There is nothing worse than sitting at a keyboard with an empty screen in front of you, knowing that you will have to fill it with words at some point.
This will be my first blog on Helens Wheels, and I want it to be a good one, one that will be read and talked about because it’s good and not because of the spelling and grammar mistakes!
The Thin Red Cord…..
How many times have you been in an accessible toilet and noticed the red cord hanging in the corner of the room? Have you ever considered what it was there for? For me, in my more mobile carefree days, like many others, it never occurred to me how important that cord could be, a lifesaver in fact.
I have found that using a toilet can be quite an experience, especially since gaining my wheels. I am fortunate though that I can still manage a few steps without assistance so I can transfer myself easily from chair to toilet. Other people are not so fortunate and need to use the handrails etc.
Most accessible toilets I come across these days I find that the red cord has been tied up out of the way. Finding a cord tied up this way needs to be addressed.
If I was to fall in the toilet and landed face down and unable to turn over, I wouldn’t be able to call for help because I couldn’t reach the cord pull!
I am beginning to feel like I am taking more photos in toilet cubicles than is really healthy, but it is a widespread issue that needs to be raised.
How can I make a difference? For a start, I hope if you are reading this you will join me in making a difference, one red cord at a time.
The best thing we can do is to untie any cords that you find, every single time. If you find that you are untying the same cord day after day, week on week etc then another step needs to be added, if the toilet is in your workplace and you find the cord like this regularly then you might need to have a word with the cleaning staff, maybe they don’t realise the impact a tied-up cord can have in an emergency. If this still is an issue, I have found a site that makes cards to hang on the cord explaining why it shouldn’t be tied up out of the way. You can find them here