Atsugi City-Visit homes of Disable persons

Yesterday, went to Atsugi City at Kanagawa to visit the homes of disable persons. It's about 1 hour from Central Tokyo. First house we went to is Mrs Miyae Matsuda. She is quadriplegia and is staying with her husband and 1 daughter. She is also a trained graphic artist. She is staying in Public housing.

That's her in the middle

Showing some paintings from a disabled painting group called "Group KAN" which she belongs to.
She is a very strong advocate. At the time when she got her disabilities (80's) the services offered in Japan was not very good and she has to advocate for better things for PWDs. Very inspirational and independent lady. Ganbatte!

This is her house helper a service offered by the government. She comes to help cook lunch for Mrs Matsuda.

After Mrs Matsuda's house we stop by at the local welfare center to have lunch and have a look at the center.

At the cafe......there's 2 persons with intellectual disabilities working here.

What I have for lunch..... japanese fried rice with dried shrimp, soup, salad, green tea & coffee. 580 yen....
A small shop selling snacks and other items there. Lady behind the counter is a wheelchair user.

Next we when to a Mr Jinno's house. He's also a quadriplegia. Had a motorbike accident when he was a uni student. After 1 year at the hospital he decided to go back to study and now he's working full time at home doing data entry. He's paralyse from neck down and can only move his right arm. 1 of the reasons he could go back to Uni to study is becoz the Uni has facilities for the disabled.
Mr Jinno is renting a private apartment not becoz he can afford it but public housing has no units for him.

Showing us how he operates the computer. The mouse was modified by Uni students for him to use.

Handsome chap right? hehe

Needs the slope at the entrance for his wheelchair.

Next we visited Mr & Mrs Machida. Husband got spinal cord injury and wife had cerebral palsy. Mr Machida is the manager of a sheltered workshop which we had a quick stop before going to his place. There are staying in a 1 story house which was built from stretch to accommodate their accessibility.

Showing the kitchen design... there's enough space underneath the sink to fit her wheelchair.

It's a lift that helps them get on to the wheelchair, get to the toilet and get to the bathtub. Amazing! That is why they decided to built a house of their own so they can install things like that. If they are staying in a public house or rent an apartment they can't install a lift like that.

That's them in front. Cute couple. Has been married for 26 years. We were wondering how they can afford the house but they took a housing loan and there's special rates for PWDs. And special things like the lift and motorized beds are subsidized by the government.

Overall these people are able to live an independent life becoz of support not only from the government but also from people surrounding them. It's important we do not see them as burdens but as part of our society. And they themselves also do not want to burden us but to live life independently and fully. It was a tiring day but certainly an enriching experience listening to them share their life stories with us.