Covid 19 has shut a lot of doors and caused a lot of loss. That being said, one beautiful thing that has come about is the opportunity to worship with so many of the faith communities that have meant so much to people and their families. With online services, people have worshipped with their growing up church, their marriage church, their work transfer church and their current churches where so many dear friends attend. But being able to worship at camp with young folks who are able to return to some sense of normalcy has perhaps had the most impact, turning home kitchens into holy places. There is nothing quite like evening worship camp style, and it is important to know that all of the changes we are having to make at least have some advantages.
As the physical church doors were shuttered in so many places across the nation, some of these congregations have been able to take the time to make these spaces even more accessible for when they reopen. Installing a lower pile carpet that will allow for the ease of use of a titanium rigid wheelchair and constructing additional ramps that will make all spaces more user friendly, many churches and other public spaces have used this time to install needed upgrades.
What Is Your Church or Business Doing During the Forced Pandemic Shut Down Time?
With hopes that the restrictions caused by the pandemic will eventually lift, it should come as no surprise that many places of business, worship, and education are using these forced slower months to keep employees working on needed upgrades to spaces. With the use of stimulus money to pay workers and the idle time that so many people have, many buildings are being retro fitted to provide greater use of titanium rigid wheelchairs and to make it easier for those with limited mobility to use a space. Grandfathered into a time when buildings did not need to have access for titanium rigid wheelchairs and many kinds of motorized wheelchairs, it is important to know that some of these spaces are finally making changes.
For individuals who deal with mobility issues, titanium rigid wheelchairs, wheelchair comfort cushions, and other kinds of equipment are a way of life, but for the general public many of these inconveniences go unnoticed. But in a time when so many people are out of work, perhaps there can be a movement to change the environments where we live and to make access for everyone easier.
Currently, nearly 98% of public transportation buses are appropriately equipped to accommodate people in wheelchairs. Few of these changes and upgrades, however, happened by chance. Required by law to make sure that buildings and public transportation vehicles are accessible, many changes have been made in the last 50 years. At a time when the entire nation is facing limited access to the things that they love the most, however, it Is may be time to reevaluate the way all of our public spaces look and function. Research indicates that in countries with life expectancy beyond 70 years, people spend approximately eight years, which is equivalent to 11.5% of their life span, living with disabilities. And at a time when the health ramifications of Covid 19 are yet to be seen, it may be even more important to make sure that all of the spaces we use are more accessible.
When Americans had to be physically separated from their peers and their family members, many people had to find different ways to connect. And just as churches had to develop a way to digitally share the message of hope, many other businesses have had to spend time rethinking the physical space they provide. Spiritual spaces and physical spaces alike both matter, so whatever a public space or private business can do to increase connections and accessiblities matter.
It is difficult to imagine what the next few months, let alone years, will be like, but the most hopeful among us long for a world where everyone will be able to connect. Around 10% of the world’s population, some 650 million people, live with a disability, so now is a time for change.
Active Lifestyles Are a Part of the Way We Live
