Chestnut Hill Senior Living Provides for Disability Independence

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law on July 26, 1990, prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services.

ADA compliance means the appropriate and reasonable accommodations are in place for disabled persons. This includes things like large print, interpreters, wheelchair ramps, and allowing service animals.

Statistically, there are over 54 million Americans with a form of disability. When that number is broken down, that’s about 19 percent or one in every five Americans. As the population grows and ages, this number will only grow, making these regulations increasingly more important.

As the Plant Operations Director at Chestnut Hill Senior Living, an ADA compliant community that serves several individuals with disabilities, I work every day to keep our building accessible and safe.

Since the implementation of ADA, I feel it has given our residents a better quality of life and they can be reassured their safety is a priority as they go about their everyday tasks.

To follow the state, we perform preventive maintenance on wheelchairs, lifts, wheelchair lifts on the bus, and most importantly, make sure all grab bars are secured. Some of the weekly tasks we complete in the building is to make sure all ramps are secured with handrails and to make sure there is plenty of space in the rooms, so wheelchairs can move freely.