Do I
shake hands? When first meeting a disabled person,
offer to shake their hand even if they appear to have
limited use of their arms. This action of personal
contact breaks the psychological barrier of non
acceptance, and creates a warmer environment for
communication.
Caregivers: If the disabled person is with a
caregiver, make sure you speak to the disabled person
directly, and not over their heads to the caregiver,
it is very annoying and frustrating not to be included
in a conversation which involves you.
Don't
Stare: When talking to someone in a wheelchair,
make eye contact, talk normally in a non patronizing
manner, and do not stare at their wheelchair. Also, if
they have thin legs due to wasted muscle mass, or a
pot belly due to paralysis of the abdominal muscles,
try not to keep looking at these different aspects of
the persons body, believe me, they will notice you
looking!
Seeing
Eye to Eye: If a conversation is expected to
last longer than five minutes, find somewhere to sit
down, or squat down to the wheelchair users eye level.
This will reduce the wheelchair users neck from being
strained during a conversation. A good way to
experience how a wheelchair user feels during
conversation whilst looking up, is to stare at the
ceiling directly above you whilst sitting upright for
five minutes. Your neck will soon start to ache!
I'm
Sorry, Could You Stop Apologizing? Whist talking
to a disabled person, try to talk as normally as
possible, and do not apologize if you use an
expression such as "I must be running along", or "See
you later" if the person as partially sighted. These
expressions are part of everyday language, and the
apology will probably be more offensive or
embarrassing than the expression.
Touchy-Feely: To a wheelchair user, their
wheelchair is part of their body and personal space
and should be treated as such. Do not rest your foot
on their wheelchair, or touch their wheelchair unless
you have been asked to. Never move a persons
wheelchair whilst they are in it unless you have been
asked to, this can be very dangerous as people with a
fine sense of balance can very easily fall out of
their wheelchairs if not warned before being moved. If
you think someone in a wheelchair needs assistance,
always ask before taking any action.
Never
slap a disabled person on the back or thigh as a
goodwill gesture. This can cause the person to loose
their balance, or trigger muscle spasms which can lead
to the person falling out of their chair. Muscle
spasms are uncontrollable movements in the body due to
a damaged spinal cord and can be uncomfortable and
painful.
Ask!:
If you are unsure of something about a disabled
person, which is relevant to a current situation, ask
the disabled person to clarify your query. It is in
the disabled persons interest to inform you of any
special requirements they may have, or if they need
any specialized assistive techniques. For example,
most quadriplegics require some assistance when
eating, whether if is just the cutting up of their
food or help with feeding.
Kid's
Say The Darndest Things: If you have children,
they will stare, it's their nature. Talk to the child
about disabled people, and help them to understand why
people use wheelchairs. This helps prevent fearful and
negative attitudes towards disabled people. I am used
to children staring at my wheelchair, I see it as part
of their education as they often do not know any
better, unlike adults who should!
