Old Age troubles, but let's not talk about it

To All Bladder Challenged Folk,

 

Blindness does complicate other physical conditions, like old age.  We don't like to discuss publicly our system breakdown, especially those more personal bodily functions...yes, I mean *those functions! 

But 18 years ago when we first hit the road doing our rehab work with older blind, I would tend to my personal business prior to leaving the house, visit the restroom after lunch and not worry again until we arrived home in the early evening.  Now, at almost 77, we drive an hour and a half or two and I greet our client with, "Hey, how are you today, and may I use your bath room, please?" 

Now here is where blindness kicks in.  The client, usually a lady in her 80's, has to show me to the bath room, turn on a light even though I assure her that I don't use light, and walk me to the toilet with stops along the way to point out other fixtures such as sink and towel rack.  By the time she totters back out and closes the door I'm sweating bullets. 

But the one curse of all Bladder Challenged People is water.  Just stick your hand into a sink of cold water.  Pow!  Get out of the way.  And running water is the Mother of all Curses.  When I take my walks through the deep forests, I pass several little streams happily gurgling and trickling along.  I always am reminded that there is some trickling of my own that needs tending to. 

So, back to architectural accommodations for us blind people.  Put restrooms up front in large buildings.  It might even help to have a rail leading directly to them, especially the men's room. 

The local casino has restrooms at either end of their gaming rooms.  Way at the back.  They used to have facilities right up close to the front entrance, but they remodeled and incorporated that space into a small cafe.  Now I should point out that the bulk of this casino's customers are white headed folks with support canes or walkers, out for a bit of fun.  Warning!!! Never stand in the aisle leading to those far off restrooms.  You'll be mowed down in the trample. 

 

Curious Carl