What did you do before your limitations set in? Yard work, gardening, quilting, traveling, mechanic-ing? Why did you stop or curtail the activity? Too hard? Tiring? Too time consuming? Injury causing? Lack of help? See how the invisibly disabled adapt activities.
You did it before? You can do it again – maybe!
Reasons are as varied as the disabilities. And maybe your reasons are valid. After all, a paraplegic can no longer run a marathon. Right? Watch this extreme example of adapting, compensating, and accommodating.
An amazing example
Rick Hoyt suffered from cerebral palsy that left him unable to talk or walk, due to a difficult birth. His parents were encouraged to institutionalize him, but they wanted to give him as normal a life as possible. They made it possible for him to attend public school. He graduated from college, working with computers to enable him to better communicate.
At age 15, he wanted to participate in a 5-mile benefit run. His father, though not a distance runner, agreed to push him in his wheelchair. After they finished next-to-last (but they DID finish), Rick typed on his computer, “Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.”
Team Hoyt began with that race. Over the next 37 years, they competed in over 1000 marathons, triathlons, and Iron Man races. They were inducted into the Iron Man Hall of Fame in 2008.
What about you?
You may not have the time, money, or ability to employ such extreme measures to help or to be helped. But you can employ ingenuity (and seek assistance, if necessary) to again be able to do that special something you used to enjoy — or to substitute something just as enjoyable.
Joe had neck surgery and couldn’t bend, but he still wanted to feed Tahoe, his dog. His solution? He used a grabber to pick up the dish so he could fill it and then used it again to put the dish of food down.
Many other dwellers also apply their imagination to adapt and compensate where possible or to conceive of a new, fulfilling activity. Now, they can participate more fully in life.
How?
Reflect on these questions:
- What do you want to do?
- What is limiting you?
- Do you need help to you accomplish your activity?
- Can you make or buy aids?
- Are people available to help?
Then imagine and dream.
Be realistic, though. Rick Hoyt could not have accomplished what he did without his dad’s help. His dad could not have done it without physical ability and time. Maybe, instead, you’ll have to use your ingenuity to find a new activity to enjoy.
What others have done:
- Read more about how others have adapted in order to accomplish something important to them: camping, sightseeing.
- Take a look at activities other dwellers do.
- Maybe these will stimulate your imagination. Join the forum.
Now what?
- Take inventory of what you do have.
- Use your imagination to adapt, compensate, or substitute.
- Then apply your findings, and enjoy your activity again — or your new activity instead.
You’ve seen how other invisibly disabled adapt activities in ingenious ways. Now, can you?
