Hobbies for People With Disabilities Defy Limits

Disability is No Handicap When it Comes to Leisure Activitities

Apr 22, 2009
Mary King

People with Disabilities Enjoy Hobbies - earl53

People with physical and/or mental disabilities participate in the same hobbies as anyone else. Incentive, technology, and adaptive equipment make inclusion possible.

Why would adults and children with disabilities engage in hobbies different from non-disabled peers? Between techno-ingenuity and sheer determination, persons unfairly defined by functional abilities tackle most things with unparalleled perseverance. The old saying, 'where there’s a will there’s a way', redefines itself time and time again by those who refuse to settle for limitations, even during leisure activities.

Sports Hobbies Enjoyed by People with Disabilities

Wheelchair racing, adapted football, wheelchair tennis, bicycling, wheelchair basketball, water skiing, sail boating, and swimming, are but a few of the hundreds of sports hobbies available to someone physically or mentally challenged. Others that are becoming just as popular:

Flying a Plane. Stephany Glassing learned to fly a plane after the accident that caused her paralysis. Programs like Ableflight enabled her dream, turning it into reality.
Horseback Riding. Evelyn Refosco doesn't know what it means to sit still. The former Ms. Wheelchair Colorado conveys an attitude that says, 'I will'. And where her wheelchair can't roll, her horses carry her.
Scuba Diving. The Handicap Scuba Association is an international organization made up of over 4,000 underwater educators, scuba divers with disabilities, and supporting members. The HSA Web site home page states in its mission statement, "The Handicap Scuba Association is dedicated to assuring that people with disabilities are given the same opportunities to receive quality training, certification, and dive adventures, as the able-bodied population."
Mountain Climbing. Tom Whittaker explains on his Web site that he didn't let an accident in 1979 keep him down, not even with badly damaged knees and an amputated foot. The mountaineer, trainer, and corporate speaker reached the summit of Mt. Everest in 1998.
World Travel. Scott Chesney suffered a spinal stroke at the young age of fifteen. That was twenty years ago; since then he's toured the world twice. The motivational speaker has changed lives, addressing over a million people in 38 countries. As described on his Web site profile page, "Scott balances his work with plenty of passions that include skydiving, walking on fire with his hands, swimming with wild dolphins, meditating, and playing a variety of sports."
Sit Skiing. The Andy Campbell Web site introduces sit skiing and other winter sports that may not be considered 'leisure' activities, but are defined as, "Serious adventures and seriously good times."
Fishing and Hunting. Modified equipment provides accessibility to hunting and fishing for people with disabilities. But the hobby adaptations don't stop with rifles, bows, and reels; boats and vehicles can be modified with hand controls, driver lifts, and all sorts of high-tech equipment. A platform tree stand for the hunter using a wheelchair rises into the branches on scissor lifts, and even the camping gear can be custom-designed to suit the user.

Sports make up just one venue hobbyists with disabilities enjoy. Golf for amputees, track events, and racing opportunities for blind runners add to the growing list of sports that people with disabilities often pursue as hobbies.

The Arts as Hobbies for People with Disabilities

Wheelchair Dancing. The American DanceWheels Foundation is the home of the first American style Wheelchair Ballroom and Latin Dance Program in the world.
Artists. The Web site, Art Promote, features artists who are disabled and provides links to respective photo galleries. Some artists create works of art using hands or mouth, others use feet. Included in the long list is a link to the National Exhibits by Blind Artists.
Musicians. Blind singers and instrumentalists have a respectable history in the entertainment industry; but whether the stage is a grand hall or a downtown sidewalk, extraordinary talent deserves recognition. Such is the case with Mark Goffeney, who plays the guitar with his feet. The Directory of Musicians with Disabilities provides a broad variety of additional performers.
Theater Performers and Actors. Actors with disabilities are landing better roles both on-screen and on-stage. Community theaters are following suit, and so are schools. One of the most noteworthy contemporary productions performed throughout the United States is The Jellybean Conspiracy. High school drama students collaborate with students having special-needs for an insightful production on what it's like to be a teen living with a special needs sibling.
Photography. The Disabled Photographers Society has been enabling photographers since 1968. The fabulous photo collections posted online are proof there are no limits when determination and technology come together.

Disabled Web designers, song writers, novelists and writers, and many more individuals are able to pursue and enjoy hobbies, thanks to computers and advances in technology.

The individuals named above are examples of ordinary people pursuing ordinary interests. Whether the hobby is gardening, scrap booking, or a sport that leans more to the extreme, people able-bodied and disabled gravitate to the activities they enjoy. No longer hindered by social stigmas and physical barriers, persons mentally or physically challenged engage in leisure activities with the same fervor as anyone else.