Letter to the Messenger

on August 31, 2016

On Changes Baby Boomers will Need to Demand

submitted by Helen Roser

First, let this be clear: Meadowlark provides wonderfully for us. The following applies to the city of Manhattan, its businesses and doctors’ offices.

When persons’ strength or agility becomes impaired by age or accident, in order to live as full a life as possible, their needs must be included in planning, construction and operation. Such needs include parking near the entrance or at least space the care giver can unload the wheel chair and its user near the entrance. Essential are entrance doors, all powered, all with current turned on when they are expected to be used. Interior doors need to be powered, including entries to a well-lighted restroom. Toilet stalls need to be large enough for wheel chairs, with the door swinging out. At least one sink low enough to be reached needs to be provided in rest rooms.

Though it would not seem necessary to require doctors to provide basic accommodations (aka courtesies) for patients, Baby Boomers will find doctors in Manhattan with heavy, unpowered entrance and restroom doors. Patients who complain are told they “will have to bring someone to help you. We don’t have anyone to help you.” If the patient is able to walk but not strong enough to open unpowered doors, they will need only one helper. Patients in wheelchairs will need two helpers: one to hold doors open and the other to push the wheel chair through.

When multiple floors, at least one elevator large enough for a gurney is necessary, but have not been required.

It is not that the needs have not been known. It is a matter of money. Sadly, Manhattan has not cared that long-time residents have had to move to other cities when they lost limbs in accidents and their home town was indifferent to their needs. Not even mall stores’ doors are powered. The Discovery Center is a study in inconvenience.

Baby Boomers, now reaching their “senior years,” will be surprised when they realize what we have endured that this unnecessarily limited what many of us could do. But the sheer number of BB voices will force respect and accommodation for those with limitation. I wish them luck as they demand to be treated with the respect fuller lives require.