Photo by Audi Nissen on Unsplash
There are many ways to help people with disabilities, even small acts make a big difference. Persons with disabilities (PWD) are individuals with a physical or mental condition that has at least one significant limitation in their life’s activities.
The presence of disability should not be seen as a mark of weakness. Just like the next person, we may all be physically or mentally handicapped in some way. People with disabilities have distinct approaches and experiences to offer in different fields where they can contribute.
In our current mission to help empower the community of people with disabilities, we would like to make others aware and observe certain words and actions that reflect respect to each individual with or without obvious disability.
As we strive to be better persons, we keep tabs on better communication, needed actions, and learn empathy. We do this in the hopes of having mutual respect – that people will treat us the way we treat them.
5 Best Ways to Help People with Disabilities
Build Better Communication
Avoid patronizing. People with disabilities generally don’t like to be referred to as “inspirational” especially when accomplishing menial tasks. Why would they when they are just living their normal, everyday life just like everybody else? Comments like “you are so brave” to someone who is merely shopping for groceries with a hearing aid are unnecessary to say and can be off-putting.
Inasmuch as we’d like to share our thoughts, sometimes it is best to keep these unsolicited comments to ourselves. These comments can have a negative effect because it reminds them of how differently people still think about them. Honestly speaking, it is overcompensating to say compliments to someone who is just getting on with his or her life.
Always treat people with disabilities as equals. Look beyond their disability, build better communication, and exercise prudence. Communication is the gateway to empathy
Always Ask Before Assisting
People with disabilities are not victims. It does not mean that because of their disability, they will always need or want assistance.
People have varying levels of independence. Some people do not like being perceived as “needy” when asking for help, and because of that, they want to do stuff independently. Others may ask and need your help, while others do not. So let them be. What is important is to ask them first.
More importantly, do not give them advice especially when you are not a doctor. While yoga is generally a good exercise for our mental and physical well-being. It is not therapy for everybody and often unsolicited advice to try it is rude and condescending.
Being Mindful of their Accessibility
We live in a world full of pessimism, and unfairness. Thus, we seek to create our own friendly environment that is compassionate and understanding to ones whose life is at a disadvantage.
We show our mindfulness of their situation through raising awareness like petitioning or appealing to have inclusive mobility by installing ramps and other mobility aids in public places. Making a difference even by simply respecting their space, like avoiding pushing someone else’s wheelchair before asking. These acts are a common courtesy that everyone should observe.
Photo by Nguyen Minh on Unsplash
Volunteer
Check out organizations, and get involved. There’s a lot to be done in the drive for humanitarian causes. By campaigning to fight barriers to have a more inclusive society, activities like appealing to local government agencies for mobility aids, appealing to private institutions for employment inclusiveness, as well as, involvement in physical activities to promote an active and sporty lifestyle.
Donate
Raising funds for the PWDs is still a much more credible idea in order to help the community. People with disabilities often need funds to cover necessary medical costs and other expenses related to compensating for their disability.
In indigent communities specifically, persons with disabilities are in more dire need of your financial support. This problem among developing countries is often overlooked, resulting in a lack of opportunities and a sad quality of life. Here is a fundraising campaign that is hosted for this specific cause.
Share these five ways of helping people with disabilities with your friends or community to build strong awareness and empathy. Do not hesitate to call out acts of discrimination against these people. Like Aesop said, no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
