Villagers fight to make home safer as ALS takes its toll

A couple in The Villages has scored a significant victory in their quest to make their home safer as the husband battles Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. ALS leads to muscle weakness, atrophy, and eventually paralysis.

James Bishop of the Village of Buttonwood has already lost the use of his hands and partial use of his arms. Bishop and his wife Mary, who this month will mark their 54th year of marriage, know that time is not on their side.

They have won a Special Adaptive Housing Grant to help pay to make their house more accessible. The grant directs them to have an emergency evacuation plan from the master bedroom of their home, should the main entrance at the front door be blocked.

The couple has been working with local company Doc’s Restoration, which helped develop a plan for a new screen door on the lanai leading to a concrete platform at a 42-inch wide paver walkway which leads to the street near their home. James Bishop has been fitted for a specialized wheelchair, which will be a key part of the emergency escape plan.

In April, the Bishops’ application for the emergency exit was denied by the Architectural Review Committee.

Undeterred, they worked with James Bishop’s physician to complete a disability request for a modification.

Last week, their appeal was considered by the Community Development District 8 Board of Supervisors. The board unanimously agreed to grant the Bishops’ request.

Mary Bishop gave a lot of credit to Doc’s Restoration, which helped them develop a plan.

“They have been great,” Mary Bishop said.

She said they know they have a difficult journey ahead, but feel relieved they have gotten this far.