In this issue...

Visitability

‘Small Grants’ Program

Resource Kit for Farmers With Disabilities

Trends in Seniors and Disability Sectors

Aging with Long-term Disability

CIDA International Youth Intern—Mexico

CIDA International Youth Intern—Ukraine

Visitability - Moving Towards Livable, Sustainable Housing and Communities in Canada

Livable communities encompass the ideas of inclusion, diversity, and social and environmental sustainability for all generations. A more unified forward thinking approach is
needed from the government, professionals and the public to create livable and sustainable
environments for the future. Liveability, according to the American Association for Retired
Persons (AARP), includes access to public transportation, a walkable community close to
amenities, safety and security, access to health, recreation and cultural services, and a caring, supportive community with adequate, affordable, accessible housing. Visitable housing (visitability) is one simple approach that can address homeowners’ and community needs over time and contribute to a more livable, healthy environment.

The Canadian Centre on Disability Studies is conducting a yearlong national research project called ‘Understanding the Status of Visitability in Canada’, funded by Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation and the Province of Manitoba, Housing and Family Services. The
goal of this study is to analyze the progress and diffusion of Visitability in Canada to determine facilitators, barriers, best practices, gaps, trends and issues. The research will be completed through an environmental scan, literature review, website, survey and Think Tank conference.

Visitability is a movement, as well as a policy and a technical strategy, to change home construction practices so that virtually all new single-family homes offer a few specific features that make the home easier for people with mobility impairment to live in and visit. Visitability ensures that everyone regardless of mobility will be able to at least visit someone else’s home, use the washroom and exit the home. The technical requirements include:
a zero step entrance, at least 32” clear opening width of main floor doorways, and at least a half bath on the main floor. Visitability begins to address the changing needs of seniors, children, parents, and people with limited mobility.

Visitability is important because it:
• increases opportunities for social interaction and inclusive, livable communities
• responds to the increasing seniors population and their desire to ‘age in place’
• promotes socially sustainable communities and retains an experienced group of
people by providing choice as housing needs change over ones lifetime
• reduces environmental and monetary costs as home renovations are fewer or not required at time of mobility changes
• reduces stair related injuries and can reduce length of hospital visits as patients
can go home to recuperate
• allows more flexibility in moving furniture, carrying groceries into the home, transporting a stroller or wagon among mobility aids such as scooters, walkers and wheelchairs
• provides ‘value added’ and can easily be incorporated with other building innovation
such as affordable design, energy efficient housing and green design

Canada is not the first country to incorporate visitability. In 1976, Sweden started using the term and practicing the design strategies that slowly filtered into the rest of Europe, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, United States and now Canada. The initiatives may have been called by another name, such as Lifetime Homes(U.K.) or Smart Housing (Australia) but
all uphold the premise of Visitability or surpass the basic guidelines.

The world’s baby boomer population is approaching retirement age and has more lifestyle options as they are living longer, are in better health and have more wealth. In the next 25 years the number of Canadians over 65 years of age will increase to approximately 9 million. Visitable housing is one solution to changing needs and desires of a population to remain in their homes or ‘age in place’. In order to age in place efficiently, the whole community must be developed with social and environmental sustainability in mind. These principles are not specific to retirement age communities but are examples of good design practices that benefit everyone.

Implementing long term, livable, sustainable and visitable housing practices at the design and planning phase provides better integration into the natural and built environments, and rovide cost savings as fewer changes are required later on since fewer materials and time are wasted. With Visitability, community development could easily incorporate such efficient, affordable, and green design strategies into housing as passive ventilation, energy efficiency or living off the energy grid. Communities also need to maintain green spaces, create pedestrian-centred spaces and promote sustainable education and global citizenship.

A national Visitability Think Tank on livable, Sustainable Housing and Communities will take place May 11-13 2007 in Winnipeg Manitoba. The event will connect key stakeholders such as policy makers, design professionals, home building, community development and real estate professionals, health care professionals, and aging and disability researchers and organizations. The Think Tank will make it possible to gather information from a wide audience and facilitate networking and sharing the results of our research with these key sectors. Mayor Roger Claar of Bolingbrook, Illinois, whose community has developed a building code ordinance that ensures that all new homes incorporate visitability, will be a keynote speaker, along with Eleanor Smith, initiator of Visitability in North America, and Jim Hamilton, with the WHO Age- Friendly Cities Initiative. There will also be presentations, panel discussions and participants will create a ‘Framework for Action’ on Visitability in Canada. The goals of the Think Tank include learning about national trends, initiatives, successes and challenges; establishing links between visitability, environmentally sustainable and affordable housing markets; and catalyzing for change contributing to inclusive, sustainable communities that support all citizens.

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RBC Funds ‘Small Grants’ Program

Over the past three years, the RBC Foundation has contributed $30,000 towards the CCDS Small Grants Program, an initiative to further community research on social issues affecting persons with disabilities.

Grants are awarded to Canadian research partnerships to undertake participatory- action research, with a maximum budget of $5,000 per project. In keeping with CCDS principles, the research process must provide for equal participation by the people with disabilities affected by the research question. In addition, the results of the research must have potential for social change toward enhancing full citizenship for persons with disabilities. Annette Sabourin, Regional Manager (Donations) with RBC Royal Bank, visited CCDS recently to present a cheque for the latest instalment. Colleen Watters, Mentorship Coordinator in the Social Work program at the University of Winnipeg, contract researcher with CCDS and coordinator of the Small Grants Program was present to accept it.

The CCDS is extremely grateful to the RBC Foundation for its commitment to making a lasting social impact through inspired, responsible giving and by building strong partnerships with the charitable sector.

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Piloting a Healthy Farm Communities Resource Kit

CCDS is breaking new ground in rural Manitoba with a pilot project concerning farmers with
disabilities. With the support of several community stakeholders and faculty from the University of Manitoba’s Department of Occupational Therapy, the project aims to inform and enable the farm community to navigate existing services and supports that assist farmers make healthy adjustments to life and work with a disability.

Why Farmers?
Farmers have high risks for injury, occupational disease, and mental health challenges, but few formal supports and resources to help them adapt to life and work with a disability. Work environments, culture and life on the farm are in many ways unique. However, the need for safety, risk management, and planning for adaptations to aging or changes in physical, social, or financial capacity over the life course are common to all.

From Research & Community Participation…
In December 2006, the project team and its community advisory group began meeting regularly to plan research that would help understand

a) what facilitators or supports exist to help farmers and farm families whose lives and work are affected by disability,

b) what barriers stand in the way of gaining support, and

c) what further supports are needed.

Information was collected through a series of interviews and focus groups with farmers, their
spouses, and rural service providers, as well as through a review of published literature
and a scan of relevant services and resources. Analysis of this information has brought the project team and its community advisors close to their end goal—the development of a pilot resource kit that will be evaluated by community and remain in the community.

…To Information & Action
The Healthy Farm Communities Resource Kit will provide practical information on the social, economic, workplace, work transition, healthcare and disability supports available to farmers. It is designed to help farmers, their families, community organizations, service agencies,
government, and non-governmental organizations to better understand how normal life events—like injury, illness, aging and disability—may affect farm work and life; learn ways to prepare, respond and find help to cope with changes in health and ability; and get connected with people and organizations who can help make farming more healthy and successful.
The draft kit’s contents presently include:
a) facts and myths on health and safety issues for farmers,

b) information
to build awareness for a wide range of issues affecting farmers with disabilities and
their families,

c) advice from farmers and service providers on good practices for risk management and coping, and

d) a listing of resources relevant to farmers with a disability, or at risk of developing a disability.

Building New Networks & Strategies
Good information is only the first step toward improving the life and work circumstances
of farmers affected by chronic illness, injury and disability. The less obvious accomplishment of this project— and the true impetus for change—is the expanded network of relationships which create opportunities for information exchange, new cooperation, and learning. Meetings and focus groups held as part of this project have brought the needs of farm families to the forefront in discussions among farm producers and members of diverse sectors and service areas, including health and occupational therapy, insurance and finance, disability specific services, agricultural services, rural women’s and seniors’ organizations, and church leaders or clergy, among others.

Where To From Here?
The coming month will see the completion of the pilot resource kit, followed by a testing process, which will gather input from farmers, service providers and representatives of stakeholder organizations. Designed for print and web-based formats, the pilot resource kit will then be widely disseminated online, through a network of stakeholders, to CCDS partners, and to project participants in South Central Manitoba.

• As a pilot, this project represents the first of many more steps necessary to ensuring that farm communities have access to appropriate and practical resources and supports to enable members with disabilities to actively participate in farm life and work. The lessons
drawn from research and community advisors show the next steps to include broader testing of the kit among a diverse farm population, in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and the development of resources to address the distinct needs of farm youth and family members. The aim is then to produce an expanded, revised, and polished resource kit that will be appropriate to a broad farm audience, as well as high needs groups. Additional formats and
communication methods (e.g. coffee shop table tents, CDs, brochures, workshop presentations, material for school curricula) will then be developed to ensure effective dissemination of information. Not until the ground breaking work of this pilot yields useful information that can be delivered to the kitchen tables of farm families, will this
work be complete.

Funding Partner
This project is supported by a grant from the Community Initiatives and Research Project of the Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba.

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Emerging Trends among Seniors and Disability Sectors: ‘From Wisdom and Lessons to New Ideas’

Aging Population (2002)’ estimates that by 2010 nearly 19% of Manitoba’s population will be
seniors, and a report of the Conference Board of Canada (2004) estimates that by 2026,
18.5% of the population of the City of Winnipeg will be over the age of 65. There are an increasing number of people who are ‘aging into disability’. Similarly, there are an increasing number of people with long-term disabilities who are entering senior citizenship due to better health and community supports. These aging populations have important implications in terms of health care, community planning, and spending patterns.

The Canadian Centre on Disability Studies received funding of $15,000 from New Horizons in 2006 to conduct a pilot project to address the needs of people whose issues relate to both aging and disability. It was recognized that an age-friendly society would also be a disability-friendly society. Yet, even though there are many commonalities, there has been very little dialogue between disability and aging sectors, including government departments, non-profit agencies, researchers and consumers themselves. This project served to begin the iscussion
between these two groups in Manitoba and to begin to discuss strategies and tools to strengthen the seniors and disability communities' capacity to respond to common issues and emerging challenges.

This project has fostered a dialogue between Manitoba disability and seniors parties on
common issues, gaps and trends in services and programs by sharing wisdom and lessons
learned. The groups worked collaboratively with CCDS, focusing on housing, transportation and care and support services. The act i o n - o r i e n t e d advi s o ry committee lead the project through three round tables where seniors and disability individuals, organizations, practioners,and researchers were brought together.

Their work has resulted in a better understanding of the key issues and growth of stronger networks and associations between individuals, organizations, and government departments.
However, participants felt that these meetings were only the “tip of the iceberg”. Relationships
have only begun to develop, all important constituents have not been reached and it is necessary to delve deeper into the issues. There are other important issues that can be examined in the future, such as tourism, recreation and wellness. All felt that this project was merely a catalyst – that there is a need for on-going dialogue, futher research and funding in this area. The suggestion is that the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies serve to foster collaborations and conduct research on aging and disability that is increasingly important
to Winnipeg citizens, to Manitobans and to Canadians.

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Addressing the Needs of Canadians with Long-Term Disabilities who are Aging

The main goal of many government programs is meaningful participation in the community. Participation for persons with disabilities implies affordable accessible housing, accessible
community design, caregiver relationships, disability supports, leisure opportunities, volunteering opportunities, access to assistive devices, and access to public transportation. Many older people with disabilities however, are still socially isolated due to issues with accessibility, lack of financial resources, lack of transportation and disability supports, inadequate community policies to accommodate their needs, gender specific issues and
negative societal attitudes.

A key factor in this dialogue is the issue of eligibility for services and supports in terms of age and ability to work. Another important issue in terms of eligibility is the move from a state of independence (or interdependence) to a state of increased dependence and an growing need for disability supports and services. For people with disabilities who have had control over their lives and their caregivers, reaching the age of 65 or 70 places them into a different care support model.

The question is, how is our health/ home care system responding to these needs? Are people with disabilities able to maintain the same level of control and autonomy as they move
from one system to another? What happens as a person with a disability moves from an independent living perspective to a system that is set up to deal with more dependence? One
of the main issues is comparing and translating the independent living/ community living models to current seniors’ models of service delivery.

Aging and Disability has become an international concern. Yet, very little attention has been paid to people with long-term disabilities who are aging. It is known that neither groups and services for seniors nor for persons with disability have adequately captured the needs of this group. As persons with disabilities age, they enter a different system (seniors system) of healthcare,
disability support, community services and income support. They also face challenges with caregiver supports (including aging informal caregivers) and issues of inclusivity and livability
of their communities. Little is known about how current mechanisms meet the needs and transitions of this growing population.

The Canadian Centre on Disability Studies has received funding from the Office for Disability Issues to develop a knowledge-based framework for addressing the needs of the aging population of people with disabilities in Canada.

The framework must support community living and participation and be based on partnership between community organizations, service providers, researchers and governmental departments.

Over the next year, CCDS will work in partnership with an Advisory Group including representative groups in BC, Manitoba and Nova Scotia to identify needs, gaps and better models of disability support, caregiving support and inclusive communities. Information
will be collected through online surveys and focus groups and instruments for measuring support services and inclusive communities. The project will provide a needs and gaps analysis report, development of a crosscountry on-going/active network of key stakeholders, an informational website, recommendations to develop supports and inclusive communities
and a national forum on ‘aging with a long-term disability’. This project will significantly contribute towards future planning in transitional issues of disability supports, income and caregivers for persons who are aging with a disability, with some potential recommendations for seniors who are aging into disability.

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Respect, Accessibility, and Overcoming Prejudice:
Remodeling Expectation through fostering Independent Living in Mexico City

As an intern with Mexico’s Organización Internacional Vida Independiente para Personas con Discapacidad A.C. (VIPD), I have the privilege of observing where Mexico is situated within their disability movement and to learn of what kind of initiatives are of national priority
from an organizational perspective.

The majority of people supported by VIPD have experienced spinal cord injuries and receive inadequate rehabilitation services from the hospitals, which are not oriented in the independent living philosophy. VIPD trains their participants in how to manipulate their wheelchairs effectively throughout a highly inaccessible rural and urban environment.
VIPD encourages its participants to push themselves to the limits of their abilities through
physical training in swimming, body resistance, swimming and archery. However, beyond the
mechanics of using a wheelchair, VIPD educates their participants in the independent living philosophy, and in issues related to sexuality, reproduction, urology, skin care, anatomy and physiology. The significance outgrowth of these courses can be found in the observable
improvement in self-esteem and enthusiastic aspirations for independent living, which I had the privilege of witnessing during my first days here in Villa Corzo, Chiapas.

Perceptions of people with physical disabilities as well as their needs vary between Mexico’s rural and urban landscapes. Both settings, however, denote an economic disadvantage evident by both the reluctance of businesses to hire people with disabilities as well as the hesitancy of people with disabilities to self-actualise. This is due to the culturally sustained perception that the onset of a physical disability is a “tragedy” and that to have a physical disability equates a type of“sickness,” cultivating a fear that is debilitating, limiting expectations for independent living.

For this reason, consciousness-raising in Mexico is of high priority. For the duration of my internship in Mexico I have the opportunity to contribute to VIPD’s efforts through creating communication strategies for the general public, and through facilitating an additional component to their courses targeting needs specific to women with physical disabilities.

At the present time, we are in the process of planning an event for early next year under the theme “Communication for Capacitation,” where various topics will be discussed related to human rights, the independent living philosophy, how to create a job network, self-esteem, finding a partner, family life, sexuality, women’s issues, and motherhood. This event is intended to foster leadership within the disability community in Mexico as well as to
brainstorm on communication strategies for the purpose of educating the general public to support ability and not to exclude on the basis of physical difference.

VIPD assigns a high level of responsibility to the people they support in that it is they who can
chose to remain hidden in their homes living a life unrealized or outside in the open demonstrating to their communities the value of that their lives contribute. It is an honour to work with VIPD, and in the short time that I have been here I have made valuable connections that I have no doubt will impact me for my lifetime.

Alexandra Guemili
CIDA Youth Intern, Mexico

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Working on the Other Side of the World, in Ukraine

Since October 2006 I have been working in Simferopol, Ukraine as a CCDS intern with the partner organization Physically Handicapped and Able-Bodied (PHAB) of Ukraine. I am focusing on two very important issues for persons with disabilities, namely the lack of accessibility and the lack of inclusive education for children with disabilities.

Accessibility

One of the first differences I noticed between cities in Canada, like Toronto and Winnipeg, and cities in Ukraine, like Kyiv and Simferopol, was the varying degrees of accessibility, into buildings and in transport. Cities in Ukraine lack the basic curb cuts and appropriate ramps, and most cities have no transportation to support persons with disabilities. Often people
with disabilities do not leave their homes, and thus are not able to socially develop and form relationships.

Near the end of November the Accessibility Committee was formed and on November 28 members of the organization met with government officials in front of the City Hall. Later we traveled the main streets of Simferopol and posted ‘NOT ACCESSIBLE’ or ‘ACCESSIBLE’ signs on buildings and handed out information about building regulations regarding access
for persons with disabilities. In total two buildings were marked as accessible. This event was covered by approximately 10 news sources and resulted in follow-up interviews. As a result, the city government held two meetings to discuss matters of accessibility and one meeting with persons with disabilities in Simferopol to ask about their needs. The media and government attention were positive results, but the Accessibility Committee understands
that we must advocate much more before concrete changes are made. I am planning
a large walkathon in the spring with the goal of turning attention towards issues of accessibility into buildings and transport. We are also applying to the National Democratic Institute for a grant to sponsor the training of accessibility monitors and will advocate for the government to enforce that new buildings follow the accessibility standards, as well as
allow the trained monitors to participate in the accessibility monitoring of these buildings.

Education

Children with disabilities usually obtain a lower level of education. The exceptions
are children whose parents worked extremely hard to enroll their child in a regular school. Some children are educated at a school for children with disabilities called “Nadezhda”. This school is quite revolutionary for Simferopol. A few years ago these children did not attend
school and, if they were lucky, they were taught at home by a school teacher. The children with disabilities who do not attend“Nadezhda” and are deemed“teachable” are taught at home by a school teacher 10 hours a week. The level of education in both “Nadezhda” and at home is much lower than at a regular public school and children are not integrated into society.

I have visited “Nadezhda” and a few regular schools in Simferopol. I lead activities focused on world travel and learning English, with an after school group of 14 children from a regular school and“Nadezhda”. Also I planned and led the celebration of St. Nicholas Day for grade
three and four classes from both schools. The programs of both projects included cooperative activities and games, during which team work was necessary. The two goals of these projects are to start inclusive programs and to show the teachers that such cooperation is possible.

In the new year I will start performing environmental scans in schools and will follow-up with seminars with the school’s staff to help them understand and start considering how they could implement inclusive education in their school. I hope I can help people in Simferopol to believe that they have the power to change their daily lives by standing-up for their rights and to believe that it is possible, necessary and beneficial for persons with disabilities to be integrated into society.

Ivanka Slywynska
CIDA Youth Intern, Ukraine

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The CCDS Bulletin is a publication of the Canadian Centre on Disability Studies.
It is published three to four times a year.

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Olga Krassioukova-Enns, Colleen Watters,
Kathy Jaworski, George Dyck

Your ideas and suggestions are welcome.

Contact the Editor, CCDS Bulletin,
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Winnipeg, MB R3B 3H9
Phone: 204-287-8411
Fax: 204-284-5343
TTY: 204-475-6223
E-mail: communications@disabilitystudies.ca

This publication also appears on the CCDS
Website: http://www.disabilitystudies.ca
Unsolicited materials are not the responsibility of the Centre.

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The Centre acknowledges the contributions of:
Royal Bank Financial Group
Office for Disability Issues-Government of Canada
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Western Economic Diversification
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Winnipeg Foundation
The Thomas Sill Foundation
Winnipeg Development Agreement
Workers Compensation Board, MB
Mennonite Central Committee
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Bieber Securities
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