What do you do, though, if you're reliant on elevators and can't physically climb stairs? According to the New York Times, residents of some New York City public housing developments met with city officials yesterday to protest defective elevators located throughout the city. During 2008 alone, the Housing Authority's 3,337 elevators had more than 43,000 reported failures. Residents deserve better, and they are demanding it.
Families like ours take steps like the following: 1) live in a ranch house that doesn't require stair lifts or elevators for daily navigation to bedrooms and bathroom 2) when traveling, book hotel rooms on the lowest floor available 3) teach Andrew and our other children proper procedures for what to do if you're left on an elevator alone because the door closed before everyone in your party could get in and 4) notify doormen and other building management when visiting friends in high rises, just so they know we're up there (with Andrew and his wheelchair), in case of an emergency.
Andrew's physical therapist, Kate, is also starting to work with him on an "elevator protocol." This will be his standard procedure for entering an elevator in any public or private space. Routines make life easier. We're still trying to figure out if Andrew should back into the elevator and then drive off, or drive on and back off. Once things are set, Kate will work with Andrew to master the protocol with his power wheelchair at school. We'll reinforce it within our community.
In the meantime, we're mindful that when we see someone in a wheelchair who is navigating an elevator, we should remember how scary the experience can be. I teach our kids to smile, offer assistance, and always hold the "door open" button until everyone is safely inside or out. Come to think of it, we should do this for everyone regardless of their abilities, shouldn't we.
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