Disability Etiquette - Top Tips and Polite Practices

 

In your everyday life, there is a very good chance that you will encounter someone with disability, whether it be friends, family, co-workers or customers. In most cases, you may not feel confident in the best ways to interact with someone who has a disability.In general, don’t assume they require special treatment but because they are differently a bled there may be some alternate language and customary behaviour you can incorporate to make them feel comfortable and accommodated. With the proper disability etiquette and inclusivity training you will feel confident in your abilities to interact with those who have disabilities without ostracizing them.

Respect the individual

One of the most important things to keep in mind when dealing with differently a bled people is that they need love and respect just like everyone else. Even though their disability is an integral part of who they are, it is not what defines them as a person.

Always ask, never assume

Whenever it comes to doing anything for a person with a disability, it is always recommended to ask before you help. The reason here is that they are the best judge of what they can or cannot do and will also be able to let you know how you can be of assistance. In many cases, they may prefer to do things themselves and assuming they need help can be just as offensive or more offensive than not helping at all.

Respect private space

Just like anyone else, people with a disability need and want their personal space. During our disability etiquette and inclusive training programs, we teach you the ways you can offer assistance while continuing to respect the personal space and boundaries of a person with disability. Make sure that you never touch any assistive device or push a wheelchair without being asked to.

Communicate effectively

This disability etiquette training is designed to help people learn how to properly communicate with people who have disabilities. Language is very powerful and certain words or phrases can be demeaning or oppressive, using proper inclusive language can be empowering.

Whether you have a friend, family member or co-worker that has a disability or you work in an establishment that serves customers of any kind, we highly you recommend you consider taking our Disability etiquette and Inclusivity training as a way to expand your understanding and set you up for successful social interactions with the disabled community moving forward.

Protect yourself from COVID-19

No matter what part of the world you are living in, the threat of coronavirus or COVID-19 is very real.If you, or someone you know, is dealing with a physical disability, its important to take additional care to protect yourself from the Coronavirus because of your immunocompromised status. 

In today’s digital world, it is much easier to practice social distancing and perform day to day tasks from the comfort of your home. Stay protected from the coronavirus outbreak with these top coronavirus recommendations for the disabled.

If you are looking for the best recommendations to help you stay protected without having to rely on additional support, use technology to your advantage. You can find a wide variety of coronavirus recommendations for the disabled suggested by experts in the medical and infectious diseases fields by simply searching popular search engines. There are a ton of great resources with tips for protecting yourself including our own blog post.

To help make things easy, we’ve collected a set of recommendations that can help you stay protected from coronavirus:

• Maintain personal hygiene and continuously wash your hands
• Ask your direct support provider and caretakers if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 before they visit your home
•  Request that your direct service provider wear a mask or face shield, wash their hands frequently and clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
•  Plan what you will do if you or your direct support provider gets sick and you have to self-quarantine
•  Plan at least two ways of communicating from home and work
• Have enough household items, groceries, medicine and supplies such as catheters with you to last you 2-3 weeks in the event that you must self-quarantine or your caretaker can’t make it to your house for any reason
• Maintain social distancing when visiting outdoors and always wear your mask for added safety

In case you have been experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, it is very important that you get quick support from the healthcare professionals and get tested. Coronavirus can be treated effectively if you are diagnosed early and get you healthcare providers involved.

Top Tips for Wheelchair Travellers

Whether you are new to traveling with disability or have experience exploring the world on your own, travel can be very challenging sometimes, especially if you have any physical disabilities. The world is just not designed optimally for those of us who have a disability. This is why we have collected some tips for wheelchair travel to help you plan the ultimate wheelchair accessible vacation. Many of these tips are useful for those who have any kind of disability, not just those who are wheelchair users. 

Plan with your personal accessibility requirements TOP of mind 

When planning to travel to a foreign place as someone with a physical disability, one of the best and most obvious tips for wheelchair travel is to plan as much as you can ahead of time. This means, you should research the destination, speak with the airlines, call ahead to the hotel and find accessible places to eat & explore. Keep your device equipped with apps that can help you navigate accessible destinations. You can use the iAccess Life app as a platform to share your experiences while you travel so that others might know before they go. 

Understand your rights

It is very important that you are aware of your rights, especially when traveling to a foreign place. You never know what situation you may face in a foreign place, so we recommend you learn everything you can about your rights under the accessibility laws of a particular. Whether you are dealing with an airline, hotel or restaurant staff, you should always pick places where you have equal access rights and unfortunately, most countries aren’t as advanced as the United States when it comes to accessibility legislature. 

Get medical insurance

You already know that because you have a physical disability, you may or may not need medical attention in a foreign place (depending on your disability). Finding and paying for medical care in another country can be quite an expensive experience. This is why it’s important to be prepared with a well-defined medical insurance plan catered toward travel abroad so you can opt for immediate medical support without any additional expenses or burden on your pocket. Make sure to read all the terms and conditions of the medical insurance before signing the agreement.

Hire a travel agent

One of the best tips for wheelchair travel is to hire a professional and reliable travel agent with experience booking accessible travel experiences. Find someone who can guide you with the best advice to make your travel as comfortable an experience as possible. These experts can also arrange special support for you in case you need any. 

We encourage you ALL to trudge ahead, travel the world, and to be mindful of these tips for wheelchair travel, dedicated to help make traveling a better experience.

Benefits of Using the Best Mobile Apps for Physical Disabilities

Living life with a disability comes with its challenges, especially if you don’t have someone to assist your daily life so that you do things like traveling around the world. However, it is said that if you have passion for something, you shouldn’t let anything stop you. For this reason, iAccess Life has put together a list of a wide range of the best mobile apps for physical disabilities that are designed and developed to make your life easier. These mobile applications not only help you enjoy the comforts ofhome life with minimal stress and difficulty, but also expand your outlook on life so that you can work up the courage to participate in new activities and learn new skills.

To help you understand why using these mobile apps for physical disabilities is a great choice, we’ve summarized the benefits of how you can enjoy each one below:

Navigate the world easier

One of the most commonly used benefits of using best mobile apps for physical disabilities is that they let you help navigate the world around you effortlessly. Regardless ofyour physical disability you can easily find places to frequent that accommodate your accessibility needs based on readily available information on the internet and more importantly ratings & reviews from other users with disabilities who have gone before you.

Simple to use

Since these mobile apps are designed for the physically disable, it is very likely that they have been designed with interfaces that are easy to use& understand.Therefore you can always rely upon the best mobile apps for physical disabilities whenever you need the support of an expert to make your traveling experience a better one.

Independent Living

If you usea wheelchair or any other mobility aide to support you when you have a physical disability, you may require the regular support of someone for many of the regular activities of your life. These mobile apps for physical disabilities are designed to give you back independence so you that can be less reliant on others to accomplish regular tasks on your own using simple voice commands or easy to use apps. This ensures you are more independent, especially if you live or travel alone.

So, if you are looking for ways to make your life easier and to prevent your physical disability from being a limitation in life, please make sure to review our cases for the best mobile apps for physical disabilities.

Tips for Traveling With Mobility Impairments

Traveling to your favorite destinations is always fun but can be challenging if you are physically impaired. Don’t let your disability deter you from traveling. We have compiled a list of the best tips that can be useful to help you enjoy your vacations with friends or family and especially for those who want to embark on a journey alone.

Plan in Advance

Whether you’re traveling with someone or alone, it is very important that you plan everything in advance so you can be prepared for any challenges you may face in an unfamiliar place. Make sure to research the hotel you are planning to stay in ahead of time and the airlines as well. Call ahead to discuss what accommodations can be made to best serve your mobility impairment.

Make Sure Travel Insurance Includes Medical

This is one of the best tips for traveling with mobility impairments as you may need medical support at some point during your vacation. To get immediate medication attention without worrying about outrageous expenses, it is important that you get a travel insurance that also includes medical costs.

Hire a Specialized Travel Agent or Company

When traveling to an unfamiliar place with a mobility impairment, it is recommended you seek support of a professional travel agent or a company as they have expert knowledge of the local areas and places and can guide you well in advance to make your travel a seamless experience and find you accommodations that meet your needs. They can also help craft an itinerary that works for everyone.

Arrange Accessible Accommodation

If you are planning an independent trip, it is important to get an accommodation that is accessible. This is one of the best tips for traveling with mobility impairments. Call ahead or check ratings in the iAccess Life app to help you find a hotel that offers accessible accommodations and take care of any special needs. You may ask the non-ADA-compliant hotels if a wheelchair can fit through the room and bathroom doors.

Keeping these tips for traveling with mobility impairments may make traveling to an unfamiliar place a seamless experience so make sure to follow these tips to enjoy your time alone or with a group of friends.