Tips on Interacting with Clients with Disabilities

United Spinal Association

Disability Etiquette
Tips on Interacting with Clients with Disabilities

You don’t have to feel awkward when dealing with a volunteer who has a disability.

Here are some basic tips:
• Ask before you help. Adults with disabilities want to be treated as independent people. Offer assistance only if the person appears to need it.

• Be sensitive about physical contact. Some people with disabilities depend on their arms for balance. Grabbing them, even in your intention is to assist, could knock them off balance. Avoid patting a person on the head or touching his wheelchair, scooter or cane. People with disabilities consider their equipment part of their personal space.

• Speak directly to a person with a disability…not to his companion or sign language interpreter. Making small talk is great, just talk to him as you would with anyone else. Respect his privacy. If you ask about his disability, he may feel like you are treating him as a disability, not as a human being.

• Don’t make assumptions. People with disabilities are the best judge of what they can or cannot do. Don’t make decisions for them about participating in any activity. Depending on the situation, it could be a violation of the ADA to exclude people because of a presumption about their disability.

• Respond graciously to requests. When people who have a disability ask for an accommodation, it is a complaint. It shows they feel comfortable enough to ask for what they need.

• Put the person first. Say “person with a disability” rather than “disabled” person. Avoid outdated terms like “handicapped” or “crippled”. Say “wheelchair user,” rather than “confined to a wheelchair” or “wheelchair bound.”

Wheelchair Etiquette
• Wheelchair users are people, not equipment. Don’t lean over someone in a wheelchair to shake another person’s hand or ask a wheelchair user to hold coats. Setting your drink on the desktop attached to someone’s wheelchair is a definite no-no.

• Don’t push or touch a person’s wheelchair; it’s part of their personal space.

• Keep the ramps and wheelchair accessible doors to your building unlocked and unblocked.

• Keep accessible path of travel clear.

Information provided by the United Spinal Association, www.unitedspinal.org


Tips on Interacting with Clients with Disabilities United Spinal Association Disability Etiquette Tips on Interacting with Clients with Disabilities You don’t have to feel awkward when dealing with a volunteer who has a disability. Here are some basic tips: • Ask before you help. Adults with disabilities want to be treated as independent people. Offer assistance only if the person appears to need it. • Be sensitive about physical contact. Some people with disabilities depend on their arms for balance. Grabbing them, even in your intention is to assist, could knock them off balance. Avoid patting a person on the head or touching his wheelchair, scooter or cane. People with disabilities consider their equipment part of their personal space. • Speak directly to a person with a disability…not to his companion or sign language interpreter. Making small talk is great, just talk to him as you would with anyone else. Respect his privacy. If you ask about his disability, he may feel like you are treating him as a disability, not as a human being. • Don’t make assumptions. People with disabilities are the best judge of what they can or cannot do. Don’t make decisions for them about participating in any activity. Depending on the situation, it could be a violation of the ADA to exclude people because of a presumption about their disability. • Respond graciously to requests. When people who have a disability ask for an accommodation, it is a complaint. It shows they feel comfortable enough to ask for what they need. • Put the person first. Say “person with a disability” rather than “disabled” person. Avoid outdated terms like “handicapped” or “crippled”. Say “wheelchair user,” rather than “confined to a wheelchair” or “wheelchair bound.” Wheelchair Etiquette • Wheelchair users are people, not equipment. Don’t lean over someone in a wheelchair to shake another person’s hand or ask a wheelchair user to hold coats. Setting your drink on the desktop attached to someone’s wheelchair is a definite no-no. • Don’t push or touch a person’s wheelchair; it’s part of their personal space. • Keep the ramps and wheelchair accessible doors to your building unlocked and unblocked. • Keep accessible path of travel clear. Information provided by the United Spinal Association, www.unitedspinal.org
NAVPLG - Summer 2010