Arun A Banik

Abstract

Accessibility can be refer as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity. The concept access facilities focuses on enabling barrier free environment for persons with disabilities, or enabling access through the use of assistive technology brings overall development in accessibility and benefits to everyone. All human beings are physically disabled for some time in their lives. But those who remain healthy and without disability all their lives are very few. Thus, public buildings should be accessible and barrier-free to both able body and disabled population as well. Persons with disability find it difficult to gain access into and operate freely without assistance in many public buildings in India. This publication is an attempt to provide information an inventory of facilities required for disabled people in public places.It is an observational study covered the identification and ascertaining the functional state of access facilities available including schools etc. A total of 10 such public buildings samples were observed. The results show that major facilities required by disabled people are lacking in many public places. Some of the access facilities identified in few public buildings are in poor state of operation. However, absence of such key facilities restricts the activities of normal population as well as physical disability people. Hence, they cannot work freely in such environment and become productive as tax-paying members of the nation. Due to shortfall or perhaps total neglect in provision of such access facilities, the movement, competence and talents are being restricted for the disabled population. Hence, equal opportunity and non-discrimination brings good equation for every citizen in this developing country constitute a barrier free environment for the development of their abilities. At last, the society at large is deprived of the abilities and talents in people with disabilities. Keywords: Barrier­Free Building, Access Facilities, Physically Disabled, Public Buildings and schools

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Abstract

The present study title “A study of the status of access facilities available for children with disabilities studying in BMC school”, a descriptive survey designed was made with the aim to study the status of access facility available for the children with disabilities viz. hearing impairment, mental retardation, physically handicapped (Locomotors Disability), visually handicapped in BMC recognized schools. Further to give recommendation in order to promote the access needs for children with disabilities in school. Looking into the prospective of the study it also aim to create an awareness on the issue of barrier free environment for children with disabilities. As a part of tool of the study, self-made questionnaire was developed and validated by a group of professionals. 10 BMC recognized schools were selected in and around Mumbai and the questionnaire was administered by the researcher and taken information from the school principal.Mean average and percentage was calculated from the obtained data. On an average, overall 14.38% schools or centers with disabilities were having access facilities for students with disabilities. With respect to schools or centers related to Locomotors Disabilities, Hearing Disabilities, Mental Retardation, and Visually Handicapped study findings were 14.4%, 14.3%, 13.7% and 15.1% respectively, having access facilities for the children with disabilities in BMC schools. Where the data was subjected to statistical analysis and it was found that there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in terms of access facilities between the schools or centers for disabilities. Results indicated that there were very insufficient as well as inadequate access facilities across all children with disabilities in the BMC recognized schools. The results has shown an impact in the education of the disabled students as they need full accessible educational support to undertake their successful study. Hence, Government and all other educational authorities are suggested to take up this issue in a positive manner to improve the quality of education as there is a much needed access facilities in all the schools. Keywords: BMC, PWD, Schools

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Abstract

The increasing aging population worldwide is one of the main issues of today. According to the 2011 census, there were 103 million senior citizen i.e about 8.6% of the India’s population. According to data from the U. N Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the proportion of people over 60 will increase from 7.5% in 2010 to 11.1% in 2025. The NSSO 2002 report, the old population is expected to increase to 158.7 million by 2025, rising at a rate that is roughly twice as fast as the general population associated with Perceived Dysphagia, Cognition and Health-Related Quality of Life in Geriatrics populations.Dysphagia is becomes an important common problem for the geriatric population. While Presbyphagia is a term that refers to the distinctive age-related changes that occur in the swallowing mechanism of otherwise healthy older adults. It is well defined that in acutely ill elderly populations, the prevalence and quality-of-life changes associated with dysphagia remain unstable poor health conditions. The present study attempt “To investigate an Inquisitive Exploration on Perceived Dysphagia, Cognition and Health-Related Quality of Life in Geriatrics”.A total of 300 participants were included in the study. The participants within the study were all inhabitants of Pondicherry. The individual with geriatric inclusion was 70 years old and above at the time of participation. Two validated questionnaires were used namely the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory (MDADI) and the general health Short Form-12 survey (SF-12v2) was administered to assess the impact of dysphagia-age related aspects on overall health. Both the questionnaires were self-administered and widely used in assessing cognitive function among the elderly, it includes orientation, attention, memory, language, and visuospatial skills.The study outcome concluded that there is a relatively high prevalence of dysphagia in the community-based geriatric population; significant quality-of-life impairment is a frequent finding. General health measures do not appear to be sensitive to swallowing-related quality of life but finally, individuals may inaccurately ascribe swallowing problems to normal aging, supporting the role of community education about dysphagia in the elderly. Keywords: Dysphagia, Geriatrics, Cognition, Aging, Quality of life, Memory, and frailty

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