Let me start this post by clearly stating that the Americans With Disability Act (ADA) is not in any way new. It didn’t ‘sneak’ upon anyone or any business, unless they just choose to ignore it. The ADA was designed to prevent businesses, public facilities and other classes of entities from discriminating against those with a disability by refusing service through lack of access. There have been many fights, lawsuits, changes, and advancements because of the landmark legislation. Some didn’t and don’t like it, just like the Civil Rights Acts, but generally it has been incorporated into American life and has been a great success and legacy for both Reagan and this country. I know there are still battles that will be fought, and discrimination will occur, but overall it has been a great leap forward. I say this as a person that spent 26 years without a disability and 23 years with one!

Here is the rub. Some people with disabilities want to swim, get in a spa, etc., when they go to a business that offers those amenities to their customers or the public. It does take special equipment to provide this ability in many cases, and that equipment does cost money. So because of the cost, should businesses be allowed to exclude those with a disability from these services offered to their clients or the public? The question SHOULD be why would you want to?

Lets quickly separate this out into the two groups. The public issue is a non-issue in my opinion. If a local, state or federal entity takes tax dollars to build a pool or other facility, it should be fully accessible. Disabled people pay taxes too after all, and that is only fair. The ADA plainly acknowledges this concept. The private side is a bit different, but no harder to justify in the fact that it is only good business. Why would a savvy businessperson want to turn away dollars from a disabled customer? They spend just like regular dollars, and according to most estimates, about 15% or greater of the US population has a mobility limitation. That is almost 1 in 5 Americans. That number is only going to increase with the aging of the baby boomers and returning veterans with disabilities. Why on earth would you want to exclude 20% of your customer base, not to mention their family members and friends, if you are looking to turn a profit? Enter common sense 101.

Pool lifts and other equipment cost money. In many cases they are not cheap. Having said that, the ability to attract and keep return customers happy and spending money at your establishment would more than pay off that equipment in a short time, not to mention bringing you into compliance with the law. The issue seems to be whether portable lifts are good enough, or should every business that has a pool or other water feature be required to have permanently installed equipment. If you are a business owner, and are having to ask this question they you are probably doing something wrong! Let’s be honest here. If you are a large company that has more than one location, do you really not understand the cost analysis of providing the one time expense of fixed installation verses having the portable equipment, training, and dedication of employee time to bring the equipment out of storage, use the equipment, return it to storage, and add the risk of injury in order to provide service to your customers? On the other hand, should a small business be burdened with a huge overhead of a fixed installation if they only have a handful of disabled users in a year? Of course not. Only the foolhardy or diehard ideologue would want a company to go broke just to make a point. Then there would be less choices for those that need this equipment to choose from. So where do you draw the line? I’ll give you my opinion. Common sense! Not politics, but good, ole fashioned common sense. If you can’t crunch the numbers, add up the benefits from the additional customers, advertising opportunities, value of compliance, and excelling in customer service, then you might need to reassess your place in business. Common sense should tell you that making your customers happy, expanding your company’s market share and bottom line, and piece of mind that compliance brings, along with the knowledge that you don’t discriminate, is worth way more than the cost of adaptive equipment! If you can’t see how this works in your business bottom line, shoot me an email.

Politics really aren’t needed in this issue. Lobbyists for the hotel industry that are stalling are just spending the industry’s money that could be used to fix the issue. We have enough political opportunism as it is. We need more common sense! The ADA didn’t ‘sneak’ up on you as a business. If you are avoiding having your everyday operation of your facility being brought up to the fully accessible standard, whether fixed or portable, then you are not taking full advantage of your potential sales and profits. If you are having an issue or complaints with the portable systems at your location(s), you probably need to upgrade to fixed. If you build a new pool or water feature, it has to be compliant eventually, so why not use common sense and do it right the first time, save future monies spent on refurbishments, and get the benefit of the added accessibility? This is not a hard issue, just one that has a few stubborn hurdles to get over before common sense can take over!

Just my view from a Roho…

For your travels, especially those that are planning cruises or island adventures, consider trip insurance. It is available through many independent companies, and can save you a lot of money and worry should a nasty storm ruin your trip! It is relatively inexpensive, and can also cover medical expenses when traveling out of the country. You never know when you will need this feature, and those with special medical needs should consider this a must have!

Weather, as we all know, is a fickle thing. We can’t control it, but we can keep a watchful eye on it! This link, http://www.nws.noaa.gov/radar_tab.php, will take you to the National Weather Service radar page that also includes tabs for warnings, forecasts and such for the entire US. This link, http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/, will take you to the National Hurricane Center and includes current storms, outlooks and area specific discussions. Both are also available as mobile apps on their websites. They are invaluable to have. Even though the NHC has predicted a slow hurricane season, we already have our first tropical storm of the year before the season even officially starts (June 1st).

Having lived through a direct hit from Katrina, I always try to push preparedness for everyone, but especially for those with special needs! The government will tell you that the first 72 hours are on you for water and food, as well as for things like toiletries and hygiene items. I will tell you to make that a WEEK minimum!! It was 7 days before we saw anyone with ice, food, water, or help when Katrina hit, and we were over 50 miles inland! You will need 2 gallons of water per person, per day. Food can be something as simple as canned goods or as extravagant as you want to get, but a good storm prep kit doesn’t have to break the bank. Make sure you include your medicines, some cash, a first aid kit, candles or wind-up/solar radio, mosquito repellant, waterproof matches, copies of important papers (insurance, id, etc,), sunscreen, and a fully charged cell phone if possible. There is a much more detailed list available here http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.53fabf6cc033f17a2b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=537b218c37752210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&currPage=e507d7aada352210VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD
These people know what they are talking about, and the checklist is great. The best thing is that such a kit is best to have year around wherever you live! Take the time now to get it together!

Persons with special medical needs have to take extra heed and precaution. Every shelter is not equipped for special needs, or even guaranteed to be accessible! Power chairs need electricity to recharge. Oxygen generators do too. Restrooms have to be accessible. Take the time to look up your destination and check for special needs equipped facilities. At home, have your evacuation plan in place and ready to go. The local or state emergency management office, whether at home or at your destination, can help you plan out your evacuation needs with your medical and mobility requirements in mind. Plan ahead to avoid more suffering later!

One last travel tip for this post. If you are going on a cruise, forgo the ‘passport card’ and get your full, regular passport! If you get stranded out of the country, the card will not allow you to fly back home in case of emergency, medical or otherwise!!! You will need a regular passport to do that. The ‘passport card’ is only good for land and sea crossing in Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Spring the extra dollars and get it. It might save you a ton of trouble later.

Have a great summer, be safe and send us your photos, descriptions and reviews of your adventures via the website at www.qchair.com or email to travel@qchair.com!!

If you have a cruise planned, check the weather and keep abreast of current conditions. While I usually don’t advise travelers to buy the optional insurance, cruises are the exception. Cruise insurance is one I do NOT do without. It covers many things from weather, missed connections, medical emergencies and many more like Life Flight! Coverage varies and can be as simple or as all inclusive as needed, all determined by your budget. There are many resources online, and your travel agent can assist you if you need further help. If you have suggestions or stories you want to share, post them here or on the website (www.qchair.com) Happy and safe travels!

There are many low cost, or even free, events, destinations and lodging to be had with the right research in your area. State parks are an excellent place to look. Often they have cabins for rent that are accessible. With the economy slipping in the mud again, often lodging in smaller towns or less flashy locations will have vacancies that they want to fill at a very good rate. Business centers look to fill empty rooms on the weekend at reduced rates. The key is researching and creativity! If you are single or with your significant other, but don’t have children, try looking at the Sunday through Wednesday window. Granted you might have to shuffle your schedule around to get the days off, you will find rates drop dramatically! Even if you do have small ones, the option of keeping them out on a Monday so you can do a festival on Sunday, spend the night, have a great breakfast together and then driving home might be an idea. Only you can decide that though. Always search online for a “base” price, then call the establishment direct for the rock bottom rate. Try a week ahead, and try two days before. September marks the “official” end to the summer travel season, and rates usually fall considerably. Just like in airline tickets, flexibility is the golden egg.

The late summer and early fall season also brings about the many festivals and annual events found in every community. Many of these might be close enough to take just a night or two away, and still have loads of things to do that cost little if anything in the way of entrance fees. Shopping, arts and crafts, food festivals, car shows and many more such events occur almost weekly this time of year. Finding one to your liking should not be hard. Be sure to contact the event organizers directly to ask about accessibility. Nothing ruins a great festival like a huge gravel filled hill leading into the event! It also marks the football season. I love football, but have found that trying to find a decent rate anywhere near a college town on the weekend of a game is next to impossible, so always look at the other events scheduled for the area you are interested in. Fishing is great this time of year. Many state parks and ocean side areas have great piers for the disabled sportsman. The University of Southern Mississippi’s Institute for Disability Studies (Gulf Coast Campus) has adaptive fishing gear, beach wheelchairs, and even adaptive golf carts for FREE! Jekyll Island has free beach wheelchair rentals and a great pier. The list goes on and on. I try to list as many as I can actually verify on the website’s link page, but with just myself as staff it is limited. Your input helps others as a free resource. Write us a review on your travel adventures!

So get out there! Live life and have fun. It doesn’t cost a second mortgage on your home to have a good time. Let me hear from you about your finds and excursions, either by posting here or on the website! Be safe and have a great time!