A Review of "The Upside"

Last Monday, I had the pleasure of seeing The Upside with my mother, who is my primary caregiver. A remake of the 2011 French film The Intouchables, The Upside (starring Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, and Nicole Kidman) is a dramatic comedy about the bond formed between a wealthy quadriplegic named Phillip Lacasse (Cranston) and his new caretaker Dell Scott (Hart), a man recently released from prison. Kidman's role is that of Phillip's executive assistant Yvonne Pendleton. Despite their differences, it doesn't take very long for Phillip and Dell to develop a rapport. By the story's end, it is evident they are changed men for having known each other.

A positive aspect of The Upside is it shows the internal as well as external struggles of people with disabilities. It reminds viewers how wheelchair users like to be treated. Despite being able-bodied, Cranston was convincing as a quadriplegic. Hart provided the comic relief the movie needed, and Kidman (almost unrecognizable with a different hair color) was delightful. The downsides of the film are the reasons it is rated PG-13: marijuana usage, a scene with sex workers, and profanity. Otherwise, I enjoyed and would recommend The Upside, especially to wheelchair users and their caregivers. It made me think about the kind of caretaker I would like to have when my parents are no longer able to take care of me.

The Upside movie poster

(image via IMDb)

Chris Downey: An Architect with a Vision for the Blind

Chris Downey of San Francisco is an architect who lost his sight after a brain tumor removal at age 45 in 2008. A hospital social worker told Downey he should choose a different profession, but he was determined to keep doing what he loved. With a heightened sense of hearing, he went back to work in a month but lost his job less than a year later. However, Downey was soon hired to design a rehabilitation center for veterans with sight loss. So, his disability turned out to be an advantage for this job. Married with an adult son, Downey walks around with a white cane he taps on the ground. At work, he uses a printer that prints embossed architectural drawings so he can "read" them through touch. Surprisingly, Downey believes he is a better architect than he was before losing his sight. A week ago, he was featured on 60 Minutes. To view the segment and read the transcript, go to https://www.cbsnews.com/news/architect-chris-downey-goes-blind-says-hes-actually-gotten-better-at-his-job-60-minutes/. Downey's website is www.arch4blind.com.

Chris Downey (front) "reading" a plan

(image via archdaily.com)

Family Care Council

The Family Care Council (FCC) was formed to educate people with developmental disabilities and their families in each service area of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) in Florida. Formed in 1993, each FCC consists of 10 to 15 members who have been appointed by the governor to inform others of relevant services and resources. The members, who represent their geographical areas, are individuals with developmental handicaps as well as their relatives and guardians. There are 15 FCC's; the Area 7 FCC serves Seminole, Orange, Osceola, and Brevard County, where I live. Meetings of representatives from each FCC are held on a Saturday bimonthly at the Embassy Suites Orlando Airport with the next one scheduled for this Saturday, January 19. For more information, go to http://www.fccflorida.org/.

Family Care Council logo

(image via fccflorida.org)

Wheelchair Swings

Since it is not hot during the day in central Florida in the winter, this is a great time of year for kids to go to a play outside. One of the features of an accessible playground is a wheelchair swing. The wheelchair swing allows a child to feel the sensation of swinging while sitting in his or wheelchair. According to a video that has gone viral on Facebook, Creekmore Park in Fort Smith, Arkansas, is one of the parks in the United States with a wheelchair swing. Joy could clearly be seen on the face of Seth Allen while he was being pushed on the swing. Hopefully, wheelchair swings will be added to more playgrounds. For more details on this story, go to https://5newsonline.com/2018/03/26/creekmore-park-wheelchair-swing-gaining-attention-on-social-media/.

A boy on a wheelchair swing

(image via rehabmart.com)

Spotlight: Ekaterina "Kate" Borodulkina

Ekaterina "Kate" Borodulkina is a ten-year-old girl with muscular dystrophy and a passion for painting. She breathes with the aid of a ventilator and uses a motorized wheelchair. Borodulkina, who lives with her parents and sister in Moscow, Russia, paints while lying on her side. She sells her artwork online, and the proceeds go toward her medical care. Featured in a video that has gone viral on Facebook, Borodulkina can also sing. Her disability doesn't stop her from sharing her talents with the world. For more information, go to https://www.parent24.com/Family/Health/10-year-old-with-a-genetic-disorder-makes-viral-waves-with-her-incredible-talent-20180727.

Ekaterina Borodulkina works on a painting.

(image via YouTube)