I recently traveled with my friend who uses a scooter to get around. There were so many curbs that she couldn’t climb over, so many buses she couldn’t get on, and so many paths she couldn’t follow. The locals were great. They helped with a lot of lifting and finding other things to do that she could access. However, it was embarrassing for my friend to have to ask for help all the time. It limited our experience to just a few very touristy things.
There are some practical steps you can take right away to make your community easier for people of all ages and abilities. For starters, AARP publishes a wonderful and free booklet on creating age friendly communities.
Becky and I have noticed in our travels that there are five hot topics rural people can pay closer attention to, and being accessible is just one of them. You can watch this month’s video at no charge (that’s right, no charge.) Five Rural Topics for 2023. You’ll find the AARP link for the free booklet there too.
African pop up market in Cabo Verde had six steps to an elevated area in the middle of the square. No way for a scooter to access it. The buildings with the tile paintings across the street are part of the African Market and there was no access there either.
