We’re learning to reframe mobility aids as freedom, not constraint

We’re learning to reframe mobility aids as freedom, not constraint

When my husband, Jared, was growing up, people in his community didn’t always speak kindly about mobility aids. Crutches, wheelchairs, and canes were often seen as signs of helplessness, things you turned to only when you’d run out of options. That perception stayed with him well into adulthood. He did use a wheelchair in school when absolutely necessary, but it never occurred to him that other tools — including canes or crutches — could be part…