{"id":2498,"date":"2025-12-06T03:27:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T03:27:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/?p=2498"},"modified":"2025-12-06T04:01:06","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T04:01:06","slug":"disability-etiquette-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/2025\/12\/disability\/disability-etiquette-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Disability Etiquette"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">What do you do when you meet someone who has a disability? Do you lean on their wheelchair, talk louder, grab their arm to help them? If you do you are violating disability etiquette and making the person with a disability uncomfortable. <\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">First, let\u2019s start with language of disability. Vehicles or things may be crippled, but not people. Credit cards may be invalid, but not people. People first language encourages respect and promotes dignity and a positive attitude toward people with disabilities. We refer to someone with a disability as a person who is blind or deaf or uses a wheelchair (not wheelchair bound). <\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">There are some simple rules to live by when you meet someone with a disability. Here are some suggestions that will make your interactions more pleasant.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>How to Help: General Guidelines<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Introduce yourself and offer assistance if needed.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Don&#8217;t be offended if your offer of help is refused.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Ask how you can help and listen for instructions.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Assist individuals with disabilities when necessary or requested, but <\/span><\/span>do not discourage their active participation.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Allow a person DIGNITY to do what he or she wants to do for him or <\/span><\/span>herself. Encourage independence, not dependency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Be Yourself<\/b><\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Treat people with disabilities with the same respect and consideration that <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">you have for everyone else. Treat the person as an individual, not as a <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">disability. Don&#8217;t assume that &#8220;disability&#8221; is all that person can talk about or <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">is interested in. <\/span><\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">As in any new situation, everyone will be more <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">comfortable if you relax.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Hearing Impairments<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Face the person when you are speaking.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Don&#8217;t eat or cover your mouth while talking. It -it makes speech difficult to understand!<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Rephrase sentences or substitute words rather than repeat yourself <\/span><\/span>again and again.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Speak clearly and at a normal voice level. Don\u2019t shout.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Communicate in writing, if necessary.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Move away from noisy areas or the source of noise &#8211; loud air <\/span><\/span>conditioning, loud music, TV and radio.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Don&#8217;t stand with bright light (window, sun) behind you &#8211; glare makes it <\/span><\/span>difficult to see your face.<\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Get the hearing-impaired person&#8217;s attention and face in full view <\/span><\/span><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><i>before <\/i><\/span><\/span>talking.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Visual Impairments<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">When greeting the person, identify yourself and introduce others who <\/span><\/span>may be present.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Be descriptive. You may have to help orient people with visual <\/span><\/span>impairments and let them know what&#8217;s coming up. If they are walking, tell them if they have to step up or step down, let them know if the door is to their right or left, and warn them of possible hazards.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">You don&#8217;t have to speak loudly to people with visual impairments. Most <\/span><\/span>of them can hear just fine.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Offer to read written information for a person with a visual impairment, <\/span><\/span>when appropriate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">If you are asked to guide a person with a visual impairment, offer your <\/span><\/span>arm instead of grabbing hers. They should hold your arm just above the elbow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Don&#8217;t leave the person without excusing yourself first.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Don\u2019t leave cabinet doors open and remove other obstacles that may present a hazard to someone who cannot see well.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\"><b>Mobility Impairments<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Try sitting or crouching down to the approximate height of people in <\/span><\/span>wheelchairs or scooters when you talk to them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Don&#8217;t lean on a person&#8217;s wheelchair unless you have his permission &#8211; it&#8217;s <\/span><\/span>his personal space.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">Only push someone\u2019s wheelchair when asked.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;\"><span style=\"font-size: large;\">I hope these hints will make your interactions more comfortable with your neighbors who have disabilities.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What do you do when you meet someone who has a disability? Do you lean on their wheelchair, talk louder, grab their arm to help them? If you do you are violating disability etiquette and making the person with a disability uncomfortable. First, let\u2019s start with language of disability. Vehicles or things may be crippled, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[71,72,74],"class_list":["post-2498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-disability","tag-disabilities","tag-disability-2","tag-disabled"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2499,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2498\/revisions\/2499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/flnavigator.com\/healthfairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}