by Conscious Reminder
Glad and Bill Forward were really ‘glad’ that they met each other. High school sweethearts, their love had all the makings of a classic Hollywood movie.
They were in love with each other from a very early age and as luck would have it, got married shortly after.
Their relationship was picture perfect. Bill would come out to her place of residence with his bike and they would go on bike rides every Saturday. It was a chance for them to be with each other doing something that they both loved.
After getting married, it became easier to follow through with this tradition. When they had a baby, they simply fixed a baby carrier at the head of their bicycles. Everything was going perfectly until Glad contracted Alzheimer’s.
The Bike Which Is Also A Chair
Seeing Glad’s condition deteriorate continuously, Bill decided to do something about their daily routine.
On no grounds did she want to give up on it, so Bill built a bike that would also work as a chair for her. The bike would have a seat attached at the helm where the person could sit and enjoy the ride.
Glad sat there, while Bill pedaled her across the neighborhood and accompanying places. And let us tell you, this didn’t go unnoticed. No sir, they were witnessed by locals who couldn’t believe the love that this couple had for each other.
Their video was posted on YouTube, which garnered quite a million views. 60 Minutes, along with several other media giants have taken up their story for broadcast too.
Benefits Of Being Outdoors
Although Bill’s plan was simple- Glad loved cycling so he was simply trying to prove that disability wouldn’t hinder that- he helped her in many more ways. People with Alzheimer’s require exposure to the sun.
This helps them uplift their mood, while also getting the necessary Vitamins D from the sun. Their bone density gets a boost, while it has been recorded that good exercise helps one relieve stress and get on with one’s life.
People who suffer from Alzheimer’s have nothing easy. While they shouldn’t be stuck inside their houses, it is very risky to let them out. They often forget where they are, and can get lost quite easily.
Often, there isn’t anyone who will be able to take care of them. Or someone, who would be able to take them out.
What people don’t understand, is that even being outside can work wonders for anyone with dementia. They don’t have to work or move or run. They can simply stand there, or lie down, or sit and face the sun.
The sunlight not only brightens up the mood, but it also slows down cognitive decline. With so many advantages associated with sunlight, it is really a travesty that people who really need it aren’t able to get it to the fullest.
Depression
People with Alzheimer’s or dementia often succumb to depression. And this depression can occur at any point in time. In fact, people with disabilities have higher rates of depression than non-disabled people.
This depression can also be a result of being exposed to a whole plethora of problems that the non-disabled public isn’t affected by. A disabled person faces a lot more trouble than a non-disabled person will. And that leads to depression.
Depression in itself results from social isolation to a great extent. A person suffering from Alzheimer’s is rarely let out. They isolate themselves from socializing with the public, which gradually worsens their mood. In reality, going out is the best thing an Alzheimer’s patient could do.
The Outdoors Should Be Opened Up To Everyone
It is to be observed that Bill could make it possible for Glad to keep following her routine, even when it was quite impossible for her to ride a bike. She needed sunshine, and Bill was able to provide her with that through the sheer power of love.
Wheelchairtravelling.com says that there are around 560,000 people in America who are unable to go out of their homes due to problems with transportation.
Goes without saying that lawmakers and architects need to get their mojo on, and actually do something that will allow people with disabilities to do everything and go everywhere like everyone else.
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