DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
For a woman overcoming a disability, her apartment offers comfort and accessibility
Since the day she was born, Nicole Chalifoux has been defying the odds.
“Doctors thought I would never walk, never speak, never feed myself or hear,” says the petite 30-year-old.
But at the age of four months she regained hearing in her left ear. Then, after being bound to a wheelchair, she began to regain feeling in her legs.
“I just started standing up one day, when I was nine or 10,” says Chalifoux. “I had enough feeling in my legs — and I didn’t want to be in a wheelchair anymore. I can relate to so many people. I’ve been there.”
Affected by a neurological disorder, Nicole spent her first 23 years living between the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital and her family’s cattle farm in Willingdon, just north of Vegreville.
In 2009, she took her first step toward independence when she moved in with her grandmother Jean, in the Edmonton neighbourhood of Ottewell. Then she found work at the Gateway Association for Community Living, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for Albertans with intellectual disabilities.
But Nicole, who is often mistaken for someone half her age, still wanted a home of her own. That became possible when her aunt Karen helped her find an apartment she could afford near Bonnie Doon Mall.
In May, she celebrated the anniversary of her first year of independence around her kitchen table with her neighbours, Marjorie and Ken, who have become close friends “that look out for me,” and her boyfriend Danny.
Accessibility was key
Nicole can walk, but because of balance issues she uses a walker when she is out and about. Having an elevator and ample entry space for storing her walker (she has both a winter and summer model) is crucial.
The apartment’s crisp, white, fully equipped narrow galley-style kitchen is perfect because she can rely on the countertops for balance and support if she needs it. Her favourite appliances include her Tassimo, for hot chocolate year-round, and her sandwich maker for grilled cheese and bologna sandwiches.
Another feature that makes the apartment accessible is the bathroom’s low-sided bathtub. The purchase of a large, rolling, plastic laundry hamper and lightweight laundry supplies, including soap pods and dryer balls, means it’s easy for Nicole to navigate the 16 floors to the building’s laundry room.
Nicole has scoliosis. When she was 14 years old she underwent a major operation to install metal rods that straighten the curve in her back. Cold weather can cause painful muscle spasms, so being close to Bonnie Doon Mall means she can socialize, shop and walk indoors, despite the weather.
Furniture with a past
Her apartment’s furniture is a mix of inherited, bought and donated items, but her favourite pieces belonged to her deceased father, Roy. They include a couch, and an armchair filled with stuffies from friends and family.
“It’s like I brought a piece of him up to my apartment,” says Nicole, adding that sitting in the chair “feels like a big hug.”
A long shelving unit houses her karaoke machine, an allergy-fighting rock-salt lamp from her aunt, and glass-encased, everlasting roses from Danny.
The guest bedroom’s twin-sized bed, which comes in handy for guests and having Marjorie sleep over if she is sick, was passed down to her by her great-grandmother.
Nicole says her newest piece of furniture — a double mattress she purchased on sale at The Bay for her master bedroom — is a favourite, even though “it is so comfy I don’t want to get out of it in the morning.”
Positive with pink and purple
Nicole says having faith, avoiding “drama,” and being able to laugh at things — like being given artwork intended for children to colour in at the grocery store checkout — keeps her positive.
Numerous wall hangings, including “Family is sweet like chocolate, with a few nuts,” and “Dinner is take it, or leave it,” reflect her sense of humour.
Nicole’s passion for pink and purple is evident in window coverings, lighting, bedspreads, and bathroom accessories. A stack of the inspirational series Chicken Soup for the Soul, which she admits she needs to read before buying more, rests next to her bed’s Hello Kitty pillow.
Enjoying the view
Large south- and westfacing windows bathe the apartment in natural light, along with offering amazing sunsets, and a bird’s-eye view of the city — including the now colourfully lit High Level Bridge after dark. The view makes her home the go-to location for regular game nights and hanging out with friends.
Nicole says that her mom Kathy was reluctant about her choice to live on her own at first, but having freedom and independence makes her happy “and that makes my Mom happy.”
“I love my apartment and being on my own,” Nicole says.
“I can experience what I want to experience — I am my own woman.”