Myth:Wheelchair users are paralyzed and confined to their wheelchair.
Reality:Many wheelchair users can walk. Their strength may be limited, so a wheelchair allows them to travel farther and be more independent. But even in cases where the wheelchair user is paralyzed, “confined” isn’t the right way to think of it. People don’t consider the able-bodied “confined” to their car or bicycle. In the same way, wheelchairs are just another form of transportation.
Every year the Ms. Wheelchair America pageant honors the achievements of disabled women and provides the winner a platform from which she can advocate for others with disabilities. The winner isn’t chosen based on mere physical beauty, but on being “the most accomplished and articulate spokeswoman for persons with disabilities.”
Although most tech companies these days focus on youth, the aging Baby Boomers population is a large and growing market. That’s why IDEO, the company who invented the first computer mouse, has hired Barbara Beskind, a 90 year old inventor, to help create new gadgets for the elderly.
This year as part of World Cerebral Palsy Day, a competition called Change My Life in One Minute asked entrants to invent something that could make a significant difference to someone living with a disability. The students at the University of Virginia did just that, and won the competition with their innovative new solar powered wheelchair.
With an average lifespan of 71 years, humans are some of the longest living creatures on earth. However, a few animals have us beat. Some turtles can live for over 100 years, some fish can live for over 200 years, some clams can live for over 500 years, and some jellyfish are said to be immortal. But the longest living mammal, whose genes may be able to help us live longer and avoid cancer, is the bowhead whale. They can live for over 200 years.
Recently, iWalkFree came out with the newest version of their hands free crutch-- the iWalk 2.0.
It offers several advantages over traditional arm crutches. Most importantly, it frees your hands and arms so you can continue doing all your daily activities. Secondly, it’s more comfortable than a traditional crutch which gets painful after extended use.
If you live with a wheelchair, then the winter can bring extra challenges. Here are some tips from actual wheelchair users on how best to stay warm and get around this winter.
You might not guess that one of the highest life expectancy places on the globe is a small, smoggy city in Southern California. But the residents of Loma Linda, CA frequently reach age 100 and beyond. Their longevity is largely due to their religion; Loma Linda is home to many Seventh-day Adventists whose religious beliefs enforce a healthy lifestyle.
According to a 2012 list by the World Health Organization, Japan has the longest life expectancy in the world. Men live to an average age of 85 and women to 87. For comparison, American men live to an average age of 77 and women to 82.
In the past, studies have shown the Mediterranean Diet can have huge health benefits, such as decreasing the risk of chronic disease and cancer. But now, a new study from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital has shown that the diet may even slow down aging and lengthen your life.
The residents of Sardinia, Italy have some of the longest lifespans in the world. Not only do they live longer, they also suffer fewer diseases and enjoy more years of healthy life than almost any other group. Why?
No, these aren’t telekinetic monkeys. They’ve just had electrodes planted deep in their brains that interact with special high tech wheelchairs. Using this new thought technology, the monkeys are able to steer their wheelchairs and go grab grapes.
