OKW Wheelchair units-different features

[lizziepooh]

We were at OKW 10/26 - 11/2 in a 2 bedroom wheelchair accessible lockoff unit ( 2710 and 2711). Since we stayed in a GV at OKW (bldg 63) one year ago in a wheelchair accessible unit, we were expecting the same handicap features. My cousin who uses a wheelchair is paralyzed from the waist down so is unable to stand to transfer.

The GV had a good sized bench seat in the shower which she was able to slide on to from her wheelchair. The 2 bedroom unit had a very small pull down seat that was probably around 12 inches square. A large grab bar ran across the back which made the seating space even smaller. There just was not enough area to get ahold of to transfer onto. She felt that it really could be a dangerous situation for anyone trying to slide onto from a wheelchair.

The hair dryer in the 2 bedroom master bath was mounted behind the vanity where someone in a wheelchiar could not reach it. The switch to direct the water flow to the hand held shower is up on the regular shower head so no way a wheelchair person could reach it.

The kitchen areas in both the studio and l bedroom were the normal layout with microwaves mounted on the wall and cabinets under the sinks. The GV had the microwave on the counter and the sink was cut out with no garbage disposal.

I know that bldg 27 was built before 63, so maybe regulations changed in that period of time.

There was one high bed and one low bed in the studio portion and the king size in the master was low.

I just wanted to let others know that not all wheelchair accessible units at OKW have the same features.

 

[jakenjess]

We stayed in a HA 2 BR lockoff in Oct. I believe it was 4210 and 4211 (not because we needed one, just because that's all that was available after our original assigned room reeked of cigarette smoke!!) I can't address the hairdryer situation, but the shower did seem a bit tight. The kitchen did not have cabinets under the sink, no garbage disposal, and the microwave was on the counter. I'm not sure why they're not all the same.

 

[Nanajo1]

I just returned from OKW 2111. It had a roll-in shower and raised toilet. The door had a lowered peep hole. Those were the only accomodations. I find the shower seat daunting for the reasons you stated, so my DH brings in a patio chair with arms into the shower. I transfer to it to shower, I can reach the water controls from it. I couldn't from the pull down seat. I also get peeved because I can't switch the shower heads from a seated position. Some units have a roll-in shower only no other accomodations like accessible microwave etc. I think you have to ask for an accesible unit if you need more than a roll-in shower.

 

[lizziepooh]

I'm pretty sure this unit is considered wheelchair accessible as Member Services went thru special services to book it. I am thinking that the older units probably do not have as much accessibility as the newer ones due to code changes or something.

We also ended up using a patio chair which her husband had to hold for stability while she transferred into it. Again, it is a safety issue and someone could easily fall trying to slide onto that small shower seat. I plan to write to Member Services alerting them to this issue. I would think that installing larger benches would not be too difficult or costly.

We still had a great stay but it wasn't as convenient for my cousin as the features in the bldg 63 GV.

 

[SueM in MN]

OKW was built in 3 phases and the first group of OKW villas (numbered under 30) were built before the ADA, so they would not have met the specific guidelines that those built after the ADA took effect would.
We have stayed in a variety of OKW wheelchair accessible rooms. The last was last March in a 2 bedroom unit. I don't remember what room it was, but both the Master Bedroom and the studio portion were accessible with roll in showers and roll under sinks (no vanity). Since there was no vanity, the hairdryer was reachable by someone using a wheelchair.
The seat in the shower was about 16 inches square (I don't have time to look up the regulations, but I think that is meeting the ADA guidelines).
The shower control that sends the water to the handheld part is too high up to reach from a wheelchair, but we were told that Housekeeping should change it when they know it is being used by someone with a wheelchair. I don't know how Housekeeping is supposed to figure that out, but that's what we were told and a guest could call Housekeeping or Engineering if it's not switched/or to check if it had been.