Sir, – We need to rethink the criteria for various buildings, playgrounds, holiday destinations, etc, referring to themselves as accessible and inclusive, or actually we need to have a minimum standard that is actually functional.
Being accessible or inclusive does not just mean tolerating the presence of wheelchair users and putting wheelchair signs around the place.
Families with children who are wheelchair users, like ours, should not have to plan far in advance to go to a playground for half an hour.
In Marley Park in Dublin recently we did just that, the absolute nerve of us.
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On a whim, we decided to bring our four children to the playground.
The wheelchair-accessible swing was locked. There was no information on how to get the key. We found an emergency number to call, but there was no information on where to get the key from the person who answered.
We can never go to a swimming pool without much correspondence and usually all we can do is get our daughter in the door, definitely not into the pool as a hoist is needed.
We may be able to get her around the grounds of various tourist attractions, shopping centres, etc, but we mostly cannot change her because the “accessible” bathrooms only cater to one level of disability, meaning that we have limited time and may need to leave at a moment’s notice.
We park in a wheelchair spot in open car parks, underground car park, street parking spots and most times find our rear loading ramp either doesn’t have room to be put down or is down in the path of traffic, meaning that our daughter is potentially in danger while we undo restraints.
It impacts all wheelchair users and it impacts their carers and families.
It is not too much to ask to be able to experience the world with as much ease as everyone else.
Relatively speaking, it is not expensive to make the changes needed.
It is exhausting having to plan the simplest thing weeks in advance and then to spend most of the time watching everyone else take part while my daughter gets pushed around in her wheelchair killing time.
It is time that strict criteria were implemented, and places cannot be described as accessible unless a person can get around, access all true suitable facilities without needing to contact a third party, can have their personal care needs taken care of without needing a third party, and can park and get out of their vehicle safely.
This list may seem extensive but it is what everyone else has available to them all the time. – Yours, etc,
NIAMH SHINE,
Crumlin,
Dublin 12.