This weekend I stumbled upon this wheelchair-accessible swing in Stone Station Park.
It is unlike any I have seen before – it allows the individual access to the swing without leaving their chair, promoting personal independence.
Above is the description of how you use the swing, It is an addition that I was very excited to see.
If you are interested in trying out this swing, click the link below for directions!
Good Afternoon everyone! Today we had the pleasure of taking a brief break in our day to get out and enjoy a delicious ice cream cone. Given it was such a beautiful day we thought it was the perfect opportunity to stop by and see the new ramp at Icy Scoop Dairy Bar.
The ramp allows individuals in wheelchairs to enjoy some tasty ice cream with their family and friends after a long busy day, or on the weekend after soaking in the lovely sunshine we have coming our way for the coming days.
For more information please click the link below to check out their Facebook page!
Yesterday we spent the afternoon enjoying Summerside Street Eats, a new addition to Summerside’s waterfront. Our friends at the Summerside Port Corporation worked closely with us throughout the design of the food court to ensure it would be welcoming and inclusive for all. Thank you, Gary and Angie!!
This is a wonderful example of how slight proactive adjustments have allowed easy and comfortable access to the court for anyone using wheelchairs or walkers. (It makes life much easier for parents with strollers as well!)
The ramps all have an easy grade, the washrooms easily accessible with wide doors and well-placed support bars, and most importantly the trucks all have gap-free access to their ordering windows. The picnic tables have recessed trellises allowing wheelchair users to get their knees under the table. This is an easy accommodation which is all too often overlooked.
The food trucks provide their customers with multiple food options, from excellent barbequed brisket sandwiches (like the one Alan devoured) to tasty burgers and fries.
This location is fully wheelchair accessible and is the perfect location for you to go whether that be for a mid-day lunch or on the weekend with friends and family.
We hope that you will take a chance to go up to Summerside to enjoy the great food located at the Summerside Streets Eats. It is important to enjoy this beautiful island whether you are from near or far. For more information, we have linked the website below!
This department provides Islanders with the support and services needed to become more independent. Partnered with the Community Housing Fund which was given nine million dollars to support islanders. They have put together many useful tools and programs to help islanders become comfortable in their homes.
The 2-1-1 service line is available 24/7 and can be reached by calling 211 on your phone, by emailing help@pe.211.ca or by searching pe.211.ca in your browser. It is a navigation service to direct you to the right department, whether you are the one with questions or are providing support to another individual.
There are many other services that have been set up to provide assistance based on several factors factors. For instance:
Structural improvements through PEI home renovation programs. All applicants must either own, have life interest or be living with family in the given home. Below are three grant supports that were put in place to assist individuals:
If you are in need of urgent or temporary housing support you can call The emergency housing line: at 1(833)-220-4722
Or visit https://www.princeedwardisland.ca/en/topic/housing-0 for more information.
Good afternoon!
We spent the early afternoon touring our downtown streets to assess the accessibility of our local shops and restaurants. We noticed some excellent accommodations but also found barriers that could easily be fixed with a little thought.
We’ve listed some very accessible locations as well as a few of the more challenging ones. We did this to inform our clients by providing some examples of what shops and restaurants can do to make access easier for anyone with limited mobility.
We will first give credit where it is deserving, as there has been great work done to
There was definitely room for improvement in a few of the other establishments. We’ll show a few instances where accessibility was not considered. In many cases a few small adjustments could make the environments more inclusive.
We’re happy to see the many improvements and accommodations that have been made so far. Business owners are taking the concerns of a varied population seriously and are working towards inclusion.
All individuals should be able to enjoy their time freely and comfortably.
Good afternoon everyone!
We thought we’d let you know that the Provincial Government has financial support available for you if you need modifications to your home or car to accommodate a physical disabilty.
Briefly – you may be eligible for up to ten thousand dollars every ten years to be put towards your home, and up to six thousand dollars every eight years.
If you are interested in more information you can click the accessibility supports link below.
Good Afternoon everyone! Today we will be discussing the very exciting opening of the Ontree accessible ziplining course!
Its owner, Juergen Weigelts, wished that he would eventually be able to open a zipline park that would be accessible for those in a wheelchair. Ten years after opening his park he has successfully achieved this goal. This thrilling park is located just outside of Windsor, Nova Scotia. With some adjustments to ensure the safety of all individuals this course is seen to have given the feeling of ‘flying through the trees’. It takes the obstacles that are faced in daily life and makes them fun!
If you are interested in more information or to book your reservation below I have attached their website link! If anyone has any questions or would be interested in attending a field trip later on in the summer please contact us at 902-393-0017.
Good afternoon everyone! We decided it was the perfect time given the lift in restrictions to create a travel guide for Prince Edward Island. Whether you are coming from afar or are interested in getting out and experiencing our beautiful island. We have created a list of places to stay and things to do which are accessible, that we hope you will find useful!
Hotels
All have wheelchair accessible rooms with lowered beds and roll-in showers.
Things to Do
Our Explore PEI page rates restaurants and other amenities for accessibility.
“If Things Go Wrong”
It is important to prepare for anything when travelling, that is why we felt it would be very beneficial to put together a list of locations that you can go when in need of help. Whether that be with your wheelchair or if you are in need of emergency supplies. Below we have attached a list that can assist you with locations spread throughout the island!
Where to Get Your Wheelchair Fixed
Where to Buy Emergency Supplies
Alan Stanley considers himself lucky.
After he was paralyzed in a bicycle accident in 2015, he was able to start back to work as an IT professional while he was still in rehabilitation at QEH.
There were mixed feelings involved, Stanley said.
“You just want something, anything, to feel normal again. So because I was able to continue with the job that I had, it did bring a sense of normalcy. At the same time, there was also the feeling that things aren’t quite the same,” he said.
“It’s like that with most things once you get back to it – that’s work, that’s cooking, that’s recreation, that’s being with friends. There’s this feeling of relief that you’re still able to do it, but also realizing it’s not going to be exactly the same as it was.”
Stanley had worked as a blacksmith for many years, but made the switch to IT early enough that he already had an established career by the time he was injured, he said.
“I was lucky in a lot of respects, in that I had a job that did not require much modification. I could use the same desk, I could use the same equipment. I didn’t have to work anywhere, where accessibility was an issue.”
For many people with spinal cord injuries, that just isn’t the case.
That’s where employment counsellors like Mark Cameron come in.
Cameron provides no-cost career counselling services through the PEI Council for Persons with Disabilities. The process involves meeting with the individual to get a sense of their interests and passions, and having them fill out online assessments to determine what their transferrable skills and work values are.
Once that’s done, Cameron provides them with an idea of what industries they can set out to explore, he said.
“For some people that might mean returning to school. Other people, that might mean volunteering in the field. But it depends, for some people that might just mean working on their resume and developing their job search skills. It depends on the individual.”
Whatever they decide, Cameron encourages his clients to do their homework before jumping in, he said.
“I often see people going into a post-secondary program, because they think ‘oh, that looks great, that sounds good,’ and then they get into it and it’s not what they thought it would be. After X amount of weeks, they lose interest or it’s overwhelming and then they drop out. And that hurts their self esteem.”
Plenty of research can help clients avoid that, he said.
“That might involve going to speak to an instructor at Holland College or UPEI, talking to someone who works in that industry, possibly doing some job shadowing on-site if that’s a possibility.”
Although it might take longer for some people to accept that they can’t go back to work in their field, Cameron wants them to know there is hope, he said.
“The end goal is that they come to the realization that ‘you know what, maybe I can’t do that type of work anymore, but I also have some transferrable skills that I can take from those jobs into a new field.”
You can contact an employment counsellor with the PEICOD Employment Services program in Charlottetown (902-892-9149 ext. 226/227); you can also contact an Employment Specialist in Summerside (902-436-9259) or Montague (902-838-5878) or at workcoord@peicod.pe.ca.
The PEICOD Charlottetown office is open Mon-Thursday, 8:00-5:30; Montague office is open Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:30 pm, and Summerside office is open from Monday-Thursday, 8:00-5:30.