lifestyle, Wheelchair life

Accessible Advent

Gemma - Wheelescapades

When I saw that @GinnyAndT was starting #AccessibleAdvent on social media I had to get involved.

Every day of December I added my bit to #AccessibleAdvent by posting one thing that would make my life more accessible as a wheelchair user.

For those of you that don’t have, or don’t follow me on social media, here are my Accessible Advent wishes.

Every day in December post one thing that would make the world more accessible - this is in dark purple text on a light green background with #Accessible#Advent written at the top. There is a simple gingerbread shape on the right.

Door 1 –

Wider doorways with no plastic threshold for me to get stuck on.

Door 2 –

Detailed access information on websites would allow me more spontaneity and to spend less time planning and enquiring.

Door 3 –

Accessible toilets aren’t cupboards, so please stop storing mops, high chairs, coats and wet floor signs in them. Unless the floor is wet.

Door 4 –

Door 4 - Stop parking on the pavement! Too many times have I had to turn back on myself to find a dropped curb and travel on the road, is typed in dark purple on very light grey background. #AccessibleAdvent I’d in bright green at the top, and there is a solid yellow star in the top right cornerStop parking on the pavement! Too many times have I had to turn back on myself to find a dropped curb and travel on the road.

Door 5 –

If you can’t adapt your shop or premises, be creative. Get a portable ramp. It’s really not that hard.

Door 6 –

Door 6 - Stacked products and bargain baskets in shop isles can make navigation almost impossible. Stop cluttering, I can’t buy anything if I can’t get in! Is written in purple text on a warm yellow background. There is a dark red candy cane shape in the top right corner, and #AccessibleAdvent is written in green at the top.Stacked products and bargain baskets in shop isles can make navigation almost impossible. Stop cluttering, I can’t buy anything if I can’t get in!

Door 7 –

Seating plans in cinemas, theatres and music venues that allow wheelchair users to sit with their friends and family.

Door 8 –

Representation on tv. Opportunities for disabled actors, but also disabled characters where disability isn’t the main storyline.

Door 9 –

Door 9 - End the awkwardness around disability. Speak to me and not the person I’m with, they don’t know if I enjoyed my lunch. Is written in bright blue on a grey background. There is a white snowman in the top right corner and #AccessibleAdvent is written in green at the top.

End the awkwardness around disability. Speak to me and not the person I’m with, they don’t know if I enjoyed my lunch.

Door 10 –

Accessible table options. Bar benches can feel isolating if you are seated in a wheelchair. Coffee tables can be hard to reach.

Door 11 –

Using a main entrance rather being sent round the back, past bins, through a kitchen would stop me feeling like an inconvenience.

Door 12 –

Door 12 - Folding seats and space for more than one wheelchair user on buses allows spontaneity and less chance of getting stranded. Is written in yellow text on a lilac background. A green woolly hat shape is in the top right corner and #AccessibleAdvent is written in red text at the top.Folding seats and space for more than one wheelchair user on buses allows spontaneity and less chance of getting stranded.

Door 13 –

Access should not be an afterthought. Consult people with disabilities during planning, building and organising of events.

Door 14 –

Door 14 - Personal space. Having a disability doesn’t give you reason to pat our head, stroke our arm or lean on our wheelchair. Is in blue text on an orange background. There is a bright green Christmas cracker shape in the top right corner and #AccessibleAdvent is in yellow at the top.

Personal space. Having a disability doesn’t give you reason to pat our head, stroke our arm or lean on our wheelchair.

Door 15 –

Make pavements wide and keep them clear of hanging branches, shop signs, parked bikes and stupidly placed posts.

Door 16 –

Talk like I’m human. I don’t need you to speak loudly or slowly or cutely or act like I’m a well achieving toddler.

Door 17 –

Door 17 - Hoists in every GP surgery and hospital department. It’s surprising how inaccessible healthcare can be. Is in bright blue text on a yellowish green background. There is a white Angel shape with wings in the top right corner and #AccessibleAdvent is in red text at the top.Hoists in every GP surgery and hospital department. It’s surprising how inaccessible healthcare can be.

Door 18 –

Stop with the extortionate cost of anything disability related. Wheelchairs, gadgets, hotel rooms, holidays, taxi journeys.

Door 19 –
Large buttons pressed by a foot, footplate, crutch or walking stick would enable independence crossing roads and using lifts.

Door 20 –

Door 20 - Let kids be inquisitive and ask questions. Knowledge allows understanding which makes disability less scary and more everyday. Is in dark green on a dusky pink background. There is a bright yellow candle shape in the top right corner and #AccessibleAdvent in white text at the top.Let kids be inquisitive and ask questions. Knowledge allows understanding which makes disability less scary and more everyday.

Door 21 –

Models and mannequins with disabilities would make clothes more appealing. Everything looks different when you wear it seated.

Door 22 –

More playgrounds, parks and theme parks with accessible and wheelchair drive on rides. It’s done, but not enough.

Door 23 –

Being able to stay in my wheelchair on a plane would mean that maybe one day I would travel again.

Door 24 –

Door 24 - Language is crucial. Terms like ‘wheelchair bound’ and ‘special needs’ give a negative and incorrect message. Is in green text on a white background. There is a dark red brick chimney in the top Right corner and #AccessibleAdvent is in blue text at the top.Language is crucial. Terms like ‘wheelchair bound’ and ‘special needs’ give a negative and incorrect message.

It’s been great taking part in this challenge. Not only have I been able to share some of the barriers I face as a wheelchair user, I’ve also learned a lot from my peers about how we can all do small things to make life accessible to all.

Go search #AccessibleAdvent.

You can catch up with all the door opening of my #AccessibleAdvent at Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

What would make life more accessible to you?

🎄 Merry Christmas 🎄

Published by Gemma - Wheelescapades

Whenever friends and I are out we always end up discussing, critiquing, analysing where we are and what we are doing. From talking about the food we are eating, the soap in the toilets, the awful bus journey to our destination, anything and everything we encounter. Because of my disability (SMA type2) many of the situations we get into, issues we discuss and laughs we have can be due to wheelchair access. Often me getting stuck in mud or shingle, or me making my way through the most cram packed shop you can imagine, wondering how I am ever going to find the way out again! I aim to write a blog that describes these dramas, tells stories of our laughs, adventures and frustrations, while giving detailed information on accessibility and wheelchair access. Also I like tea. ALOT. The quality of the tea often determines my return just as much as the accessibility.

14 thoughts on “Accessible Advent”

  1. If only the right people read posts like yours, perhaps changes could happen. Such a great list, but you shouldn’t have to be making a list like this. Accessibility should be in place everywhere and disabled people should be treated better.

    Door 9: speak to me, not the person I’m with.

    Years ago, I was flying somewhere and had airport assistance. The guy pushing my wheelchair asked my Dad if I needed to go to the toilet before going into the departure lounge. Like my Dad would have known. You probably hear things like that all the time.

    Take care, Gemma and have a lovely Christmas.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. They’re such simple changes most of them, too.
      Oh how rude of the guy, like your Dad is supposed to know! I’ve had instances in restaurants where the server has asked whomever I’m with if I enjoyed my food. My Mum would always say ‘I don’t know, ask her!’

      Merry Christmas 🎄

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      Reply
  3. Pingback: I’m Not Special – Language is Crucial – Wheelescapades

  4. These are great suggestions! I only have to use a wheelchair when shopping, etc. But I must have thought of many of these ideas through the years! Door 11 is a pet peeve. Stores that have wide aisles and then add displays drive me crazy. How do they think we can get around these narrowed spaces? Door 20: let kids ask questions! Door 15. “Stupidly placed posts” made me laugh. Those are a royal pain.

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  7. I’ve been checking these out on your social media and there are some excellent points! I thought with this one that maybe they would become more of a ‘thing’ because of Covid – “Large buttons pressed by a foot, footplate, crutch or walking stick would enable independence crossing roads and using lifts.” People don’t want to touch doors so I know a couple of pubs put in foot levers to open them, and it would be so useful to increase accessibility if this caught on and became an option in more areas for more purposes. x

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