Travesias en silla de ruedas por Buenos Aires(2)

La silla se zarandea durante el viaje, y él debe aferrarse a algún caño porque su Flexicar no tiene freno. Antes de bajar, Gustavo le pide a un pasajero que lo ayude: "Bajá vos primero y tené fuerte las ruedas. “No te preocupes si reboto porque no duele tanto”, le explica.

En la calle, Gustavo ve que ya viene "el colectivo de atrás". Y confirma entonces que tampoco tenía rampa. Cruza Centenera y llega hasta la boca del subte de la estación Primera Junta de la línea A.

No hay ascensor. Tampoco escalera mecánica.

Gira su silla, y tomada del pasamanos, baja marcha atrás. Sus anteojos tiemblan con el gople de casa uno de los 20 escalones.

Recien en el último escalón, un guardia de seguridad privada lo ayuda. Pero aún quedan 20 escalones de otro sector, y Gus debe arreglárselas solo. En el andén se encuentra con Estela, una ex compañera de trabajo:

"¿Cómo bajaste?", pregunta ella. "Con voluntad”, dice él. “Soy leonino", justifica.

Gustavo parece un marciano en el vagon del Subte. Algunos lo miran como si pidiera limosna. "Por eso no me gusta viajar en subte. Es un lugar hostil para nosotros", dice.

Baja en Congreso.

Allí hay escalera mecánica: clava su silla en un escalón, se toma fuerte del pasamanos y sube. "Pero esto no puede hacerlo cualquiera", asegura. El sí, porque tiene brazos fortalecidos por el básquet que practica desde hace 30 años en el club Marcelo Fitte.

Son más de las cuatro y espera el 150, que lo llevará a Pompeya. Deja pasar varios colectivos para ver si alguno tiene piso bajo. Nada.

Entonces un chico con una mochila de “Viejas locas” lo ayuda a subir a uno común.
"Los Choferes no quieren abrirte porque creen que te vas a tardar mucho. ¿ Cuanto tiempo pueden perder, un minuto? ¿Y yo? ¿Quien piensa en mi? ¿La gente es solidaria? Algunos. Los menos si; ¡otros se hacen tontos!!!

La bronca de Gus tiene tambien otros objetivo: los políticos.

"No conozco a ninguno, NINGUNO, NINGUNO, NINGUNO que haya hecho algo por los discapacitados. Me gustaría ser presidente por un día para arreglar las veredas, tapar los pozos. Pondria multas a los autos que entorpecen el paso, y obligaria a todos los medios de transporte y a los consorcios de los edificios para que sean accesibles” dice Gustavo. “Les daria trabajo a todo los discapacitados, porque es la unica manera de insertarlos en la sociedad y as sertirnos “dignos”.

“La gente ahora protesta por la desocupación, pero nosotros siempre estuvimos, y estamos desocupados".

Sabe que es un privilegiado por su empleo en el Centro de Flores, donde anota a recién nacidos.

"Unos 12 por día", cuenta.

Pero Mónica, su mujer, también es discapacitada por una poliomielitis y no tiene trabajo desde hace mucho tiempo. "La gente cree que no mantenemos hijos, que no pagamos alquileres ni impuestos". Gus mantiene a Cynthia, su hija de 14 años, y a Claudio, el hijo de 13.

Baja en Esquiú y Sáenz, en Villa Diamante. Llueve y las calles están resbaladizas. En la esquina de Lebenson se enchastra con el agua de un pozo. Espera el 9, que lo deja en Moreno y Murguiondo, a metros de su casa.

Como no hay bajadas en las esquinas, Gustavo hace malabares para bajar de la vereda. Al fin llega a su casa. Mónica lo recibe con un gran beso. "Se sobre exige. Todo lo hace a fuerza de espiritu”, dice la mujer.

Son las seis. Hora del mate. Su hijo Claudio vuelve de la escuela: "¡Me saqué un 10!", anuncia. La pareja sonríe.

Gustavo se refugia en su hogar: "Los discapacitados también tenemos una vida, sólo que allá tendría que ser más accesible para nosotros", dice, señalando hacia la calle.

Travesias en silla de ruedas por Buenos Aires(1)

Por Mili Guerra
Colaboración para América Tropical.

Gustavo, de 47 años, hace 20 que está en silla de ruedas. Todos los días viaja desde Lanús hacia su trabajo en Flores. Toma dos colectivos y, a veces, el subte. Una persona lo acompañó desde la salida de su trabajo hasta su casa.

Son más de las tres de la tarde en Buenos Aires, Argentina, y Gustavo ya hace rato que mira la ventana desde su escritorio. El cielo está gris, demasiado gris. "Por Dios, que no llueva otra vez", ruega.

Al rato guarda sus cosas, se despide de sus compañeros y toma el ascensor. No marca "planta baja" sino "primer subsuelo".

Llega hasta allí y después de saludar a la chica que limpia cambia de ascensor. sube a uno especial, uno que le permite esquivar las escaleras de la entrada del edificio y salir directamente a la calle.

Por suerte no llueve.

Entonces empieza el largo y agotador regreso a casa. Gustavo igual está acostumbrado: ya lleva 20 de sus 47 años en una silla de ruedas. Vale decir que encima es un afortunado. Por mucho tiempo pudo caminar y ver que antes, tomar colectivo era mucho más fácil.

Hasta hace nueve meses todo era más fácil: vivía en una pensión de Flores, a sólo ocho cuadras del trabajo, en el Centro de Gestión y Participación de Rivadavia y Culpina. Pero apareció Mónica, y el amor lo llevó a Villa Diamante, Lanús.

"¡Qué voy a hacer! Nada es gratis en esta vida...", dice. Ahora debe viajar en varios colectivos durante más de una hora para ir a trabajar. El hombre está enamorado.

Gustavo conoce de memoria cada una de las baldosas (aceras) rotas que hay de su trabajo a la parada del 85 que lo deja en Pompeya. A unas las evita y a otras las desafía. Es una especie de aventura, uno lo ve y no termina de creerlo.

Sabe que su silla, una Flexcar Ultraliviana, esta hecha a medida y sin respaldo para darle mayor movilidad. Es resistente a los golpes.

Pero según el tipo de enfermedad, el tipo de sillas cambian, y no todos tienen plata para comprar ese tipo de sillas. El estado da sillas. Una empresa, que no quiero nombrar, da sillas especiales. ¿Después de cuánto tiempo? Además, dice que ustedes saben que esa silla la pagamos nosotros ¿no? los que pagamos una cuota por mes, para ¿colaborar?.

"El problema no se reduce a evitar pozos", dice.

Y habla de sus manos: llenas de caca de los perros que se le pegan en sus ruedas, de las botellas rotas que pueden pinchar las gomas, de las calles inundadas, que lo obligan a sumergirse en agues turbias (aguas turbias lo dice el, yo digo agua mugrienta.

Pero en el caso de Gus, nadie se preocupa si se va a contagiar la gripe N1H1, la gripe A, B, Z y todo el abecedario.

En este caso no importa el alcoholito para limpiarse las manos. Y ni hablar de las bajadas de la esquina, las de plástico están rotas, y me consta, porque en una me cai de frente, y me hice bolsa, y la mayoría inutilizadas por autos que cortan el paso. Demás está decir que en muchisimas esquinas, ni siquiera hay bajadas.

Pero...Gustavo, después de pasar por todo esto, recién empieza su otra odisea: viajar!!! Además de los colectivos, quiere mostrar que el mundo subterraneo no esta preparado para ellos, y eso que se estima que son 18,000 los discapacitados que usan sillas de ruedas por Buenos Aires.

Pero primero hay que tomar un colectivo. Espera en la parada del 2. Llega uno, y el chofer le dice que espere el próximo, que tiene piso bajo y rampa. Gus le dice que quiere subir igual, que le abra la puerta de atrás. El chofer le contesta que si le pasa algo lo sancionarán a él. Gustavo insiste y el chofer cede.

"No es capricho”, explica Gus. “Estoy seguro que el de atras no tiene rampa”. Se acerca con su silla, se cuelga del caño y mira a las personas que están en la fila para que le suban la silla.

La gente duda, hasta que un hombre de sobretodo negro lo ayuda. Desde adentro un joven le da una mano. Se ubica en la parte de atrás. La gente lo mira con asombro. "Es tan incómodo subir y bajar de los colectivos que somos pocos los que nos animamos", dice Gustavo.

Y cuenta que a veces le ofrecen el asiento. "No gracias, ya voy sentado”, contesta.

The Sounds of the Chevrolet Volt

UDLA organizes march to halt crime, drugs(2)

Yonah Hong, who works with the CRA/LA, said it’s important to keep youth at risk at school. Equally keen is to keep them busy with productive and recreational activities to steer them away from crime and drug dealing.

“In ethnically diverse communities such as Koreatown, where we have Mexican Americans, Guatemalans, Salvadoreans, Korean Americans, African Americans and Caucasians, marches like this bring mutual respect and understanding among our communities,” Hong said. “We as citizens sometimes go to church, and we think the police will take care of all the graffiti problems, gangs, etc. We have to be partners with the police and be the eyes of the community.”

Hong said disabled residents are easier targets of crime from gang bangers, and others who want to damage the weakest in these communities. She said it’s important to be persistent to keep these neighborhoods accessible in lieu of the American with Disabilities Act, or ADA.

“I understand parking and traffic bureau officers are in charge to enforce ADA laws. Safety, access and availability of spaces for accessible cars are key.”

For his part, Jorge Salgado, who is blind, said this march helps to promote better communities, and sends a message of hope to many residents that crime and gangs are not welcomed in highly populated communities in metropolitan Los Angeles. Salgado lives in Pasadena, but said some of his friends are involved in gangs in south Los Angeles.

“This event is good to try to avert and finish violence, drug dealing and consumption, and all related activities. I believe jobs creation for youth would help to improve things, along with these events,” Salgado said.

The Los Angeles Daily News reported on Feb. 17. 2010 that crime in Los Angeles has fallen 10% in comparison to last year. The figures only include the period from Jan 1 to Feb. 12, 2010. The reported drop in crime follow a 50% historic reduction in the same field under the helmet of former police chief Bill Bratton.

UDLA organizes march to halt crime, drugs(1)

By Alfredo Santana

The Unification of Disabled Latino American (UDLA), along with Los Angeles Police Department officers, and city and community representatives, organized in Koreatown on June 12, 2010 a peaceful march to send a message to local communities that crime, drugs and graffiti activities must stop, particularly in low income and ethnically diverse neighborhoods.

The march, titled March Against Crime and Drugs, began in the Olympic Station of the LAPD, located at 1130 S. Vermont Ave. It headed north, and turned left on Olympic Ave, until it reached its destination at the Seoul International Park Auditorium, located at the corner of Olympic Blvd. and San Marino St.

There have been at least 25 similar marches against graffiti, drugs and violence organized by UDLA in past years. However, this is the first march after several years of absence held in streets of Los Angeles, in coordination with the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles (CRA/LA), and the Wilshire Center Business Improvement Corporation (WCBIC).

Organizers estimate that between 500 and 1000 people attended the event, which lasted from 10:15 a.m., until about 11:30 a.m. Four police units, a special bicycle police unit with four standing officers, and about five officers in regular bicycle units also joined the march. About 20 LAPD officers, and several cadets attended the event.

Ruben Hernandez, founder and director of UDLA, said the main purpose of this march is to spread the word to neighborhoods seized with gangs and graffiti, that their residents must take action to eradicate these problems, because most city dwellers do very little to improve the quality of life of gang and poverty-ridden communities.

That is, in part, how sustainable communities, and better quality of life can be achieved, he said.

“The worst thing amongst us is to become abstinent to take action against these social problems. Many see graffiti on a wall, and six, eight months after it was tagged, the marks are still there,” said Hernandez, who became blind after a stray bullet fired by a gang banger ripped through his skull about 30 years ago. “The cholito won the battle against all the very smart heads who live in our neighborhoods.”

Hernandez said a kind of civic response must grow out of necessity to improve the quality of life of many decadent neighborhoods. He said many have joined this movement after they see UDLA crews work to clean places such as East Valinda, where blight was common: bleak views of abandoned cars, furniture dumped in the sidewalks, and scrawled graffiti dotted the landscape both in the streets, and in backyards.

“After they see the difference, and they say ‘I want it, I can,’ everything starts falling into place. Things began to take good form.”

Fulbright scholarships focus on disabled applicants

Two webinars designed to introduce persons with disabilities how to apply for Fulbright scholarships, specialist program and English assistant program, offered in several countries abroad, will be conducted on June 17 and June 24, by the Institute of International Education and the Council for the International Exchange of Scholars.

The first webinar, titled “Fulbright Opportunities for Ph.D Faculty, Researchers, Artists and Professionals,” will take place Thursday, June 17, 2010, from 2 to 3 p.m., EDT. The webinar will provide advice for persons with disabilities interested in applying for the Fulbright Scholar and Specialist Program.

The second webinar, titled “Fulbright Opportunities for College Students, Recent Graduates and Professionals,” will be on June 24, 2010, from 2:30 to 4 p.m., EDT. This workshop will introduce persons with disabilities how to apply for the Fulbright Student and English Teaching Assistant Program.

Interested individuals can also learn more about participation of people with disabilities in the Fulbright Program by contacting Danielle Antonio, senior program officer, at dantonio@iie.org., or by contacting Jaclyn Assarian, senior program coordinate, at jassarian@iie.org.

HHS announces a $60 million fund for disabled, senior citizens

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that a $60 million special fund will be available until July 30, 2010 for people with disabilities who want to transition from nursing homes to independent, or family housing, and to support long-term health care.

Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of HHS, announced the $60 million program in Affordable Care Act grants for states and communities to help individuals and their caregivers better understand and navigate their health and long-term care options.

These funds are in lieu, and support the Affordable Care Act, HHS’ Administration on Aging (AoA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). These agencies will work collaboratively to award funds for an integrated approach that focuses on the unique needs of seniors, disabled Americans and their caregivers as they seek health care and long-term care.

“The Affordable Care Act seeks to lower health care costs, improve the quality of health care and perhaps most importantly give people more control over their own care,” said Sebelius. “These new grants, authorized under the new law, will help seniors, individuals with disabilities and their families get better quality care and more control. We’ve also streamlined the process for states and people who rely on these funds.”

“We know how difficult it can be for caregivers and patients to try and deal with a sudden illness or chronic disease while at the same time trying to navigate through a complex health care system to figure out where you can get help. These new funds that we have bundled together will help promote better opportunities for coordination of health and long-term supports,” Sebelius added.

The purpose of this new grant program authorized by the Affordable Care Act is to create streamlined, coordinated statewide systems of information, counseling, and access that will help people find understandable answers they seek to meet their health and long-term care needs. AoA and CMS will administer the funding through separate allocations, but will coordinate implementation and monitoring through a single process.

Areas of focus will include assisting individuals who are underserved and hard to reach with information about their Medicare and Medicaid benefits, helping older adults and individuals with disabilities live at home or in settings of their choosing with the right supports, assisting people transition from hospital or nursing home back into the community, and strengthening linkages between the medical and social service systems.

“When it comes to long-term health care, each patient has a unique mix of complex medical and social needs that must be considered when seeking care,” said Marilyn Tavenner, acting CMS administrator. “Our health care system can offer many options to meeting those needs from traditional nursing home care to home and community-based services. Making patients and their families aware of these options will help them make inherently difficult decisions about long-term care. This integrated program will help families make informed choices and make sure patients have more control over their own care.”

AoA and CMS have provided grants to states for several years to develop person-centered systems of information, counseling and access to make it easier for individuals to learn about and access their health and long-term services and support options. This grant program through the Affordable Care Act strengthens and enhances the ability of states to truly integrate the medical and social services care models.

“AoA’s national network of community-based organizations has long served as the central place for individuals and families seeking information and help to address health and long term care challenges. This collaborative opportunity between AoA and CMS will further strengthen the network’s capacity to help people in a more coordinated and comprehensive way in the communities where they live,” said Kathy Greenlee, assistant secretary for aging.

Funds will be available to states, area agencies on aging (aaa’s), State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) and Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs). Through the grant program, states and local aging and disability programs will receive funds to:

• provide outreach and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries on their Medicare benefits including prevention;

• use additional funds through a competitive process to provide Options Counseling on health and long-term care through ADRCs;

• use additional funds through a competitive process to strengthen the ADRCs role in Money follows the Person program and support state Medicaid agencies as they transition individuals from nursing homes to community-based care; and

• coordinate and continue to embed tested Care Transition models that integrate the medical and social service systems to help older individuals and those with disabilities remain in their own homes and communities after a hospital, rehabilitation or skilled nursing facility visit.

“CMS and AoA share a long-standing goal of expanding access to community-based care for the elderly and individuals with disabilities. The Affordable Care Act provides significant resources for state Medicaid agencies and providers to balance the nation’s long-term care systems and assure that individuals have a choice of where and how they receive their services,” said Cindy Mann, director of CMS’s Center for Medicaid, CHIP, and Survey and Certification.

The announcement combines funding opportunities from several provisions in the Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama on March 23, 2010.

It includes the Role of Public Programs (Title II, Sections 2403 – Money Follows the Person and 2405 – Funding for Aging and Disability Resource Centers) and Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Health Care (Title III. Section 3306 - Funding for Outreach and Assistance for Low-Income Programs).

These grants also complement President Obama’s “Year of Community Living Initiative,” which focuses on better serving those individuals with disabilities who need ongoing services and support programs in the community such as those provided by AoA, CMS and other HHS agencies.

The deadline for applications is: Friday, July 30, 2010. Grants will be awarded in September 2010.

For more information about this grant opportunity, please visit http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Grants/Funding/index.aspx or www.grants.gov. To learn more about the Affordable Care Act, please visit www.healthreform.gov