Making Life Easier

Friendly Wheels, Issue 49
March 2012

Featuring Amigo owner Shelley Peterman Schwarz.

Shelley Peterman Schwarz, longtime Amigo owner and friend, has never let multiple sclerosis hold her back. Shelley got her start as a teacher of the hearing impaired, a job she enjoyed for 13 years. Shortly after, mobility restrictions forced her to retire from teaching after her MS diagnosis in 1979.

Since “retiring,” Shelley has gone on to become a motivational speaker, award-winning author and TV personality. Her “Making Life Easier” series includes seven books, all filled with helpful information for people with disabilities.

She writes tips to help with a variety of illnesses and disabilities. Many tips she offers could be useful to anyone who is hoping to simplify their life.

Shelley’s book, Home Accessibility: 300 Tips for Making Life Easier, includes tips and resources for creating an accessible home.

Handicapped Accessible Home Design Tips:

• , smooth surfaces are easier to maneuver than carpet. Wood floors are attractive and durable. Non-slip tile or stone are best in wet areas such as the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room and entryways.
• Replace round knobs with lever handles that can be operated without gripping and turning. Wrapping rubber bands around the handle can help increase grip on the handle.
• Purchase side-hinged appliances. A side-hinged oven is safer to use since there is no bending or reaching over a hot oven door.
• Store dishes vertically and within easy reach. Instead of stacking heavy dishes, stand them on end by adding small dowels to create a space to stand plates.
• Open up bathroom closets and cabinets. Removing doors and using open shelves will give you a few extra inches to maneuver and make storage more accessible.
• A low-cost way to access clothing in a tall closet is to purchase or make your own garment hook.
• An alternating air pressure mattress helps those at risk for pressure sores or with circulatory problems.These devices have air pockets and fill alternate chambers with air causing them to rise and fall. This eliminates long-term pressure on any one body part. Consult your physician to see if you would benefit from one of these special devices.
• Speaker phones let you talk on the phone while leaving your hands free. It’ll be easier to take notes and more comfortable for those with arthritis, weak grip or other hand challenges.

Shelley plans to continue to find new ways to make life easier and provide solutions to those with disabilities.

“There’s really no right answer to the question, ‘Why me?'”Shelley said. “But writing these books helps me answer it. I got my start as a teacher, and now I have a much larger classroom.”