Joe, MN stroke
Joe was fifty-eight and retired and was working part time shuttling cars for a car dealership when his stroke occurred. He and a co-worker were on a break. “We stopped for a cup of coffee, and I went to use the bathroom. When I was in the bathroom, I could not understand why my left hand was not working… and I just fell in the bathroom, and I did not know why… I lay there for a while…” His co-worker checked on him after he had not come out and he found him struggling to move the left side of his body. At the hospital, it was determined that he had a Cerebral Stroke and became left side impaired. A blood clot in his carotid artery was the cause of the stroke. Once that was cleared up, he was sent to rehab where he worked on his recovery for a few months. He claims, “it is a humbling experience when you cannot take care of yourself. It opens your eyes.” After rehab, he was sent home in a wheelchair but has since primarily relied on the use of a cane for his mobility. He cannot open or close his left hand or raise or lower his left arm. However, he can move his left leg, but is unable to bend his knee so when he walks, he has somewhat of a stiff legged walk. When it comes to navigating the built environment, he states that he can use stairs. But “one of the problems with stairs is that a lot of places will have railings on one side so if it is on the right side, I can go up the stairs, but coming down there is no railing for me to hold on to.” He uses ramps when they are available, but “the steeper they are, the more uncomfortable they are” because they can throw him off balance. “If it threatens my balance, I choose not to do it.” Uneven ground can be very difficult for Joe, especially if it is something like grass or loose carpet. Joe is from Minneapolis, but he and his wife often travel to Florida to escape the harsh weather. “Winters are impossible for disabled people.” When on road trips, they often stop at rest stops rather than gas stations because the restrooms are often more accessible at rest stops and are easier to access. When Joe is in a public place, he will often “look for the path of least resistance” and survey the space to recognize the danger zones and the safe zones. He has realized that “balance goes as you get older, so if you compound that with a disability it is very prevalent.” Heavy doors can also throw Joe off balance easily because he is relying on one side of his body for support. Many people who are not disabled can be unaware of the many factors that people like Joe must consider when navigating the built environment. “Prior to me being disabled, I was totally ignorant to it, it had never occurred to me.” He also stated that if you do not have confidence in a certain obstacle you are about to face, then the fear factor can creep in and then that obstacle can become extremely daunting. As designers, makers, creators, and members of society, we need to think about how we can minimize obstacles for people like Joe.
