PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES SHOULD BE TREATED WITH RESPECT
Christiane Tourtet B.A.
December 02, 2007
It is hard enough for many persons with disabilities to get the accommodations they are legally entitled to under the Law the Americans with Disabilities Act, (ADA) and even harder in many instances to get respect. As for persons suffering from painful chronic illnesses/disabilities which cannot be seen, (invisible disabilities) it can be quite a challenge.
There are many illnesses/ disabilities which fall under the category of Invisible Disabilities. Chronic fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Lyme Disease, Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Lupus, Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes, Heart Diseases, Asthma, Chronic Infections, Brain Injury, are just a few of the many diseases/disabilities that are not apparent to onlookers.
It is rather amazing, that people in general, have the wrong notion that persons with disabilities have to be, either on crutches, or in wheelchairs, or using some sort of assisting devices. Even though, this may be the case for many persons with disabilities, it certainly is not true for persons suffering from illnesses/disabilities which cannot readily be seen.
The fact that a person looks good and healthy does not mean in any way that this person cannot possibly have an illness/disability. Quite on the contrary, persons with invisible illnesses/disabilities are legally disabled and entitled to the same rights as persons with visible disabilities under the Law, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other Laws and Regulations.
An excellent source of information on Chronic Illnesses and Invisible Disabilities can be found at "The Invisible Disabilities Advocate":
http://www.MyIDA.org
It is wrong to stereotype persons with disabilities. Many persons with disabilities can be counted among some of the greatest achievers of this nation. From what I have heard and observed over the years, I am quite appalled by the lack of respect, and even cruelty, of many people in general, toward persons with visible / invisible disabilities.
Many people with disabilities, especially persons with invisible disabilities, are routinely subjected to insensitive inquiries about their disabilities, discrimination, derogatory comments, harassment, mistreatment, by many employees in places of business, and by people in general.
I have compiled a list of Do´s and Don´t that can be quite helpful, for dealing with persons with disabilities in general:
BUSINESSES:
When a person with a visible/ non-visible disability takes the trouble to bring to you information about his/her disability with possibly, sections of applicable law, and is making the legal request for Accommodations under the Law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
DO NOT:
1- Do not, become defensive and refuse to accept the information that this person is providing to you. Persons with disabilities are usually very well informed about their disabilities and their legal rights under the Law ADA.
2- Do not be rude, verbally or otherwise, such as throwing on the counter the information provided to you by a person with a disability.
3- Do not make insensitive requests or comments about a person with a disability, such as, "What´s wrong with you?" You surely look fine to me!" Well, you surely could make it to my store!"
4- Do not refuse to accommodate or threaten a person with a disability, asking for accommodations under ADA, as it is unlawful to do so, and legal consequences may follow.
5- Do not give the brush off to a person explaining to you his/her disability, and requesting accommodations under the Law ADA.
6- Do not discriminate by serving first, non-disabled customers, and then the person with a disability.
7- Do not become impatient, irate, and ask a person with a disability to leave your promises, thus refusing to provide services, while this person is trying to obtain the reasonable accommodations/modifications he/she needs under the law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as legal action can be taken against you.
8- Do not purposely interrupt a person with a disability, trying to explain to you the accommodations, modifications, he /she needs under the Law ADA.
9- Do not make sarcastic remarks, jokes, about a person with a disability.
10- Do not purposely spray chemicals in the presence of a person disabled by Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), as it could result in very serious reactions for the person with this illness/ disability and potentially very serious legal consequences for you.
Information about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) can be read at, MCS
HOMEPAGE :
http://www.nettally.com/prusty/mcs.htm
DO:
1- Greet with a friendly smile and attitude all persons with visible / invisible disabilities.
2- Listen attentively to what a person with a disability is trying to convey to you.
3- Be courteous, and take gracefully the information provided to you by a person with a disability.
4- Thank you the person with a disability for bringing information about his/her disability, and information about the law ADA.
5- Make sure to serve persons with disabilities, as efficiently and promptly as possible, especially, persons suffering from painful chronic illness /disability such as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), and to not use or spray any chemicals in the presence of persons disabled by MCS, as it could result in very severe reactions that could be life-threatening to them.
6- Be kind and compassionate toward persons with disabilities.
7- Be patient and understanding of the limitations of persons with disabilities.
8- Educate yourself about the Law ADA and disabilities in general, and train diligently your employees, especially in regard to invisible disabilities.
9- Go out of your way to help persons with disabilities.
10- Make persons with disabilities feel at ease and welcomed, such as telling," nice to see you, thank your very much for your business, please come back to see us".
This way, professional relations with your customers with disabilities will be very good, which will benefit both your business and persons with disabilities.
Information about the Law "The Americans with Disabilities Act" (ADA) can be found at:
U.S. Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA Homepage:
http://www.ada.gov
I would like to recommend to the general public, to refrain from sending dirty looks, and to make unfounded, hurtful and derogatory comments, on persons who happen to look good, and healthy and yet may suffer tremendously from invisible chronic illnesses/disabilities.
So, the next time, you get impatient, angry, send dirty looks, discriminate, harass, and make hurtful, sarcastic remarks, let´ s say, to the young, healthy looking , pretty woman, who seems to take so much time at a store check-out, or to the healthy looking lady who insists on having each of her water bottles put in double paper bags, or to the young, well dressed, and healthy looking lady pulling into the handicapped parking , think twice, because chances are that these persons have painful chronic illnesses, are legally disabled under the law the Americans with Disabilities Act, (ADA) and have the legal right to park into that disabled parking space!
© 2007 Christiane Tourtet, all rights reserved.
There are many illnesses/ disabilities which fall under the category of Invisible Disabilities. Chronic fatigue Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), Lyme Disease, Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, Lupus, Cystic Fibrosis, Diabetes, Heart Diseases, Asthma, Chronic Infections, Brain Injury, are just a few of the many diseases/disabilities that are not apparent to onlookers.
It is rather amazing, that people in general, have the wrong notion that persons with disabilities have to be, either on crutches, or in wheelchairs, or using some sort of assisting devices. Even though, this may be the case for many persons with disabilities, it certainly is not true for persons suffering from illnesses/disabilities which cannot readily be seen.
The fact that a person looks good and healthy does not mean in any way that this person cannot possibly have an illness/disability. Quite on the contrary, persons with invisible illnesses/disabilities are legally disabled and entitled to the same rights as persons with visible disabilities under the Law, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other Laws and Regulations.
An excellent source of information on Chronic Illnesses and Invisible Disabilities can be found at "The Invisible Disabilities Advocate":
http://www.MyIDA.org
It is wrong to stereotype persons with disabilities. Many persons with disabilities can be counted among some of the greatest achievers of this nation. From what I have heard and observed over the years, I am quite appalled by the lack of respect, and even cruelty, of many people in general, toward persons with visible / invisible disabilities.
Many people with disabilities, especially persons with invisible disabilities, are routinely subjected to insensitive inquiries about their disabilities, discrimination, derogatory comments, harassment, mistreatment, by many employees in places of business, and by people in general.
I have compiled a list of Do´s and Don´t that can be quite helpful, for dealing with persons with disabilities in general:
BUSINESSES:
When a person with a visible/ non-visible disability takes the trouble to bring to you information about his/her disability with possibly, sections of applicable law, and is making the legal request for Accommodations under the Law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):
DO NOT:
1- Do not, become defensive and refuse to accept the information that this person is providing to you. Persons with disabilities are usually very well informed about their disabilities and their legal rights under the Law ADA.
2- Do not be rude, verbally or otherwise, such as throwing on the counter the information provided to you by a person with a disability.
3- Do not make insensitive requests or comments about a person with a disability, such as, "What´s wrong with you?" You surely look fine to me!" Well, you surely could make it to my store!"
4- Do not refuse to accommodate or threaten a person with a disability, asking for accommodations under ADA, as it is unlawful to do so, and legal consequences may follow.
5- Do not give the brush off to a person explaining to you his/her disability, and requesting accommodations under the Law ADA.
6- Do not discriminate by serving first, non-disabled customers, and then the person with a disability.
7- Do not become impatient, irate, and ask a person with a disability to leave your promises, thus refusing to provide services, while this person is trying to obtain the reasonable accommodations/modifications he/she needs under the law the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as legal action can be taken against you.
8- Do not purposely interrupt a person with a disability, trying to explain to you the accommodations, modifications, he /she needs under the Law ADA.
9- Do not make sarcastic remarks, jokes, about a person with a disability.
10- Do not purposely spray chemicals in the presence of a person disabled by Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), as it could result in very serious reactions for the person with this illness/ disability and potentially very serious legal consequences for you.
Information about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) can be read at, MCS
HOMEPAGE :
http://www.nettally.com/prusty/mcs.htm
DO:
1- Greet with a friendly smile and attitude all persons with visible / invisible disabilities.
2- Listen attentively to what a person with a disability is trying to convey to you.
3- Be courteous, and take gracefully the information provided to you by a person with a disability.
4- Thank you the person with a disability for bringing information about his/her disability, and information about the law ADA.
5- Make sure to serve persons with disabilities, as efficiently and promptly as possible, especially, persons suffering from painful chronic illness /disability such as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS), and to not use or spray any chemicals in the presence of persons disabled by MCS, as it could result in very severe reactions that could be life-threatening to them.
6- Be kind and compassionate toward persons with disabilities.
7- Be patient and understanding of the limitations of persons with disabilities.
8- Educate yourself about the Law ADA and disabilities in general, and train diligently your employees, especially in regard to invisible disabilities.
9- Go out of your way to help persons with disabilities.
10- Make persons with disabilities feel at ease and welcomed, such as telling," nice to see you, thank your very much for your business, please come back to see us".
This way, professional relations with your customers with disabilities will be very good, which will benefit both your business and persons with disabilities.
Information about the Law "The Americans with Disabilities Act" (ADA) can be found at:
U.S. Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA Homepage:
http://www.ada.gov
I would like to recommend to the general public, to refrain from sending dirty looks, and to make unfounded, hurtful and derogatory comments, on persons who happen to look good, and healthy and yet may suffer tremendously from invisible chronic illnesses/disabilities.
So, the next time, you get impatient, angry, send dirty looks, discriminate, harass, and make hurtful, sarcastic remarks, let´ s say, to the young, healthy looking , pretty woman, who seems to take so much time at a store check-out, or to the healthy looking lady who insists on having each of her water bottles put in double paper bags, or to the young, well dressed, and healthy looking lady pulling into the handicapped parking , think twice, because chances are that these persons have painful chronic illnesses, are legally disabled under the law the Americans with Disabilities Act, (ADA) and have the legal right to park into that disabled parking space!
© 2007 Christiane Tourtet, all rights reserved.
Print
Email
