Without emotional wellness, quality of life suffers

“If you hide from it, people aren’t aware you’re struggling,” says Patricia Cavanaugh, a retired Moncton lawyer and now an artist with, in my humble opinion, considerable talent — a gift she now shares with us. Ms. Cavanaugh spoke about her struggle with depression in a recent Brunswick News article and after reading it, I was compelled to reach out.

Ms. Cavanaugh will be showcasing another of her talents, singing at the fifth annual Beacon In The Night variety show and art expo on May 12th at the Jeanne-de-Valois auditorium on l’Université de Moncton campus, when people living with mental illness can shine - shine by sharing their talents via their art and their music, and shine a light on the need for raising awareness of mental health issues. The event was started by Dr. Patrick Marcotte, a psychiatrist at the Georges-L-Dumont Hospital Centre, with the goal being to break through the stigma attached to mental illness.

Mental illness, mental condition, emotional unwellness - a mixed bag. One area of mental health and wellness that often goes unexplored is the issues associated with parents of children with disabilities, siblings of children with disabilities, other relatives of children with disability, notably grandparents, who may distance themselves simply because they just don’t know how to interact with the new grandchild who may have profound deficiencies with regard to physical ability and possibly intellectual ability that affects learning. 

Emotional unwellness plagues parents who are given the news that the baby they just brought into the world will be significantly disabled with an uncertain outcome. Aren’t outcomes for all of us uncertain? Isn’t it the minute by minute experiences, day by day, week by week, year by year that contribute to shaping outcomes? Doctors and other clinicians must work more diligently at not imposing their value/belief systems on parents who are struggling with news of such magnitude. They must stop telling parents that their child ‘will be a vegetable and he should be put in an institution.’ Yet again, Dickensian attitudes are the go-to. It’s cruel and unusual punishment to already wounded Moms and Dads. 

Clinicians need to keep their eyes and ears open and ask better questions and pay attention to hesitations and masking. Teachers of school-aged children with disability need to pay attention to changes in a parent’s demeanor. Asking how Mom’s doing or how Dad’s doing can be very telling. If guard is down, a helping hand can be offered. Caregivers try to convince themselves and the rest of us that they can do it all. They can’t!

Very often, the primary caregiver is the one who is at most risk but she just won’t allow the facade to crack. She has to be strong. She has to learn all she can learn about the needs of her child. She remains silent, but her stress shows — shows in how she interacts with her partner, shows in how she engages with her other children who have no disability, shows in how she interacts with family and friends. Being silent diminishes quality of life for everyone who have the closest relationship to the mother who is trying to do it all and then some. 

Being silent is neither healthy nor productive and  has potential to harm those near and dear; perhaps not intentionally, but the errors and omissions associated with living a life that’s stressed to the max affects everyone, every day in every way.

When we think of mental illness or mentally ill, we think of the serial killer who goes on a killing rampage, or the serial rapist who lurks in the shadows for decades before being caught and punished or the unkempt person who’s teetering on the rail of a bridge about to leap off. Often, their back stories tell shockingly scary tales of lives lived in fear, while others present people who for all intents were ‘normal’ before their demons were visited upon their communities.

Events like Beacon In The Night are necessary pieces of the fabric of a community. They allow us to learn about what it means to live in fear, in blackness, in pain, in isolation. Worrying and wondering, and hiding our ‘real’ selves in careers that keep us busy and supposedly ‘on top of things’. Then reality slams us. It’s all a lie. It’s time to tell our truth  — being in a safe place with others who are also struggling allows us to do that.

If you have a truth to tell, grab a bestie or two and check out Beacon In The Night activities. New friends are waiting.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

In my home it’s a dog’s life. I just pay the bills

I am a pet people; in fact, I have 2 — a 15 year old Australian Silky Terrier, considered geriatric given his advanced age, and a 8-9 year old Maltese, a sassy senior. Both are in excellent health though they could do with daily walks. I feel guilty about not being sufficiently accommodating, but there are other ways in which I am able to ensure they get sufficient exercise. While in the TV room, as I’m sitting on the floor with them, I toss various toys in a rousing game of fetch and return. Mr. Digby will fetch the toy and run off with it, depositing it in the living room at the other end of the house, run back to wait for me to do it again. Oops, he forgot to bring it back. Miss Lexie, knowing how the game goes, will make the mad dash to fetch the tossed ball or stuffed animal/plushy and bring it back, putting it down in front of me. The D-man grabs that toy and runs off with it, again to the living room. There’s method in my madness. He’s the one who needs the exercise!

Now that the nicer weather is here, I hope to be getting them out for proper walks, however infrequently; they’ll be tethered to my mobility scooter, though Mr. Digby simply will not tolerate having Miss Lexie join us; he gets very testy, and a testy terrier is never a good thing so I’ll take him out on his own, travelling on the shoulder of the road with him on the inside ‘lane’, inspecting grass and rocks. Motorists are very courteous and if one is passing, they leave lots of room. Even oncoming traffic slows down — no doubt amused by the sight of a tiny lady on a fire engine red scooter running the roads with a feisty canine companion. Left on his own in the house while I am out with his ‘sister’, Mr. Digby enjoys Jukebox Oldies; he’s a huge Connie Francis fan.

As with Moms and Dads and their children,  I try not to play favourites, but we all know that in every family that’s inevitable. Some canines are simply more challenging than others, more needy. Mr. Digby’s start in life contributes to his personality — he was a puppy mill dog, sold to a pet store, then sold to an owner who didn’t treat him well. When I adopted him, he was in foster care. Miss Lexie, on the other hand, was an owner surrender from a great home. Her ‘other mother’ visits from time to time. Miss Lexie is more predictable. 

Most people in my position who are on their own with no family nearby wonder about what will happen to their dogs when they are no longer able to meet their daily needs - feeding, exercise, grooming, vet visits, and so on. Were I living in the city, I’d have access to the assistance of ElderDog Canada: Fredericton Pawd. It’s a registered charitable organization, dedicated to aging persons and their dogs. 

ElderDog offers solutions to those concerns and their involvement is all voluntary. They are available to help you help your dog so you can stay together in the home you know and love. Volunteers will visit you and your pet in your home, take your dog for a walk, brush him, feed him and spend time with you and your dog. They’re available to have ‘that’ conversation so you can feel assured that all will be well with your pet should your circumstances change.

Should you require hospitalization, ElderDog will arrange for care of your dog until you are able to resume that role. If/when the time comes that you can no longer live in your home, ElderDog will assist you in finding a home for your canine companion so that you don’t have the added burden of stressing about what will become of your devoted four-footed friend should you no longer be able to care for him.

Currently, I am able to easily meet the daily needs of my canine companions. I am very fortunate to have a groomer who will come to my home to collect my dogs to beautify them in her home-based ‘salon’, taking really great care of Mr. Digby and Miss Lexie. Some time ago, I had a conversation with her about boarding them should I want to go away for a few weeks. She’s agreed to look after them. One less thing for this crotchety old broad to worry about! 

In the event that a long-term arrangement is required for my rugrats, I’ve already had conversations with a young nephew who’s agreed to step in. I reminded him that I have some ‘great stuff’.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

When a classroom's four walls is the real learning disability

Unschooling or free schooling children has been an increasingly popular approach to education adopted by parents/caregivers  who want their youngsters to be unencumbered by the constraints of 4 walls and a rigid set of ‘one size fits all’ drilled learning. In the formative years of my own education, I’d have been a perfect free schooling student. 

I hold the view that traditional, sit down and sit still education of children is effectively ruining them, squashing their creativity and setting the stage of a host of often lifetime problems. Yes, problems. Children are being stifled from experiencing the world on their own terms and at their own pace.

With regard to free schooling, my niece, whose young son lives with autism, had this to say — “one big issue with that is that parents of special needs kids are already exhausted from the care their kids require and their resources are spent. Not to say that it [free schooling]isn’t often/most times the superior option but that there is little support available.”

That needs to change if children who learn differently, are differently able and just don’t seem to fit are to thrive in any sort of formal setting.  Fully appreciating the learning styles of the 'differently able' is critical if they are to succeed in any aspect of life. Many children with deficiencies to mobility as well as to intellect would be far better served learning 'life skills' from the get-go, with the requisite traditional lessons interwoven. Making learning practical and fun also reduces teacher stress.

I find the term learning disability is used  inappropriately, as some children by virtue of an inability to discern social cues and learn and know how to behave in social situations are not at all learning disabled. Think about it.

Children who don't fit the 'standard' learning model may be ideal candidates for being free schooled or unschooled; tear down those walls and allow them to flourish out in the world, up to their elbows in dirt, pulling fresh veggies out of the ground, examining trees and bark and leaves, oh my! There’s a reading lesson lurking in that garden. Do you see it? A math lesson. Think! A salad to be made. Another math lesson.

Reading and writing and arithmetic can be learned in any number of ways that don't involve sitting with 25-30 other children in a closed space with an adult talk, talk, talking! It's time to get serious about thinking outside the box.

Unschooling/free schooling rages against traditional thinking on what kids with learning disabilities, and particularly autism, need in order to learn. I say, rage away.

Even in mistakes, there is learning. We all make mistakes; that’s part of the human condition. Must the mistakes of adults continue to be obstacles to a child’s learning. If one approach is not working, try another. Don’t punish them with negative reporting because they ‘don’t get it’. 

The medically fragile child also benefits from the unschooling/free schooling model because they aren’t stressed by an environment that compromises their physical and emotional health. A child who is relaxed in the spaces in which learning takes place will learn and will, with the passsage of time, be able to generalize knowledge. A huge plus, particularly for children with autism who are often thought to be totally lost to and in the world. We need to see what they see.

Free schooling or unschooling allows for the child to catch up on aspects of development that may have eluded him. Trying to push grade specific academic requirements at him because he’s of a certain age is stifling as well as punitive. Focusing on nurturing development on a day to day basis rather than an endless parade of meetings with teachers and others about how they can best meet his needs is time lost. Practical tools of daily living should be the major part of the ‘teaching plan’.

Children who are differently able, who also learn differently can become lifelong learns if the element of enjoyment, of joy, is woven into each day’s adventure. Pace is everything. Rushing children through the curriculum to meet the teacher’s plan is not effective and it never will be effective. Time to park that bus.

Our lives are in constant flux and on a daily basis, we’re all learning how to cope and deal with change. Isn’t that what life and learning is all about? 

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

Aging in place with a since birth disability has its challenges

       Decades ago, cerebral palsy was considered a ‘children’s disease’. Today there are many living with the disorder reaching ages into the 70s and 80s. Cerebral palsy is not a disease at all but a fixed neurological insult with the secondary implications often setting the stage for outcomes, day by day, week by week, and year by year. By clinical diagnosis I ‘have’ spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, affecting the legs and concurrently the spine. Implications of aging have been making inroads for several decades, with spinal stenosis, osteoarthritis of the thoracic spine, degenerative disc disease and fibromyalgia being notable among them. Then there’s the wonky vision and quirky heart. 

Seniors such as I, growing old with cerebral palsy, may face a variety of challenges, many of which can be mitigated with the help of professional in-home caregivers. With proper supports, we are able to age in place in safety and in comfort. Comfort and familiarity with spaces is critical to someone like me who has spent decades fine-tuning skills to function independently — from moving a vacuum cleaner from one room to another to carrying a bucket of water without sloshing it all over the place.

We’re not unlike our age appropriate peers with regard to growing old, sharing many of the same issues. As example, I have been coping with increased pain in the knees, hips, neck and back — for me, spasticity management is critical so that my daily routines aren’t compromised by pain-induced stumbles or falls. So far so good, and ‘doctor drug’ free.

Decreased mobility often contributes to the higher risk of falls as does diminished bone density and muscle strength. We who are aging with since birth mobility disorders often have to reassess how we will conduct the business of our lives should we need to use devices and aides like canes, crutches, walkers, wheelchairs or mobility scooters. It’s important to have conversations with your primary care physician to formalize a plan of in-home care. I know I would benefit from daily physiotherapy, drawing on the regimen that was undertaken with me when I was a small child. Restoring muscle memory and tweaking patterned movement would allow me to stay on top of things as I age in place, on my own, home alone.

I’m fortunate, while living on my own, to be able to prepare meals and maintain my home with regard to daily and weekly housecleaning, relying on outside help very infrequently.

Proper nutrition is an issue for the aging person, particularly those who live alone  without benefit of frequent visitors, whether family, friends or neighbours. Bulk cooking and baking has been part of my MO for decades and it’s not likely to change. Perhaps seniors in your world might consider organising baking and cooking parties and share the stews, pot pies, soups and salads of their labours. It would be an ideal way to ensure healthy eating on a daily basis. As well, pooling resources reduces costs and that’s always a good thing.

Seniors with pre-existing disability may need more supports available to stave off the beast of depression that tends to invade the emotional spaces of the aging person, as isolation is a significant concern for seniors who live on their own without daily or frequent access to family or friends to ‘check in’. For the senior with disability beyond the implications of aging and what that means in terms of health and wellness, there’s the reality that social connection tends to diminish with age and it’s not always by choice. 

Aging in place can present a few unique challenges for older adults. Some require only part-time assistance with housework or meal preparation, while others are living with serious illnesses and benefit more significantly from receiving live-in home care. Care plans are based on individual needs.

It’s critical for the aging person to accept the reality that the body does experience wear and tear, joints do ache, balance does change and more care and attention has to be taken. The aging person must also accept that the living spaces may need modifications to ensure ongoing personal safety. 

In many ways, I’m at an adavantage, having come into the world with challenges to mobility that impact how and where I can live safely. Adapting my square peg existence to the round hole world has been a lifelong adventure with lots of interesting and often amusing experiences. So long as I can ‘walk this way’ without slamming into the refrigerator, life is good.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

How would you feel if your personal space was invaded?

The recent story about Amanda Hoyt and her son who lives with autism got my attention, particularly when I read at how shabbily her child was treated while on an mall outing with a respite worker. The boy had a ‘meltdown’ that lasted for over an hour and it was videotaped by teenage girls. Did they forget to engage their brains? Did their parents fail to teach them about compassion? Those lessons are often learned when a child first starts ambulating and communicating. Clearly, those young women had too much time on their hands and should be ashamed of themselves. Alas, that would require an engaged moral compass. Yup, I’m annoyed!

The stressors of parenting or being a sibling to a child with challenges impacts on everyone within the family dynamic and can range from very mild, to the stage where one becomes physically ill. With the traditional role of women changing over the decades, there remains constant a mother’s love for her child, and it is often the mother who is the primary care giver; she is the go-to for all the day to day happenings in her child’s world. Amanda is that person for her son.

Amanda Hoyt’s hope for a calm outing for her child so that she could enjoy some alone/decompressing time was blown to smithereens because of the thoughtlessness of those who should know better.

What about the people who stood by and watched the scene unfold; probably parents themselves, pointing and sniggering. Both easy to do with no thought given to consequences, at least not for themselves. They got what they wanted -  a laugh at the expense of a child. A point and stare at the expense of a caregiver. The child got more stress; his caregiver got more stress. 

When respite comes, the mother or father or other caregiver can only hope their own quality time will not be weighted down with wondering how their child is doing, off somewhere else with someone else, such as Amanda’s son was.

  The individuals who videotaped Amanda’s child and invaded his personal space, and the people who pointed and stared and offered comment about what a bad mother Amanda must be or why the child cannot be controlled should be ashamed of themselves. In addition to having no idea about how stressful it is to raise a child with challenge, they also demonstrated a common trait amongst them - they’re bullies.

I wholeheartedly agree with Ms. Hoyt’s assertion that her child is not a freak show and she has every right to be a harsh critic of those who victimized her child with their unfounded comments and totally inappropriate glaring. Recording the scene was totally out of line, only escalating the stress for a child in crisis, not to mention what it did to the adult caregiver trying to defuse the situation.

I speak from experience when I say that being stared at while struggling to walk without stumbling, climbing up steps where there was no railing and hearing people whisper about my own mother as we made our way on the streets and into shops in Fredericton back in the late 50s and 60s had impact. I felt the stress. My mother felt the stress.

Growing up in small town New Brunswick from the late 50s through the early 70s, it was sink or swim with no mainstreaming. I survived. As an adult, I continue to be victimized by all manner of people who failed to look beyond their own prejuidices. When out and about, whomever I’m with is often asked what I want. I’m spoken to in a manner that suggests I’m deaf and intellectually lagged. Disrespectful!

Asking whether I’m related to so and so - ‘he’s in a wheelchair, too,’ continues to amuse me. The kicker, though, was several years ago during a mall outing when I met a fellow wheelchair user, then a student at STU. A couple of old ladies approached and asked if we were sisters! 

As a mother, Amanda has to cope with how people treat her son. His level of awareness aside, he does know when people are staring at him. Just stop it!

I, as still uprightly mobile old gal aging with cerebral palsy know full well when folks are pointing and sniggering. It happens less when I’m in my chair than using crutches as the latter is very visually awkward to watch.

Regardless, no one should be abusing another with such a display as was demonstrated by the teenage girls victimizing Amanda Hoyt’s son. If they boast about their exploits and are still under parental control, perhaps the adults in the room will do the right thing. Take that cellphone away!

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

Are you the bully in your home teaching your children how it's done?

“N.B.-born Dad beams with pride as son wins gold,” was the message delivered in the headline of a recent Brunswick News story about the Olympics. A father’s pride at his son’s accomplishment is a most shareworthy and noteworthy sentiment; as Canadians and as New Brunswickers we can own it, too. That was my thinking.

Apparently, my view was not shared by a few who posted comments about the article, immediately picking it apart and resorting to name calling of fellow posters. Why is that? What did they accomplish by being nasty? Is that their immediate ‘go-to’ when they don’t agree with something? Do they have children? Grandchildren? Are those young people witness to such bullying behaviour?

I then wondered if they conducted themselves in a similar fashion in the workplace, berating colleagues without a single thought to consequences. Are they the ones at a restaurant who loudly criticize wait staff for delivering a cold meal? Were they the parents at youth hockey swearing at coaches and berating their own child who was trying his best to play a game he loved? How long will he love it with a parent who will never be satisfied?

Are any of the authors of those unnecessary comments also motorists who experience bouts of road rage when things aren’t going as they want them to? Bullying behaviour does have consequences. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. But just you wait! 

Just you wait until you get a call from your third grader’s teacher to inform you that you must attend a meeting about ‘an incident’. Your child pushed another so hard that he fell and struck his head, knocked out cold.

The bullying parent may immediately seek to blame the other child for upsetting his own, failing to see that the aggressive behaviour was observed/learned somewhere, somehow. A youngster constantly exposed to bullying behaviour in the home is bound to carry it into his daily interactions, in the classroom, on the playground at recess, at the park, within organised sports like hockey and soccer. When consequences come, the child bully is caught off guard, not expecting to be benched, sent home, or suspended from school. 

Allowed to continue, yes, allowed, the behaviour reaches the point where the child is a teenager and appears before youth court for vandalism. Is the parent present, muttering under his/her breath about how unfairly their child is being treated?

In recent weeks, the news consuming public was witness to supposed grown-ups bullying teenagers in the wake of the Florida school shooting. My first thought was “how dare they!” Those politicians and newscasters and others going after young people with their venomous rhetoric clearly failed the quality control test for compassion. What seems to be lost on them, if they are parents, is that their children are up close and personal with such abusive behaviour. That alone should be enough of a wake-up call for them to cease and desist. Who are they going to blame five, ten, fifteen years down the road when their little darling gets him/herself into all manner of trouble?

The young people who recently gathered together in Washington and elsewhere at rallies to draw attention to the need for stricter gun control are our future leaders. Those currently in power need to pay attention and get real. When I read and about certain newscasters and others berating them and their efforts, I was stunned. The half-baked apology issued by one  is just that — half-baked. It’s meaningless given she only apologised to get herself out of a jam; too little, too late.

Bullying goes online with some parents actually stalking young people perceived to have maligned their own child in some way. It involves saying mean things, putting unflattering graffiti on someone’s social wall or sharing pictures with others of a person in compromising situations. Indeed, cyberbullying is such a problem that there was a case in which an adult woman harassed a teenager so much that the child went into depression and committed suicide.

Parents who bully may try to control their children’s online presence by being nasty to youngsters in their child’s social network, then it spirals into a free-for-all with parents attacking parents. One, two, then three red flags!

The time has come for parents to consider unplugging themselves and their children and getting reacquainted as a family. While listening and hearing, have a conversation about bullying and what it really means. Parents and children may learn things about each other that will strengthen their relationships going forward.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, NB with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached via email at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca 

Teachable moments are for little kids and for big kids

Recently, my friend Sandra and I enjoyed another dining experience in the city; the food and service at The Vault were excellent. While waiting for our meal, I had my usual coffee and a glass of water so, of course,  the inevitable happens. A visit to the ladies room. 

As I often do, for a first visit to a new dining location, I used my wheelchair. Once inside the bathroom, I noticed that the wheelchair designated stall was occupied. I peered underneath the door and saw a pair of little feet. Ah ha! A child. By the size of her legs, she looked to be a young one! To me, anyone under 20 is a child. I’m officially an old broad.

I was about to engage her in a teachable moment. I waited and waited, and waited some more. Then, the main door to the ladies room opened just as the stall door opened. A man peeked in from the outside door— the little girl’s father was wondering what was taking her so long. ‘Her’ was Sophie. Finally, she appeared.

After washing her hands, her father signaled her to go with him. He smiled. I put my hand up, indicating that I wanted to have a word with his daughter. She was standing off to one side, both of us facing the stall doors as I pointed to one, then the other. I asked her why she chose the stall with the bigger door. As was expected — the words “I don’t know” came out of her mouth. We exchanged smiles.

I told her that people who use wheelchairs and crutches, and canes and the like need the stall with the bigger door. I then asked her what she would do the next time she had to use the bathroom and had to choose the big door or the small door. Sophie’s choice would be the small door. Big smile. Lesson learned. We said our good-byes. Before making my way back to my table, I stopped at the cash and asked to speak with the manager. It turns out she was the stylish young woman on whose dress I had commented to my friend as we had been waiting for our meal. As I rolled along, the little girl, with a big smile, waved. Of course, I waved back. I made a new friend.

The manager and I had a conversation and I invited her to join me in the bathroom to discuss some accessibility/safety concerns; she was most amenable to being educated.I should point out that there was a small handle on the outside of the door and on the inside, but the one on the inside was too small — space would be better served having something like a towel bar mounted in the middle of the door. The mandatory textured safety/grab bars were in place, so a grab bar on the door was the restaurant management’s way of demonstrating they go the extra mile for their mobility challenged clientele. I thanked her for making that addition but gently pointed out that to further enhance the safety, a longer bar would be helpful to the elderly and those with balance or other disorders to upright mobility. She agreed. 

I pointed to the sinks, noting that the mirror was ideally suited to the seated patron of their dining establishment but the soap dispenser was out of reach. From my wheelchair, though there was a cut-away at the sink, I still couldn’t reach the soap dispenser as it was on the back wall, when it should have been positioned on the side wall. In fact, a soap dispenser on each side wall would be ideal, for the right or left-handed user. 

Using the example of the little girl who chose the wheelchair/mobility disabled designated stall instead of the ‘regular’ one, I suggested to the manager that they feature the wheelchair symbol on the door itself, explaining that the stall will be less likely to be misused and abused if the designation is present. I went on to share a conversation I’ve had more than once with youngsters regarding vandalism to mall bathrooms and stalls. I asked a group of youngsters lounging on a wheelchair ramp at Brookside Mall if they’d bother a stall that had the wheelchair emblem in place where they could see it. They all agreed that they wouldn’t - ‘that would be mean,’ one said. That gave me an opportunity ask another question. Why were they hanging out on the ramp when there were benches available just on the other side of it beyond the steps? I explained how I, as a wheelchair user needed to get a ‘good run’ at a ramp if I was to successfully make it to the top without rolling backwards. They cleared off so I could demonstrate. They had their collective lightbulb moment.

If given opportunity and encouragement, people will make the right choice. All is not lost.

Carla MacInnis Rockwell is a freelance writer and disability rights advocate living outside Fredericton, New Brunswick with her aging Australian silky terrier and a rambunctious Maltese. She can be reached at carmacrockwell@xplornet.ca via email.