Hi everyone, I am an A-level student and I am researching gardening tools for the elderly and the wheelchair bound.
I need to know:
1. Do you feel that there are enough products available that are specifically designed for disabled gardeners?
2. Do you feel that the tools that are specifically designed for disabled gardeners are available enough? (eg, available in local shops)
3. Do you feel that tools specifically designed for disabled people will help them significantly in garden?
I would be most grateful if you could help me in my research.
Help needed for A-level project
DaveT
Sep 07, 2001
Sorry, can't help you with your questions, but I thought it might be informative if you arranged to spend a day in a wheel chair gardening with a wheel chair gardener in their garden. I bet that would provide you with a world of insite - to sit in another person's wheels, so to speak. Good luck with your research.
karla
I am a disabled gardener not yet confined to a wheel chair but getting very close to it. I have bucket and chairs all around to sit on every few minutes. As far as tools for the disabled gardener I have never seen any. The things i use are all homemade, thought up by myself and my hubby. good luck on your project.I agree with kmom246 about spending a day with a disabled gardner.
I think most of us alter available tools to make them work for us. (Changing the length of a handle or having an angled iron put in place of the handle etc) I make cloth and plastic "saddle bags" and "bucket pockets" to hold hand tools and seed bags and for harvesting our flowers and vegi's. Have not seen them commercially, but "necessity is...". LOL
If there are any handicapped tools I have not seen them where I buy tools.
Ozarksue - Welcome to DG! This company has neat bucket pocket thingies (don't you love tech talk, LOL): Duluth Trading Company, http://www.duluthtrading.com/ . They have a neat catalog with great illustrations, too.
Lookie here! There is a company in the UK with tools for those gardeners with special needs: http://www.peta-uk.com/
I'm writing to them to see if they can recommend any US companies with similar products (couldn't hurt!).
I searched Google.com for tools for disabled gardeners (no quotes). There were several links, though most were informational only.
:o) Kimberley
Thanks Kinberly, I will check those out. Isn't it wonderful that someone is thinking about us? ;)
Dave,
I have never seen a tool for the handicapped. I use a wheelchair and don't know anywhere local to buy them. I could use a tool with a person attached to it. LOL
Seriously I think using a wheelchair for your gardening would give you a good idea of what it is like.
Diane
A tool with a person attached to it - Love it! :-)
When you're done with your toolguy, send him our way. We have some stuff that needs to be done around here before it's too cold out to do anything. LOL!
I think the US has less interest in the elderly and possibly the handicapped than other countries.
Guy guys ALWAYS crack me up !!
A tool WITH a person on it !!
I've been away from this forum TOO LONG !!
Hugs for all !
NOWeedSZ
DaveT,
Using the wheelchair IS a good idea.A great place to start.Forget the Eldery line of thinking Disablities apply to ALL ages.Adaptive tools are needed by all !!
After the wheel chair,get drunk ! thats what some of us HAVING to take certain medications feel like daily.
Next,cover your eyes....
Now chop about 3 cords of wood. Pull some weeds? Your back okay ? How about your hands ... can you move that wheelbarrow.Or grasp the wheel on that garden tracktor ?
Look beyond the 'Tools'... Tools can be books,computers,.... Even just being able to FEEL UP TO GETTING OUT TO THE GARDEN !!
Our minds , hearts and how we view ourselves are the MOST IMPORTANT "TOOLS" we Disabled Gardener own.
Best of luck with you project.KEEP IT UP !! I do hope we are helping ...
BROADEN YOUR NEXT PROJECT !!
LOVE,
NOWeedSZ
Hey Dave T. How is the project going?
Hi daveT, I too, try to do what I can from my chair. your welcome to use my chair.see how far you can go before you get one wheel down,and spin out in gravel.worry about how in the world you are going to get the mud off your tires, without digging in deeper, or get close enough to pick your tomatoes, without wearing them. I have been resourceful in finding things to "do the trick", To plant my seed (individually) I use a curtin rod,the straight end goes into the ground 1"or 2" (?) I drop the seed into the slot and it slides right into the hole. I come back and sprinkle soil over the hole and sprinkle water, viola! This is only one of the many, many ways I make do, or improvise.Ask me, we will figure out a way.:)
DaveT never subscribed, so he can't see our posts. Too bad - there's a lot he could learn from us folks! ;o)
dave i have a friend who is almost a quad he has the use of his left hand and arm he loves to garden
we made a garden for him to use his wheelchair in there are strips of cultivated soil with fensc posts and large wire fencing put up we grow everything on this fence pole beans melons peas pickles anytging that vines cherry tomatoes some large tomatoes you get the idea
we put strips of carpet between the rows the wheelchair is electric so it just rolls along on the carpet he has a collection basket attatched to the front of the chair it is great to see of course he cannot do any of the hard work but it is wonderful for him to be living a fuller life doing something he loves
Hi, Birdlady - It sounds like your friend's garden is awesome- what great ideas!
You might want to e-mail DaveT from his DG homepage: http://davesgarden.com/members/DaveT/ . He hasn't subscribed and will not be able to see your post here in the forum.
Glad this got brought to the forefront. Anyone find anymore links for us to use. Somethings are expensive but I can sew when I have the time in the winter; can sure make some of the things anyone try that yet?
anyone willing to share the tool with a person on it. DH should be sick of being sometimes my legs and arms.
I know he's sick of the brain that goes to fast. LOL
Today he said, I think when you can't sleep you think up ways to make me nuts. ;-)
I do LOL
Birdlady maybe I should move to Michigan. Want a new friend ;-)
I would like to make a kneeling bench and put those foam kneeler pads on the it. I figure I can make it out of plywood, cut handles in the sides, and paint it. I saw plans for one in Birds-n-Blooms, I think, but it looked simple enough to just throw together without them.
Bringing this to the top...as Tink has an insightful post in it. Jo