Disability Etiquette - Working with disabled people
Using appropriate language is not only polite but it also promotes equality; using inappropriate language often causes offence.
- Avoid using generalised terms such as "the disabled" or "the blind" - this defines people by their impairment and implies that members of these groups are all the same
- Medical terms (such as spastic or quadriplegic for example) don't reflect people's abilities; they may reflect negative attitudes. If a person's condition needs to be referred to, then they are a person with dyslexia etc.
- It is preferable to use the term non-disabled rather than able bodied
- Mental health difficulties can cover a wide range of conditions, which may not be visible. These include: depression, schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorders
- Learning difficulties can cover a range of conditions including dyslexia, autism, dyspraxia and Asperger's syndrome
- Communicate equally with a disabled person when in a group situation. Avoid talking over or around the person.
Working with wheelchair users
- When speaking to someone in a wheelchair for any length of time, whenever possible, sit down so that they do not have to constantly crane their necks to maintain eye contact.
- Do not lean on a person's wheelchair. The chair is part of the personal space of the person who uses it.
- Never move someone in a wheelchair without asking first.
Working with people with hearing impairments
- Sit or stand with the light on your face, keep your hands away from your mouth and speak normally. Always look at the person, who may be lip-reading. Try to remember not to look away or cover your mouth whilst you are speaking.
- Try to ensure as little background noise as possible.
- Speak clearly and do not shout.
- If a sign language interpreter is present, try to keep an eye on the signer to ensure that you are not speaking too fast and that they are keeping up with you. It is important to remember you are speaking to the hearing impaired person and not the signer.
Working with people with a visual impairment
- Identify yourself each time you meet someone with a visual impairment until they get to know you well, as it may take a little while for them to learn to recognise your voice.
- If you wish to shake hands, they may not have the visual stimulus to realise you have put your hand out, so touch their hand with yours to indicate this.
- Stand still whilst speaking to someone who is partially sighted as may they find it difficult to maintain eye contact if you are moving around.
- If you are guiding someone with a visual impairment, allow him or her to hold your arm, rather than you holding theirs. This allows the individual to be in control. Remember to indicate whether steps are going up or down.
- If you have to leave someone with a visual impairment in an unfamiliar place after you have been guiding them, try to ensure they have a physical point of contact, i.e. next to a chair or table. Make sure they are standing in a safe area, i.e. not behind a door or in a main thoroughfare, or at the top of stairs.
- Tell a person with a visual impairment when you are leaving the room or moving away, so they don't continue to speak to you after you have left.
Working with people with a speech impediment
- Avoid correcting or speaking for a person whose speech is slow. Wait quietly while the person talks and resist the temptation to finish sentences.
- If you do not understand someone with a speech impairment, ask him or her to repeat, several times if necessary. It is better to have to say one word several times and be understood, than to be ignored.
- Don't be nervous of saying you don't understand them (they will be used to it). Try asking closed questions (requiring yes or no answers) rather than asking for long sentences.
Hidden disabilities
Avoid making the assumption that if a person doesn't look disabled, they do not have a disability. When this happens, the difficulties faced by the disabled person can be dismissed as minimal. This can affect a person's confidence and their willingness to request support or assistance.
Below are just a few common medical conditions that can lead to hidden impairment: arthritis; asthma; diabetes; mental illness; diseases of the heart/circulatory system; dyslexia; epilepsy; learning difficulties.
