The Extra Mile

During a routine ultrasound at the 5th month of my wife’s pregnancy, doctors discovered that our baby had a myriad of physical abnormalities. Though the rest of his body appeared to be growing and functioning normally, his arms and legs were as if they’re frozen, crooked at an atypical angle. We were soon given a dire,pre-natal prognosis of “Fetal Akinesia Deformation Sequence”, a genetically rooted condition which in a nutshell, meant that the likelihood of our baby’s survival is questionable, and disability is almost definite.

When my son Miles was born, we were thrilled to see that he was healthy, his life was not in jeopardy! He does carry with him a new, post-natal diagnosis though. Arthrogryposis, which means his joints and limbs are mostly weak, immobile in some places. Since then, as my wife and I made plans for our son’s future, we have learned so much about housing that adopts Universal Design (find out more below).

We started noticing many things that we previously took for granted, such as width of doors to accommodate wheelchairs, how important automated doors are for ease of access, and much, much more. We also started to understand how a home, depending on its design, can either be disabling or further enabling independence. More recently, I am also thrilled to find out about Province of Ontario’s initiative to amend its building code to include more accessibility requirements for new office, industrial and multi-residential buildings. According to Statistics Canada, about 15 per cent of the population has some form of disability. Now, the building code requires that 15 per cent of homes within a new multi-unit residential building have a barrier-free path. Doors and hallways have to be wider to allow room for a wheelchair and ramp dimensions have been updated to make new buildings easier to access.

While the world is indeed not designed for the disabled, I am so encouraged to see that many empathetic individuals have advocated for necessary changes to make life more inclusive and barrier-free for everyone. These adaptations are particularly important to a country like Canada with a burgeoning aging population. Through the life of my son and a newfound sense of purpose, I have gained a deep sense of calling to serve and advocate for the community who is in need of barrier-free properties, whether its people with handicap, or the aging.

I have recently earned the designation of SRES® (Senior Real Estate Specialist), which further equips me with the expertise to advise clients aged 50+ through major financial and lifestyle transitions in relocating, refinancing, or selling the family home. I look forward to knowing you, and serving you.