How Does Being In A Wheelchair Affect Your Life?

For many people living with a disability, facing depression and mental health issues can make carrying on difficult. “Think of how your life is changed in an instant following spinal

cord injury

. You are grieving your former life while trying to establish a new normal for you and your family/loved ones.

How long do wheelchair bound people live?

If you Google up and ask the question – “What is the life expectancy of someone paralyzed at age 50?” – the answer is depressing. According to most reports, or at least the ones I could decipher, the answer is an additional

19.75 years

or the age of 69.75. (The figures differ depending on the age your injury occurred).

Does being wheelchair bound shorten your life?

People with disability in activities of daily living and mobility

had a 10-year shorter life expectancy than nondisabled people had

, of which 6 years could be explained by differences in lifestyle, sociodemographics, and major chronic diseases.

How do wheelchairs adjust to life?

Start with things that will make the biggest impact on your life.

Remove the clutter

, so that your wheelchair wheels don't get stuck on things. Add threshold ramps in places where floor levels are uneven between rooms. A modular outdoor ramp will also make it much easier to get in and out of your home.

Is it bad to say wheelchair bound?

Do not say: “Wheelchair bound”

or describe someone as “confined to a wheelchair”. Instead say: “Wheelchair user or “person who uses a wheelchair”. Remember that a wheelchair represents freedom to its user.

What is the most difficult thing for wheelchair users?

Small doorways, corridors, parking lots, and public toilets

can be extremely difficult to navigate in a wheelchair. Even accessible public toilets can sometimes be difficult to maneuver around if you are in a wheelchair with a bulky frame and large wheels.

Is being in a wheelchair a disability?

Many different kinds of disabilities require the use of wheelchairs for mobility. These are referred to as

mobility impairments

. Disabilities may be orthopedic (relating to the bone and muscles) or they may be neuromuscular (relating to the nerves and muscles).

How do you care for someone in a wheelchair?

1. Remove bath mats or rugs.
2. Keep good body mechanics in mind.
3. Have gait belt handy (optional)
4. Move the wheelchair into the proper position and lock the brakes.
5. Move the wheelchair “feet” out of the way.
6. If needed, unfasten the person's belt and/or unbutton their pants.

How do you change a wheelchair person?

1. Move the wheelchair as close as possible to where you are moving the person.
2. Transfer on the stronger side of the person's body.
3. Lock the wheelchair, and keep it locked while the person is moving into or out of it.
4. Have the foot pedals and / or leg rests moved out of the way.

Who is bound to a wheelchair?

Do not say: “Wheelchair bound” or describe someone as “confined to a wheelchair”. Instead say: “

Wheelchair user

or “person who uses a wheelchair”. Remember that a wheelchair represents freedom to its user.

Why is Greg Abbott in a wheelchair?

On July 14, 1984, at age 26, Abbott was paralyzed below the waist when an oak tree fell on him while he was jogging following a storm. He had two steel rods implanted in his spine, underwent extensive rehabilitation at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston and has used a wheelchair ever since.

Who is the famous person in a wheelchair?

1.

Stephen Hawking

. Arguably one of the world's greatest minds, the late physicist and author Stephen Hawking had an incredible impact on the world. Unlike some other famous people in wheelchairs, Hawking was not in one due to an SCI.

What should you not say to a wheelchair user?

• I HOPE YOU HAVE A LICENSE FOR THAT THING! …
• YOU SHOULD REALLY GET A HORN. …
• CAN I GET A RIDE? …
• SO WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU? …
• YOU'RE SO INSPIRING! …
• HERE… …
• I'M SO SORRY… …
• CAN YOU DATE/KISS/DO “IT”?

Where do wheelchair users sit on planes?

The aisle chair (also referred to as a straight back or high back)

is a small wheelchair that is used to transport immobile passengers from their own wheelchair to a seat on the airplane. Aisle chairs are used during enplaning and deplaning, and can also be used during the flight to access the lavatory.

What are the 5 barriers for persons with disabilities?

• Physical or Architectural Barriers.
• Informational or Communicational Barriers.
• Technological Barriers.
• Organizational Barriers.
• Attitudinal Barriers.