Community topics
Written by: Huang Wenxuan
2020-10-24 18:00
Last update date: 2020-10-24 18:00
Li Guoxiong is 53 years old this year. He suffered a stroke 5 years ago and has been with a wheelchair in the second half of his life.
Although it is difficult to walk, he still insists on going out twice a day, but the problem is that he can't rely on his own efforts to push the wheelchair out of the threshold of home.
On two occasions last year, he fell to the ground when he tried to push the wheelchair. It took him nearly half an hour to barely support himself.
He lives with his wife and daughter in a public housing unit in Tiu Keng Ling. The Housing Department has always distributed metal ramps to the disabled to facilitate wheelchair access.
However, the inclined platform weighs about 5 kg, which makes it difficult for people with disabilities to pick it up alone.
Some organizations have requested the Housing Department to replace the ramps for six years, but they have failed to help.
In the future, we have had time to step out of our homes, and there have been numerous obstacles. Is it just a slogan to create a barrier-free environment for the disabled?
Photography: Huang Shuhui
Li Guoxiong is 53 years old and lives with his wife and daughter in a public housing unit in Tiu Keng Ling.
(Photo by Huang Shuhui)
Li Guoxiong used to be a plumber for 10 years, and also a truck driver for delivery.
Five years ago, he drove as usual on the busy Mong Kok Road, and suddenly he lost consciousness. "Fortunately, he had time to stop, or he would kill someone."
He fainted and was admitted to the hospital, underwent a major operation to remove the blood from his brain, and when he woke up, his world became completely different: his left body was paralyzed, and he could only stay at home from now on and could no longer work. I can't lift the wires, because I am afraid that I will kiss myself."
After physiotherapy, Li Guoxiong still couldn't lift his left hand and could only barely walk. "You have to sit if you can't walk for 5 minutes. I feel breathless." After getting into the wheelchair, he is still used to going out twice a day and buying life downstairs. Supplies, or go around, but the surrounding environment has become his obstacle.
When he mentioned the wheelchair, Li Guoxiong couldn't help but blame himself, "I bought the wrong one. I bought this heavy one. I can't lift the wheelchair by myself." (Photo by Huang Shuhui)
The unit threshold became an obstacle, pushing the wheelchair out and fell down twice
For Li Guoxiong, the threshold of the unit's door is a difficult hurdle he has been unable to overcome.
His wheelchair weighs 30 kilograms, and he cannot lift the chair alone to pass the threshold. Most of them have to rely on his daughter or wife to lift the wheelchair to go out.
What to do when there is no one in the house?
"I have to use one hand to force it, so I can hold it with a cane on one side and push it hard on the other side. It's so hard to push, super hard."
Every time he goes out, he has to make preparations 30 minutes in advance: panting, lift the wheelchair up, push it out the door, and then slowly walk to the wheelchair and sit down.
But not every time he pushed the wheelchair went smoothly. He remembered that he had tried twice when he was pushing the wheelchair last year, and he fell to the ground twice. It took him about 30 minutes to slowly get up with one hand against the comb.
He shook his head vigorously, his tone full of helplessness: "I'm so afraid of falling. A fall can make a big profit."
Li Guoxiong could not rely on his own efforts to push the wheelchair out of the threshold of his home.
(Photo by Huang Shuhui)
"So far, I haven't used that board."
Wheelchair person Li Guoxiong
Can the Housing Department send a metal ramp that can’t be lifted alone?
Half a year ago, Li Guoxiong was distributed by the Housing Department with a movable inclined platform made of metal to connect the threshold and corridor. It was placed at the door every time he went out to allow the wheelchair to go up and down.
However, the inclined platform weighs about 5 kilograms. It is difficult for the able-bodied to pick up and put it down, and it is difficult for the disabled to pick up a heavy metal plate. "So far, I have not used that plate." Li Guoxiong said.
Except that the metal ramp is too heavy to be picked up, there is usually an air drum above the door of public housing units, which will automatically close the door. When Li Guoxiong pushes the wheelchair alone, he can't take care of it.
(Photo by Huang Shuhui)
The public corridor outside the residential unit is a building escape route. According to the current fire protection regulations, no obstacles (including "fixed" ramps) are allowed to avoid danger. Therefore, the Housing Authority will generally install movable ramps for the disabled , Convenient to use when needed.
In 2014, the Self-Strengthening Association, which serves people with disabilities, asked the Housing Department to replace the materials of the movable ramps so that users can move them. At that time, the Housing Department promised to consider it, but six years later, there is still no news about the ramps.
The project director (registered social worker) of the Self-Strengthening Association, Yip Weiqiang, has followed up the housing needs of the disabled for many years. He thinks that the Housing Department has not improved the material problem for many years. It is unreasonable. "Send a useless thing to the disabled. The whole thing is not From the perspective of people with disabilities."
Project Director (registered social worker) Ye Weiqiang of the Self-Strengthening Association has followed up housing needs for people with disabilities for many years.
(Photo by Huang Shuhui)
The inclined platform must be demolished towards the girder late, otherwise it will violate the fire protection regulations
Ye Weiqiang said that in the past, it was learned that some members injured their backs when moving the ramp. Is it feasible to keep the ramp at the door for a long time?
The answer is no.
According to the regulations of the Housing Department, the public corridor outside the residential unit is an escape route for the building. According to the existing fire protection regulations, no obstacles (including "fixed" ramps) are allowed to avoid danger.
Volunteer in the Self-Strengthening Association and Maggy Ng, who is an occupational therapist, has modified homes for the disabled for many years.
She said that she had come into contact with a disabled person living alone. If he was asked to bend over to pick up the ramp, his waist would be affected. "This method of dismantling the ramp at night is completely infeasible for him. It’s very dangerous to be unsupported, not to mention people with physical disabilities.” She added that in the past, non-profit organizations had subsidized wheelchair users to build electric ramps inside and outside their units, which saved the time of moving and would not violate fire prevention. Regulations, but it is estimated that the Housing Department is unlikely to bear this cost.
Is creating a barrier-free environment for wheelchair users only a slogan?
(Photo by Zhang Haowei)
The disability of a handicapped person is not only because of physical disability, but also because the society has no suitable environment, which makes them become disabled.
Project Director (registered social worker) Ye Weiqiang
Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states that States parties to the Convention must confirm that all persons with disabilities have equal rights to live in the community and have equal choices with others, so as to facilitate the enjoyment of this right by persons with disabilities and their full integration and participation in the community .
Ye Weiqiang believes that the rights mentioned in the covenant actually include the right to go out. "The Housing Department has distributed a ramp to the disabled. Administratively, it seems to have solved their difficulties in going out, but in fact, the difficulties still exist and may hinder them. They go out, or someone will not go out because of this."
"The last thing we want to see is the lack of infrastructure, which hinders the most basic accessibility rights of people with disabilities. The disability of a disabled person is not only because of physical disabilities, but also because society does not The right environment makes them disabled. In addition to allowing people with disabilities to enjoy resources and rights, public housing must also take care of their needs in terms of interior design, barrier-free facilities and supporting facilities, so as to meet the aforementioned rights." Ye Weiqiang said.
Currently, there are about 3,700 disabled people living in public rental housing estates under the jurisdiction of the Housing Authority who need to rely on wheelchairs for activities.
(Photo by Gong Jiasheng)
Is the barrier-free environment a slogan? Going out is already a big challenge
Ye Weiqiang said that social life and space for outings are especially important for people with disabilities. "If both the carer and the person being cared for are trapped in the same space for a long time, there will be more frictions for everyone." In recent years, the government has made great efforts. To implement community care, Ye Weiqiang said that if community care is to be implemented, resources must be allocated to the infrastructure. "Otherwise, if caregivers are under pressure in the near future, it is actually just a time bomb in the community. I hope there is a basic The package allows people with disabilities to go through the entrance voluntarily. They have a social life and are more optimistic and positive."
In response to enquiries, the Housing Department pointed out that the Housing Authority would generally install "metal" movable sloping platforms for people with disabilities, taking into account the firmness, durability, wheel constriction and total weight of users.
The Housing Department also added that the Housing Authority will explore the feasibility of using other materials from time to time.
Obtaining things is useless, and it is not what Li Guoxiong expected.
He currently lives on a low disability allowance, unable to work, and stays at home all day long, but he also wants to see the outside world more.
Ask him, if there is a sloping board for easy access, would life be different?
"If there is a sloping platform that can be used, I should go out more." He sat on the sofa, looked at the ceiling, and downplayed his wish. "It's not a far place, go to Hang Hau, Pauline . I like to go out on the street, look at different places and absorb different information.”
Most of Li Guoxiong's activities are only in the housing estate, but he said he also wants to see the outside world more.
(Photo by Huang Shuhui)
People with disabilities and survivors are equally worthy of dreams. The Self-Strengthening Association recently launched the "Dream Comes True"-the Disabled People’s Dream Project, hoping to gather the power of the public to help people with disabilities to abandon their physical limitations and realize their dreams!
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