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Disabled in France

IMHO that is not a very good description of those for whom these topics will be of interest, it infers at first glance the wheels have been stolen off your campervan!!

In the sense it is meant, it suggest people are bedridden or at best confined to a wheel chair. But as Kathy righly points out, its not about wheelchairs at all.

The deaf are disabled, the blind and partially sighted are also disabled, the elderley with stiff joints and reduced strength  are disabled.  What they all have in common is impaired mobility, and Mobility Impaired is the term used by most organisations to describe such people.  Its not being  PC for the sake of it, its just a far more accurate description of those who are unfortunately impaired by a condition from being fully mobile.

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Ron,

I certainly take your point about the name Disabled in France, and I agree with what you say.  Should this forum prefer, I would not have a problem with changing the name, but I suggest that the name should be all inclusive for people with any form of disability.

When I first raised the matter I was mostly thinking of those people who were mobility impaired, and because of my own mobility impairment I was primarily thinking of those in wheelchairs.  However, when I considered a name, I wanted to be all inclusive, and I did not feel that the title "Mobility Impaired" would cover all disabilities, as of course some disabilities do not include mobility impairment.  Therefore I rejected the title mobility impaired as I thought this would be too restrictive.

If you think that the present name is inadequate then please suggest a different all inclusive title for Admin, the Mods, and the readers, to consider.  I really do not think that mobility impairment would be satisfactory, but thank you for your helpful and constructive comment, rather than Norman's rather bitter snipe.

Norman - I very much appreciate the femail emotiveness, and I am not above a bit of male emotiveness myself.  As a disabled person, there are times when I would really appreciate a forum to explain my problems, and have some sympathetic femail emotiveness to help me through a bad patch.  Not reading much French, sometimes I would prefer femail emotiveness to cold links to French web sites, good though they may be, but that is a personal opinion and an appeal to the femails not to withhold their emotiveness.

David

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f1steveuk,

I think that you may have missed the point of this thread.  All respect to Jason Watt, he has done well.  However, he must have had a lot of help and money to be able to race again.  Sadly this is not available to many disabled people, and I would like to at least try to address the help aspect.

Further, you do not say how he copes away from his racing bike when he is in a wheelchair, or where he obtained all his help.

You seem to imply that most disabled people simply accept their disability, and wallow in sympathy, forgive me if I am wrong.  I am sure that many disabled people would love to have the opportunity that Jason Watt has.  Perhaps this forum could help some to at least partly improve their quality of life.  I know that I fight against it and would love to resume a normal life.  However, I am starting to become realistic and accept what I can and cannot do within my means and resources.

David

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[quote user="David"]

 

I certainly take your point about the name Disabled in France, and I agree with what you say.  Should this forum prefer, I would not have a problem with changing the name, but I suggest that the name should be all inclusive for people with any form of disability.

 

[/quote]

 

I don't have a problem with the board title although I think that "People with Disabilities" might have been better (sorry for being PC!). I just think that it's important that it doesn't get highjacked by any particular group with assumptions being made about the type of disability.

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[quote user="KathyC"][quote user="David"]

 

I certainly take your point about the name Disabled in France, and I agree with what you say.  Should this forum prefer, I would not have a problem with changing the name, but I suggest that the name should be all inclusive for people with any form of disability.

 

[/quote]

 

I don't have a problem with the board title although I think that "People with Disabilities" might have been better (sorry for being PC!). I just think that it's important that it doesn't get highjacked by any particular group with assumptions being made about the type of disability.

[/quote]

 

Forum section name has been changed, thanks.

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   Only last year I spent some time trying to assist a friend who wanted to go on holiday in Normandy and she had mobility problems and was hoping to " Hire " a wheelchair to take in their car when getting about in France as travelling with friends  they did not have room to take one ...Could not find anyone who did it ...in the UK she would have been spoilt for choice  ..My friend had to miss a visit to Mont St Michelle ...mobility problems ?   you can not get in the place ...

..How many Gite owners want to put themselves out and cater for wheelchair access ....very few and its silly as good  money is willing to be paid for these facilities by people who need them ..people who are frustrated by not being able to find very many places they can stay in France   As for hotels and shops how many  owners even think about the problems of the disabled... ramps ...shower access etc... . again very few....

 How many people do you see being pushed about in wheelchairs in France compared with the UK ..very few indeed...I think France like some other countries on mainland Europe is happy to have their disabled   members of the community  " Out of sight  Out of mind " ....Like in many things when it comes to talking about what needs to be done they are at the head of the line.... when it comes to doing somthing about it  they are so far at the back they are out of sight !  so " Come on France .. Wake up to the problems ! and  dont be ashamed of your disabled people get off your backsides and make life better for them ! " 

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[quote user="Forum Admin"][quote user="KathyC"][quote user="David"]

 

I certainly take your point about the name Disabled in France, and I agree with what you say.  Should this forum prefer, I would not have a problem with changing the name, but I suggest that the name should be all inclusive for people with any form of disability.

 

[/quote]

 

I don't have a problem with the board title although I think that "People with Disabilities" might have been better (sorry for being PC!). I just think that it's important that it doesn't get highjacked by any particular group with assumptions being made about the type of disability.

[/quote]

 

Forum section name has been changed, thanks.

[/quote]

 

Wow, I've made my mark for posterity! Thanks.

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[quote user="Frederick"]
   Only last year I spent some time trying to assist a friend who wanted to go on holiday in Normandy and she had mobility problems and was hoping to " Hire " a wheelchair to take in their car when getting about in France as travelling with friends  they did not have room to take one ...Could not find anyone who did it ...in the UK she would have been spoilt for choice  ..My friend had to miss a visit to Mont St Michelle ...mobility problems ?   you can not get in the place ...

..How many Gite owners want to put themselves out and cater for wheelchair access ....very few and its silly as good  money is willing to be paid for these facilities by people who need them ..people who are frustrated by not being able to find very many places they can stay in France   As for hotels and shops how many  owners even think about the problems of the disabled... ramps ...shower access etc... . again very few....

 How many people do you see being pushed about in wheelchairs in France compared with the UK ..very few indeed...I think France like some other countries on mainland Europe is happy to have their disabled   members of the community  " Out of sight  Out of mind " ....Like in many things when it comes to talking about what needs to be done they are at the head of the line.... when it comes to doing somthing about it  they are so far at the back they are out of sight !  so " Come on France .. Wake up to the problems ! and  dont be ashamed of your disabled people get off your backsides and make life better for them ! " 
[/quote]

 

I have to disagee a bit; although my husband's not in a wheelchair normally, when we stay in Etap/B&B hotels we choose the rooms that are "adaptes pour les handicapes" and they're usually very good. We also regularly see people in wheelchairs being pushed around our local roads, although that may be because there's a large maison de retraite just down the road. I  find the people who do offer adapted gites charge really silly prices, but then I'm a punter and not a gite owner!

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I am disabled and also an internet journalist.

These are articles which also give links to services which will help people.

http://www.thisfrenchlife.com/thisfrenchlife/health-care-in-france.html

http://www.thisfrenchlife.com/thisfrenchlife/2007/11/travel-and-acco.html

http://www.thisfrenchlife.com/thisfrenchlife/2008/02/uk-benefits-and.html

http://www.thisfrenchlife.com/thisfrenchlife/2007/12/we-all-need-a-h.html

http://www.thisfrenchlife.com/thisfrenchlife/2008/11/fight-to-reinst.html

This site is useful http://www.apf.asso.fr/ and it gives advice on various items and services

PM me if you want any further information

Coral

Mods note: To make a link live, just highlight it, click on the ball and chain iconon the right of the posting toolbar, click OK. Most of the time that will do it.




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David's idea for this thread is an excellent one and I hope it goes on and on...

However, to keep the key information focused and make it easy to find, perhaps a 'sticky' listing the various links together with a brief descriptive comment, for example:

 

[url=http://www.apf.asso.fr/vivreauquotidien/indexN2.php?rubr=9]Asssociation des Paralyses en France[/url] - your rights and assistance available for living in France

[url=http://aides-techniques.handicap.fr/#3.0.0.0.0]Handicap.fr[/url] - information about services providing autonomy to the disabled

 

And so on.....

Coops created a similar sticky for private insurers in the healthcare section and it seemed to work well.

  

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Before this thread gets separated, I would like to say a big thank you to all contributors so far to this thread, and to Cat for her work with the sticky, it looks as if she may have some more work.

I am now very glad that I asked for this section to be started, as already we have a wealth of information which was not on this forum before.

However, I feel that there might come a point where there are too many stickies so that people with questions are just referred to a sticky.  I suggest this, perhaps wrongly, as I also hope that this section might provide a route for anyone feeling depressed or bewildered about their disability to seek some sympathetic help from those with actual experience of disability.

Again, many thanks to all,

David

p.s.  I feel a bit like a midwife helping to give birth, or perhaps like a proud father.

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Well done David, (Papa des fils!?) I too am glad you asked for and got this section created. I think it will be a very useful resource for many people, for both practical and sympathetic support.

Special thanks also to Burgundy Maid for the links. [:D]

OK, gush over!

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[quote user="Cat"]

I've split some posts out of this thread, and moved them into a mobility/wheelchair hire thread

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1490021/ShowPost.aspx

If anyone would like to start a new thread on a particular topic, or add to the new one, feel free [:)]  Info will be easier to find if it is "filed" under a specific post heading.

[/quote]

What you have done is admirable.

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