Aug 19

84 Per Cent Want Height-Accessible Sanitising Stations

Matthew

Euan’s Guide, the disability access review site, has published the findings from a survey which asked disabled people about their concerns when visiting venues as the lockdown restrictions were gradually lifted across the UK.

The ‘COVID Concerns and Precautions Survey’, which ran from 18 June to 19 July, quizzed 450 disabled people on their opinions of the lockdown restrictions and the measures and guidance imposed, and how it would affect them.

The survey addressed the concerns disabled people have about visiting places after the lockdown, what precautions would enable safer and easier visits, where they plan to go, and how they plan for their trip, and what online activities they would like to see remain in place.

It included findings for mobility retailers in the UK to implement that would enable disabled people to feel comfortable when returning to stores.

Commenting on the survey findings, Euan MacDonald, Co-Founder of Euan’s Guide, explained that as the lockdown restrictions are eased, the guide wanted to ensure that disabled people felt safe and confident in finding places to visit or return to venues they were already familiar with.

“Venues need to share detailed and up-to-date information on their COVID precautions and disabled access online. This information is useful to anyone and everyone that wants to stay safe after being so cautious in the past few months,” he said.

82 per cent of respondents said that their main concern was people not respecting social distancing guidelines. Nearly three-quarters said that a top concern was unable to get access to public and venue’s toilets when out and about, and having to queue outside venues, especially in unsuitable weather.

One survey participant, on the topic of disabled people being challenged for not wearing face masks, commented: “People not understanding disabilities and hidden disabilities and thinking we are just refusing to wear a mask and not following rules.”

Euan’s guide recently created face mask exemption badges, designed to help disabled people clearly communicate their exemption status to others.

They were also asked about their requirements in stores and venues that could help encourage them to visit safely. 84 per cent concurred that having access to sanitising stations that are at an accessible height would help them returning to venues, and 83 per cent desired an accessible route to allow independent navigation around venues and stores.

Following the findings from the survey, Euan’s Guide has published a number of suggestions that stores and venues could implement to assist disabled people.

The suggestions include reviewing the findings of the survey and carrying out the necessary changes to welcome disabled people back, making sure that any existing COVID precautions do not exclude disabled people, and how venues can improve and continue to provide online services that have helped create opportunities for disabled people that may previously have been inaccessible.

Euan’s Guide also suggests that stores share information about their disability access and coronavirus precautions to further support disabled people.

If you are looking for easy access baths to provide disabled access at home, talk to us today.

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