By Jennifer Pass

Special to the Record

Several years ago, when I was balancing work and family and community commitments, I dreamed about living a 鈥渟lowed down life.鈥� I thought maybe someone will write the 鈥淏ook of Slow鈥� to show us how to live more fully and more consciously. Well, just wait until you are older and have some health issues, and you will start living this, whether you are ready to or not.

A couple of weeks ago three of us from Elders Take Action, thought we鈥檇 like to test accessibility of our local shopping areas, so we planned to start in Comox. I went to one lady鈥檚 house and the other lady was going to meet us in Comox. So, the plan was that I would drive Joanne鈥檚 (not her real name) van and she would be in it in her electric wheelchair. The vehicle had not (I think) been driven recently, and certainly Joanne had not driven it. So we started with a call to her son to find out how to turn the battery on, as it had been disconnected because the high level of electronics tends to drain it. Then, instruction book out of the glove compartment, and I am pressing the key in just the right place but the van is not lowering and the ramp is not going down.

At that moment a friendly community worker happened by and explained that I would have to remove the key from the ignition to work the ramp, as it would not be safe to have a driver accidentally press the button while driving and 鈥渧oila鈥� down goes the side ramp. The next problem was the ramp itself. It did not go down properly 鈥� and the friendly man fixed it with some wire he happened to be carrying. At this point I got 鈥渃old feet鈥� and called off the enterprise. I was afraid that we鈥檇 not be able to get the ramp down, or back up, and my friend would be in her electric wheelchair a long way from home.

All these little steps took us a couple of hours, and although we did not get an opportunity for the 鈥渁ccessibility鈥� outing, (we鈥檒l try for next month) we had some laughs, and enjoyed the helpfulness of the community worker. Our lives slowed down; it was a sunny morning, and pleasant to be outside. We did not have to go, we could choose not to go, and so we did not go.

But, lest I romanticize too much, my life is not usually like this. I hop in my car and go where I choose. This is not true for many seniors, who are no longer driving, or who have lost a spouse who did the driving. Many seniors are homebound, with groceries delivered. Their daily lives could fill the 鈥渂ook of slow,鈥� but this is not their choice; it is often a lonely and boring existence. Thankfully in the Comox Valley we have programs like the Friendly Visitor Program (Comox Valley Senior Support Society (250)871-5940), which can provide contact, conversation and connection. For local transportation needs, a senior can contact handyDART (250-339-5442) and be sent an application form. If the senior qualifies, handyDART has a vehicle that has ramp access for electric or standard wheelchairs.

Jennifer Pass is the co-ordinator of Comox Valley Elders Take Action (ETA)