My latest post has been inspired by personal experience that I fear a lot of people are having to endure so wanted to share a recent event with you all. I spent most of yesterday with my mother and my disabled brother at a top London hospital as he had a pre operative assessment. Being from Kent, I'm sure you can appreciate that relying on hospital transport makes the day a very long one - in fact it took just over ten hours in total from leaving home, having his appointment and getting back home again. My brother is wheelchair bound so therefore needs to be hoist lifted for changing and dressing purposes and for transferring from his chair. Just like when we complained five years ago and as recently as our complaint in June this year there is no facility to change a disabled wheelchair bound person in this top hospital. Instead we had to struggle to change him IN HIS CHAIR in a disabled toilet which was back breaking for us and distressing for him, where is the dignity in this? When we asked about the lack of these provisions we were told that plans to correct this problem have fallen through so it is just the case then of if you are incontinent you are obviously expected to stay in soiled and wet incontinence products and just wait until you're home to be changed and made comfortable. This infuriates me on three levels - 1. as a sister providing care for my disabled brother 2. as a human being who can't stand other people suffering when they shouldn't have to and 3. as a professional interior designer who feels it's insulting not to design your facilities in a way that serves the public. My brother is not the only one who is wheelchair bound; there are so many people, children and adults alike who are unable to transfer from a wheelchair, a few rails on the wall isn't enough to help them. This is 2017, isn't it time we woke up and made all public places accessible for all disabled people? A disabled toilet with a door that opens inwards so you've no room to negotiate your wheelchair is also unacceptable - bigger rooms with an outward opening door, plenty of rails on walls, a bin that is swing opening NOT pedal operated, room for a hoist and a changing area to take the weight of an adult, is this so hard to achieve? The answer is no, so why are we still lacking the thought for disabled people in the place you would think would be the most considerate - a hospital. I hope that soon things will change - good interior design to help make your everyday life as good as it should be is so important to me. If you live in Kent and want help with making changes to your home to be as accessible as possible contact me to enquire about my services. Live out of area? I offer an online design service meaning I can help you by providing drawings and advice through email. Have you experienced the same situation that I did yesterday? If so please comment below, thank you again to all my readers who continue to regularly read my blog
Letitia interiorsbylmb@gmail.com
UPDATE JUNE 2018 - I wanted to update you all and let you know that as recent as this month changing facilities for a wheelchair bound person who cannot transfer still doesn't exist at this London hospital. We have put in yet another complaint as once again we had to struggle to try and change him in his wheelchair. There is still pedal bins, why not push button opening or sensor bins? The facilities for disabled people are so poor, I am just disgusted. Hoping that complaining again will help but not going to hold my breath.... #disabilityrights #disabilitymatters #equalrights
UPDATE SUMMER 2019 - At long last I am pleased to announce that a changing facilities room has finally been installed, after using it on a visit with my brother it now covers every aspect that so many disabled people require. It may have taken a long time but at least it has now been installed 👍
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