Globe, for one wheelchair user’s guide to the top 10 wheelchair accessible places to visit in 2019.
No matter what goals you make this year, know that EZ-ACCESS is here to support you.
If you’re interested in gaining more insight into home access solutions, feel free to reach out to our Customer Service team!