The Traveling Wheelchair

– “Focus” on Vision Impairment & Blindness Conference
– Holiday Inn Conference Center
Holiday Inn Conference Center 
700 Myles Standish Blvd.
Taunton, MA 02780
Phone: 508-823-0430
http://hitaunton.com/meetings.html.

Yesterday, Kenny & co were honored to participate in the fourth “Focus” on Vision Impairment & Blindness Conference: Meeting the Needs of Individuals with Cognitive Disability and Vision Loss. This conference was held at the Conference Center at the Holiday Inn in Taunton.

The conference this year was sponsored by 8 organizations: Partners HealthCare, MAB Community Services, New England Eye Institute, Perkins Training Center, DMR Southeast Region Training Council, MCB, Shriver Clinical Services Corp. and the MA Equipment Distribution Program through Verizon. Lisa DiBonaventura, M.A., COMS, Statewide Director for Vision & Vision Loss Services, DMR gathered all the organizations together as the Conference Chair.

There are many handicap parking spaces located in a large parking lot in front of the conference center. Entering is easy for there are  double automatic sliding entry doors that open as soon as you approach. These are my favorite kind of automatic doors :>)

Upon entering, we were pleased to find this conference center is spacious with plenty of room for me to wheel about in my Permobil C350 Power Chair. We approached the information/registration table, which was of a perfect height for my wheelchair and were warmly greeted by DMR/MCB organizers and volunteers.

I was especially happy to once again see, Laura, an employee of DMR who is also a member of the Disability Commission for Middleboro, my home town :>) She gave me her email address but we misplaced it. I hope Laura reads this and contacts me.

There were 380 persons attending the conference; including professionals from private and state human service agencies, families and individuals. All attending shared information with others regarding the needs of individuals with cognitive disability and vision loss. Josh, my roommate was happy to see his instructor from a program he attended in the past.

The conference center is spacious and very accessible. It features 19 meeting rooms; 22,000 square feet of banquet and function space; two 6,000 sq. ft. ballrooms; 120 seat amphitheatre; break out rooms; extensive audio visual.

Kenny & co were invited to present a Poster Display. All poster displays were set up in a wide hallway, leaving much room to maneuver my power chair. We set up 3 poster displays on accessibility, an accessible home, and most importantly, W/C Passenger Safety.

We shared information on Accessibility and on  SD 915 and HD 2989 , the new legislation, “An Act Relative to the Transportation of Individuals Seated in Wheelchairs” that was recently filed by Senator Marc Pacheco and Representative Stephen Canessa. We also passed out 300  Ride Safe brochures that Dr. Lawrence W. Schneider, Director, University of Michigan’s  RERC WTS (Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Wheelchair Transportation Safety) sent me.

Others Poster Displays were presented by; Creating a Vision for Falls Prevention-Massachusetts Prevent Injuries – NOW! Network and By the Ocean- Susan Jew accompanied by Theresa Haskel, Developmental Specialist- People Incorporated Life Skills Program.

Literature Tables set up at this conference included: All Out Adventures, Enablemart, Independent Living Aids, Maxi Aids, National Eye Institute, National Institute on Aging, National Institute of Health, Hadley School for the Blind and WGBH.

Vendors present were; Adaptive Technology, a division of Perkins Products, Brain Injury Association of Massachusetts, Easter Seals Massachusetts, Helen Keller National Center – New England Region, MAGNISIGHT, Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Massachusetts Equipment Distribution Program/Verizon, North East Chapter/Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired,New England Consortium of Deafblind Projects, New England Eye Institute ,Outdoor Explorations, Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library, Perkins School for the Blind and The Carroll Center for the Blind.

All of the Poster Displays were located in the large hallway. The Literature Tables and Vendors were located in the spacious, Governor Marcus Morton ballroom.  I found all to be very accessible and all the tables were of a perfect accessible height for me to view.

Various sessions were held in different meeting rooms. These meeting rooms, located on the second floor are accessible by a staircase or elevator. The elevator is located in the rear near the kitchen area but access to it is right off the main hallway. It is spacious and I had no problem fitting in it with another person in a wheelchair, myself, my mom and approximately six others.

Kenny & co were also invited to participate in the session : “Wheeling” with Vision Loss: Independent Travel for Individuals with Legal Blindness Who Use Wheelchairs, presented by Kathleen Kenney, M.Ed., Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialist, The Carroll Center for the Blind.

The meeting room for our presentation was very spacious and accessible. Kathleen gave a great presentation and explained how service providers can help persons with vision loss to travel more independently. I am grateful to Kathleen because she is my mobility specialist and has spent much time helping me travel more independently. Thank you, Kathleen.

Tony, Ric and I spoke about accessibility, my accessible home, traveling in my power chair and the new legislation regarding the safety of transporting wheelchair-seated travelers. It was the first time I ever spoke at a conference. Later, Kathleen told me that I did very well and that my presentation inspired others.

My Aunt Nancy and my cousin, Liz even brought my new baby cousin Cole to watch me present :>) My cousin Chrissy, Cole’s mom would have come but she teaches in an Attleboro elementary school.

My mom, Kim, friends and I also attended a session presented by Tony Deifell, author of “Seeing Beyond Sight”. (website: http://seeingbeyondsight.org/ )

This session was called “Point & Shoot Photography as a means of Expression for Individuals with Cognitive Disability and Vision Loss”. It included hands-on photography. My friend, Kim placed a blind fold over her eyes; she was asked to take a picture of something that smelled good; felt soft; was forbidden etc. I wheeled around with Kim and helped direct her to various objects that she took pictures of. She even took a picture of herself looking in a mirror that she couldn’t see. Kim’s son Jamie is blind and she said it was quite an experience seeing the world in a different way.

Located back on the first floor is the Governor Marcus Morton Ballroom. It is very spacious and the room where major speeches were held. Commissioner Howe could not make the conference due to her being at a state budget hearing, so Rick O’Meara, the Regional Director for DMR in Southeastern MA stepped in for the Welcome Remarks.Tony Deifell, author of Seeing Beyond Sight spoke about  ”Seeing Beyond Vision Loss: We all see the world in a different way”.

Lunch for all 380 attendees was also held in this ballroom. The tables were a little crowded  at lunch but us in wheelchairs sat at a table in front where I had ample space. The tables were of a perfect height for my wheelchair as well.

Jean Flatley McGuire, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary for Disability Policies and Programs was scheduled to speak after lunch but had to cancel due to an emergency state budget meeting. Stan Eichner, Director of Disability Program Development at EOHHS, stepped in for the Assistant Secretary. He spoke how the state of Massachusetts is committed to Community First.

The restrooms throughout the conference center are all wheelchair accessible, spacious and fully ADA compliant. The handicap stall is large with the required safety grab bars; the accessible sink is of a perfect height and the pipes underneath are covered; the faucet, soap and towel dispenser are within my reach.

Towards the end of the conference, I had the pleasure of meeting Lisa DiBonaventura, M.A., COMS, Statewide Director for Vision & Vision Loss Services, DMR. Lisa welcomed Kenny & co to return to the Focus conference next year. We are looking forward to it for this is a great conference.

If you want more information on next year’s “Focus” Conference or about the services and/or training offered by ‘DMR Vision Loss’, just call 508-384-5539 or click on their website at MA Health and Human / Blindness and Low Vision.

Kenny & co  give “Focus” on Vision Impairment & Blindness Conference FIVE STARS. It is an inspiring event where all share information to help improve the services for individuals with cognitive disability and vision loss.

Kenny & co give the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Taunton FOUR STARS for wheelchair accessibility. In order to earn the Fifth Star, they would need to install an elevator in the Conference Center so guests in wheelchairs don’t have to use the kitchen/service elevator.