Power THE
OF
ACCESSIBILITY INFO
Carrie-Ann Lightley discusses the importance of accurate accessibility information, especially as we emerge out of lockdown
T
he threat posed by COVID-19 leaves many people worried about leaving their homes. For disabled people however, feeling anxious about going out is not a new thing, in some ways that worry has always been there for us. The fear of visiting a new place which may not actually be suitable for our individual accessibility needs – arrival anxiety – can be so consuming, that, in the days before coronavirus-induced isolation, many disabled people simply chose to stay at home, or to only visit places that they were already familiar with. In 2018, over 800 people responded to a survey titled Accessibility and You, from national disability organisation AccessAble. 98% of those surveyed said that they check accessibility information in advance of going to a new place. Just 14% of respondents said that they could find the information they needed, 80% found this information to be inaccurate, and 76% have not visited a venue because of a lack of accessibility information.
INDIVIDUAL NEEDS
98% of those surveyed said that they check accessibility information in advance of going to a new place
This rings true with my own experiences. I have cerebral palsy, I use a wheelchair, and I’m passionate about accessible travel. I write reviews of accessible accommodation and experiences, and can often spend days or even weeks researching trips, with mixed results. Earlier this year I channelled the frustration I felt about this into a blog post about why I think terms like “fully accessible” don’t help disabled people. My point in the blog post was that “fully accessible” is actually impossible, it doesn’t exist. Fully accessible to who? Just because two people have the same medical condition, or use the same type of mobility aid, doesn’t mean that their access needs are the same. Other unhelpful terms include “wheelchairfriendly” - friendly to exactly what kind of wheelchair? Manual, powered, small or large? If we are focussing on the suitability of a venue based on a particular mobility aid, why aren’t we taking into account the abilities of the person using that aid? Disabled people are just as individual as everyone else on the planet, and so are our wants and needs. In my opinion, the best accessibility takes the needs of as many different impairments as possible into account, and communicates that in a detailed, accurate way. Give us the information we need to decide if a place is suitable for us. Information about level access, Blue Badge parking and accessible toilets. Tell us about quiet spaces for people who have autism or anyone who struggles with too much stimulus. Tell us if your staff are trained in assisting people with dementia. Give us the detail on facilities for assistance dogs, hearing loops, visual smoke alarms, stoma friendly toilets.
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