As they age, people are often faced with new experiences with illness, pain, mobility, disability, or a combination of these.
In fact, one in seven Canadians is disabled, and pain or mobility concerns account for the majority of those disabilities. For most, it is not until they experience the inconvenience those conditions have on day-to-day living first-hand, that they become aware of these difficulties.
For me, certainly, a decade as a disabled consumer experiencing for myself the issues of manoeuvering around in the world was a significant motivating factor in my desire to make change and improve access for persons with disabilities.
Accessibility has become the new buzzword for those issues, though insufficient accommodation of persons with disabilities has always existed. In fact, several years ago, I visited Barkerville, an historic town on the Gold Rush Trail in northern British Columbia, and I saw first-hand that the 1860s were not built to accommodate wheelchairs. But times are changing and new accessibility rules for businesses in Ontario are spurring that change.
Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, five standards are being developed to improve accessibility by identifying, removing, and preventing barriers in the key areas of: customer service; information and communications; employment; built environment; and transportation.
The customer service standard is the first to come into effect and businesses in Ontario are required to comply by next January.
Those coming requirements do not apply to the physical structure of a business but relate to customer service and the establishment of policies, practices, and procedures identifying and outlining the accommodation of persons with disabilities. For example, designated businesses are required to establish policies allowing persons with disabilities to be accompanied by their service animal, support person, or assistive devices, and, if applicable, if admission fees are waived for support persons. Feedback and complaint procedures must also be established and identify how complaints regarding access to products and services will be responded to. A procedure to notify customers in the event of a temporary service or facilities disruption may also be required.
Customer service policy and procedure documents should be made available in an accessible format, such as larger print), upon request. As well, disability awareness training for employees teaches practical, adaptive skills to effectively identify, communicate, accommodate and service people with various disabilities, and will go a long way towards advancing accessibility.
Most barriers exist simply as the result of a lack of awareness. What can people do to help improve accessibility?
Begin simply by taking small steps to make personal life more accessible.
If those who suffer from arthritis or manual dexterity that makes use of their hands difficult or painful can ask the pharmacy for medication in easy-to-open containers (assuming there are no youngsters around to worry about). For those who are always finding occupied disabled parking spots at a particular location, sometimes just making the right people aware of that can result in the conversion of a non-disabled spot if deemed necessary and feasible.
Is the courtesy wheelchair provided by a merchant hard to get to, dirty, or broken? Telling someone identifies a problem that the business may not have been aware of.
Those who frequent a business or facility where they have difficulty accessing products, services, or the structure itself, usually a simple conversation with a staff member, owner, or manager is all it takes to remove a barrier-to-access. Most likely, the person taking action is not the first to experience that barrier, and increasing awareness of issues they face through dialogue can help to further accessibility for others.
Accessibility does not just affect people with disabilities; a conveniently placed chair might help someone with pain or mobility issues but also an expectant mother. Wide, obstruction-free aisles are necessary for wheelchairs, but also convenient for those with strollers or shopping carts. Accessibility assists the community as a whole, and by increasing awareness of issues; you can help to make this world more accessible for all.
Donna Jack is the owner of Roll a Mile, a local accessibility consulting and compliance firm dedicated to promoting an understanding and awareness of issues surrounding disability, and assisting businesses implement and comply with accessibility requirements. For more information, visit www.rollamile.com, call 519-823-3046, or email access@rollamile.com.
