The NEADS Wheelchair Experience
What is the wheelchair experience?
The DEI team is currently focusing on the topic of ableism. Ableism is discrimination in favor of able-bodied people. As an organization that serves and interacts with people of different disabilities, we want to make sure we are being inclusive and kind with our language and behaviors. The DEI team came up with an interactive way for the NEADS staff to understand some of the difficulties our clients (and all wheelchair users) face. The wheelchair experience gives staff a chance to use a wheelchair and try different tasks to better understand the difficulty of being a wheelchair user.
How does the wheelchair experience work?
There are 5 different challenges you can try
CHALLENGE ONE: Get in the wheelchair, go downstairs using the elevator, go into the parking lot, and make your way back upstairs
CHALLENGE TWO: Get in the wheelchair, go downstairs using the elevator, go into the parking lot, and make your way back upstairs while having oven mitts on your hands. The oven mitts help replicate the poor dexterity some of our clients have.
CHALLENGE THREE: Get in the wheelchair, go downstairs using the elevator, go into the parking lot, and make your way back upstairs while having oven mitts on your hands and the chest strap around your chest and wheelchair. Some of our clients have poor range of motion and are unable to bend over or turn from their waist up without falling or becoming unbalanced.
CHALLENGE FOUR: Get in the wheelchair, grab a cup, fill the cup with water, and bring the cup of water across the room
CHALLENGE FIVE: Do any combination of the first four challenges!
Do I win anything?
The DEI team is doing a raffle! For every challenge you complete, fill out a slip and put it in the dog bone tin. On October 28 at the staff pet dog parade, a slip will be pulled, and a winner will be chosen! The winner gets a pie of their choice made by Melissa!
The DEI team wants everyone to try the wheelchair experience. If your department has 100% participation, your department will win a pizza party! No matter how many times you complete the wheelchair experience, please put ONE sticker next to your department.