We had a lovely weekend at Caloundra last week staying in an accessible unit at La Promenade. Our hosts Kerry and Michael were very welcoming and want to encourage more people who use a wheelchair to enjoy the unit. I know we are all have different levels of disability. What works well for me may not necessarily work for others. I can stand-transfer and I'm very strong. This unit worked well for me. There
was a minor problem with the bed partially blocking access to the
bathroom. When needed, the bed can be easily moved with Michael's help.
The bathroom was accessible through another door in the hallway and this is the one I used. The shower has a drop-down bench seat. I was able to transfer to and from my wheelchair using the shower rail and with help from my husband/carer. The shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel were a little high and could come down about 15 cm. The shower had a moveable head so I could reach it easily.
The toilet worked well for me with the rails against the wall. I would like to see a drop down rail on the other side which would help me to transfer to and from my chair. The drop down rail could be left up for those who don't need that. The kitchen is not ideal and I think our hosts will work on that. There are limited cooking facilities with only a microwave oven sitting on the bench and making it difficult to access power points. There is a plug-in hot plate but not much space on the bench.
The floors are tiled so easy to wheel around. The view from the unit, which is on the second floor, is fantastic. Those on the ground floor are fishing outside their unit. That's how close we are to the water. The weather was not the best last weekend with very strong winds making it unpleasant to be outside. Our unit has a balcony which is accessible with a wheelchair. This is the first time I've seen this. Usually it is difficult to get over the tracks of the sliding door and then a drop to the balcony. At this unit there is a tiled slope which makes it easy to get down. We didn't stay out there long because of the wind but on a normal sunny day it would be a very pleasant spot to relax with a drink and enjoy the view.
