Sunday, February 10, 2019

AARP STUDY FINDS MORE THAN THREE OUT OF FOUR PEOPLE WANT TO AGE IN PLACE


BUT LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF HOUSING IS MOVE-IN READY
TO ACCOMMODATE A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY
Universal Design is NOT some rare thing for a small special interest group.

It is mainstream and as such deserves a huge boost in public policy rewrites, zoning code changes, economic development incentives, inclusive mobility solutions, connectivity infrastructure improvements.

Architects, engineers, urban designers, transit planners, public works directors, home builders, developers and real estate agents must be better educated.

We cannot keep pretending that at age 60, 70, 80...that we will have the exact same mobility as age 20 and 30.

We MUST erase the shameful history of segregating people with disabilities to the projects and "special" communities.

The state of being disabled is as much a part of the definition of "normal as being African American, Jewish, LBGT, tall, short, fat, skinny, male, female, rich, poor.

We cannot, as a democratic society, continue to perpetuate the myth that mobility impairment is some “one in a billion” freakish thing that results in separating a person with a disability from living a full life mainstreamed into the bounty of our nation.

These words are not a rant, they are a logical, focused and accurate reaction to an independent survey published by AARP.




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