Here are a few more tips that might decrease the awkwardness that sometimes arises between those with and without a disability. No one wants to intentionally hurt another, but there isn’t a handbook on what’s common courtesy. Sometimes ‘political correctness’ can seem sterile, sometimes even reaching absurd proportions. But here are a few guidelines that might help ease discomfort for all, without being ridiculous.
The term 'handicapped' is becoming obsolete because it conjures the image of a person standing on the corner with a cap in hand, begging for money. In fact, the term originated from that image. Most persons with disabilities do not want to be the recipients of charity or pity. They want to participate equally with the rest of the community. So, a less loaded word, disabled, has become the preferred word used to describe a person with a disability.
Here’s one that’s a bit more obvious. Leaning on a person’s wheelchair is similar to leaning or hanging on that person. It is sometimes considered annoying or rude. The chair is a part of one’s personal space.
Share the same social courtesies with people with disabilities that you would share with someone else. If you shake hands with people you meet, offer your hand to everyone you meet, regardless of disability. If the person is unable to shake your hand, he or she will tell you.
When offering assistance to a person with a visual impairment, allow that person to take your arm. This will enable you to guide, rather than propel or lead the person. Use specific directions, such as “left one hundred feet” or “right two yards,” when directing a person with a visual impairment.
Finally, relax. Don’t be embarrassed if you use common expressions such as “See you later” or “Gotta run.”
- Published in Antiques & Art -- Ruby Lane Blog
- September 7, 2010
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