Whatever It Takes

This book is full of solutions to the daily challenges facing people who have physical disabilities. Physical and Occupational Therapists, Rehabilitation Nurses, and Special Education Teachers will find creative, homemade, low-tech, inexpensive ideas for maximizing the independence of anyone who struggles with activities of daily living. Raised to be a problem solver, the author uses household items such as cardboard, zip ties, blue electrical tape, and pool noodles to adapt faucets, closets, doors, and lights. Today, these would most likely be called hacks for making life easier. The book contains videos, photographs, and detailed descriptions to demonstrate solutions to some of the challenges of navigating around the house, dressing, showering, cooking, sleeping through the night, and picking things up off the floor! The author also explains how she uses voice controls, computers, electronic tablets and phones, and other higher-tech equipment, to meet the demands of everyday life. She shows how her home office is set up with a desktop computer, scanner, fax machine, and printer, tools she used to produce the book! The author's fun sense of humor and positive attitude are evident throughout the book, most noticeable when she discusses her progression through the stages of MS. She includes amusing anecdotes as she describes how she meets the challenges of her physical, mental, emotional, social, environmental, and spiritual health. This book gives a glimpse into a way of life that most of us will never know, and it's an inspiring story of one person's ability to improve her life by doing "e;Whatever It Takes."e; People with similar disabilities may find it motivating and it's definitely a valuable resource that will inspire students and practicing therapists to think creatively so that they can help people who have similar struggles.