Hey Jayne it is great to hear that dive operators are starting to make considerations for those of us with some physical limitations.
I have never been on a liveabord before so I can not tell you WHAT I look for BUT I can tell you what makes diving easier for me when I go on charters or on a friends boat, and also what I know about accessible living conditions for a disabled person.
As a diver with a disabilty I can say I do NOT look at a dive operation the same way a another diver would. The average diver looks for things like Good helpful crew, nice boat, good dive spots, # and type of dives, type of gear available, and of course price. As a diver with a disability I have to look at the bigger picture.... Can I get in and out of the water easy enough? Is the crew gonna be ready to give me the assistance I may require? Do they offer dive sites I can handel (considering my physical limitations strong current or surge and other factors could pose a problem) So it isn't (for me anyway) what do I WANT as much as WHAT DO I NEED. So here are some ideas for you to think about.
YOUR First concern is accessibility. To most people who have not had close relationships with a disabled person accessibility issues are easily overlooked. Here are a few ideas to combat issues of mobility for those of us with disabilities.
Make sure all doorways and hallways are at least 36 inches wide (wheelchairs need at least 36 inches to manuver properly). Obiviously the deck area and other common areas (rooms, halls, dive platforms, dining/meeting/leisure areas) should be free from obstructions (tanks, ropes, gear, hoses, or other items on the ground is a minor trip hazard to most people to someone in a wheelchair or with bad hips/legs like myself it can be an unpassable blockade).
PLEASE Make sure you have handrails or other support/stability items in ALL common areas for those of us who are mobil (walking) but unsteady. I need to hold on or just brace myself whenever I am moving/standing on a pitching boat. Support/stability items do not all need to be at hip height, I tend to hold onto overhead poles, beams, straps, also walls, ladders, or whatever I can grab that won't move or fall if I hold onto it. BUT this may not work for someone who uses crutches or walkers since grabing upwards or using a free hand may not be possible.
STAIRS may as well be the grand canyon to someone in a wheelchair or with limited mobility. You need to address this issue when considering a disabled person. On a boat space is definatley limited so you need to plan well where you are going to have disabled acessible rooms, and HOW a person can access the other common areas of the ship without too much difficulty. If it is 1 or even 2 steps up or down you can address it by using a small peice of wood or metal as a ramp (but make sure it fits tight and will not move/slide while someone is on it). Anything longer and a ramp may not be possible due to the pitch of the ramp and turning clearance in the room/hall (too steep and a wheelchair can become a runaway train going down, or extremely difficult to climb up. Not enough turn clearance and you have a wheelchair stuck at the bottom/top unable to turn off the ramp and get into the ajoining area).
The state room itself must also follow the above guidelines. Free from obstructions, wide enough to turn and move a wheelchair around, places to grab and hold onto for stability. Doorknobs/locks, dressers, tables, and extra seating all need to be at an accessible height for your clients. With this you also need to consider transfer options. Many people with a disability need to transfer from their chair to other places. A person in a wheelchair may need little to no help moving from chair to bed/toilet/tub, BUT others may need someone or something to assist or even do the entire transfer for them. You can go online to see many options used to assist with transfers.
(some useful sites that may help or give you some transfer ideas/products
www.mdausa.org www.homemods.org/products/products.html,
www.access-board.gov/recreation/guides/pools.htm,
www.wheelchairnet.org/WCN_ProdServ/Products/adldev.html) Many of these transfer devices can be very costly so look for other viable options that can work with your given space.
The other major concern in their state room is the BATHROOM! The bathroom must be wide enough for a wheelchair to maneuver and you need to have handrails (or other transfer device) by the toilet (there are alot of options for toilet transfers). Showers/tubs need to have handrails (more than one and at different height levels) for stability and for transfering and should be wheelchair accesible (no step or lip, chair should roll in) or if making the shower/tub wheelchair accessible is not possible (too small a space, too $$$ to convert) you must have a viable transfer option (tub seat and removable (showermassager)showerhead for ease of independent cleaning or other options). The sink needs to be at an appropriate height for clients to use and plumbing pipes underneth should be as streamlined as possible. The persons legs need to be able to get under the sink and sit as close as possible to the sink (if it is regualr dimension plumbing pipes they tend to be in the way of the persons legs, and can't get close enough to the sink)
That is pretty much it for accesibility issues (that I can think of for the moment).
continued in next post
