As a nation, we’ve come a long way in making our country disability accessible. Yet, despite advances like the Americans with Disabilities Act, all things are not equal for wheelchair users. People living with a disability are subject to a higher cost of living than the average American. In fact, the National Disability Institute estimates that a family with one disabled adult requires 28% more income to maintain the same standard of living as a family without. Wheelchairs, in particular, create an enormous financial burden on their users. Our veterans are not immune to this increased cost of living. This article will discuss the hidden price of needing a wheelchair. Read on to learn more about how these costs affect the lives of our injured veterans.
Factors Contributing to the Increased Cost of Living
There are a ton of factors that affect the cost of living increase for veterans who use wheelchairs for mobility. However, three main things make wheelchair use so expensive.
1. Accessibility Modifications for Housing
Wheelchair users often face significant expenses in making their homes accessible. Ramps, widened doorways, and accessible bathrooms all have a price tag. Moreover, the limited availability of wheelchair-accessible housing adds another challenge, forcing veterans to undertake costly modifications to ensure a basic level of independence.
Veterans can apply for grants from the Veterans Administration to help offset these expenses. However, these grants don’t always cover the total cost of necessary modifications, and approval can take some time. Moreover, construction is not an immediate process. Thus, to make their homes wheelchair accessible as quickly as possible, some veterans are forced to pay out of pocket and then hope for reimbursement.
2. Specialized Wheelchair Transportation
Many parts of the US lack affordable public transportation for wheelchair users. This creates a need for a personal adapted vehicle. For wheelchair users, this typically means a van. The VA has financial assistance programs to help veterans acquire accessible vans. However, these programs only contribute up to $25,600 for these vehicles when the average minivan costs between $35,000 and $55,000 before accessibility modifications.
3. Wheelchairs and Healthcare Costs
Fortunately for our veterans, healthcare expenses are minimal compared to the average wheelchair user. This at least alleviates the financial burden caused by the extensive medical care required to treat spinal cord injuries. Additionally, the VA also covers several wheelchair options for veterans who qualify.
However, wheelchairs are a very personal piece of equipment. Users spend extended periods in their chairs and, understandably, want those chairs to meet their individual preferences. This can mean extensive modifications to a granted chair or purchasing a chair out of pocket. With wheelchairs ranging in price from $1,000 to $30,000, finding the right chair can become an expensive proposition.
Wheelchair Accessible Scuba Diving
The upfront cost of a scuba diving certification can be financially daunting for many people. However, the financial burdens of using a wheelchair can make these programs prohibitively expensive. Yet, wheelchair users stand the most to gain from active scuba diving. Our participants in wheelchairs have reported relief from daily chronic pain, and studies from places like Johns Hopkins even report that diving helps improve spinal cord injuries.
That’s why Patriots for Disabled Divers provides adaptive diving programs at no cost to the veteran. We believe our service members have already paid for care through their sacrifices for our country. They shouldn’t have to trudge through additional financial hardship to find relief from their injuries. If you, too, believe those who sacrificed their well-being defending our country deserve relief, donate to PFDD today. Your contribution makes therapeutic diving available to veterans who need it the most. To donate or learn more, contact us online or via email at jeff@patriotsfordisableddivers.org.