Disability Concerns

I visited a church recently. They worship in a beautiful, newly renovated facility. Every aspect of the facility meets code for accessibility: all on one level, pew cutouts, wide doorways, sloped surfaces, accessible parking spaces, accessible restrooms. Unfortunately, code doesn’t always square with the reality of living with a disability.

Universal design assumes BOTH that people have different needs and different ways of doing the same thing AND that these different people should have equal access to public facilities. How would Universal Design look in a church setting?

When ushers seat people who use walkers, the walkers are sometimes taken away. Without the walkers, they become disabled. What is the best way to handle this situation?

Church leaders (especially deacons) will find this information helpful in assisting congregation members who need home remodeling for better accessibility. 

Rennie Feddema from Strathroy, Ontario, wonders whether your church is truly disability friendly. 

In this article, we offers tips and resources for providing the same information that sighted people benefit from to those with visual impairments.

This PowerPoint will help churches understand how to ensure their facility meets both the physical and attitudinal requirements of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). 

Living with blindness means relying on the support of others to guide you through life at times. Traveling is one of those times.