What accessibility means to me

When you have a disability, simple tasks can seem daunting — but small changes can make big differences

During pandemic times, think about the arrows on the floor and the plexiglass barriers you may not be able to see, or the payment terminal that is not accessible.

I live with more than one disability. I contracted polio at the age of two — prior to the vaccine — and have lived with mobility issues ever since.

For several years I was improving, but then I developed post-polio syndrome, which causes a progressive decline in muscle strength. In my middle years I developed eye issues and am now legally blind. As a result, there are accessibility concerns that I live with on a daily basis.

Imagine you want to watch or listen to TV but you can’t read the online TV guide. I have to channel surf to see if I can find something I may be interested in, then find out later from someone else that I missed a really great program.

Now, think about how you prepare your grocery list and then go to shopping. Can you read your own writing? Do you have a smart phone that you can dictate your order to and then play it back in the store? Do you have a car or do you have to walk or take a taxi, or do you have to order online and then find someone to take you to the store? For some people, it’s not as simple as being able to drop by the store on the way home from work.

Then there are other decisions I have to make. If I take a bus, I have to walk a short distance to get one bus, then transfer to another one to get to the store. Do I have the energy to walk 20 minutes and the time to take two buses? Then I have to think about getting the groceries home. If I take a taxi, do I have enough money to pay for one each way or should I walk one way and taxi home?

Decisions like this for one ordinary task take time, energy and a toll on one’s mind. Sometimes it makes people with disabilities depressed and then they wind up not going out to get the food they need, leading to further health issues.

ROAD HAZARDS

We all have concerns when travelling, but travelling on foot with a disability when you cannot read the street signs, see obstacles in the way, find stairs, locate the door, avoid construction and more, makes it very complicated and sometimes dangerous. There are some apps available, but you need a smart phone with a big data plan, and that is very expensive.

During pandemic times, think about the arrows on the floor and the plexiglass barriers you may not be able to see, or the payment terminal that is not accessible.

Then there are the public buildings that we need to access which may require going upstairs. Do they have a yellow stripe on each step so that you can determine that they are indeed stairs and not a ramp? Check out the handrail — is it of a colour that contrasts with the wall and is it of the proper height and length?

What if I can’t walk up a lot of stairs? Where can I find an elevator, and am I going to be able to find the correct floor, because it could be touchscreen with no audio option. When I reach my floor, is there proper signage so I can locate the room I’m looking for or is there a person nearby that I can ask for help?

As you can see, there are many aspects of life that people living with a disability need to think about before we even step out of the door of our safe haven — home.

Accessibility is a human right. There needs to be inclusion and the elimination of barriers that prevent people with disabilities full and equal access to information, transportation, education, employment and a good quality of life.

Being able to participate in society like everyone else is the reason for the Accessible Canada Act. During this pandemic, it is even more important to improve inclusion and access because of all the extra barriers we have to live with.

It’s time for society to realize what it’s like to live with a disability. When barriers are removed, everyone benefits.