SCIO Community

Home & Away

  • Winter 2020

Accessing Europe

My wife and I travelled to Spain and Portugal for two weeks in the summer of 2019. Not all the trains in Spain are accessible, which hampered my efforts to plan our trip. However, Spain’s AVE high-speed rail system is accessible, so we chose the longest, straightest route through...
  • Fall 2019

The Accessible Home Office

In my 20+ years in the Real Estate business I’ve always maintained a home office. My job isn’t the traditional 9-5 type and working from home provides me with flexibility and convenience, and I’ve found that I’m not alone....
  • Summer 2019

The REALTOR® and the OT

In addition to working with a REALTOR®, there are many professionals you can consult with when buying a home. These include a Mortgage Broker, Home Inspector, Real Estate Lawyer, Insurance Broker and Contractor....
  • Summer 2019

Clara Stel: Resilient; Positive and Embracing Life

Getting older while staying in our own home poses its challenges for those of us with disabilities. Clara Stel is living proof that it is entirely possible with the right supports and mindset....
  • Summer 2019

Magazine without Borders

A few years ago, we published an article entitled “Wheelchair without Borders”. It talks about a local organization in Toronto that sends out donated wheelchairs to third world countries and how these donations have drastically changed people’s lives. A few weeks ago, the founder of the organization Jose Orozco...
  • Summer 2019

My Trip to South Africa and Why I Needed to Go

My sweet husband John passed away on December 31, 2016. We had been married 37 years and travelled together to many different cities in the United States, Canada, Australia, England, and Holland....
  • Spring 2019

Building A More Accessible Toronto

In the Summer 2015 edition of Outspoken! I wrote an article entitled Disabling Architecture. I felt now was a good time to circle back to that topic....
  • Winter 2019

Still Working Towards Accessible Parking

Wouldn’t it be great if accessible parking policies were consistent across the province? Wendy Murphy thinks so and shares some thoughts on getting there....
  • Winter 2019

The UK Leads the Way

It can be an expensive and complex venture to modify a home to work for everyone. Funding can be a problem but the UK seems to be leading the way in this important area....
  • accessibility, advocacy, AODA, inspiration, Travel, Winter 2019

Accessible Yellowstone National Park

Nancy Xia discovered Yellowstone National Park to be one of the most accessible places she’s ever visited....
  • Fall 2018

Win Win: A Tax Smart Gift

Philanthropy feels good and does good. And also happens to work well around tax time! SCIO’s Paul Livingston looks at the benefits of planned giving....
  • Fall 2018, Home renovations

A Visitable Home

Making home a place to visit, for everyone....
  • Adventure, Fall 2018, inspiration, Travel

Deep diving into adventure

During my years of diving in different parts of the world, I have had many adventures with Hubert Chretien of Freedom at Depth on different wrecks in the St. Lawrence River....