Accessibility

When someone asks, “Is (X place) accessible?” the answer is “no” if there are any stairs involved in getting there. It doesn’t matter if everything inside X is on one level but there are three “little” steps at the front door, or “just one flight of stairs out front.” Those “little” steps aren’t so little for those using scooters and wheelchairs. The answer is also “no” if there is no wholly accessible bathroom near the main area.

Just once, I’d like to arrive somewhere to find a place truly accessible instead of having someone who’d claimed accessibility say, “Oh, I didn’t think about those little steps!” or “But that’s just one flight of stairs!” or some such stupid thing. Even though I happen to be able to walk most of the time, if I’m using my scooter, there’s a reason for it. If I were to get off of it to walk up those few steps, where am I to store the scooter? 1A significant investment. Plenty of other people cannot walk up those steps.

Why choose an inaccessible place of business, anyway? Why are builders continuing to build inaccessible residences? It isn’t expensive to build in accessibility in the first place, compared to renovating for accessibility. Has all the talk of the aging of America meant nothing with regard to home design?

Everyone is just temporarily abled in the long run, anyway. If you buy or build a house, it pays to go ahead and consider whether or not it would still suit you if you were injured in some manner. Could you get around on crutches or in a chair? If (shocking thought) you were to want to entertain someone who uses mobility devices to get around, could that person even get in your front door? Any door? I’ve lived in places where the answer would be a resounding “No!” and even if we got the poor soul in through, say, the garage, she couldn’t get up to the living areas.

Cyn is Rick's wife, Katie's Mom, and Esther & Oliver's Mémé. She's also a professional geek, avid reader, fledgling coder, enthusiastic gamer (TTRPGs), occasional singer, and devoted stitcher.
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