Looking to move down from New York in a couple of years. Both my wife and I use power wheelchairs and we are looking for information from those with first-hand knowledge of the areas which have the best accommodations as far as public transportation, all civil necessities (supermarket, drug store, post office, etc.) being in close proximity, and some general info as far as day to day experiences. Please bear in mind that we do not drive.

Hidey!
My hubby I "rescued" from Buffalo NY. Although the weather was brutal and crime rampant, public transportation was very good and receptive to the disabled community members.

We moved him down here to Texas, where the general mentality is "everyone is healthy" and services for the disabled are hard to change and get applied for (what little public transportation that accomodates wheelchairs that exist!).

I truly can not speak for Florida. All I can do is give you ideas from a couple in Texas and what resources we have found thus far:
I work at a college, and we have what is called an "Access" department. People who work for that department work with students who have special needs. They are usually well versed of the different programs out there and can connect you with key persons who can help.
We live in a city that does NOT have the transportation service that connects us with DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) because our city voted out of DART program over 20 yrs ago. So, my hubby is like a fish out of water and has no way to get about except by me. We applied for DART over 2 yrs ago, and went through the medical requirements and such to meet the "disabled" criteria for discount. We missed our appointment (they cancelled the first one, and we forgot about the rescheduled date), and therefore, they threw our application away and said "tough luck. You will have to resubmit all of the information again". That killed it and we blew it off.

Constantly, I am informing people to NOT park in handicapped restricted only parking spots & the striped ramp areas. For over a year at our apartment complex, I left notes on cars asking people to please not park in the handi spot right in front of our apartment. Over a year, that is all I did – a note to not park, understand that parking is "at a premium", then noted web sites. It worked to no avail.

Finally in frustration, my hubby became angry and asked I take him to the police department to see if they can do anything; we also called out apartment complex (new owners; prior ignored our calls). For 2 wks, citations were done and the apartment called for tow trucks. Then, after a month, it started up again. Someone, in the meantime (haven't checked with the apartment), placed some of those bright pink caution cones under the Handicapped sign. Haven't had anyone park in the spot, nor the striped area next to it since then…but people still block the sidewalk, which, again is not good if quick exit from building is needed. So, it still continues…

So, you may be for a bit of a battle if Florida is anything like Texas. Many new changes are needed, and very slow to come by. Many of the handicapped violations are "grandfathered" in, so therefore, business' don't have to update their sidewalks, doors, or bathrooms to accomodate. Very sad and insensative!

A friend of mine moved his sister down to Houston so that she could be near her kids & grandkids. He had to fight for 6 months to get a handicapped spot placed before her apartment with signage and paint. She died one month after they complied. Just wonderful grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Anyway, I am approachable, as I can be emailed thru my Profile on Yahoo, if you have any further questions or just want to chat. I am my hubby's hero & champion for his rights, as he has said. It took seeing life thru his eyes for a while to begin to comprehend how tough life is for a disabled person.

My heart and prayers go out to you both!!!!

051508 12:00