Lifestyle and Outdoors

By Debra Kerper, Easy Access Travel It is often said that taking a child to Disneyland for the first time and experiencing the Magic Kingdom through their eyes is the best way to see it. After sailing more than 80 cruises, I am convinced that taking over 100 people on their first cruise is also…

Hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to California’s famed coastline each year to enjoy its spectacular scenery and abundant recreational opportunities. But visiting broad sandy beaches and steep, rocky bluffs can be challenging for people who need a fairly level, firm path of travel—be they wheelchair riders, parents pushing strollers or people who use canes…

Finding ways for people with disabilities to enjoy the great outdoors in Northern California just got a whole lot easier with the launch of the new Bay Area Outreach and Recreational Program’s (BORP) website, Access Northern California. This web-based guide provides detailed accessibility information on more than 100 entries under the headings, “Explore,” “Play” and “Sleep” and includes…

Born and raised in Tokyo, Japan, Erena Shimoda received her Divemaster certificate in Venezuela in 2005, and began shooting underwater photographs in Thailand, Bonaire, Bahama, Corsica, Cozumel, Cancun, and Hawaii. She pioneered underwater immersion therapy after surviving a car accident in which she lost her father and was severely injured. As a part of her healing process,…

By Stephanie Alves, ABL Denim We just put the bubbly away and now we’re worried about blizzards back east and El Niño out west. But let’s not think about that right now. Let’s talk about love. Love of your family, love of dear friends, love of those who are good to you. Valentine’s Day is about…

By Kristen Hart, Living Able Pokémon Go has taken the world by storm!  It’s not uncommon for everyone to want the latest cellphone or to go see the latest movie. But I do not think I have ever seen a game or phone app be so popular to so many, especially this quickly!  I do not…

By Edmund Q. Sylvester, United States Adaptive Golf Alliance (USAGA) The vision of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) is, “To enable Para athletes to achieve sporting excellence and inspire and excite the World.” The World Disabled Golf Championship—hosted by the United States Adaptive Golf Alliance (USAGA) in Portland, Oregon on August 15-18, 2016—did just that. After more…

Claiming that a staggering 30% of Russian drivers ignore clearly marked disability parking signage, Russia-based not-for-profit organization Dislife concocted a bold plan to entice people to think twice. In partnership with ad agency Young & Rubicam, Dislife launched More Than A Sign, a social experiment which literally puts a face to the handicapped symbol. “Parking signs mean…

By Kristen Hart, Living Able After 33 years of living with Spina Bifida, I have learned a thing or two about coming up with creative ways to get things done. And because sharing is caring, I created Living Able, a YouTube channel designed to teach those with some kind of mobility issue how to become more independent through…

By Sheryl Bass, The Hadley School for the Blind Three million people in the U.S. age 40 and older have low vision. According to 2010 research by the National Eye Institute, the number of Americans with low vision will continue to grow dramatically, from 2.9 million in 2010, to 5 million in 2030, to 8.9 million…

By Barbara & Jim Twardowski Three brides dressed in wedding gowns obediently trail after their photographers stopping to pose at one stunning backdrop after another. You don’t have to be a bride to appreciate the lovely grounds, fountains, and courtyards at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas. The Lone Star state’s first modern…

By Brittany Dejean, AbleThrive Join AbleThrive on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3rd to celebrate abilities with the #ThisIsHowI campaign. The campaign kicks off on this day and showcases life with a disability to hgihlight what’s possible. We encourage people all over the world to take photos and/or 10-20 second videos of the…