<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR>April 25, 2009
WHEELCHAIR-FRIENDLY SINGAPORE?
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>No, it's a bumpy ride
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THANK you for yesterday's article, 'Getting around Singapore not easy for the disabled'.
Due to my mother's heart condition and her physically weakened state, she has to sit on a wheelchair when I take her out. While we count ourselves lucky to have our mode of transport, I have encountered tricky and frustrating situations trying to manoeuvre her wheelchair when we are outside.
During one of our visits to Tiong Bahru market, I was surprised that both lifts were being serviced at the same time.
Luckily, I managed to locate the lift technicians. After I explained my predicament to them, they helped to get us into the lift to the desired floor.
Even though it was close to lunch time, they said they would be around when we finished eating if we needed to locate them.
Unfortunately, that was not the case. Imagine my frustration when I went looking for them and could not find them.
Finally, I had no choice but to take the escalator to the ground floor, with my mother standing and trying hard to balance so as not to fall.
I have also had experiences when the floor of the lift is not level with the ground. We do not notice this minor 'difference' when we are able-bodied, but with a wheelchair, it is dangerous as the one pushing the wheelchair may inadvertently cause the one sitting on it to lunge forward and fall.
I now try to 'recce' places in advance to ensure they are wheelchair-friendly and safe before I take my mum out.
Our outings are currently limited to visits to my mother's doctor, hospital and much-needed weekly lunches.
I agree with Mr Teng Nee Peng's letter yesterday, 'Lifts at every floor a necessity, not luxury'.
My ageing mother would consider living with my elder sister in her flat if there were lifts serving every floor. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Perhaps town planners should emulate the Ngee Ann Polytechnic students and wheel around a member of their team
to understand the difficulties faced by a wheelchair-bound person or his care-giver.
Do the authorities and town planners notice these issues only when the aim is to attract wheelchair-bound tourists? ('Improving infrastructure to make city wheelchair-friendly can be a boon to tourism', yesterday)
What about the care and needs of our own greying population?
Lucy Ng (Mdm)
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WHEELCHAIR-FRIENDLY SINGAPORE?
</TR><!-- headline one : start --><TR>No, it's a bumpy ride
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THANK you for yesterday's article, 'Getting around Singapore not easy for the disabled'.
Due to my mother's heart condition and her physically weakened state, she has to sit on a wheelchair when I take her out. While we count ourselves lucky to have our mode of transport, I have encountered tricky and frustrating situations trying to manoeuvre her wheelchair when we are outside.
During one of our visits to Tiong Bahru market, I was surprised that both lifts were being serviced at the same time.
Luckily, I managed to locate the lift technicians. After I explained my predicament to them, they helped to get us into the lift to the desired floor.
Even though it was close to lunch time, they said they would be around when we finished eating if we needed to locate them.
Unfortunately, that was not the case. Imagine my frustration when I went looking for them and could not find them.
Finally, I had no choice but to take the escalator to the ground floor, with my mother standing and trying hard to balance so as not to fall.
I have also had experiences when the floor of the lift is not level with the ground. We do not notice this minor 'difference' when we are able-bodied, but with a wheelchair, it is dangerous as the one pushing the wheelchair may inadvertently cause the one sitting on it to lunge forward and fall.
I now try to 'recce' places in advance to ensure they are wheelchair-friendly and safe before I take my mum out.
Our outings are currently limited to visits to my mother's doctor, hospital and much-needed weekly lunches.
I agree with Mr Teng Nee Peng's letter yesterday, 'Lifts at every floor a necessity, not luxury'.
My ageing mother would consider living with my elder sister in her flat if there were lifts serving every floor. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Perhaps town planners should emulate the Ngee Ann Polytechnic students and wheel around a member of their team
to understand the difficulties faced by a wheelchair-bound person or his care-giver.
Do the authorities and town planners notice these issues only when the aim is to attract wheelchair-bound tourists? ('Improving infrastructure to make city wheelchair-friendly can be a boon to tourism', yesterday)
What about the care and needs of our own greying population?
Lucy Ng (Mdm)
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