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WHY I’M NOW DEVOTED TO COMPUTERS ADAPTED FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES
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After collecting a massive amount of information for my newest
website, I began to assemble what I thought would be a wonderful
addition to the excellent websites already available on the subject
of "computers for the disabled."
Days before I had planned to upload my new website
"Computers for those with disabilities" (a two year
project - now lost), the electricity started to go "off and
on" every few minutes in the nursing home where I’d lived for
the past five years. Unfortunately, my computer was running at the
time, and I wasn’t able to get to it to turn it off. The nursing
home was testing the emergency electricity generators again. Only,
this time, they didn’t announce ahead of time, "Turn off all
computers, we’re about to test the generators" – something
they had always done before.
When I returned later to work on my website and turned on my
computer, nothing happened, and nothing seemed to be working – I
figured it must have blown a fuse, or some Good Samaritan must have
unplugged it when the electricity started to go "off and
on". Not realizing it at the time, the entire electrical system
in my computer had been totally "fried". I'd lost ten
years of data; my previous websites, including my newest one
"Computers for those with disabilities"; hundreds of
dollars of downloaded software; thousands of dollars of computer
upgrades; and the use of my computer. I felt sick to my stomach.
After accepting my loss, I decided to go to the nursing home’s
administrator; explain my ordeal; and hoped they would offer to
replace my computer with a new one: after all, it was their
fault – or so I thought. After talking to the administrator a good
fifteen minutes, with no success, I realized it was up to me to ask them
to replace my computer. The answer I got from our nursing home’s
administrator was, "No, I don’t think we can do that."
Seeing as how I’d just lost ten years of data; thousands of
dollars in upgrades; not to mention ten years of my life, I managed
to keep my cool. My next thought was to ask the administrator if
they would help me search the internet for organizations that give
new or refurbished computers to the disabled. (Regrettably, even
though I had just built a website on this very subject; I’d made
the unfortunate mistake of not printing out their phone numbers.)
The administrator said, "Searching the internet is something we
can do to help you."
The administrator of my nursing home immediately explained my fate
to the Social Services department at my nursing home (whose office
is across the hall from the administrator’s office). Without my
connection to the world (the internet), I was exceedingly conscious
of how cut-off and lonely it felt to be isolated in a "nursing
facility" without a computer. So, I was really looking forward
to calling one of the associations who could help me get a new or
refurbished computer. Luckily, I was able to remember the names of a
small number of organizations that could help me.
All I needed from our Social Services department was the
organizations’ phone numbers, off their websites, so they could
help me call and get a computer. The day before, they told me they
would do it, but the next day when I returned Social Services said
they couldn’t. The excuse my "nursing facility" gave me
was, "We don’t have the time to make an exhaustive search on
the internet!" It would have taken only a few minutes to locate
the organizations’ websites: I had the "exact" names of
the organizations; the results’ on the search engine would
probably have been "the first ones on the list." When I
tried to explain why the search wouldn’t take long, the person I
was talking to, said rudely, "Excuse me, I have another client
to talk to." I felt like I was just told to "get
lost."
Before leaving Social Services that day, I thought. "I’ve
got to find someone who will help me." After the counselor was
finished talking to the other client, I asked the counselor to help
me find an outside social worker that would help me find these
organizations. The counselor replied, "I don’t think
contacting an outside social worker is necessary." Immediately,
I thought, "Without help, I’m ‘sunk’." (My speech is
indiscernible to some on the phone, and I couldn’t push the
buttons, so naturally calling by myself, even if I did have the
phone numbers, was out of the question. Plus, I had no relatives;
friends; or family in that area of the country to help me.)
The next day, I tried to convince the folks in Social Services
that the government-funded "Vocational Rehabilitation" had
a little-known program that supplies new computers to individuals in
a nursing home who are disabled – "If, the computer will
improve their client’s life." The counselor in Social
Services told me, "VR won’t give you a computer, unless you
are going to take classes." I’d found my information on that
subject just a week before, on a government website, and I knew I
was right – but Social Services refused to have the VR counselor
come see me. So, I went to talk to one of the residents of our
nursing home who got a computer on this "improving your
life" basis, and asked him if he was required to "take
courses." He told me he was asked after he got a new
computer set-up with voice recognition; a special miniature
keyboard; and a printer, if he wanted to take classes: then, he told
me he never did take a college course. When I went back to
Social Services and tried to tell them one our
"resident's" got a computer from VR without taking
classes, they said, "they couldn’t discuss another ‘resident's’
activities."
Feeling down and defeated, I began to sit outside my room in my
wheelchair staring into space all night. Being a fighter, I soon
began to make plans, in my head, for stopping this ridiculous
underestimation of the value of "computers for those with
disabilities."
Next, every chance that came along, I talked with my nurses about
my dilemma. I repeatedly asked the ones with an "online
computer" to help me contact one of these organizations, and
explain my problem. Most of them said, "Yes, of course I’ll
help you": but, no one ever did – they all repeatedly
returned the next day, and said, "They forgot."
Meanwhile, (no doubt tired of me bugging them) Social Services
found a repair service that would fix my computer at a discount rate
(at my expense, of course). However, I was reasonably sure my
computer was completely "dead." Eventually, the repair guy
showed up, and took my computer to his shop (which seemed to take
forever). Later, he returned to tell me that my computer had
"kicked the bucket", and there was "nothing he could
do." That news didn’t surprise me, but I was still
devastated.
Nevertheless, I was still sitting in the hallway every night, as
someone described, "With nothing to do." Our nursing home’s
"Activities Department Director" became aware of my
dilemma and was kind enough to loan me an older computer.
Disappointingly, the modem didn’t work, so I still couldn’t go
online. It was a small, slow computer, with a dinky hard drive –
word processing seemed its strongest feature. So, pecking one letter
at a time, using an ordinary keyboard, with no special adaptive
input devices, I began to write a book that would hopefully appeal
to the general pubic -- "facility Blues." … I had hoped,
this over-exaggerated (but somewhat accurate) satirized
interpretation of my earlier life would catch-on, and this book
would help fund an organization of people who agree with my views
concerning the importance of "computers for the disabled."
While writing "Facility Blues", I stayed offline; had
my phone uninstalled; and began to save my measly $52 a month that
our "kindhearted" nursing home gives us (with no
cost-of-living increase, I might add) to buy a brand new computer.
Two years after my old computer "kicked the bucket", I’d
finally saved enough to buy a new computer. Then it was shipped to
my room, and sat in the box unopened for three weeks. All this
occurred after asking my "nursing home" to set it
up for me. Happily, a kind "nurse’s aid" offered to
set-up my new computer for me: it only took ten minutes to put it
together!
I am not saying these things to "point the finger of
blame" at anybody in particular: but at a time where computers
were offered at no charge to those with a disability – there was
no acceptable excuse for no one paying attention to my pleas
for help!
Later, I started using my new computer to finish and correct my
book. Three years after my "cold slap in the face" my book
was finally finished. I’m also saving for another new computer (as
a backup), to prevent this extremely depressing "isolation from
the world" from happening to me in the future, and to help
safeguard my "computers for those with disabilities"
efforts. It is my sincere hope; other "incarcerated"
disabled residents in health facilities will be able to avoid this
"injustice" in the future.
“THIS ‘UNDERESTIMATION’ OF THE IMPORTANCE OF
‘COMPUTERS FOR THE DISABLED’, MUST STOP.”
“(IF MY TV BROKE DOWN (IF I OWNED ONE) SOCIAL SERVICES WOULD
PROBABLY HAVE BEEN QUICK TO HELP ME)” BC
a.
Help make “computers for the disabled” the norm.
Computers
adapted for the seriously disabled are indeed, an essential,
assistive therapy. These computers (specially equipped with
alternative input/ output devices) should be freely available in the
United States
and other developed countries. The
therapeutic benefits amount to a powerful, mind healing, self-esteem
building, panacea, and should never be overlooked as a viable
medical treatment.
Doctors; nurses;
therapists; social workers; nursing home staff; and other closely
involved professionals should be required by law to recognize the
significance of "computers for those with disabilities."
And if need be, help qualified individuals receive and maintain
these adapted computers. Professional caregivers should be obligated
to inform the disabled individuals (and their families) of:
(1) The life-improving benefits of an adapted computer
(2) The eligibility for a free or low cost computer, either
refurbished or new
(3) The organizations that help to provide computers;
adaptive devices; and training
Nursing
facilities should be required by law to employ a qualified
individual who trains residents in the use of adapted computers and
the internet. In addition, it is of utmost importance that a person
who has knowledge of computer repair is readily at hand. In essence,
I call this "Computer Response
Therapy."
Help us
make "Computers for the disabled" lawfully recognized as a medical necessity (donate
a few dollars today)
* If
you agree with my views concerning the importance of “computers
for the disabled.” Or would like to change or add wording to the
above, write me a short email.
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Help insure
that people with disabilities get adapted computers: contact your congressperson online in a few simple steps. 
