BOWLING GREEN — A disability shouldn’t hinder people from using restroom facilities at community events, and the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities has a solution.
To make Wood and surrounding counties more inclusive, the board has begun offering its Universal Changing Table Unit, a mobile trailer with a battery-powered, adult-sized changing table, which can be rented at no cost by concert, festival, and other public event organizers.
Brent Baer, superintendent of the board, said occupational therapists were hearing from clients that “sometimes they wouldn’t attend because they were afraid they wouldn’t be able to meet their own personal hygiene needs.” They were concerned about when they would have to use a restroom, he said.
“The universal changing unit is designed to be able to make community events more inclusive for everyone,” Mr. Baer said. “It’s inclusive in nature because parents with young infants can use it as well as adults who may have mobility challenges and may need assistance with personal care.”
The $26,000 attachable trailer, paid for partially by a Regional Technology Hub grant by the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, also features a mobile lift to help transfer people from wheelchairs onto the changing table, backup batteries for the table and lift, a sink, gloves, lights, a holding tank for water in case direct water access is not available, and a ramp, among other features, said Carly Dauch, health supports coordinator and occupational therapist for the board.
“The grant was an assistive technology hub grant,” she said. It “funded the height adjustable changing table, the mobile lift, we have the hand-free trash can inside, a motion-activated soap dispenser and the ramp. Those components were funded by the grant.”
At the moment, Mr. Baer said, all counties in the region are able to access the changing unit throughout the duration of the grant, which ends in June.
When an individual or organization reserves the unit, delivery and pickup will be provided by staff of the Wood County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
The board requires the staff of each community event to clean the unit throughout the duration of the event and to meet documentation requirements.
The unit requires an electrical hookup and includes an optional water hookup, according to the reservation guidelines. It also requires 25 feet by 13 feet of space on concrete or blacktop.
The mobile unit can be reserved by calling 419-352-5115, and more information is on the board’s website.
First Published November 1, 2024, 2:55 p.m.
